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lean； wasted； brown； and laughing。＇
SOLDIER。 Daisy！ Daisy！ Hallo； old pretty girl！
＇THE GIRL does not move； barring the way； as it were。＇
THE GIRL。 Hallo； Jack！ ＇Softly＇ I got things to tell you！
SOLDIER。 What sort o' things； this lovely day？ Why； I got things
that'd take me years to tell。 Have you missed me； Daisy？
THE GIRL。 You been so long。
SOLDIER。 So I 'ave。 My Gawd！ It's a way they 'ave in the Army。 I
said when I got out of it I'd laugh。 Like as the sun itself I used
to think of you； Daisy； when the trumps was comin' over； and the wind
was up。 D'you remember that last night in the wood？ 〃Come back and
marry me quick； Jack。〃 Well； here I amgot me pass to heaven。 No
more fightin'； no more drillin'； no more sleepin' rough。 We can get
married now； Daisy。 We can live soft an' 'appy。 Give us a kiss； my
dear。
THE GIRL。 ＇Drawing back＇ No。
SOLDIER。 ＇Blankly＇ Why not？
＇THE MAN； with a swift movement steps along the hedge to THE
GIRL'S side。＇
THE MAN。 That's why； soldier。
SOLDIER。 ＇Leaping over the stile＇ 'Oo are you； Pompey？ The sun
don't shine in your inside； do it？ 'Oo is he； Daisy？
THE GIRL。 My man。
SOLDIER。 Your…man！ Lummy！ 〃Taffy was a Welshman； Taffy was a
thief！〃 Well； mate！ So you've been through it； too。 I'm laughin'
this mornin' as luck will 'ave it。 Ah！ I can see your knife。
THE MAN。 ＇Who has half drawn his knife＇ Don't laugh at me； I tell
you。
SOLDIER。 Not at you； not at you。 ＇He looks from one to the other＇
I'm laughin' at things in general。 Where did you get it； mate？
THE MAN。 ＇Watchfully＇ Through the lung。
SOLDIER。 Think o' that！ An' I never was touched。 Four years an'
never was touched。 An' so you've come an' took my girl！ Nothin'
doin'！ Ha！ ＇Again he looks from one to the other…then away＇ Well！
The world's before me！ ＇He laughs＇ I'll give you Daisy for a lung
protector。
THE MAN。 ＇Fiercely＇ You won't。 I've took her。
SOLDIER。 That's all right； then。 You keep 'er。 I've got a laugh in
me you can't put out； black as you look！ Good…bye； little Daisy！
＇THE GIRL makes a movement towards him。＇
THE MAN。 Don't touch 'im！
＇THE GIRL stands hesitating； and suddenly bursts into tears。＇
SOLDIER。 Look 'ere； mate； shake 'ands！ I don't want to see a girl
cry； this day of all； with the sun shinin'。 I seen too much of
sorrer。 You and me've been at the back of it。 We've 'ad our whack。
Shake！
THE MAN。 Who are you kiddin'？ You never loved 'er！
SOLDIER。 ＇After a long moment's pause＇ Oh！ I thought I did。
THE MAN。 I'll fight you for her。
＇He drops his knife。 ＇
SOLDIER。 ＇Slowly＇ Mate； you done your bit； an' I done mine。 It's
took us two ways； seemin'ly。
THE GIRL。 ＇Pleading＇ Jim！ ‘
THE MAN。 ＇With clenched fists＇ I don't want 'is charity。 I only
want what I can take。
SOLDIER。 Daisy； which of us will you 'ave？
THE GIRL。 ＇Covering her face＇ Oh！ Him！
SOLDIER。 You see； mate！ Put your 'ands down。 There's nothin' for
it but a laugh。 You an' me know that。 Laugh； mate！
THE MAN。 You blarsted！
＇THE GIRL springs to him and stops his mouth。＇
SOLDIER。 It's no use； mate。 I can't do it。 I said I'd laugh
to…day； and laugh I will。 I've come through that； an' all the stink
of it； I've come through sorrer。 Never again！ Cheerio； mate！ The
sun's a…shinin'！ He turns away。
THE GIRL。 Jack； don't think too 'ard of me！
SOLDIER。 ＇Looking back＇ No fear； my dear！ Enjoy your fancy！ So
long！ Gawd bless you both！
He sings； and goes along the path； and the song fades away。
〃I'll be right there to…night
Where the fields are snowy white；
Banjos ringing； darkies singing
All the world seems bright！〃
THE MAN。 'E's mad！
THE GIRL。 ＇Looking down the path with her hands clasped＇ The sun has
touched 'im； Jim！
CURTAIN
PUNCH AND GO
A LITTLE COMEDY
〃Orpheus with his lute made trees
And the mountain tope that freeze。。。。。〃
PERSONS OF THE PLAY
JAMES G。 FRUST 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。The Boss
E。 BLEWITT VANE 。。。。。。。。。。。。。The Producer
MR。 FORESON 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。The Stage Manager
〃ELECTRICS〃。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。The Electrician
〃PROPS〃 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。The Property Man
HERBERT 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。The Call Boy
OF THE PLAY WITHIN THE PLAY
GUY TOONE 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。The Professor
VANESSA HELLGROVE 。。。。。。。。。。。The Wife
GEORGE FLEETWAY 。。。。。。。。。。。。。Orpheus
MAUDE HOPKINS 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。The Faun
SCENE： The Stage of a Theatre。
Action continuous； though the curtain is momentarily lowered
according to that action。
PUNCH AND GO
The Scene is the stage of the theatre set for the dress
rehearsal of the little play： 〃Orpheus with his Lute。〃 The
curtain is up and the audience； though present； is not supposed
to be。 The set scene represents the end section of a room； with
wide French windows； Back Centre； fully opened on to an apple
orchard in bloom。 The Back Wall with these French windows； is
set only about ten feet from the footlights； and the rest of the
stage is orchard。 What is visible of the room would indicate
the study of a writing man of culture。 （ Note。If found
advantageous for scenic purposes； this section of room can be
changed to a broad verandah or porch with pillars supporting its
roof。） In the wall； Stage Left； is a curtained opening； across
which the curtain is half drawn。 Stage Right of the French
windows is a large armchair turned rather towards the window；
with a book rest attached； on which is a volume of the
Encyclopedia Britannica； while on a stool alongside are writing
materials such as a man requires when he writes with a pad on
his knees。 On a little table close by is a reading…lamp with a
dark green shade。 A crude light from the floats makes the stage
stare； the only person on it is MR FORESON； the stage manager；
who is standing in the centre looking upwards as if waiting for
someone to speak。 He is a short； broad man； rather blank； and
fatal。 From the back of the auditorium； or from an empty box；
whichever is most convenient； the producer； MR BLEWITT VANE； a
man of about thirty four； with his hair brushed back； speaks。
VANE。 Mr Foreson？
FORESON。 Sir？
VANE。 We'll do that lighting again。
＇FORESON walks straight of the Stage into the wings Right。
＇A pause。＇
Mr Foreson！ ＇Crescendo＇ Mr Foreson。
＇FORESON walks on again from Right and shades his eyes。＇
VANE。 For goodness sake； stand by！ We'll do that lighting again。
Check your floats。
FORESON。 ＇Speaking up into the prompt wings＇ Electrics！
VOICE OF ELECTRICS。 Hallo！
FORESON。 Give it us again。 Check your floats。
＇The floats go down； and there is a sudden blinding glare of
blue lights； in which FORESON looks particularly ghastly。＇
VANE。 Great Scott！ What the blazes！ Mr Foreson！
＇FORESON walks straight out into the wing