mixture of modern and medieval costume, and is puffing away at a cheroot keeping time with the dragon’s puffs. The light is the sunlight – golden misty in its distances – or a beautiful summer morning. After a few moments for the scene to establish itself, ANNE DUTTON-SWIFT and PEGGY enter back R.. They are wearing the same clothes they wore in Act One, but now look rather untidy and weary. PEGGY carries a notebook and file of letters to be answered. They see CAPT. P. and he turns their way as they come down
.
ANNE: Good-morning.
CAPT. P.:
(Rising.)
Good-morning, ladies.
ANNE: Tell me, are you one of us or one of them?
CAPT. P.: Depends who you are, doesn’t it?
ANNE: I’m Anne Dutton-Swift – of Wallaby, Dimmock, Paly and Tooks – the advertising agency.
PEGGY: And I’m Peggy, Mr Dimmock’s secretary.
CAPT. P.: Then I’m one of you. Cap’n Plunket, ladies – the Old Skipper –
ANNE:
(Delighted.)
Why of course – I remember you now. You’re the heavenly man who did the film about fish that could climb trees –
CAPT. P.:
(Delighted, shaking hands.)
I knew I’d meet somebody one day who’d seen that film – and now here you are – pretty as a picture too. Wonderful!
ANNE:
(Equally pleased with him.)
Yes – isn’t it? Just gorgeous meeting you here of all places!
PEGGY: Mr Dimmock
is
here, isn’t he?
CAPT. P.: He
was
. Last night we had a few flagons and stoups together – but then we ran into trouble and now he seems to have disappeared – enchantment probably –
ANNE: Is there
really
enchantment here?
CAPT. P.: Place is stiff with it. Early this morning I was a huge Red Knight – about seven foot high with ginger hair bristling all over my face. Felt like him too for a time. As for Dimmock, I’ll try to find out what’s happened to him – once this dragon business is settled.
PEGGY: Oh – there’s dragon business, is there? Where?
CAPT. P.: Here. I was just having a quiet smoke with the dragon. Look –
(He leads them downstage where they can see the dragon.)
ANNE:
(Alarmed.)
Oh – my goodness! And I thought they never existed!
CAPT. P.: They don’t in South Kensington – but they do here – different set-up altogether. But don’t worry about this dragon. He’s asleep – and probably won’t wake up until Sam’s ready to challenge him.
PEGGY:
(Bitterly.)
Oh – Sam’s in this is he? He would be. Typical artist. He ought to be hard at work now for Wallaby, Dimmock, Paly and Tooks, not challenging dragons. His holiday isn’t until September.
ANNE: Captain Plunket, we’ve been lost ever since we arrived here.
Do
tell us where we ought to go.
CAPT. P.:
(Leading them up R. again.)
Up to the Castle, I’d say. Take the first turn to the left, then you can’t miss it.
ANNE: Thank you
so
much.
(As they go, to Peggy.)
I think he’s a sweet man – don’t you?
PEGGY: No
They go out R.. CAPT. P. comes back, goes fairly close to the dragon and looks at it, then returns to his original place and re-lights his cheroot. After a moment or two, Sam enters slowly R.. He is lightly armoured and carries the enormous sword, also the parchment. He looks tired
.
SAM:
(Wearily.)
Hello, Skip! Where’s the dragon.
CAPT. P.: Here, old boy. Still sound asleep. Must have had a dam’ good breakfast off somebody. How are you feeling?
SAM: Terrible. What – er –sort of dragon is it?
CAPT. P.: I won’t deceive you, old boy. He’s big – a socking great beast. And got everything but the kitchen stove. Look!
Sam comes further down and takes a look at the dragon
.
SAM:
(Gloomily.)
He’s got the kitchen stove too.
(He goes upstage again, puts down the sword and opens the parchment.)
CAPT. P.: No time for reading, surely, old boy?
SAM:
(As he looks at it.)
