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kitchen dresser: a flat-topped piece of furniture with cupboards and drawers,, 2 SPECTRUM III, which look strangely out of place with their surroundings. Marie a, Eight-day clock R. of window. Kitchen dresser with cupboard to l, without. On the mantelpiece are two very handsome candlestio, Table in window R.C. with writing materials and crucifix (wos, down L. Oak dining-table R.C. Chairs, books, etc. Winter wood se, Scene, and, Persomé discovered., THE BISHOP'S CANDLESTICKS, Window, Door, Dremer, Tablo, Door, Door, Chair, PHa, Dien, Table, Chair, Marie stirring some soup on the fire. Persomé laying the cloth, etc., Persomé. Marie, isn't the soup boiling yet?, Marie. Not yet, Madam., Persomé. Well, it ought to be. You haven't tended the fire properly,, child., Marie. But, Madam, you yourself made the fire up., Persomé. Don't answer me back like that. It is rude., Marie. Yes, Madam., on it, eight-day clock: a clock that needs to be wound only once every week, used for storing crockery, glasses, and table linen, without: (archaic) outside, candlestick: a tall, thin support or holder for one or more candles, discovered: (here) seen by the audience for the first time, Settle or, Day Bed

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actor who played many Shakespearean roles. He appeared in, numerous plays in the UK and in the US. McKinnel was also, Norman McKinnel (1870-1932) was a Scottish stage and screen, a playwright, and wrote several one-act plays. The Bishop's, Candlesticks is his most widely read and performed play., (McKinnel played the role of the convict in the original 1901 stage, 1, The Bishop's Candlesticks, NORMAN MCKINNEL, ABOUT THE AUTHOR, production.), THE PLAY, Characters, The bishop, The convict, Persomé, the bishop's sister, a widow, Marie, Sergeant of gendarmes, Time: The beginning of the last century., Place: France, about thirty miles from Paris., Scene: The kitchen of the Bishop's cottage. It is plainly but substantially, furnished. Doors R. and L. and L.C. Window R.C. Fireplace with, heavy mantelpiece down R. Oak settle with cushions behind door L.C., bishop: a senior member of the Christian clergy, vested with administrative, authority and responsibilities, gendarme: a soldier serving as an armed policeman in France, last century: The play is set in the early 1800s., L.C., R.C.: (abbreviated stage directions) left-centre, right-centre, mantelpiece: a shelf that projects from the wall above a fireplace, settle: a wooden bench with a high back and arms

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[Looking at the clock.] and no sign of him. Marie!, Persomé. Then don't let me have to rebuke you again., Persomé. Did he tell you where he was going?, Persomé. Did Monseigneur the Bishop leave any message for me?, Persomé. I wonder where my brother can be. It is after eleven oclock, THE BISHOP'S CANDLESTICKS 3, Marie. No, Madam., Marie. Yes, Madam., Darsomé, Did Monseigneur the Bishop leave any message for me?, Marie. No, Madam., Marie. Yes, Madam., Persomé. [Imitating.] 'Yes, Madam' Then why haven't you told me,, stupid!, Marie. Madam didn't ask me., Persomé. But that is no reason, your not telling me, is it?, Marie. Madam said only this morning I was not to chatter, so I, thought-, Persomé. Ah, mon Dieu, you thought! Ah! It is hopeless., Marie. Yes, Madam., Persomé. Don't keep saying 'Yes, Madam, like a parrot, nincompoop., Marie. No, Madam, Persomé. Well, where did Monsei, ur say he was going?, Marie. To my mother's, Madam., Persomé. To your mother's indeed! And why, pray?, Marie. Monseigneur asked me how she was, and I told him she was, feeling poorly., Monseigneur: a title or form of address used for French dignitaries, mon Dieu: (French) 'my God!, a term of exclamation, nincompoop:, a silly or foolish person

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attention, to fill a pause, or to express disapproval or embarrassment or hesitancy, ahem: represents the noise made when clearing the throat; typically used to attract, were out, to take them to Monsieur Gervais, who has often admired, Marie. Monseigneur the Bishop told me this afternoon, while you, Persomé. Sold! [With horror.] Sold! Are you mad? Who sold them?, you told him she was feeling poorly. There's gratitude for you!, Persomé. Then pour it out, fool, and don't chatter. [Marie about to d, brother is to be kept out of his bed, and go without his supper beca, Persomé. Yes, the silver ones. Are you deaf as well as stupid?, so.] No, no. Not like that, here, let me do it, and do you put the call, 4 SPECTRUM II, feeling poorly, did you? And., Persomé. You told him she was, Marie. Madam, the soup is boiling!, cellars on the table-the silver ones., Marie. The silver ones, Madam?, as, Marie. They are sold, Madam., Why were they sold?, them, and sell them for as much as I could., Persomé. But you had no right to do so without asking me., Marie. But, Madam, Monseigneur the Bishop told me. [With awe.], Persomé. Monseigneur the Bishop is a-ahem! But, but what can he, have wanted with the money?, Marie. Pardon, Madam, but I think it was for Mère Gringoire., Persomé. Mère Gringoire indeed. Mère Gringoire! What, the old, witch who lives at the top of the hill, and who says she is bedridden, because she is too lazy to do any work? And what did Mère Gringoire, want with the money, pray?, Marie. Madam, it was for the rent. The bailiff would not wait any, longer, and threatened to turn her out today if it were not paid, 30 sae, sent little Jean to Monseigneur to ask for help, and-, salt cellars: salt containers, bailiff: (here) an agent or representative of a landlord

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much. /She breaks down crying.], y beautiful-beautiful (Sob.] salt cellars. Ah, it is too much, too, Marie. Madam, I am sorry. If I had known-, Persomé. Oh, mon Dieu! It is hopeless, hopeless. We shall have, nothing left. His estate is sold, his savings have gone. His furniture,, everything. Were it not for my little dot we should starve, and now, to sell his salt cellars he may do so, I suppose. Go and wash your, Persomé. Sorry, and why, pray? If Monseigneur the Bishop chooses, THE BISHOP'S CANDLESTICKS 5, my, Dersomé, Sorry, and why, pray? If Monseigneur the Bishop chooses, I, hands, they are disgracefully dirty., Marie. Yes, Madam. [Going towards R.], Enter the Bishop, C., Bishop. Ah! How nice and warm it is in here. It is worth going out in, the cold for the sake of the comfort of coming in., Persomé has hastened to help him off with his coat, etc. Marie has, dropped a deep courtesy., Bishop. Thank you, dear. [Looking at her.] Why, what is the matter?, You have been crying. Has Marie been troublesome, eh? [Shaking his, finger at her.] Ah!, Persomé. No, it wasn't Marie-but! but!, Bishop. Well, well, you shall tell me presently. Marie, my child, run, home now, your mother is better, I have prayed with her, and the, doctor has been. Run home! [Marie putting on cloak and going.] And,, Marie, let yourself in quietly in case your mother is asleep., Marie. Oh, thanks, thanks, Monseigneur., She goes to door C., as it opens the snow drives in., Bishop. Here, Marie, take my comforter, it will keep you warm. It is, very cold tonight., dot: (French) dowry, courtesy: (here, an archaic variant spelling of curtsy') a formal greeting made by, a woman by bending the knees with one foot in front of the other, comforter: (dated) woollen scarf