Homepage
Login
Profile
BookClubs
dmBox
Read Ebook: Strife: A Drama in Three Acts by Galsworthy John
Font size:
Background color:
Text color:
Add to tbrJar First Page Next Page
Ebook has 952 lines and 23338 words, and 20 pages
FIRST SERIES PLAYS
STRIFE
A DRAMA IN THREE ACTS
PERSONS OF THE PLAY
JOHN ANTHONY, Chairman of the Trenartha Tin Plate Works EDGAR ANTHONY, his Son
FREDERIC H. WILDER, | WILLIAM SCANTLEBURY,| Directors Of the same OLIVER WANKLIN, |
HENRY TENCH, Secretary of the same FRANCIS UNDERWOOD, C.E., Manager of the same SIMON HARNESS, a Trades Union official
DAVID ROBERTS, | JAMES GREEN, | JOHN BULGIN, | the workmen's committee HENRY THOMAS, | GEORGE ROUS, |
HENRY ROUS, | LEWIS, | JAGO, | EVANS, | workman at the Trenartha Tin Plate Works A BLACKSMITH, | DAVIES, | A RED-HAIRED YOUTH. | BROWN |
FROST, valet to John Anthony ENID UNDERWOOD, Wife of Francis Underwood, daughter of John Anthony ANNIE ROBERTS, wife of David Roberts MADGE THOMAS, daughter of Henry Thomas MRS. ROUS, mother of George and Henry Rous MRS. BULGIN, wife of John Bulgin MRS. YEO, wife of a workman A PARLOURMAID to the Underwoods JAN, Madge's brother, a boy of ten A CROWD OF MEN ON STRIKE
The action takes place on February 7th between the hours of noon and six in the afternoon, close to the Trenartha Tin Plate Works, on the borders of England and Wales, where a strike has been in progress throughout the winter.
ACT I
It is noon. In the Underwoods' dining-room a bright fire is burning. On one side of the fireplace are double-doors leading to the drawing-room, on the other side a door leading to the hall. In the centre of the room a long dining-table without a cloth is set out as a Board table. At the head of it, in the Chairman's seat, sits JOHN ANTHONY, an old man, big, clean-shaven, and high-coloured, with thick white hair, and thick dark eyebrows. His movements are rather slow and feeble, but his eyes are very much alive. There is a glass of water by his side. On his right sits his son EDGAR, an earnest-looking man of thirty, reading a newspaper. Next him WANKLIN, a man with jutting eyebrows, and silver-streaked light hair, is bending over transfer papers. TENCH, the Secretary, a short and rather humble, nervous man, with side whiskers, stands helping him. On WANKLIN'S right sits UNDERWOOD, the Manager, a quiet man, with along, stiff jaw, and steady eyes. Back to the fire is SCANTLEBURY, a very large, pale, sleepy man, with grey hair, rather bald. Between him and the Chairman are two empty chairs.
WILDER. I say, this fire's the devil! Can I have a screen, Tench?
SCANTLEBURY. A screen, ah!
UNDERWOOD. A screen? Rather! I'm sorry. We're not accustomed to complaints of too much fire down here just now.
WILDER. You mean the men. H'm!
SCANTLEBURY. Poor devils!
WILDER. It's their own fault, Scantlebury.
EDGAR. There's great distress among them, according to the Trenartha News.
WILDER. Oh, that rag! Give it to Wanklin. Suit his Radical views. They call us monsters, I suppose. The editor of that rubbish ought to be shot.
WILDER. Well, we have come.
EDGAR. "We cannot believe that even their leg-of-mutton hearts would remain untouched."
WILDER. Ruffian! I remember that fellow when he had n't a penny to his name; little snivel of a chap that's made his way by black-guarding everybody who takes a different view to himself.
WILDER. What does your father say?
EDGAR. He says "The kettle and the pot."
WILDER. H'm!
SCANTLEBURY. I shall boil if I don't get that screen.
ENID. Put it closer, Frank. Will that do, Mr. Wilder? It's the highest we've got.
WILDER. Thanks, capitally.
SCANTLEBURY. Ah! Merci, Madame!
ENID. Is there anything else you want, Father? Edgar--anything?
EDGAR. You might give me a "J" nib, old girl.
ENID. There are some down there by Mr. Scantlebury.
SCANTLEBURY. Ah! your brother uses "J's." What does the manager use? What does your husband use, Mrs. Underwood?
UNDERWOOD. A quill!
SCANTLEBURY. The homely product of the goose.
UNDERWOOD. Thanks, if you can spare me one. What about lunch, Enid?
ENID. We're going to have lunch here, in the drawing-room, so you need n't hurry with your meeting.
SCANTLEBURY. Ah! Lunch! That hotel-- Dreadful! Did you try the whitebait last night? Fried fat!
WILDER. Past twelve! Are n't you going to read the minutes, Tench?
TENCH. "At a Board Meeting held the 31st of January at the Company's Offices, 512, Cannon Street, E.C. Present--Mr. Anthony in the chair, Messrs. F. H. Wilder, William Scantlebury, Oliver Wanklin, and Edgar Anthony. Read letters from the Manager dated January 20th, 23d, 25th, 28th, relative to the strike at the Company's Works. Read letters to the Manager of January 21st, 24th, 26th, 29th. Read letter from Mr. Simon Harness, of the Central Union, asking for an interview with the Board. Read letter from the Men's Committee, signed David Roberts, James Green, John Bulgin, Henry Thomas, George Rous, desiring conference with the Board; and it was resolved that a special Board Meeting be called for February 7th at the house of the Manager, for the purpose of discussing the situation with Mr. Simon Harness and the Men's Committee on the spot. Passed twelve transfers, signed and sealed nine certificates and one balance certificate."
ANTHONY. If it's your pleasure, sign the same.
WANKLIN. What's the Union's game, Tench? They have n't made up their split with the men. What does Harness want this interview for?
TENCH. Hoping we shall come to a compromise, I think, sir; he's having a meeting with the men this afternoon.
WILDER. Harness! Ah! He's one of those cold-blooded, cool-headed chaps. I distrust them. I don't know that we didn't make a mistake to come down. What time'll the men be here?
UNDERWOOD. Any time now.
WILDER. Well, if we're not ready, they'll have to wait--won't do them any harm to cool their heels a bit.
SCANTLEBURY. Poor devils! It's snowing. What weather!
UNDERWOOD. This house'll be the warmest place they've been in this winter.
WILDER. Well, I hope we're going to settle this business in time for me to catch the 6.30. I've got to take my wife to Spain to-morrow. My old father had a strike at his works in '69; just such a February as this. They wanted to shoot him.
Add to tbrJar First Page Next Page