box 37/4
2. Cuttings
•DISRAELF—4 PL.IY OF
greet Sir Probert, for whom he has sent under
the pretence of being serionsly ill. Both Mrs.
Travers and Clarissa are present at the fol¬
lowing thrilling, if improbable, interview:
Pronzkr. Whr have von sent for me?
Diskamif. Ptold von I might send for yon.
Paosekr. When? What do yon mean?
DiskAEl.I. When we had that delightful inter¬
view at Glastonbury Towers.
Paosekr. Ha! Pthougilt as much. Vour hare¬
brained scheme. Moses has failed yon and von
had to give it up. Well, it’s no use appealing
to me.
DiskAELI. Moses has not failed me. 1 have
carried the scheme through.
Paoskkr. What? Do von mean to tell me von
have purchased the Sucz Canal!
DiskAEi. The power #edthe glorg of my
conntry were at stake. 1 bad to act quiekly and
I had to act on my own responsibilitz.
Pronkkr. (Sterulv.) Then let me tell yon, sir,
von have committed a erime.
DiskAELI. As Parliament was not sittingt
vote the money I had to seck it elsewhere. Five
million sterling. Von refused.
Pkosekr. 1 did and 1 am prond of it.
DiskAEl.I. So I went to the wealthiest private
frm—to Hugh Meyers.
Paosckr. Ha! A Jew!
DiskAELI. Meyers not being a Partg-man hut
a Patriot, saw the greatness ofthe idea and stood
br me. I sent Deeford to Ismail, Spies had ge:
wind of wilat I was doing and Russia knew; so
Deeford had to go in a hurry: a race for an Em¬
pire! He has succeeded! Understand me. 1 puit
the matter quite simply. Deeford has bought the
Canal and has paid for it with Meyers’ cheque
drawn onthe Bank of England. (Probert #tarts.)
Wait! Meanwhile Russia has been at work by¬
the intermediary (Bozes 1o Mrs. Trozers) of oue
of the most faseinating women of my acquaint¬
ance. Meyers is bankrupt.
Paosekr. What?
DisRAELI. Russia has ruined him.
Paosekr. Mr. Disraeli, 1 warned yon of this.
foresaw it. Vour high-handed action has landed
von just where 1 said it would. Von must get
out of it as best vou can, It is no use appealing
to me. (Rising.)
Diskarin. No? Then I will not appeal. I will
command!
Paoszkr. What!
DiskAEI.I. (Going tothe table.) Vor will sign
this note giving Meyers unlimited credit.
Prosekr. 1? Are you mad?
DisRAEId. I was never so sane in my' lise.
Meyers’ position is saved if he can gain time.
The Bank of England must give him unlimited
credit, to-day. Now!
Paosekr. Von don't know what von are say¬
ing. Von don't know to whom vou are speaking.
I refuse! (Mozement to go.)
———
660
EMIPIRE AND INTRIGUE
DiskAFLI. Untercehling him.) Von can't!
Pkoszkr. I refuse emphatically. Vou have mis¬
taken your man, 1 am an Englishman; the head
of a great national institution, 1 am not to be
ordered about by an—by an alien Jew. (Ludy
Beaconsfield riscs.)
Diskemn. (Calmlp.) Ah, but the alien Jew
happens to be the better citizen; moreover, he
happens to be Prime Minister.
Paostkr. Do von threaten me?
DIskAELI. Ves, if von force me to.
Pkoßekr. Empty threats!
DiskaEi.l. Do von think so? Von say the Bank
is a national institution. What becomes of that
tille if it refuses to save the nation? What be¬
comes of yol?
Prosser. Mr. Disracli!
DiskAELI. When it is known that the lack of
patriotism of oue man has placed our country in
the position of a person who is trying to pass a
frandulent cheque; exposed the nation to the
ridicule of the world; lost the Canal; lost India;
baffled England; beaten her, disgraced her,
dragged her through the mud, what becomes of
the Bank?
Prosekr. (Tiolentlv.) Von cannot touch the#
Bank!
DiskaEiI. I’l smash the Bank! (Jlr. Trar¬
e#s and Clarissa risc.) Parliament granted the
Bank its charter: Parliament can withdraw it.
Paosstr. Good God!
DiskAEZI. And shall withdraw it at my bid¬
ding! Vour board of directors will be swept
away; your sharcholders bankrug., thei Bank
rinned and gon disgraceu. I am Prime Min¬
ister! I can do this, and if von don't sign, by
God. 1 zeill! (Pointing imperionslp tothe haper.)
Now!
Pkoskkr. (fter some hesitation, crosses to #he
table and sions.) There, take your paper. 1 have
signed it. I’ve signed it to save the Bank. (7e
Kloogers to the door. Just as he is going.) It is
ontrageous that a man like you should have such
power! (Erit.)
(Disraeli comes to the tahle anc hands Mre
Trazers her lace searf. She takes it and glozely
ooes to the doorz then, turning, she smiles at him,
node her head pleasantly. and erit. Disraeli comes
tothe center zeith the haper.)
CLARISSA. (Coming to him zeith Jopons enthu¬
siam.) Oh, Mr. Disraeli, thank God you have
such power!
DiskAELI. (Ihimsically.) I haven't, dear
child: but he doesn't know that.
In the last ack the conquering s#ro returns
into the arms of his adoring Clarissa, both
Mevers and Sir Probert are recipients of
peerages, and as the curtain falls Benjamin
Disraeli, with Lady Beaconsfield, goes out to
meet the Oucen, upon whose forehead he can
now plant the imperial crown of India.
