The Chinese lantern

THE CHINESE LANTERN A PLAY BY LAURENCE HOUSMAN
LONDON: F. SIDGWICK 47 GREAT RUSSELL STREET 1908
This play has been publicly performed in England, and entered at the Library of Congress, Washington, U.S.A. All rights reserved.
A Chinese Studio with windowed walls of woodwork and oil-paper. At back of centre a dais, and behind that a picture showing an interior opening into a garden. In the foreground of the picture appears a hanging lantern, and below it a mandoline and a jar holding a spray of plum-blossom. To the right of the stage a sliding door opens into street: to the left stairs lead upward to interior, forward of that a door also to interior. It is morning: six or seven students squat painting. Between every two of them is a small stand for paint-pots, brushes, etc. All are very lazy and desultory at their work: the only industrious one is Tikipu, who, in shabby menial attire, grinds colours with weary persistence. The students yawn, stretch, and whine; and resume work in a perfunctory way at intervals upon shop-signs, lanterns, etc. On the dais sits Yunglangtsi, a mountain of indolent fat: sunk in profound slumber he squats before his easel. Street-criers are heard without calling their wares.
1st Crier. Only ten sen! Only ten sen! Any buy?
2nd Crier. Ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-eh!
Hiti. The next person who asks me if I’ll buy—I’ll murder!
Hiti. Get out—Mosquito!... Oh, Tikipu, you stagnant fool, do keep them out!
Nau. If honourable Shivering-fit has that door shut, long-suffering Foresight will go mad.
Hiti. Judging from its present whereabouts, Foresight will not have to go far.
Nau. Oh, brilliant, scintillating wit! What repartee!
Han. O Firebrands of genius, don’t make it any hotter than it is!