It’s a dragon-fighters’ instruction book the King dug out for me. I dunno – the old man really is a bit slap-happy –
CAPT. P.: Only king I knew really was Um-dunga-sloo – way back off the Ivory Coast. Sold him two
.
ANNE: Good-morning.
CAPT. P.:
(Rising.)
Good-morning, ladies.
ANNE: Tell me, are you one of us or one of them?
CAPT. P.: Depends who you are, doesn’t it?
ANNE: I’m Anne Dutton-Swift – of Wallaby, Dimmock, Paly and Tooks – the advertising agency.
PEGGY: And I’m Peggy, Mr Dimmock’s secretary.
CAPT. P.: Then I’m one of you. Cap’n Plunket, ladies – the Old Skipper –
ANNE:
(Delighted.)
Why of course – I remember you now. You’re the heavenly man who did the film about fish that could climb trees –
CAPT. P.:
(Delighted, shaking hands.)
I knew I’d meet somebody one day who’d seen that film – and now here you are – pretty as a picture too. Wonderful!
ANNE:
(Equally pleased with him.)
Yes – isn’t it? Just gorgeous meeting you here of all places!
PEGGY: Mr Dimmock
is
here, isn’t he?
CAPT. P.: He
was
. Last night we had a few flagons and stoups together – but then we ran into trouble and now he seems to have disappeared – enchantment probably –
ANNE: Is there
really
enchantment here?
CAPT. P.: Place is stiff with it. Early this morning I was a huge Red Knight – about seven foot high with ginger hair bristling all over my face. Felt like him too for a time. As for Dimmock, I’ll try to find out what’s happened to him – once this dragon business is settled.
PEGGY: Oh – there’s dragon business, is there? Where?
CAPT. P.: Here. I was just having a quiet smoke with the dragon. Look –
(He leads them downstage where they can see the dragon.)
ANNE:
(Alarmed.)
Oh – my goodness! And I thought they never existed!
CAPT. P.: They don’t in South Kensington – but they do here – different set-up altogether. But don’t worry about this dragon. He’s asleep – and probably won’t wake up until Sam’s ready to challenge him.
PEGGY:
(Bitterly.)
Oh – Sam’s in this is he? He would be. Typical artist. He ought to be hard at work now for Wallaby, Dimmock, Paly and Tooks, not challenging dragons. His holiday isn’t until September.
ANNE: Captain Plunket, we’ve been lost ever since we arrived here.
Do
tell us where we ought to go.
CAPT. P.:
(Leading them up R. again.)
Up to the Castle, I’d say. Take the first turn to the left, then you can’t miss it.
ANNE: Thank you
so
much.
(As they go, to Peggy.)
I think he’s a sweet man – don’t you?
PEGGY: No
They go out R.. CAPT. P. comes back, goes fairly close to the dragon and looks at it, then returns to his original place and re-lights his cheroot. After a moment or two, Sam enters slowly R.. He is lightly armoured and carries the enormous sword, also the parchment. He looks tired
.
SAM:
(Wearily.)
Hello, Skip! Where’s the dragon.
CAPT. P.: Here, old boy. Still sound asleep. Must have had a dam’ good breakfast off somebody. How are you feeling?
SAM: Terrible. What – er –sort of dragon is it?
CAPT. P.: I won’t deceive you, old boy. He’s big – a socking great beast. And got everything but the kitchen stove. Look!
Sam comes further down and takes a look at the dragon
.
SAM:
(Gloomily.)
He’s got the kitchen stove too.
(He goes upstage again, puts down the sword and opens the parchment.)
CAPT. P.: No time for reading, surely, old boy?
SAM:
(As he looks at it.)
It’s a dragon-fighters’ instruction book the King dug out for me. I dunno – the old man really is a bit slap-happy –
CAPT. P.: Only king I knew really was Um-dunga-sloo – way back off the Ivory Coast. Sold him two
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