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BELINDA

An April Folly in Three Acts

BY

A. A. MILNE




CHARACTERS



Produced by Mr. Dion Boucioault at the New Theatre, London, on April 8,
1918, with the following cast:--

    BELINDA TREMAYNE.......... _Irene Vanbrugh_.
    DELIA (her Daughter)...... _Isabel Elsom_.
    HAROLD BAXTER............. _Dion Boucicault_.
    CLAUDE DEVENISH........... _Dennis Neilson-Terry_.
    JOHN TREMAYNE............. _Ben Webster_.
    BETTY..................... _Anne Walden_.

The action takes place in Belinda's country-house in Devonshire at the
end of April, the first act in the garden and the second and last acts
in the hall



[Illustration]



BELINDA



ACT I


_It is a lovely April afternoon--a foretaste of summer--in_
BELINDA'S _garden_.

BETTY, _a middle-aged servant, is fastening a hammock--its first
appearance this year--to a tree down_ L. _In front there is a
garden-table, with a deck-chair on the right of it and a straight-backed
one to the left. There are books, papers, and magazines on the
table_. BELINDA, _of whom we shall know more presently, is on the
other side of the open windows which look on to the garden, talking
to_ BETTY, _who crosses to_ R. _of hammock, securing it to
tree_ C.

BELINDA (_from inside the house_). Are you sure you're tying it up
tightly enough, Betty?

BETTY (_coming to front of hammock_). Yes, ma'am; I think it's
firm.

BELINDA. Because I'm not the fairy I used to be.

BETTY (_testing hammock_). Yes, ma'am; it's quite firm this end
too.

BELINDA (_entering from portico with sunshade open_). It's not the
ends I'm frightened of; it's the middle where the weight's coming.
(_Comes down_ R. _and admiring_.) It looks very nice. (_She crosses
at back of wicker table, hanging her hand-bag on hammock. Closes and
places her sunshade at back of tree_ C.)

BETTY. Yes, ma'am.

BELINDA (_trying the middle of it with her hand_). I asked them at
the Stores if they were quite _sure_ it would bear me, and they
said it would take anything up to--I forget how many tons. I know I
thought it was rather rude of them. (_Looking at it anxiously, and
trying to get in, first with her right leg and then her left_.) How
does one get in! So trying to be a sailor!

BETTY. I think you sit in it, ma'am, and then (_explaining with her
hands_) throw your legs over.

BELINDA. I see. (_She sits gingerly in the hammock, and then, with a
sudden flutter of white, does what_ BETTY _suggests_.) Yes.
(_Regretfully_.) I'm afraid that was rather wasted on you, Betty.
We must have some spectators next time.

BETTY. Yea, ma'am

BELINDA. Cushions.

(BETTY _moves to and takes a cushion from deck-chair_. BELINDA
_assists her to place it at back of her head_. BETTY _then goes
to back of hammock and arranges_ BELINDA'S _dress_.)

There! Now then, Betty, about callers.

BETTY. Yes, ma'am.

BELINDA. If Mr. Baxter calls--he is the rather prim gentleman--

BETTY. Yea, ma'am; the one who's been here several times before.
(_Moves to below and_ L. _of hammock_.)

BELINDA (_giving_ BETTY _a quick look_). Yes. Well, if he
calls, you'll say, "Not at home."

BETTY. Yes, ma'am.

BELINDA. He will say (_imitating_ MR. BAXTER), "Oh--er--oh--er--
really." Then you'll smile very sweetly and say, "I beg your pardon, was
it Mr_. BAXTER_?" And he'll say, "Yes!" and you'll say, "Oh, I beg
your pardon, sir; _this_ way