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CONQUEST

Or

A Piece of Jade

A New Play in Three Acts

by

MARIE C. STOPES

D.Sc., Ph.D., F.R.S.Litt., etc.







1/- net

Copyright 1917 by Dr. Marie C. Stopes

New York
Samuel French
Publisher
28-30 West 38th Street

London
Samuel French, Ltd.
26 Southampton Street
Strand

1917




LEATHERHEAD, SURREY,
ENGLAND.

DEAR MR. DELIGHTFULEST-MANAGER-IN-THE-WORLD,--

I am sending you this play printed instead of type-written because I
think you will find it much easier to slip into your pocket and read,
and also because I don't know your address, and printed books have a
way of finding people without being addressed which typescripts have
not yet learnt. So instead of sending my play round, in what people
tell me is the usual way, to lots and lots of managers in typescript
and wasting ever so much valuable time while they don't read it, I am
sending it to you direct, and hope you will like it. When you read it
you will find that there is still another reason why I am glad to see
it in print.

First let me have just one word in your ear, please: don't look to
see how many pages long it is, and (reckoning "a page a minute") say
it is too short to fill an evening, for I ought to tell you it is a
full-length play but the printer is war-economising and has printed it
all on fewer pages than he would have done in the days of Paper, Peace
and Plenty long ago.

While I was writing the leading part I pictured one of our finest
actresses in it, and she has read it and says the play is "simply
splendid": if you want her to take the part I will tell you her name
and address, but she is such an angel she will forgive you if some one
you love better seems to you to be the heroine.

  Yours sincerely,
  MARIE C. STOPES.




_Registered Copyright by Marie C. Stopes._

_The Copyright of_ CONQUEST _is the sole property of the author, to
whom application should be made for a license to produce, translate,
place on the cinematograph or use in any other way._

  _Addressing_: DR. MARIE STOPES,
  _Craigvara, Leatherhead,
  Surrey, England_.




"CONQUEST," or "A PIECE OF JADE."

A NEW PLAY IN THREE ACTS, BY

MARIE C. STOPES.


  TIME: _1915_.      PLACE: _New Zealand and London_.


  ACT I.

  An Out-station on the Hyde's Sheep Farm,
  New Zealand.

  Afternoon.


  ACT II.

  The Hyde's Homestead, New Zealand.

  Morning.

  Three or four months elapse between Acts I. and II.


  ACT III.

  The Duchess of Rainshire's Drawing-room, London.

  Evening.

  About two months elapse between Acts II. and III.




"CONQUEST," or "A PIECE OF JADE."




DRAMATIS PERSONAE.


_In the order of their appearance_:

  FIRST SHEPHERD.
  SECOND SHEPHERD.
  GORDON HYDE, _New Zealand Sheep Farmer_.
  ROTO, _an old Maori_.
  NORA LEE, _A New Zealand Girl_.
  LOVEDAY LEWISHAM, _Nora's Cousin, out from England_.
  ROBERT HYDE, _New Zealand Sheep Farmer, Gordon's Brother_.
  JOHN VARLIE _alias_ THE REV DR. CHAPMAN.
  RECRUITING OFFICER.
  THE DUCHESS OF RAINSHIRE.
  A CABINET MINISTER.
  SMITHERS.

ALSO (_Without words_):

  TWO (OR PERHAPS THREE) YOUNG MEN _in New Zealand Khaki_.
  LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, _Guests at the Duchess' Evening Party_.
  MAID, _Footman's substitute in uniform_.
  TWO PLAIN CLOTHES OFFICERS.
  ONE OR TWO COLLIE DOGS.
  SHEEP--ONE, OR MORE, _if convenient_.




"CONQUEST,"

OR

"A PIECE OF JADE."

A NEW PLAY IN THREE ACTS BY

MARIE C. STOPES.




ACT I.


 _THE SCENE is set in the hills of the sheep-raising part of the S.
 Island of New Zealand._

 _The back-cloth is painted with fine rocky and wooded hills and
 lakes, rather like Scotland but with a clearer, bluer sky and keener
 atmosphere._

 _The stage represents a temporary camp in a clearing, for the
 mustering and marking of sheep. There are boulders and groups of
 luxuriant trees. The grass is trampled under foot. RIGHT CENTRE is
 an open fire with cooking utensils. BACK RIGHT the corner of sheep
 enclosures. On LEFT is a temporary cover, part canvas, part tree
 branches._

 _TWO SHEPHERDS are DISCOVERED near the fire, binding up the leg of a
 sheep. The collie dogs prowl and lie around._

1ST SHEP. (_An old, wiry man._) A fine muster, this year.

2ND SHEP. (_A dour man, about 45 years old._) Aye.

1ST SHEP. The best season I mind for ten years. (_Working with sheep's
leg._) Plague take it, it's slipped. Lie still you bleatin' fule ye!
And sheep s'd fetch a guid price this year and all.

2ND SHEP. Aye.

1ST SHEP. I'm thinkin' these sheep will be making the fortune of the
young masters, but they do nought but make work for us.

2ND SHEP. (_Spits._) Aye.

1ST SHEP. The young masters must get an extra man, we never had to
handle so many sheep.

2ND SHEP. Men'll be scarce now.

1ST SHEP. They will that. Do you hear they recruitin' fellows are
scourin' the country for likely lads?

2ND SHEP. Aye.

1ST SHEP. When did you know it?

2ND SHEP. 'Bout a week ago.

1ST SHEP. (_Reproachfully._) And ye kept a tale like that from me--and
me that glad of any bit of news in this lonesomeness. I call that nasty
of ye.

 (_2ND SHEPHERD is silent; spits slowly._)

I call that nasty of ye.

2ND SHEP. Aye.

1ST SHEP. And what else do ye know ye might tell me if--if, well,
if I had a wee drop of something to loosen your lips--(_Pulls out a
flask and a tin cup and pours a small drink--the dogs come up._) Down
Jock--get out Scottie. What news have ye for this, eh?

 (_2ND SHEPHERD reaches out his hand._)

1ST SHEP. Na-na. News first. It mayn't