SCENE IV.

_Room in the cottage, same as in_ SCENES I. _and_ II.

MAB.--(_Yawning._) Oh dear, I am so tired!

L.--I do wish you would leave off saying that. That is the ninth time you have yawned during the last five minutes.

M.--My dears, going to a ball doesn't seem to have improved your temper.

MAB.--I don't quite see why it should.

C.--I suppose it was dancing so much that tired you?

L.--Of course it was--we had to dance the whole time, from the moment we entered the room.

MAB.--There were many people we were obliged to refuse, and they were heart-broken.

L.--But, of course, when the prince asked us, we were obliged to throw over the others.

C.--(_Smiling aside._) And the prince danced with you a great deal, then?

L.--Indeed, he did, nearly all the time, till a strange princess came, then he was obliged to leave us.

C.--A strange princess! What was she like?

M.--Now I think of it, she was something like you--was she not, girls?

MAB.--(_Laughing._) Ha! ha! so she was!

L.--Only she was beautiful, and you are very ugly.

MAB.--And she had beautiful silver clothes.

C.--I should like to wear silver clothes.

M.--Peggy, do not let me hear you say such foolish things again. It's all very well for your step-sisters to wear such clothes, but for you!!

(_A sound of a trumpet heard._)

MAB.--Why, what can that be?

(_Mother and daughters rush to back to look out of window._)

C.--(_Aside._) Oh, if it were the prince!

M.--It is a magnificent herald--the herald we saw last night! He is reading a proclamation to the people, and the prince is behind him!

C.--The Prince!! (_Waves to_ PRINCE, _unseen by the others_.)

(_The_ HERALD _stops outside the window_.)

H.--(_In a loud voice._) "Be it known to all the loyal subjects of Prince Charming, our lord and master, that yesterday evening, at the ball, an embroidered silver slipper was picked up. The prince has commanded that the said slipper shall be carried through the length and breadth of his dominions, until he finds the owner of it. When the owner of it is discovered, that said owner shall become the Princess Charming, and shall share our lord and master's throne."

M.--My dear girls, what a chance for you! If you can put on the shoe, you will become the princess.

MAB.--The herald is stopping before this door. Quick! quick! Let us sit in pretty attitudes.

(LUCY _and_ MABEL _group themselves picturesquely_.)

L.--But Peggy must not be here, Mother! Go away, Peggy, quick!

M.--Rush, child, rush! Don't let any one see you.

C.--May I not stay to see the silver shoe?

M.--You! Of course not! Why the very look of you would spoil all our chances. (_Pushing her._) Quick! quick! they are just coming in.

(_Bundles_ PEGGY _out of door_ L. _just as the_ HERALD _comes in_ R. _He blows trumpet._)

H.--His Royal Highness, Prince Charming.

(_Enter_ PRINCE. MOTHER, LUCY, _and_ MABEL _curtsey_.)

M.--Oh, your highness, this is too kind, pray sit down.

(_She advances a chair. The other two curtsey, one on each side of him._)

H.--We wish to know if any lady in this house lost a shoe at the ball last night? For, if so, her shoe has been found.

M.--(_Eagerly._) What a singular thing! Now you mention it, one of my daughters lost a shoe--indeed, they both did.

H.--Indeed! Is it anything like this? (_Produces shoe._)

L.--Why, that looks to me like the very one.

P.--Try it on, please, madam.

L.--(_Holding out her foot, making faces while the_ HERALD _puts it on_.) Why, of course, that is mine, it fits me exactly.

M.--It fits the darling girl as if it had been made for her. Walk round the room in it, my love.

(LUCY _hobbles round the room, limping violently_.)

M.--Oh, there is no doubt, your highness, that that is hers.

P.--Didn't I notice a slight limp as she walked?

M.--Oh dear no, your highness, I don't think so.

P.--All the same, I think she had better take it off.

M.--And you, Mabel, didn't you say you had lost one of your shoes?

MAB.--Yes! I remember when I undressed noticing that I had lost it.

M.--Then, of course, it must be yours.

(_The_ HERALD _kneels beside her, tries to force on the shoe, while_ MABEL _makes faces of agony_.)

