Scène
1
Lieu : The woods
surrounding the Hammond house.
|
Anne:
[reciting lines 10-18, 34-36, 37-45 from Lord Alfred Tennyson's
The Lady of Shalott]
|
Willows
whiten, aspens quiver,
Little breezes dusk and shiver
Thro' the wave that runs forever
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
Four grey walls, and four grey towers,
Overlook a space of flowers,
And the silent isle imbowers
The Lady of Shalott.
Piling sheaves in uplands airy,
Listening, whispers "'Tis the fairy
Lady of Shalott."
There she weaves
by night and day
A magic web with colours gay.
She has heard a whisper say
A curse is on her if she stay
To look down [on] Camelot.
She knows not what the curse may be,
And so she weaveth steadily,
And little other care hath she,
The Lady of Shalott.
|
Mrs
Hammond
:
|
Anne ! Anne ! |
Anne
:
|
Coming Mrs Hammond ! |
Mrs
Hammond
:
|
Anne! Anne Shirley get
in here this instant! [to child] It's alright honey. [to Anne] Go
on, git, git! Watch it you sloppy girl, that comes right out of my
babyies' mouthes. |
Anne
:
|
I'm sorry, Mrs Hammond,
but I was rushing so and it's quite heavy. That'll be my share so
there won't be any less for the children. |
Mrs
Hammond
:
|
Oh, here, just take them
and clean them up. Well, if you'd pay more attention to your chores
instead of pouring over them fool books of yours. |
Anne
:
|
Please! I won't do it
again. It was just so thrilling I couldn't put it down. |
Mrs
Hammond
:
|
Oh, you darn well won't
do it again. And if I catch you reading any more of them books of
yours while you're supposed to be looking after my youngens, they'll
feed the fire too, missy. Well, don't just stand there looking daft!
Finish changing Meg and Peter! Mr. Hammond and the men been waiting
well nigh an hour for their lunch while you've been dawdling. |
Anne:
|
I enjoy babies in moderation,
Mrs Hammond, but twins three times in succession is too much. |
Mrs
Hammond
:
|
What ? |
Anne
:
|
I simply couldn't live
here if I hadn't any imagination. |
Mrs
Hammond :
|
I'll take none of your
cheek, Anne Shirley. Believe you me, you'll be out on your backside
if I get another word out of you. Oh, go on. Git going to the mill
before Mr. Hammond takes a whipping for you. Git! [to children] Eat! |
|