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!
will n. a piece of paper that says who will have your money, house and other things when you die 遺囑
lawyer n. someone whose job is to help people with the law 律師
champagne n. an expensive French wine with bubbles in it 香檳酒
necklace n. something pretty (and often expensive) that you wear around your neck 項(xiàng)鏈
pretty adj. beautiful, nice to look at 漂亮的,好看的
bar n. a place where you can buy and drink alcohol 酒吧
codicil n. something written after a will is already made, which gives more instructions about the money 遺囑附書
bet v. If you bet on the result of a horse race, you pay money, saying which horse will win a race. If your horse wins, you win; if it loses, you lose. 打賭;下注
race n. a competition to see which horse can run the fastest 賽馬
內(nèi)容簡(jiǎn)介
一個(gè)年輕人的叔叔在遺囑里給他留下一千美金,這個(gè)年輕人能用這筆錢干什么呢?
劇中人物
博比·吉利恩,一個(gè)年輕人
托爾曼先生,一名律師
夏普先生,一名律師
海登小姐,一個(gè)漂亮的年輕女人
洛塔·洛里埃小姐,一名舞蹈演員
布賴森,一個(gè)四十歲的男人
劇院里的人
場(chǎng)景說(shuō)明
第一場(chǎng):律師事務(wù)所,有一張桌子和兩把椅子
第二場(chǎng):餐館,有若干桌子和椅子
第三場(chǎng):劇院化妝間,有一張化妝臺(tái)、一個(gè)衣櫥和一面鏡子
第四場(chǎng):同第一場(chǎng)
第五場(chǎng):博比叔叔家的客廳,有一套桌椅
第六場(chǎng):同第一場(chǎng)
需要一張紙當(dāng)作遺囑,另一張寫了字的紙,一些書寫紙、一支筆、一包錢、一本書和一個(gè)杯子。
第一場(chǎng)
遺囑
在托爾曼和夏普的事務(wù)所。托爾曼先生坐在書桌后,他剛剛宣讀完一份遺囑。博比·吉利恩坐在書桌的另一邊。
托爾曼:
嗯,就是這樣。你叔叔在去世前一兩個(gè)月寫下了遺囑,現(xiàn)在我已經(jīng)向你宣讀完了。你有什么想法?
博比:
(笑)花掉一千美金可不是件容易的事兒。五十美金或五萬(wàn)美金倒還容易些。我得問(wèn)問(wèn)朋友怎么花掉這筆錢。
托爾曼:
我剛剛念遺囑時(shí),你仔細(xì)聽了嗎?在花完這一千美金后,你必須書面告知我你是如何花的??梢詥??
博比:
好的,我會(huì)的,托爾曼先生。
托爾曼:
(給博比一個(gè)小包)那就拿上這筆錢吧,一千美金。
第二場(chǎng)
可多可少
在一家餐館里。布賴森坐在桌前,邊喝咖啡邊看書。博比在他對(duì)面坐下。
博比:
你好哇,布賴森!放下你的書,我要告訴你一件有意思的事兒!
布賴森:
去告訴其他桌的什么人吧,你知道我不喜歡你的那些故事。
博比:
這可是個(gè)很棒的故事。我剛從我叔叔塞普蒂默斯的律師那兒回來(lái)。我叔叔死了,留給我一千美金!我能用這筆錢干什么呢?
布賴森:
我原以為吉利恩這個(gè)老頭子有五十萬(wàn)美金呢。
博比:
他是有。他把大部分的錢留給弄死他的那家醫(yī)院了!是不是很可笑?他的秘書得到了十美金,我得到了一千。
布賴森:
你總是有很多錢花的。
博比:
很多很多。塞普蒂默斯叔叔對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)就像圣誕老人一樣。
布賴森:
他還有其他家人嗎?
博比:
沒(méi)有了。只有一個(gè)住在他家里的海登小姐,一個(gè)安靜的小姑娘。她是我叔叔一個(gè)朋友的女兒。我忘了說(shuō),她也得到了十美金。
布賴森:
是嗎?
博比:
他怎么不給我只留十美金呢?那樣我就可以用這錢買兩瓶香檳酒,然后把塞普蒂默斯叔叔和他的錢給忘了。
布賴森:
(微笑)一千美金可多可少。一個(gè)人可以用這錢買一個(gè)幸福的家,然后嘲笑美國(guó)最有錢的人。
博比:
這話不假。
布賴森:
一千美金可以在這個(gè)夏天給一百個(gè)嬰兒買牛奶,拯救其中五十人的性命。這錢還可以把一個(gè)聰明的男孩送進(jìn)大學(xué)。
博比:
聽著,布賴森。我是叫你告訴我,我可以用一千美金做什么。
布賴森:
(笑)去買一條金項(xiàng)鏈給你最喜歡的舞蹈演員洛塔·洛里埃吧。然后去農(nóng)場(chǎng)工作,去照看羊。我從來(lái)沒(méi)喜歡過(guò)羊。
博比:
美麗的洛塔!對(duì),你說(shuō)得對(duì)。我想把所有的錢都花在一件事上。你看,我得寫下我是怎么花這筆錢的,而我又不喜歡寫東西。謝謝,布賴森!
第三場(chǎng)
給洛塔的項(xiàng)鏈
洛塔·洛里埃在劇院里的化妝間。她就要準(zhǔn)備上場(chǎng)了。有人敲門。
洛塔:
是誰(shuí)?
博比:
是我,博比·吉利恩。
洛塔:
進(jìn)來(lái),博比。(他走進(jìn)來(lái)。)怎么了,博比?我還有兩分鐘就要去跳舞了。
博比:
聽著,洛塔。你想要一條漂亮的項(xiàng)鏈嗎?我手頭有一千美金可以花,你覺(jué)得怎樣?
