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                          THE LAND OF PROMISE

                         _By the same Author_


                            THE UNKNOWN
                            THE CIRCLE
                            THE EXPLORER
                            JACK STRAW
                            LADY FREDERICK
                            LANDED GENTRY
                            THE TENTH MAN
                            A MAN OF HONOUR
                            MRS. DOT
                            PENELOPE
                            SMITH
                            CÆSAR’S WIFE

                       LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN




                              THE LAND OF
                                PROMISE

                         A COMEDY IN FOUR ACTS

                                  BY
                             W. S. MAUGHAM

                         [Illustration: 1922]

                       LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN

                    LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN. 1922


                                  TO
                            IRENE VANBRUGH


_All applications regarding the Performance Rights of this play should
be addressed to Mr. R. Golding Bright, 20, Green Street, Leicester
Square, London, W.C. 2._

This play was produced on February 26, 1914, at the Duke of York’s
Theatre, with the following cast:


              NORAH MARSH                 Irene Vanbrugh.
              EDWARD MARSH                C. V. France.
              GERTRUDE MARSH              Marion Ashworth.
              FRANK TAYLOR                Godfrey Tearle.
              REGINALD HORNBY             Basil Foster.
              BENJAMIN TROTTER            George Tully.
              SIDNEY SHARP                J. Woodall-Birde.
              EMMA SHARP                  Mary Rorke.
              JAMES WICKHAM               Athol Stewart.
              DOROTHY WICKHAM             Netta Westcott.
              AGNES PRINGLE               Lena Halliday.
              CLEMENT WYNNE               Charles Goodwin.
              KATE                        Marion Christie Murray.




                              CHARACTERS


                            NORAH MARSH.
                            EDWARD MARSH.
                            GERTRUDE MARSH.
                            FRANK TAYLOR.
                            REGINALD HORNBY.
                            BENJAMIN TROTTER.
                            SIDNEY SHARP.
                            EMMA SHARP.
                            JAMES WICKHAM.
                            DOROTHY WICKHAM.
                            AGNES PRINGLE.
                            CLEMENT WYNNE.
                            KATE.

The action of the play takes place at Tunbridge Wells, and later in
Canada.




                          THE LAND OF PROMISE




                                 ACT I


     SCENE: _The drawing-room at Miss Wickham’s house in Tunbridge
     Wells. It is a room in which there is too much furniture. There are
     armchairs covered with faded chintz, little tables here and there,
     cabinets containing china, a great many photographs in silver
     frames, porcelain ornaments wherever there is a vacant space,
     Chippendale chairs and chairs from the Tottenham Court Road. There
     are flowers in vases and growing plants. The wall-paper has a
     pattern of enormous chrysanthemums, and on the walls are a large
     number of old-fashioned watercolours in gilt frames. There is one
     door, which leads into the hall; and a French window opens on to
     the garden. The window is decorated with white lace curtains. It is
     four o’clock in the afternoon. The sun is streaming through the
     drawn blinds. There is a wreath of white flowers in a cardboard box
     on one of the chairs. The door is opened by_ KATE, _the
     parlour-maid. She is of respectable appearance and of a decent age.
     She admits_ MISS PRINGLE. MISS PRINGLE _is companion to a wealthy
     old lady in Tunbridge Wells. She is a woman of middle age, plainly
     dressed, thin and narrow of shoulders, with a weather-beaten, tired
     face and grey hair._

KATE.

I’ll tell Miss Marsh you’re here, Miss Pringle.

MISS PRINGLE.

How is she to-day, Kate?

KATE.

She’s tired out, poor thing. She’s lying down now. But I’m sure she’d
like to see you, Miss.

MISS PRINGLE.

I’m very glad she didn’t go to the funeral.

KATE.

Dr. Evans thought she’d better stay at home, Miss, and Mrs. Wickham said
she’d only upset herself if she went.

MISS PRINGLE.

I wonder how she stood it all those months, waiting on Miss Wickham hand
and foot.

KATE.

Miss Wickham wouldn’t have a professional nurse. And you know what she
was, Miss.... Miss Marsh slept in Miss Wickham’s room, and the moment
she fell asleep Miss Wickham would have her up because her pillow wanted
shaking, or she was thirsty, or something.

MISS PRINGLE.

I suppose she was very inconsiderate.

KATE.

Inconsiderate isn’t the word, Miss. I wouldn’t be a lady’s companion,
not for anything. What they have to put up with!

MISS PRINGLE.

Oh, well, everyone isn’t like Miss Wickham. The lady I’m companion to,
Mrs. Hubbard, is kindness itself.

KATE.

That sounds like Miss Marsh coming downstairs [_She goes to the door and
opens it._] Miss Pringle is here, Miss.

     [NORAH _comes in. She is a woman of twenty-eight, with a pleasant,
     honest face and a happy smile. She is gentle, with quiet manners,
     but she has a quick temper, under very good control, and a
     passionate nature which is hidden under a demure appearance. She is
     simply dressed in black._]

NORAH.

I _am_ glad to see you. I was hoping you’d be able to come here this
afternoon.

MISS PRINGLE.

Mrs. Hubbard has gone for a drive with somebody or other, and didn’t
want me.

     [_They kiss one another._ NORAH _notices the wreath_.]

NORAH.

What’s this?

KATE.

It didn’t arrive till after they’d started, Miss.

NORAH.

I wonder whom it’s from. [_She looks at a card which is attached to the
wreath._] “From Mrs. Alfred Vincent, with deepest regret for my dear
Miss Wickham and heartiest sympathy for her sorrowing relatives.”

KATE.

Sorrowing relatives is good, Miss.

NORAH.

[_Remonstrating._] Kate... I think you’d better take it away.

KATE.

What shall I do with it, Miss?

NORAH.

I’m going to the cemetery a little later. I’ll take it with me.

KATE.

Very good, Miss.

     [KATE _takes up the box and goes out_.]

MISS PRINGLE.

You haven’t been crying, Norah?

NORAH.

[_With a little apologetic smile._] Yes, I couldn’t help it.

MISS PRINGLE.

What on earth for?

NORAH.

My dear, it’s not unnatural.

MISS PRINGLE.

Well, I don’t want to say anything against her now she’s dead and gone,
poor thing, but Miss Wickham was the most detestable old woman I ever
met.

NORAH.

I don’t suppose one can live all that