Part 33 (2/2)

(_Repeating the words, and going up steps._)

Hippo, Samaria and Gadara, And high-walled Joppa, and Anthedon, (_As he moves up._) And Gaza unto these, and Straton's towers![54]

The perfect climax lies in the irony of the fact that all Herod most desires as ruler comes to him at just the moment when he has killed the thing that most he loved.

At the end of Act III of _Chains_, by Elizabeth Baker, everybody--the father-in-law and mother-in-law, Percy, the brother-in-law, and Sybil, a pretty but useless bit of femininity--has been making Charlie entirely miserable because no one can understand that his expressed desire to try his fortunes in Australia and then send for his wife, Lily, is not a pretext for abandoning her. Percy, with next to nothing a year, is just engaged to Sybil. Foster wants to marry Margaret, Charlie's sister-in-law, who is dissatisfied with her lot.

_Enter Lily, dressed for going out, also Mrs. Ma.s.sey. Lily goes round, kissing and shaking hands, with a watery smile and a forced tearful cheerfulness._

_Charley._ (_Without going all around and calling from the door._) Good night, all! (_Exeunt Lily and Charley._)

_Mrs. Ma.s.sey._ Well, I must say--

_Percy._ O, let's drop it, mother. Play something, Maggie.

_Maggie._ I don't want to.

_Mrs. Ma.s.sey._ Walter would like to hear something, wouldn't you, Walter?

_Foster._ If Maggie feels like it.

_Maggie._ She doesn't feel like it.

_Ma.s.sey._ Be as pleasant as you can, my girl--Charley's enough for one evening.

(_Maggie goes to the piano and sitting down plays noisily, with both pedals on, the chorus, ”Off to Philadelphia.”_)

_Mrs. Ma.s.sey._ Maggie, it's Sunday!

_Maggie._ I forgot!

_Mrs. Ma.s.sey._ You shouldn't forget such things--Sybil, my dear--

_Sybil._ I don't play.

_Ma.s.sey._ Rubbis.h.!.+ Come on!

(_Sybil goes to the piano and Percy follows her._)

_Percy._ (_Very near to Sybil and helping her to find the music._) Charley is a rotter! What d'ye think he was telling me the other day?

_Sybil._ I don't know.

_Percy._ Told me to be sure I got the right girl.

_Sybil._ Brute!

_Percy._ What do you think I said? Darling!

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