洛塔:
(笑)哦,你真好!我確實(shí)喜歡漂亮的東西。不過(guò)……
博比:
怎么?
洛塔:
(戴上帽子)你看到德拉·斯泰茜前幾天晚上戴的項(xiàng)鏈了嗎?那是在蒂芙尼買的,花了兩千多美金呢。
博比:
哦,是嗎?
有人敲門。一名男子走進(jìn)來(lái)。
男子:
洛里埃小姐,時(shí)間到了!
洛塔:
哦!我得走了,博比!
洛塔離開了。男子等博比離開。
博比:
你會(huì)用一千美金干什么?
男子:
開一家酒吧。我知道有個(gè)地方可以賺很多錢。你是不是正在考慮投些錢進(jìn)——
博比:
哦,不。我只是想了解一下。
男子:
聽著,這可以讓咱們倆都賺大錢。
博比:
對(duì)不起,我得走了。
博比離開了房間。
男子:
我還以為今天走運(yùn)了呢。
第四場(chǎng)
博比提了一個(gè)問(wèn)題
在托爾曼和夏普的事務(wù)所。托爾曼坐在桌旁,博比站在托爾曼桌子的另一邊,律師看上去不太樂(lè)意見到他。
托爾曼:
有什么事,吉利恩先生?
博比:
我能問(wèn)你一個(gè)問(wèn)題嗎?我叔叔留給海登小姐的是不是不只那十美金?
托爾曼:
不,他沒(méi)留別的。
博比:
非常感謝您,先生。
托爾曼:
問(wèn)完了?
博比:
是的,謝謝。我想知道的就這么多。
第五場(chǎng)
給海登小姐的消息
在塞普蒂默斯·吉利恩的客廳。海登小姐坐在桌旁寫信。博比走進(jìn)來(lái),她抬起頭。
博比:
我剛從老托爾曼那兒過(guò)來(lái)。他們找到一份——那個(gè)叫什么來(lái)著?——一份遺囑附書。
海登小姐:
是嗎?
博比:
親愛(ài)的叔叔給你留了一些額外的錢,一千美金。托爾曼叫我把這錢帶給你,拿著。(他把那包錢放在桌子上。)
海登小姐:
??!??!
博比:
我愛(ài)你,海登小姐。你知道嗎?
海登小姐:
噢!不。我很抱歉。
博比:
我就沒(méi)一點(diǎn)兒希望嗎?
海登小姐:
我——不,我很抱歉。
博比:
(微笑)我能寫個(gè)便條嗎?
海登小姐:
當(dāng)然。(她給他一支筆和幾張紙。)我——請(qǐng)?jiān)徫摇?/p>
她離開了。博比寫了一個(gè)簡(jiǎn)短的便條,然后讀了一遍。
博比:
(讀)“付給世界上最好、最親愛(ài)的女人一千美金,以回報(bào)她帶給人們的快樂(lè)?!?/p>
第六場(chǎng)
另外的五萬(wàn)
在托爾曼和夏普的事務(wù)所。托爾曼坐在桌子后面,博比走進(jìn)房間。
博比:
我把一千美金花完了。我寫了一張便條,告訴你我是怎么花的。
他將便條放在托爾曼的桌子上。托爾曼站起來(lái)走到門前,他打開門。
托爾曼:
(叫)夏普!請(qǐng)過(guò)來(lái)一下。
夏普:
(走進(jìn)房間)怎么了?(他看看博比,然后低頭看看便條。)哦,我明白了。
他又走出房間。托爾曼和博比靜靜地等待著。夏普拿著一張紙回來(lái)了。兩名律師看了看紙上寫的內(nèi)容,對(duì)視了一眼。
托爾曼:
吉利恩先生,你叔叔的遺囑有一份附書。
博比:
附書?
托爾曼:
他跟我們說(shuō),在你向我們書面匯報(bào)如何花掉那一千美金之前,不得宣讀這份附書?,F(xiàn)在你已經(jīng)做到了,所以我要告訴你這份附書的內(nèi)容。
博比:
請(qǐng)吧。
托爾曼:
你叔叔在附書中說(shuō),我們可以再給你五萬(wàn)美金——
博比:
(非常驚訝)什么!
托爾曼:
(繼續(xù))——如果你把那筆錢用來(lái)為別人做好事。但是……
博比:
但是?
托爾曼:
如果你隨便將錢花掉了,或者把它給了錯(cuò)誤的人——
博比:
(笑)就像我經(jīng)常干的那樣!
托爾曼:
那么這五萬(wàn)美金就必須付給米麗婭姆·海登小姐了?,F(xiàn)在,吉利恩先生,夏普先生和我將看看你的便條,弄清楚——
博比迅速?gòu)淖雷由夏米吡吮銞l。
博比:
(微笑)好了,沒(méi)必要看了。我把一千美金用來(lái)賭馬輸?shù)袅?。再見,托爾曼先生,夏普先生?/p>
他離開了事務(wù)所,愉快地哼起了歌。
托爾曼:
(笑)你覺(jué)得意外嗎,夏普先生?
夏普:
(搖頭微笑)不,托爾曼先生。一點(diǎn)兒也不意外!
瘋狂英語(yǔ) 英語(yǔ)語(yǔ)法 新概念英語(yǔ) 走遍美國(guó) 四級(jí)聽力 英語(yǔ)音標(biāo) 英語(yǔ)入門 發(fā)音 美語(yǔ) 四級(jí) 新東方 七年級(jí) 賴世雄 zero是什么意思邯鄲市建元小區(qū)(中華北大街)英語(yǔ)學(xué)習(xí)交流群