Saint Elizabeth and the Dragon #2
“Mummer’s plays are written in rhyming verse,” replied Lydia. “Can we truly write such a play, memorize our lines, and be ready to perform it in just ten days?”
“I believe so. The plots are ridiculous, and the rhymes are forced and terrible -that is part of the fun, after all! Surely we can write a terrible plot, with terrible verses in that time. Mummers frequently read from their scripts as they perform, and the plays are acted ill at best, so we needn’t worry ourselves about the performance. ”
***
17th December 1811
Longbourn
Elizabeth and Lydia dove into the play right away. “I think you should play the Fair Maiden. You will be carried off by the Dragon, and Saint George will slay the dragon and rescue you.”
“Will Mr. Bingley be Saint George?”
“I think Mr. Bingley should be himself. Perhaps the Dragon takes you away from Mr. Bingley.”
“I think the Dragon should be a caricature of that awful Mr. Darcy.”
“In truth, I do not find Mr. Darcy to be so awful, but he would make a great villain.”
Lydia giggled. “Then I would very much like to play the Dragon. It would be a lark!”
“Who would play the Fair Maiden?”
“How about Jane? The Fair Maiden is supposed to be her, is she not?”
“Jane wants no part of this play. She says it is too embarrassing for her.”
“How about Kitty?” Lydia replied. “She loves everything romantic.”
“Kitty is a fine choice. Then who is to be Mr. Bingley?”
“That is a good question. Do you think Mary would do it?”
“I think Mary would be better as the Doctor.”
“Yes, but the Doctor is a charlatan. Mary would never consent to being terrible at something.”
“That is true. Perhaps you could be both the Dragon and the Doctor? You could wear a mask when you are the Dragon and then trade it for a satchel when you return as the Doctor.”
Lydia grinned. “I love the idea of playing two roles! But how will we convince Mary to play Mr. Bingley?”
“Let me think about that. In the meantime, shall we begin writing the script?”
***
Later that afternoon, Lydia approached her sister. “Kitty! Lizzy has had the most marvellous idea!”
“What is it?” Kitty asked eagerly.
“We are writing our very own mummer’s play.”
“Splendid! May I be in it?”
“Of course! The play is about Jane and Mr. Bingley -we are secretly trying to bring them together. We are hoping you would be Jane.”
“Oh, that would be so romantic! Who is going to be Mr. Bingley?”
“Lizzy is going to ask Mary.”
“Mary? How can I play Jane opposite her? She is so dour and serious -quite the opposite of the real Mr. Bingley!”
“That is why we need you to carry the part. Even if Mary cannot play Mr. Bingley convincingly, you will be able to convince everyone to see you as Jane, and possibly also to see Mary as Mr. Bingley. Do you think you can do that?”
“I do not know, but I think it would be fun to try!”
***
Elizabeth found Mary reading in the sitting room.
“Mary, I wonder if you might do us all a favour?”
“Perhaps. What is it that you wish?”
“Surely you have seen Jane’s melancholy over Mr. Bingley. Before the Netherfield Party left for London, it was equally clear that Mr. Bingley was enamoured of Jane.”
“Yes. I wondered why Mr. Bingley did not confess his feelings to her. One should not hide such truth from others.”
“Indeed, but perhaps Mr. Bingley was unsure. In any event, Lydia and I are writing a mummer’s play that we hope will convince Mr. Bingley of Jane’s regard for him.”
“What is it that you would like me to do?”
“I know this is a tremendous favour to ask, but would you be willing to play the part of Mr. Bingley?”
“I? Play Mr. Bingley? Surely you cannot be serious!”
“Kitty is to play Jane, the Fair Maiden. I am to be Saint George, and Lydia shall be the Dragon. Mr. Bingley is perhaps the most challenging role, and we thought that you are the only one of us who would be clever enough to play it convincingly.”
Mary hesitated. “If the play has the effect that we hope for, Mama will be grateful to you for your part in it.”
“Indeed, she would.”
“I would so like to earn Mama’s regard…Do you think it will work?”
“The play-within-a-play worked in Hamlet. Claudius and the queen saw the reflections of themselves, and Hamlet saw their guilt confirmed by their reactions to it.”
“But Hamlet is a tragedy. Mummer’s plays are much more like Pyramus and Thisbe in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
“Yes,” laughed Elizabeth, “but we are not asking you to play Bottom or the Wall. Though I am certain you would also be clever enough to play either of those roles.”
“Fair enough, Lizzy. I suppose I can be your Mr. Bingley. But how shall I convince people that I am a man?”
