The Second Mrs Tanqueray

Arthur Wing Pinero

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN:
  9781849433921
• eBook ISBN:
  9781849436397
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literatura
• Subtopic: Arte dramático británico

When Aubrey Tanqueray marries for the second time, he knows that his new wife, Paula, is a 'woman with a past'. But he has no idea how that past will catch up with himin the end.

More probing than Oscar Wilde, more accessible than Ibsen, Pinero's The Second Mrs Tanqueray (1893) is one of the masterpieces of the Victorian theatre: sexy, dramatic, funny and very moving.

ACT THREE

The drawing-room at Highercoombe. There are two large French windows, sheltered by a verandah, leading into the garden; on the right is a door opening into a small hall. The fireplace, with a large mirror above it, is on the left-hand side of the room, and higher up in the same wall are double doors, recessed. The room is richly furnished, and everything betokens taste and luxury. The windows are open, and there is moonlight in the garden.

LADY ORREYED, a pretty, affected doll of a woman with a mincing voice and flaxen hair, is sitting on the ottoman, her head resting against the drum, and her eyes closed. PAULA, looking pale, worn, and thoroughly unhappy, is sitting at a table. Both are in sumptuous dinner-gowns.

LADY ORREYED: (Opening her eyes.) Well, I never! I dropped off!

Feeling her hair.

Just fancy! Where are the men?

PAULA: (Icily.) Outside, smoking.

Morse enters with coffee, which he hands to LADY ORREYED. SIR GEORGE ORREYED comes in by the window. He is a man of about thirty-five, with a low forehead, a receding chin, a vacuous expression, and an ominous redness about the nose.

LADY ORREYED: (Taking coffee.) Here’s Dodo.

SIR GEORGE: I say, the flies under the verandah make you swear.

MORSE hands coffee to PAULA, who declines it, then to SIR GEORGE, who takes a cup.

Hi! Wait a bit!

He looks at the tray searchingly, then puts back his cup.

Never mind.

Quietly to LADY ORREYED.

I say, they’re dooced sparin’ with their liqueur, ain’t they?

MORSE: goes out at window.

PAULA: (To SIR GEORGE.) Won’t you take coffee, George?

LADY ORREYED puts coffee on piano.

SIR GEORGE: No, thanks.

Pulling his moustache.

It’s gettin’ near time for a whisky and potass.

Approaching PAULA, regarding LADY ORREYED admiringly.

I say, Birdie looks rippin’ tonight, don’t she?

PAULA: Your wife?

SIR GEORGE: Yaas — Birdie.

PAULA: Rippin’?

SIR GEORGE: Yaas.

PAULA: Quite — quite rippin’.

He moves round to the settee. PAULA watches him with distaste, then rises and walks away. SIR GEORGE falls asleep on the settee. LADY ORREYED returns to the ottoman.

LADY ORREYED: Paula love, I fancied you and Aubrey were a little more friendly at dinner. You haven’t made it up, have you?

PAULA: We? Oh, no. We speak before others, that’s all.

LADY ORREYED: And how long do you intend to carry on this game, dear?

PAULA: (Turning away impatiently.) I really can’t tell you.

LADY ORREYED: (Patronisingly.) Sit down, old girl; don’t be so fidgety.

PAULA sits on the upper seat of the ottoman with her back to LADY ORREYED.

Of course, it’s my duty, as an old friend, to give you a good talking to —

PAULA glares at her suddenly and fiercely.

— but really I’ve found one gets so many smacks in the face through interfering in matrimonial squabbles that I’ve determined to drop it.

PAULA: (Emphatically.) I think you’re wise.

LADY ORREYED: However, I must say that I do wish you’d look at marriage in a more solemn light — just as I do, in fact. It is such a beautiful thing — marriage, and if people in our position don’t respect it, and set a good example by living happily with their husbands, what can you expect from the middle classes? When did this sad state of affairs between you and Aubrey actually begin?

PAULA: Actually, a fortnight and three days ago; I haven’t calculated the minutes.

LADY ORREYED: A day or two before Dodo and I turned up — arrived.

PAULA: Yes. One always remembers one thing by another; we left off speaking to each other the morning I wrote asking you to visit us.

LADY ORREYED: Lucky for you I was able to pop down, wasn’t it, dear?

PAULA: (Glaring at her again.) Most fortunate.

LADY ORREYED: A serious split with your husband without a pal on the premises — I should say, without a friend in the house — would be most unpleasant.

PAULA: (Turning to her abruptly.) This place must be horribly doleful for you and George just now. At least you ought to consider him before me. Why don’t you leave me to my difficulties?

LADY ORREYED: Oh, we’re quite comfortable, dear, thank you — both of us. George and me are so wrapped up in each other, it doesn’t matter where we are. I don’t want to crow over you, old girl, but I’ve got a perfect husband.

SIR GEORGE is now fast asleep, his head thrown back and his mouth open, looking hideous.

PAULA: (Glanci...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Half-title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Pinero: A Neglected Genius
• The First Mr Pinero
• Characters
• ACT ONE
• ACT TWO
• ACT THREE
• ACT FOUR