THE LAST OF
THE DE MULLINS
A Play without a Preface
By St. John Hankin
London: A. C. Fifield
1909
The Persons in the Play
Hugo De Mullin
Jane De Mullin.....His wife
Mrs. Clouston......His sister.
Janet De Mullin....(Mrs. Seagrave) Hugo’s eldest daughter.
Johnny Seagrave....Her son.
Hester De Mullin...Her sister.
Bertha Aldenham
Monty Bulstead
Dr. Rolt...........The local doctor.
Mr. Brown..........The curate.
Miss Deanes
Ellen..............Maid at the De Mullins’.
The action of the play takes place at Brendon Underwood in Dorset, Acts I and III at the Manor House, the De Mullins’ house in the village, Act II on the borders of Brendon Forest. Three days pass between Acts I and II, five between Acts II and III.
CONTENTS
ACT I
Scene: The Inner Hall at the Manor House in Brendon-Underwood village. An old-fashioned white-panelled room. At the back is a big stone-mullioned Tudor window looking out on to the garden. On the left of this is a bay in which is a smaller window. A door in the bay leads out into the garden. People entering by this door pass the window before they appear. The furniture is oak, mostly Jacobean or older. The right-hand wall of the room is mainly occupied by a great Tudor fireplace, over which the De Mullin Coat of Arms is carved in stone. Above this a door leads to the outer hall and front door. A door on the opposite side of the room leads to the staircase and the rest of the house. The walls are hung with a long succession of family portraits of all periods and in all stages of dinginess as to both canvas and frame. When the curtain rises the stage is empty. Then Hester is seen to pass the window at the back, followed by Mr. Brown. A moment later they enter. Mr. Brown is a stout, rather unwholesome-looking curate, Hester a lean, angular girl of twenty-eight, very plainly and unattractively dressed in sombre tight-fitting clothes. She has a cape over her shoulders and a black hat on. Brown wears seedy clerical garments, huge boots and a squashy hat. The time is twelve o’clock in the morning of a fine day in September.
HESTER
Come in, Mr. Brown. I’ll tell mother you’re here. I expect she’s upstairs with father (going towards door).
BROWN
Don’t disturb Mrs. De Mullin, please. I didn’t mean to come in.
HESTER
You’ll sit down now you are here?
BROWN
Thank you (does so awkwardly). I’m so glad to hear Mr. De Mullin is better. The Vicar will be glad too.
HESTER
Yes. Dr. Rolt thinks he will do all right now.
BROWN
You must have been very anxious when he was first taken ill.
HESTER
We were terribly anxious. [Hester takes off her hat and cape and puts them down on the window seat.
BROWN
I suppose there’s no doubt it was some sort of stroke?
HESTER
Dr. Rolt says no doubt.
BROWN
How did it happen?
HESTER
We don’t know. He had just gone out of the room when we heard a fall. Mother ran out into the hall and found him lying by the door quite unconscious. She was dreadfully frightened. So were we all.
BROWN
Had he been complaining of feeling unwell?
HESTER
Not specially. He complained of the heat a little. And he had a headache. But father’s not strong, you know. None of the De Mullins are, Aunt Harriet says.
BROWN
Mrs. Clouston is with you now, isn’t she?
HESTER
Yes. For a month. She generally stays with us for a month in the summer.
BROWN
I suppose she’s very fond of Brendon?
HESTER
All the De Mullins are fond of Brendon, Mr. Brown.
BROWN
Naturally. You have been here so long.
HESTER
Since the time of King Stephen.
BROWN
Not in this house?
HESTER
(smiling)
Not in this house, of course. It’s not old enough for that.
BROWN
Still, it must be very old. The oldest house in the Village, isn’t it?
HESTER
Only about four hundred years. The date is 1603. The mill is older, of course.
BROWN
You still own the mill, don’t you?
HESTER
Yes. Father would never part with it. He thinks everything of the mill. We get our name from it, you know. De Mullin. Du Moulin. “Of the Mill.”
BROWN
Were the original De Mullins millers then?
HESTER
(rather shocked at such a suggestion)
Oh no!
BROWN
I thought they couldn’t have been. .
HESTER
No De Mullin has ever been in trade of any kind! But in the old days to own a mill was a feudal privilege. Only lords of manors and the great abbeys had them. The farmers had to bring all their corn to them to be ground.
BROWN
I see.
HESTER
There were constant disputes about it all through the Middle Ages.
BROWN
Why was that?
HESTER
The farmers would rather have ground their corn for themselves, I suppose.
BROWN
Why? If the De Mullins were willing to do it for them?
HESTER
They had to pay for having it ground, of course.
BROWN
(venturing on a small joke)
Then the De Mullins were millers, after all, in a sense.