2. Cuttings
•DISRAELF—4 PL.IY OF
greet Sir Probert, for whom he has sent under
the pretence of being serionsly ill. Both Mrs.
Travers and Clarissa are present at the fol¬
lowing thrilling, if improbable, interview:
Pronzkr. Whr have von sent for me?
Diskamif. Ptold von I might send for yon.
Paosekr. When? What do yon mean?
DiskAEl.I. When we had that delightful inter¬
view at Glastonbury Towers.
Paosekr. Ha! Pthougilt as much. Vour hare¬
brained scheme. Moses has failed yon and von
had to give it up. Well, it’s no use appealing
to me.
DiskAELI. Moses has not failed me. 1 have
carried the scheme through.
Paoskkr. What? Do von mean to tell me von
have purchased the Sucz Canal!
DiskAEi. The power #edthe glorg of my
conntry were at stake. 1 bad to act quiekly and
I had to act on my own responsibilitz.
Pronkkr. (Sterulv.) Then let me tell yon, sir,
von have committed a erime.
DiskAELI. As Parliament was not sittingt
vote the money I had to seck it elsewhere. Five
million sterling. Von refused.
Pkosekr. 1 did and 1 am prond of it.
DiskAEl.I. So I went to the wealthiest private
frm—to Hugh Meyers.
Paosckr. Ha! A Jew!
DiskAELI. Meyers not being a Partg-man hut
a Patriot, saw the greatness ofthe idea and stood
br me. I sent Deeford to Ismail, Spies had ge:
wind of wilat I was doing and Russia knew; so
Deeford had to go in a hurry: a race for an Em¬
pire! He has succeeded! Understand me. 1 puit
the matter quite simply. Deeford has bought the
Canal and has paid for it with Meyers’ cheque
drawn onthe Bank of England. (Probert #tarts.)
Wait! Meanwhile Russia has been at work by¬
the intermediary (Bozes 1o Mrs. Trozers) of oue
of the most faseinating women of my acquaint¬
ance. Meyers is bankrupt.
Paosekr. What?
DisRAELI. Russia has ruined him.
Paosekr. Mr. Disraeli, 1 warned yon of this.
foresaw it. Vour high-handed action has landed
von just where 1 said it would. Von must get
out of it as best vou can, It is no use appealing
to me. (Rising.)
Diskarin. No? Then I will not appeal. I will
command!
Paoszkr. What!
DiskAEI.I. (Going tothe table.) Vor will sign
this note giving Meyers unlimited credit.
Prosekr. 1? Are you mad?
DisRAEId. I was never so sane in my' lise.
Meyers’ position is saved if he can gain time.
The Bank of England must give him unlimited
credit, to-day. Now!
Paosekr. Von don't know what von are say¬
ing. Von don't know to whom vou are speaking.
I refuse! (Mozement to go.)
———
660
EMIPIRE AND INTRIGUE
DiskAFLI. Untercehling him.) Von can't!
Pkoszkr. I refuse emphatically. Vou have mis¬
taken your man, 1 am an Englishman; the head
of a great national institution, 1 am not to be
ordered about by an—by an alien Jew. (Ludy
Beaconsfield riscs.)
Diskemn. (Calmlp.) Ah, but the alien Jew
happens to be the better citizen; moreover, he
happens to be Prime Minister.
Paostkr. Do von threaten me?
DIskAELI. Ves, if von force me to.
Pkoßekr. Empty threats!
DiskaEi.l. Do von think so? Von say the Bank
is a national institution. What becomes of that
tille if it refuses to save the nation? What be¬
comes of yol?
Prosser. Mr. Disracli!
DiskAELI. When it is known that the lack of
patriotism of oue man has placed our country in
the position of a person who is trying to pass a
frandulent cheque; exposed the nation to the
ridicule of the world; lost the Canal; lost India;
baffled England; beaten her, disgraced her,
dragged her through the mud, what becomes of
the Bank?
Prosekr. (Tiolentlv.) Von cannot touch the#
Bank!
DiskaEiI. I’l smash the Bank! (Jlr. Trar¬
e#s and Clarissa risc.) Parliament granted the
Bank its charter: Parliament can withdraw it.
Paosstr. Good God!
DiskAEZI. And shall withdraw it at my bid¬
ding! Vour board of directors will be swept
away; your sharcholders bankrug., thei Bank
rinned and gon disgraceu. I am Prime Min¬
ister! I can do this, and if von don't sign, by
God. 1 zeill! (Pointing imperionslp tothe haper.)
Now!
Pkoskkr. (fter some hesitation, crosses to #he
table and sions.) There, take your paper. 1 have
signed it. I’ve signed it to save the Bank. (7e
Kloogers to the door. Just as he is going.) It is
ontrageous that a man like you should have such
power! (Erit.)
(Disraeli comes to the tahle anc hands Mre
Trazers her lace searf. She takes it and glozely
ooes to the doorz then, turning, she smiles at him,
node her head pleasantly. and erit. Disraeli comes
tothe center zeith the haper.)
CLARISSA. (Coming to him zeith Jopons enthu¬
siam.) Oh, Mr. Disraeli, thank God you have
such power!
DiskAELI. (Ihimsically.) I haven't, dear
child: but he doesn't know that.
In the last ack the conquering s#ro returns
into the arms of his adoring Clarissa, both
Mevers and Sir Probert are recipients of
peerages, and as the curtain falls Benjamin
Disraeli, with Lady Beaconsfield, goes out to
meet the Oucen, upon whose forehead he can
now plant the imperial crown of India.