書(shū)蟲(chóng)2級(jí)《一千美金》一千美金

One Thousand Dollars

INTRODUCTION

A young man's uncle leaves him one thousand dollars in his will. What can the young man do with it?

CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY

Bobby Gillian, a young man

Mr Tolman, a lawyer

Mr Sharp, a lawyer

Miss Hayden, a pretty young woman

Miss Lotta Lauriere, a dancer

Bryson, a man of forty

Man at the theatre

PERFORMANCE NOTES

Scene 1: A lawyers' office, with a desk and two chairs

Scene 2: A restaurant, with tables and chairs

Scene 3: Theatre dressing room, with a dressing table, a clothes cupboard and a mirror

Scene 4: As Scene 1

Scene 5: The living room in Bobby's uncle's house, with a table and chair

Scene 6: As Scene 1

You will need a piece of paper that looks like a will, another piece of paper with writing on it, some writing paper, a pen, a packet of money, a book, and a cup.

SCENE 1

The will

In Tolman and Sharp's office. Mr Tolman is sitting behind his desk. He has just finished reading a will. Bobby Gillian is sitting the other side of the desk.

TOLMAN

Well, there you are. your uncle wrote his will a month or two before he died, and now I've read it to you. What do you think?

BOBBY

(Laughing) It's not going to be easy to spend a thousand dollars. Fifty dollars or fifty thousand would be easier. I'll have to ask a friend how to spend it.

TOLMAN

Did you listen carefully when I was reading the will? After spending the thousand dollars, you must tell me, in writing, how you spent it. Will you do that?

BOBBY

Yes, I'll do it, Mr Tolman.

TOLMAN

(Giving Bobby a packet) Then here's the money. One thousand dollars.

SCENE 2

A lot or very little

At a restaurant. Bryson is sitting at a table, drinking coffee and reading a book. Bobby sits down opposite him.

BOBBY

Hello there, Bryson! Put down your book, I've got a funny story to tell you!

BRYSON

Tell it to somebody at one of the other tables. You know I don't like your stories.

BOBBY

It's a good story. I've just come from my uncle Septimus's lawyers. He's died and left me one thousand dollars! What can I do with it?

BRYSON

I thought old man Gillian had half a million.

BOBBY

He did. He left most of it to the hospital that killed him! Isn't that funny? His secretary gets ten dollars, and I get a thousand.

BRYSON

You've always got plenty of money to spend.

BOBBY

Lots. Uncle Septimus was like Father Christmas to me.

BRYSON

Did he have any other family?

BOBBY

None. There is a Miss Hayden who lives in his house. She's a quiet little thing. The daughter of one of my uncle's friends. I forgot to say that she got ten dollars, too.

BRYSON

Did she?

BOBBY

Why didn't he leave me just ten dollars? Then I could spend it on two bottles of champagne and forget uncle Septimus and his money.

BRYSON

(Smiling) A thousand dollars can be a lot or very little. One man could buy a happy home with it and laugh at America's richest man.

BOBBY

That's true.

BRYSON

A thousand dollars could buy milk for one hundred babies this summer, and save fifty of their lives. It could send a clever boy to college.

BOBBY

Listen, Bryson. I asked you to tell me what I could do with a thousand dollars.

BRYSON

(Laughing) Go and buy a gold necklace for your favourite dancer, Lotta Lauriere. Then go and work on a farm. Work with sheep. I've never liked sheep.

BOBBY

The beautiful Lotta! Yes, you're right. I want to spend all the money on one thing. You see, I've got to write and say what I spent it on, and I don't like writing. Thanks, Bryson!

SCENE 3

A necklace for Lotta

Lotta Lauriere's dressing room at the theatre. She is getting ready. There is a knock at the door.

LOTTA

Who is it?

Who is it?'

BOBBY

It's me. Bobby Gillian.

LOTTA

Come in, Bobby. (He comes in.) What is it, Bobby? I have to go and dance in two minutes.

BOBBY

Listen, Lotta. Would you like a pretty necklace? I can spend a thousand. What do you say to that?

LOTTA

(Laughing) Oh, you sweet man! It's true that I love pretty things. But...

BOBBY

Yes?