HESTER
You mustn’t let father hear you say so!
BROWN
The mill is never used now, is it?
HESTER
No. When, people gave up growing corn round here and all the land was turned into pasture it fell into decay, and now it’s almost ruinous.
BROWN
What a pity!
HESTER
Yes. Father says England has never been the same since the repeal of the Corn laws. (Enter Mrs. De Mullin and Mrs. Clouston by the door on the left, followed by Dr. Rolt.) Here is mother—and Aunt Harriet.
Mrs. De Mullin, poor lady, is a crushed, timid creature of fifty-eight or so, entirely dominated by the De Mullin fetish and quite unable to hold her own against either her husband or her sister-in-law, a hardmouthed, resolute woman of sixty. Even Hester she finds almost too much for her. For the rest a gentle, kindly lady, rather charming in her extreme helplessness. Rolt is the average country doctor, brisk, sensible, neither a fool nor a genius.
ROLT
(as they enter the room)
He’s better. Distinctly better. A little weak and depressed, of course. That’s only to be expected. Good morning.
[Shakes hands with Hester. Nods to Brown.
MRS. DE MULLIN
Mr. De Mullin is always nervous about himself.
ROLT
Yes. Constitutional, no doubt. But he’ll pick up in a few days. Keep him as quiet as you can. That’s really all he needs now.
MRS. DE MULLIN
You don’t think he ought to stay in his room?
... Good morning, Mr. Brown. Are you waiting to see me?
[Brown shakes hands with both ladies.
BROWN
(awkwardly)
Not specially. I walked over from the church with Miss De Mullin.
HESTER
Is father coming downstairs, mother?
MRS. DE MULLIN
Yes, Hester. He insisted on getting up. You know he always hates staying in his room.
HESTER
Oh, Dr. Rolt, do you think he should?
ROLT
I don’t think it will do him any harm. He can rest quietly in a chair or on the sofa.... Well, I must be off. Good-bye, Mrs. De Mullin.
[Shakes hands briskly with every one.
BROWN
(rising ponderously)
I must be going too (shakes hands with Mrs. De Mullin). You’ll tell Mr. De Mullin I inquired after him? Good-bye, Mrs. Clouston (shakes hands). And you’re coming to help with the Harvest Decorations on Saturday, aren’t you, Miss De Mullin?
HESTER
(shaking hands)
Of course.
[Brown and Rolt go out.
MRS. CLOUSTON
(seating herself and beginning to knit resolutely)
What singularly unattractive curates the Vicar seems to get hold of, Jane!.
MRS. DE MULLIN
(meekly)
Do you think so, Harriet?
MRS. CLOUSTON
Quite remarkably. This Mr. Brown, for instance. He has the most enormous feet! And his boots! I’ve never seen such boots!
HESTER
(flushing)
We needn’t sneer if Mr. Brown doesn’t wear fine clothes, Aunt Harriet.
MRS. CLOUSTON
Of course not Hester. Still, I think he goes to the opposite extreme. And he really is quite abnormally plain. Then there was that Mr. Snood, who was curate when I was down last year. The man with the very red hands. (These acid comments are too much for Hester, who flounces out angrily. Mrs. Clouston looks up for a moment, wondering what is the meaning of this sudden disappearance. Then continues unmoved.) I’m afraid the clergy aren’t what they were in our young days, Jane.
MRS. DE MULLIN
I don’t think I’ve noticed any falling off.
MRS. CLOUSTON
It is there all the same. I’m sure Hugo would agree with me. Of course, curates are paid next to nothing. Still, I think the Vicar might be more happy in his choice.
MRS. DE MULLIN
I believe the poor like him.
MRS. CLOUSTON
(to whom this seems of small importance compared with his shocking social disabilities)
Very likely.... Do please keep still, Jane, and don’t fidget with that book. What is the matter with you?
MRS. DE MULLIN
I’m a little nervous this morning. Hugo’s illness...
MRS. CLOUSTON
Hugo’s almost well now.
MRS. DE MULLIN
Still the anxiety...
MRS. CLOUSTON
Nonsense, Jane. Anxiety is not at all a thing to give way to, especially when there’s no longer anything to be anxious about. Hugo’s practically well now. Dr. Rolt seems to have frightened us all quite unnecessarily.
MRS. DE MULLIN
I suppose it’s difficult to tell.
MRS. CLOUSTON
Of course, it’s difficult. Otherwise no one would send for a doctor. What are doctors for if they can’t tell when a case is serious and when it is not?
MRS. DE MULLIN
But if he didn’t know?
MRS. CLOUSTON
Then he ought to have known. Next time Hugo is ill you’d better send to Bridport. (Mrs. De Mullin drops book on table with a clatter) Really, Jane, what are you doing? Throwing books about like that!
