THE GREATEST EVENT IN LIFE
A Farce in One Act by Doctor Hu Shih
- CHARACTERS—Mr. Tien, a gentleman and scholar.
- Mrs. Tien, his wife.
- Miss Tien Ah-may, their daughter.
- Lee Fuh, their old servant.
- A fortune-teller (blind).
SCENE—A parlor in Mr. Tien’s home. A door on the right leading to the hall; a door on the left leading to the dining room. Sofa at the back end. Armchairs. A round table in the center with flower-vase and writing materials on it. Two chairs beside the table. A writing desk at the left side of the stage.
On the walls are hanging rolls of Chinese painting and writing, together with framed Dutch landscapes, bespeaking the complexity of taste in a partially modernized Chinese family.
As the curtain slowly goes up, there is heard the voice of the fortune-teller, who is seated by the table, and the final notes of his accompanying string instrument are still audible. Mrs. Tien is seated on one of the armchairs.
MRS. TIEN—I don’t quite understand what you say. Tell me, what do you think of this match.
FORTUNE-TELLER—I only speak the truth, Mrs. Tien. We all speak the truth. You see—
MRS. TIEN—But what is the truth?