CHARACTERS. The canterville Ghost

• Lord Canterville

• Mrs Otis

• Virginia

• The Twins

• Mrs Amney

• The Ghost (Sir Simon)

Scene 1

The Twins: Mum, we want a ghost. Give us a ghost.

Mrs Otis: (обращаясь к Лорду Кентервильскому) Well, let the ghost be sold with the furniture together. I’ve come from the country where everything can be bought for money.

Lord Canterville: I’m afraid, The Canterville Ghost does exist.

Mrs Otis: There are no such things as ghosts, Sir.

Lord Canterville: All right, if the old haunted house is OK, I don’t care. But remember, I’ve warned you, Madam.

Scene 2

Mrs Amney: (низко присев) Welcome to the Castle of Canterville!

Mrs Otis: (видит ковер с пятном) Sure, something has been shed here.

Mrs Amney: Yes, Madam. There’s some blood on the carpet.

Mrs Otis: Oh dear! I don’t want my living room to have any bloody spots! Let it be washed immediately!

Mrs Amney: (замогильным голосом) You see the blood of Lady Eleonore the Canterville, killed just here by Sir Simon…

Mrs Otis: Don’t be silly! The Pinkerton’s stain remover will take it away in one minute, (быстро вытирает пол маленькой черной палочкой, пятно исчезает) it won’t fail! (раздается раскат грома, все вскакивают, Миссис Амни лишается чувств)

I don’t want her always to be getting swoon! I'll hold once from her salary to stop with it.

Mrs Amney: (приходит в себя) Madam, I had to see terrible things, everyone’s hair would stand on end.

Mrs Otis:The Otises aren’t scared of ghosts!

Mrs Amney: My fears should be extra paid.

Scene 5

(Ночь. Близнецы с подушками подбегают к комнате, где живет Привидение)

The Twins: Hey, silly Ghost, let’s have a pillow battle! Catch! (кидают в Привидение подушки, хохочут) Fight with us!

The Ghost: (Закрывается от Близнецов руками, дрожащим голосом) Horrid dishonest kids! Get away! (почти падает, сбитый очередной подушкой).

The Twins: Look! He is so clumsy!

Virginia: Hello, is anybody here? (Близнецы убегают) The door is open. Well, Sir Simon, you could behave yourself.

The Ghost: Nonsense, it is my job to misbehave. I must rattle my chains and walk about at night. It is my only reason for existing.

Virginia: That’s absurd. As soon as we arrived here, Mrs Amney told us that you had killed your wife. To kill is not good Sir.

The Ghost: Her death was an accident. Besides, my wife was so ugly and couldn’t cook at all.

Virginia: And why have you stolen the paints out of my box?

The Ghost: I didn’t see another way. Blood is not easy to get nowadays. I’ve just borrowed your paints.

Are you leaving? Please, don’t go, Miss Virginia. I’m so lonely, and I don’t know what to do. I want to go to sleep but I can’t. I have not slept for three hundred years. I’m so tired.

Virginia: (подходит к Привидению, гладит его по голове) Poor, poor Ghost, have you no place where you can sleep?

The Ghost: Far away behind the oak door there is a little garden where under a gigantic yew tree I could fall asleep for ever.

Virginia: Do you mean the Garden Of Death?

The Ghost: Yes, I do. Only a pure gentle soul like you can led me to a secret corridor. Love is stronger than Death. Have you ever read the Ancient Prophecy?

Virginia: Yes, I’ve read it lots of times and I’ve learnt it by heart. But I don’t understand what does it mean.

The Ghost: You have to pray for me and ask God to forgive my sins.

Virginia: I’m not frightened. I’ll ask Angel to give you a pardon.

Scene 7

Mrs Otis: (Семья пьет чай. Появляется Миссис Амни. Уносит чашки с чаем. Мадам Отис, глядя на часы) Where is Virginia?

Virginia: Here am I!

Mr Otis: Where have you been, my child?

Virginia: Mum, I have been with the Ghost. He died and gave me this box full of wonderful jewelry. Let’s go. (семья встает и идет за Вирджинией. При виде миндального дерева все останавливаются в изумлении)

The Twins: Look! The dead almond tree is in blossom! The moon is shining and I can see the flowers very well.

Virginia: Now he can rest. God has forgiven him.