A Little Bit of Fluff: A Farce in Three Acts

by Walter Ellis

(URSULA gives JOHN the glad eye and exits with a little backward kick of the leg. JOHN crosses to door L., opens it and throws bodice into bedroom.)

Here you are, it’s the best she’s got!

(AUNT HANNAH screams off.)

Eh? What’s that, speak up, I can’t hear. (Crossing to door R.)

(AUNT HANNAH enters, JOHN turns and bursts into laughter, mistaking AUNT HANNAH for TULLY in disguise.)

AUNT HANNAH. You dare not attack a woman even if you are a burglar! (With fear and anger.)

JOHN (roars with laughter). Excellent! Splendid! The very thing. I shouldn’t have known you.

AUNT HANNAH (dignified). I want to leave this house.

JOHN (still laughing loudly). Ha! Ha! Ha! You are the living image of the fat old woman in the ’bus.

AUNT HANNAH. I am the lady who was in the ’bus, sir, and I know you—I know you now. You were the coward who, to save his own skin, so cruelly tried to crush me.