The Climbers.

by Clyde Fitch.

_THE PEOPLE IN THE PLAY_

RICHARD STERLING. EDWARD WARDEN. FREDERICK MASON. JOHNNY TROTTER.

G.o.dESBY. DR. STEINART. RYDER. SERVANT _at the Hermitage._ JORDAN.

_Butler at the Sterlings'._ LEONARD. _Footman at the Sterlings'._ MASTER STERLING. SERVANTS.

MRS. STERLING (_nee Blanche Hunter_). MISS HUNTER. MRS. HUNTER. JESSICA HUNTER. CLARA HUNTER. MISS G.o.dESBY. MISS SILLERTON. TOMPSON. _Mrs.

Hunter's Maid._ MARIE. _Clara Hunter's Maid._

ACT I

_A drawing-room at the Hunters', handsomely and artistically furnished.

The woodwork and furniture are in the period of Louis XVI. The walls and furniture are covered with yellow brocade, and the curtains are of the same golden material. At the back are two large windows which give out on Fifth Avenue, opposite the Park, the trees of which are seen across the way. At Left is a double doorway, leading into the hall. At Right, opposite, is a door which leads to other rooms, and thence to other parts of the house. In the centre, at back, between the two windows, is the fireplace; on the mantel are two vases and a clock in dark blue ormolu. There is a white and gold piano on the Right side of the room.

The room suggests much wealth, and that it has been done by a professional decorator; the personal note of taste is lacking._

_It is four o'clock in the afternoon. The shades of the windows are drawn down. There are rows and rows of camp-chairs filling the entire room._

_The curtain rises slowly. After a moment,_ JORDAN, _the butler, and_ LEONARD, _a footman, enter from the Left and begin to gather together and carry out the camp-chairs. They do this with very serious faces, and take great pains to step softly and to make no noise. They enter a second time for more chairs._

JORDAN. [_Whispers to_ LEONARD.] When are they coming for the chairs?

LEONARD. [_Whispers back._] To-night. Say, it was fine, wasn't it!

JORDAN. Grand!

[_They go out with the chairs and immediately reenter for more. They are followed in this time by a lady's maid,_ TOMPSON; _she is not a young woman. As she crosses the room she stoops and picks up a faded flower which has fallen from some emblem. She goes to the window at Right, and peeps out. She turns around and looks at the others. They all speak in subdued voices._

TOMPSON. Jordan, what do you think--can we raise the shades now?

JORDAN. Yes, of course--after they've left the house it's all over as far as we here are concerned.

[_She raises both shades._

TOMPSON. Phew! what an odor of flowers!

[_She opens one of the windows a little._

[MARIE, _a young, pretty, French woman, enters from the Right._

MARIE. Will I help you?

TOMPSON. Just with this table, thank you, Marie. [_They begin to rearrange the room, putting it in its normal condition. They replace the table and put back the ornaments upon it._] Poor Mr. Hunter, and him so fond of mince pie. I shall never forget how that man ate mince pie.

[_She sighs lugubriously and continues her labor with the room._

LEONARD. I hope as how it's not going to make any difference with us.

JORDAN. [_Pompously._] Of course not; wasn't Mr. Hunter a millionnaire?

TOMPSON. Some millionnaires I've known turned out poor as Job's turkey in their coffins!

MARIE. What you say? You tink we shall 'ave some of madame's or ze young ladies' dresses?

TOMPSON. [_Hopefully._] Perhaps.

MARIE. I 'ave already made my choice. I like ze pale pink of Mees Jessie.

LEONARD. Sh! I heard a carridge.

TOMPSON. Then they're coming back.

[MARIE _quickly goes out Right._

JORDAN. [_To_ LEONARD, _hurriedly, as he quickly goes out Left._] Take them last two chairs!

[LEONARD, _with the chairs, follows_ JORDAN _out Left._ TOMPSON _hastily puts back a last arm-chair to its usual position in the room and goes out Right._ MRS. HUNTER _enters Left, followed by her three daughters_, BLANCHE, JESSICA, _and_ CLARA, _and_ MASTER STERLING, _who is a small, attractive child, five years of age. All are in the deepest conventional mourning,_ MRS. HUNTER _in widow's weeds and_ CLARA _with a heavy, black chiffon veil; the_ BOY _is also dressed in conventional mourning. As soon as they enter, all four women lift their veils._ MRS. HUNTER _is a well-preserved woman, with a pretty, rather foolish, and somewhat querulous face. Her figure is the latest mode._ BLANCHE STERLING, _her oldest daughter, is her ant.i.thesis,--a handsome, dignified woman, young, sincere, and showing, in her att.i.tude to the others and in her own point of view, the warmth of a true, evenly-balanced nature._ JESSICA _is a typical second child,--nice, good, self-effacing, sympathetic, unspoiled._ CLARA _is her opposite,--spoiled, petulant, pretty, pert, and selfish._

MRS. HUNTER. [_With a long sigh._] Oh, I am so glad to be back home and the whole thing over without a hitch!

[_She sinks with a great sigh of relief into a big chair._

BLANCHE. [_Takes her son to_ MRS. HUNTER.] Kiss grandmother good-by, and then Leonard will take you home.

MRS. HUNTER. Good-by, dear. Be a good boy. Don't eat too much candy.

[_Kisses him carelessly._

MASTER STERLING. Good-by. [_Runs towards the door Left, shouting happily._] Leonard! Leonard!

MRS. HUNTER. [_Tearfully._] My dears, it was a great success! Everybody was there!

[_The three younger women stand and look about the room, as if it were strange to them--as if it were empty. There is a moment's silence._

BLANCHE. [_Tenderly._] Mother, why don't you take off your bonnet?

MRS. HUNTER. Take it off for me; it _will_ be a great relief.

BLANCHE. Help me, Jess.