LOTTA

(Putting on a hat) Did you see the necklace that Della Stacey was wearing the other night? It cost more than two thousand dollars at Tiffany's.

BOBBY

Oh, did it?

There is a knock on the door. A man comes in.

MAN

Miss Lauriere, it's time!

LOTTA

Oh! I must go, Bobby!

Lotta leaves. The man waits for Bobby to leave.

BOBBY

What would you do with a thousand dollars?

MAN

Open a bar. I know a place that could make a lot of money. Are you thinking of putting some money into – ?

BOBBY

Oh, no. I only wanted to know.

MAN

Listen, this could make us both a lot of money.

BOBBY

Excuse me. I must go.

Bobby leaves the room.

MAN

And I thought it was my lucky day.

SCENE 4

Bobby asks a question

In Tolman and Sharp's office. Tolman is sitting at his desk. Bobby is standing the other side of Tolman's desk. The lawyer does not look pleased to see him.

TOLMAN

What do you want now, Mr Gillian?

BOBBY

Can I ask you a question? Did my uncle leave Miss Hayden more than the ten dollars?

TOLMAN

No, he didn't.

BOBBY

Thank you very much, sir.

TOLMAN

Is that all?

BOBBY

Yes, thank you. That's all I wanted to know.

SCENE 5

News for Miss Hayden

In Septimus Gillian's living room. Miss Hayden is sitting at a table, writing letters. She looks up when Bobby comes in.

BOBBY

I've just come from old Tolman's. They found a – what's the word? – a codicil to the will.

MISS HAYDEN

They did?

BOBBY

Dear old uncle left you some more money. A thousand dollars. Tolman asked me to bring it to you. here it is. (He puts the packet of money on the table.)

MISS HAYDEN

Oh! Oh!

BOBBY

I love you, Miss Hayden. Did you know that?

MISS HAYDEN

Oh! no. I am sorry.

BOBBY

Is there no hope for me?

Is there no hope for me?'

MISS HAYDEN

I – no, I am sorry.

BOBBY

(Smiling) Can I write a note?

MISS HAYDEN

Of course. (She gives him a pen and some paper.) I – please, excuse me.

She leaves. Bobby writes a short note, then reads it.

BOBBY

(Reading) 'Paid to the best and dearest woman in the world, one thousand dollars. For all the happiness she brings to people.'

SCENE 6

Another fifty thousand!

In Tolman and Sharp's office. Tolman is sitting behind his desk when Bobby comes into the room.

BOBBY

I've spent the thousand dollars. and I've got a note to tell you what I spent it on.

He puts the note on Tolman's desk. Tolman gets up and goes to the door. He opens it.

TOLMAN

(Calling) Sharp! Come in here, please.

Sharp

(Coming into the room) Yes? (He looks at Bobby, then looks down at the note.) Oh. I understand.

He goes out of the room again. Tolman and Bobby wait silently. Sharp comes back with a piece of paper. The two lawyers read it and look at each other.

TOLMAN

Mr Gillian, there was a codicil to your uncle's will.

BOBBY

A codicil?

TOLMAN

We were told not to read it until you told us, in writing, how you spent the thousand dollars. You have now done this, so I will tell you what the codicil says.

BOBBY

Please do.

TOLMAN

Your uncle tells us in the codicil that we can give you another fifty thousand dollars –

BOBBY

(Very surprised) What!

TOLMAN

(Continuing) – If you have used the money to do some good for others. But...

BOBBY

But?

TOLMAN

If you have spent it carelessly or given it away to the wrong people –

BOBBY

(Laughing) As I usually do!

TOLMAN

Then the fifty thousand dollars must be paid to Miss Miriam Hayden. Now, Mr Gillian. Mr Sharp and I will read your note and find out –

Bobby quickly takes the note from the desk.

BOBBY

(Smiling) It's all right. There's no need to read it. I lost the thousand dollars betting on a horse at the races. Goodbye, Mr Tolman, Mr Sharp.

He leaves the office, happily singing a song.

TOLMAN

(Laughing) Are you surprised, Mr Sharp?

Are you surprised, Mr Sharp?'

SHARP

(Shaking his head and smiling) No, Mr Tolman. Not surprised at all!