Merrily We Roll Along by Moss Hart & Hart Moss

Author:Moss Hart & Hart, Moss
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Drama
Publisher: Reading Essentials
Published: 1934-01-29T05:00:00+00:00

CURTAIN

SCENE II

A Court-house Corridor.

The year is 1924.

A couple of Attendants stand guard outside a courtroom door, from behind which comes the droning voice of a Judge.

The Judge

—at which time the plaintiff will proceed with the presentation of her evidence. Before taking an adjournment, may I remind the gentlemen of the press that this is a court of law, and that the dignity of the court must be upheld at all times? I will hold in contempt of court any newspaper photographer who attempts to take another picture in this courtroom, and if there are any further demonstrations from the public attending this trial I will order the courtroom cleared.

(There is the sound of the descending gavel)

Court is adjourned until nine o’clock tomorrow morning.

(From the courtroom come the voices of the Bailiffs, growing louder as the cry is picked up by those nearer the door. “Court is adjourned!” “Court adjourned!”)

(Immediately a babel of sound springs up inside the courtroom, and from the door there emerges The Public—or, at least, those lovely representatives thereof as are inevitably drawn to any legal procedure that promises cheaply sensational developments. The women are sleazy, cheaply dressed, sensation-hungry. There is, however, a sprinkling of Bronx housewives and two or three over-dressed West End Avenue ladies. The men are of the variety generally referred to as loafers, but among them too there are a few who are better dressed)

(The crowd is in holiday mood, and is happily discussing the juiciness of the day’s evidence as it crosses the corridor)

A Girl

Are you coming tomorrow, Evelyn?

Evelyn

You bet I am. Tomorrow’s going to be juicy.

A Woman

Did you get a good look at Niles? He looks paler than he did yesterday.

Her Friend

Paler? He ought to be blushing all over the place.

The Woman

I feel sorry for that Mrs. Niles, with a baby and everything.

A Man

The poor sucker’s unlucky, that’s all. It could happen to any of us.

Another Woman

(Emerging from the courtroom)

Believe me, if he was my husband I wouldn’t be suing for a divorce. They’d have me on trial for murder.

Her Companion

Did you see what the paper said today about Althea Royce? That editorial in the Mirror?

The First Woman

Yeah—nice for that little kid of his, ain’t it? They’re the ones that suffer with these divorces.

Still Another Woman

My little girl said to me today—she’s just old enough to read—she said: “Mama, what was it they did on the leopard skin?” What could I tell her?

A Passing Man

Tell her to keep away from leopard skins.

The Woman’s Friend

Imagine how that poor Mrs. Niles must have felt—coming there and finding the two of them on that leopard skin! I know how I’d feel!

A Man

(To a male companion)

We’ve got a leopard skin up at the country club. Gives me an idea.

His Companion

Let me know how you make out.

A Woman

I wouldn’t miss tomorrow for anything. That’s when she’s going to tell how she found ’em.

Her Friend

Do you think Althea Royce will testify?

The Woman

What could she say? She was caught, wasn’t she?

Her Friend

The Mirror is going to run her love secrets.

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