MRS. DE MULLIN
It slipped out of my hand.,,
[Rises and goes up to window restlessly.
MRS. CLOUSTON
Is anything wrong?
MRS. DE MULLIN
(hesitating)
Well, the truth is I’ve done something, Harriet, and now I’m not sure whether I ought to have done it. Mrs. Clouston
Done what?
MRS. DE MULLIN
(dolorously)
I’m afraid you won’t approve.
MRS. CLOUSTON
Perhaps you’d better tell me what it is. Then we shall know.
MRS. DE MULLIN
The fact is some one is coming here this morning, Harriet—to see Hugo.
MRS. CLOUSTON
To see Hugo? Who is it?
MRS. DE MULLIN
Janet.
MRS. CLOUSTON
(with horror)
Janet?
MRS. DE MULLIN
Yes.
MRS. CLOUSTON
Janet! She wouldn’t dare!
MRS. DE MULLIN
(dolorously)
I sent for her, Harriet.
MRS. CLOUSTON
You sent for her?
MRS. DE MULLIN
Yes. When Hugo was first taken ill and Dr. Rolt seemed to think the attack was so serious....
MRS. CLOUSTON
Dr. Rolt was a fool.
MRS. DE MULLIN
Very likely, Harriet. But he said Hugo might die. And he said if there was any one Hugo would wish to see....
MRS. CLOUSTON
But would Hugo wish to see Janet?
MRS. DE MULLIN
I thought he might. After all Janet is his daughter. Mrs. Clouston
I thought he said he would never see her again?
MRS. DE MULLIN
He did say that, of course. But that was eight years ago. And, of course, he wasn’t ill then.
MRS. CLOUSTON
When did you send for her?
MRS. DE MULLIN
Three days ago.
MRS. CLOUSTON
Why didn’t she come then, if she was coming at all?
MRS. DE MULLIN
She was away from home. That was so unfortunate. If she had come when Hugo was ill in bed it might have been all right. But now that he’s almost well again....
MRS. CLOUSTON
When did you hear she was coming?
MRS. DE MULLIN
Only this morning. Here is what she says..
[Produces telegram from pocket.
MRS. CLOUSTON
(reads)
“Telegram delayed. Arrive mid-day. Seagrave.” Seagrave?
MRS. DE MULLIN
Yes. She calls herself Mrs. Seagrave now.
MRS. CLOUSTON
(nods)
On account of the child, I suppose.
MRS. DE MULLIN
I suppose so.
MRS. CLOUSTON
I never could understand how Janet came to go so wrong. (Mrs. De Mullin sighs.) None of the De Mullins have ever done such a thing before.
MRS. DE MULLIN
(plaintively)
I’m sure she doesn’t get it from my family.
MRS. CLOUSTON
Well, she must have got it from somewhere. She’s not in the least like a De Mullin.
MRS. DE MULLIN
(lamentably)
I believe it was all through bicycling.
MRS. CLOUSTON
Bicycling?
MRS. DE MULLIN
Yes. When girls usen’t to scour about the country as they do now these things didn’t happen.
MRS. CLOUSTON
(severely)
I never approved of Janet’s bicycling you remember, Jane.
MRS. DE MULLIN
Nor did I, Harriet. But it was no use. Janet only laughed. Janet never would do what she was told about things even when she was quite a child. She was so very obstinate. She was always getting some idea or other into her head. And when she did nothing would prevent her from carrying it out. At one time she wanted to teach.
MRS. CLOUSTON
I remember.
MRS. DE MULLIN
She said girls ought to go out and earn their own living like boys.
MRS. CLOUSTON
What nonsense!
MRS. DE MULLIN
So Hugo said. But Janet wouldn’t listen. Finally we had to let her go over and teach the Aldenham girls French three times a week, just to keep her amused.
MRS. CLOUSTON
(thoughtfully)
It was strange you never could find out who the father was.
MRS. DE MULLIN
(sighs)
Yes. She wouldn’t tell us.
MRS. CLOUSTON
You should have made her tell you. Hugo should have insisted on it.
MRS. DE MULLIN
Hugo did insist. He was terribly angry with her. He sent her to her room and said she was not to come down till she told us. But it was no use. Janet just stayed in her room till we had all gone to bed and then took the train to London.
MRS. CLOUSTON
You should have locked her door.
MRS. DE MULLIN
We did. She got out of the window.
MRS. CLOUSTON
Got out of the window! The girl might have been killed.
MRS. DE MULLIN
Yes. But Janet was always fond of climbing. And she was never afraid of anything.
MRS. CLOUSTON
But there’s no late train to London.