MAB.--Oh, not a doubt, that is mine. (_Stands up._)

H.--Your heel is quite out of it still.

MAB.--That is how I always wear my shoes.

M.--That is what gives her such a springy, graceful walk.

(MABEL _tries to walk round the room, clattering the shoe behind her_.)

P.--No, I am afraid that won't do at all.

MAB.--(_Shaking it off._) It's very hard not being allowed to have my own shoe back again.

P.--(_To the_ MOTHER.) Are there no more young girls in this house, whom the shoe would be likely to fit?

M.--Alas, these two fair ones are my only joys.

P.--Yet, I thought, as I passed the window, I saw another.

M.--Oh, your highness, I beg your pardon--that was only our scullion, looking out to see you. Naughty thing!

P.--I wish to see her.

L.--Oh, really, your highness!

MAB.--She is a most unprepossessing girl!

P.--Send for her instantly, or I will have you all beheaded.

M.--(_Quickly._) Anything, anything, to oblige your highness.

(_Calls_ PEGGY.)

(CINDERELLA _appears in the doorway, with her eyes cast down_. PRINCE _jumps up and bows very low_. LUCY, MABEL, _and_ MOTHER, _turn away their eyes in disgust_.)

H.--Sit down here, fair maiden, and try on this silver shoe.

P.--Nay, no one shall kneel here but me. (_Kneels in front of_ CINDERELLA, _who puts on the shoe without difficulty_.) There, I think, is the foot it fits, there is no doubt about that.

M.--I fear your highness is being imposed upon--that shoe could never have belonged to that ragged Cinderella.

C.--Indeed it did--I have the fellow to it.

(_Pulls the other out of her pocket. Gets up and dances round in it._)

P.--There is no doubt to whom the slipper belongs. Come, Princess Charming, let me lead you to your palace!

M.--One moment, if you please, your royal highness! the girl is a scullion!

L.--You have only to look at her clothes!

MAB.--Mine would be far fitter to adorn a throne!

_Enter_ FAIRY GODMOTHER.

G.--The clothes are my business--I will see that Princess Charming is not dressed like a scullion.

C.--My fairy godmother!

ALL.--Her fairy godmother!

G.--The same. So, Cinderella, if you will step into that dark cupboard while I recite a magic spell, you shall be changed into a beautiful princess.

(CINDERELLA _enters the cupboard_. _The_ FAIRY GODMOTHER _recites spell, waves wand_. CINDERELLA _comes out dressed as she was at the ball_. _Mother and daughters start._)

G.--Now, my child, no one can say you look like a scullion.

L. and M.--The Princess of the Silver Mountain!

G.--The same, whom you left sitting in the ashes, but who went to the ball after all--

P.--And was the most beautiful princess there.

(_Bows and kisses her hand._)

M.--I wish, my darlings, I had chosen a fairy for your godmother, instead of those silly aunts of yours.

L.--I must say, it is very hard on us that a chit like that should have the best of everything.

G.--Come, if you say one word more, I will repeat my spell backwards over you, and then all your clothes will change to rags.

M.--Come, then, my pretty poppets, come away with me, you are not appreciated here as you deserve.

L.--No, we are not admired as we ought to be.

P.--Pray, madam, do not let us turn you out, as we are going ourselves. Come, my princess.

(_Offers his hand._)

H.--(_Loudly._) Bring forward the princess's golden coach!

G.--(_Waving wand._) Be happy, my Cinderella!

CURTAIN.

THE ABERDEEN UNIVERSITY PRESS LIMITED.

_By the same Author._

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TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE

Missing punctuation has been silently added. The publisher's advertising was moved to the end. Three substantive changes were made to the text:

In LITTLE PETSY, "MRS. S." was changed to "MRS. R." in the stage direction in the following passage:

MRS. S.--If you'll take great care of it, yes. (_To_ MRS. R.) Did you ever hear such ideas as the child has? Such an active mind, never quiet!

In MISS DOBSON, "ace" was changed to "face" in the following stage direction:

(_Hides her face in her hands. The others go towards the door. A bell is heard. They stop._)

In FOOLISH JACK, "That" was changed to "That's" in the passage:

That's just what Goody Grumbles said.