“We can affix a piece of cotton to your lip to make it look like a moustache.”
“Mr. Bingley does not have a mustache.”
“That is true. But it is the easiest way to make a woman appear to be a man.”
“Very well,” Mary replied as she placed a hand over her heart and made her voice as deep as she could manage. “Oh, dearest Jane, my heart is yours!”
Mary and Elizabeth collapsed into giggles. When they recovered, Elizabeth remarked, “Mary, I have not seen you laugh like this in an age!”
“Indeed, I have not,” replied Mary, her eyes still sparkling with tears of laughter. “Perhaps I just needed one of my sisters to give me sufficient reason.”
***
24th December 1811
Netherfield Park
While Elizabeth and Lydia were finishing the script for the play, Bingley and Darcy arrived at Netherfield Park.
Bingley sought out Mrs. Nichols immediately upon arriving.
“We have brought gifts for Netherfield’s tenants.
Would you ask the staff to help us prepare the baskets so we may distribute them at the feast? ”
“Of course, Mr. Bingley” was her reply.
Meanwhile, Bingley, Caroline, Mr. and Mrs. Hurst, and Darcy prepared gift baskets for all of the servants.
“I do not see why we need to give gifts to our staff,” Caroline huffed. “We already pay them a good wage. Is that not enough?”
“Good servants will always do their jobs, but happy servants will go above and beyond. Is that not right, Darcy?”
“Indeed, it is, Bingley.” Darcy looked pointedly at Miss Bingley. “I do everything I can to ensure that everyone at Pemberley feels valued and appreciated. That is why my servants are so loyal to me, and why their children are so eager to be hired as soon as they are of age.”
“How could anyone not wish to be in your service?” asked Caroline.
“If I were a cruel, or even indifferent master, they would leave as soon as they were able. That is why my aunt Catherine has such a difficult time retaining her staff at Rosings.”
“I never thought about that,” replied Caroline.
“As you came from trade, Miss Bingley, it is not surprising that you had not the opportunity to learn how to be a good mistress.”
“I have left my connections to trade behind me. When I am mistress of a great estate, I shall need to make my position clear to everyone.”
Darcy gave Caroline a look that held more pity than contempt. “Nothing can make someone look more powerful than being kind to people from whom they have nothing to gain. That understanding must be second nature to anyone who would ever be the mistress of Pemberley.”
Caroline looked away but redoubled her efforts to help with the baskets.
***
26th December 1811
Netherfield Park
The Bingleys, the Hursts and Darcy had a quiet Christmas, but when Boxing Day arrived, the house was bustling with activity.
Servants prepared the feast for the tenants, but the feast was split into three shifts so that each of them could enjoy two of those shifts as participants.
That meant hiring extra hands for the day and paying them generously, but the goodwill it earned from everyone was more than worth the cost.
The Bennet family had also been invited to the feast. As they arrived at Netherfield in their carriage, Elizabeth, Lydia, Mary, and Kitty were nervous and excited for the play.
Mrs. Bennet was eager for Jane to be in Mr. Bingley’s company again.
Jane and Mr. Bennet attended reluctantly, Jane because she was nervous about seeing Mr. Bingley, and Mr. Bennet because he would have preferred to spend Boxing Day in his library.
***
As the feast proceeded, the mummers from Longbourn slipped outside and then rang the bell, which was answered by Netherfield’s butler.
ELIZABETH:
Make room, make room! A moment we ask.
To delight and entertain you is our task.
A mummer’s play we shall perform for you.
And we ask but some cider when we are through.
The butler, immediately understanding his role in the affair, replied “Wait here. I shall inquire with the master.”
When the butler entered the dining room, he addressed Mr. Bingley. “Sir, a group of mummers have called. They wish to perform a play.”
“That would be delightful!” remarked Bingley. “We haven’t seen mummers since visiting our aunt in Scarborough when we were children.”
Caroline glowered at her brother. “Charles, mummer’s plays are exactly the sort of base entertainment that I would expect in such a country backwater as this. Honestly, I cannot understand why you wished to come here for Christmas instead of remaining in London!”
Darcy interjected, “Georgiana and I always enjoy the mummers when they call at Pemberley. Indeed, the ridiculous plays with their forced rhymes and unrehearsed acting are part of the simple, unabashed joy of Christmas. It is an opportunity to embrace the childlike enjoyment of the season for what it is, free from pretence.”
Caroline blanched for a moment and then recovered. “Since you put it that way, Mr. Darcy, I suppose we can invite them in. It has been a long time since I have seen mummers; perhaps my memory is faulty.”
The butler returned to the mummers and invited them into the dining room.