3545 
 33 E6 
 22 
 
 "^ ^ HE End of the Rainbow 
 
 BY 
 JAMES PLAISTED WEBBER 
 
THE END OF THE RAINBOW 
 
 A Fantasy in Miniature 
 
 BY 
 
 JAMES PLAISTED WEBBER 
 
 BOSTON 
 
 WALTER BAKER & CO. 
 
 1922 
 
-p5'2> 
 
 s/v^ 
 
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1922 
 
 BY 
 
 JAMES PLAISTED WEBBER 
 
 Amateurs may produce this play with- 
 out fee, but permission must be asked 
 of the author, addressed in care of the 
 publishers. All professional rights 
 are reserved. 
 
 M 30 1922 
 
 (5)CIAe77372 
 
s 
 
 TO 
 ELIZABETH LEAVITT 
 
 Upon our Garret Theatre stage 
 While you portray sweet Pierrette, 
 
 You make a poem of my page, 
 
 Upon our Garret Theatre stage, 
 
 Till Pierrot his pilgrimage 
 
 For rainbow gold may well forget 
 
 Upon our Garret Theatre stage 
 While you portray sweet Pierrette ! 
 
NOTE 
 Excerpts from Mendelssohn's music 
 for A Midsummer Night's Dream may 
 be introduced in this play. A portion 
 of the overture might precede the 
 rising of the curtain. At the entrance 
 of Will o' the Wisp, the first twenty 
 or thirty measures might be repeated, 
 or some other extract from the work 
 be inserted. Opportunity also occurs 
 at this point for a fancy dance, either 
 by Will o' the Wisp alone or accom- 
 panied by several elves or other crea- 
 tures from faery land. After Will o' 
 the Wisp's exit, during Pierrette's 
 sleep, might be played the Notturno 
 which Mendelssohn wrote to follow 
 the Third Act of Shakespeare's 
 comedy, and at the closing curtain, 
 either the last five, or the last four- 
 teen and one-half measures, of the 
 overture. Amateurs producing the 
 play in little theatres could resort 
 to orchestral records issued by the 
 Victor Company. 
 
THE END OF 
 THE RAINBOW 
 
CHARACTERS 
 
 Pierrot 
 
 Pierrette 
 
 Will o' the Wisp 
 
THE EiND OF THE RAINBOW 
 
 A Fantasy in Miniature 
 
 Scene: A Wild Wood. 
 Time: An Ap ril Even mg. 
 
 (Enter Pierrot and Pierrette, the latter very weary of 
 Journeying through the forest.) 
 
 PIERRETTE 
 
 ^ dear Pierrot, 
 J Twas hours ago 
 The sunshiny showerlet passed; 
 The rainbow has faded, 
 The wild wood is shaded. 
 And the young April moon overcast. 
 
 PIERROT 
 
 Pin your faith to the fable: 
 Don't you know, were one able 
 
 3 
 
To find where the rainbow comes down, 
 One would Hght on more gold 
 Than one's coffers could hold, 
 
 Enough for to buy London town? 
 
 PIERRETTE 
 
 Yes and no, Pierrot; 
 
 But no further let's go 
 Through this forest so darksomely eerie: 
 
 For I very much fear 
 
 That you, too, my dear, 
 Are as footsore as I am, and weary. 
 
 PIERROT 
 
 Ha' done, Pierrette! 
 
 It may be far yet 
 I must journey through dark and through cold; 
 
 But later or soon, 
 
 'Neath the light o' the moon, 
 I shall find me the great pot of gold. 
 
 PIERRETTE 
 
 O, once 'twas my love, 
 That, by heaven above. 
 You swore was your heart's sole desire: 
 
 4 
 
And were I but won, 
 
 There'd be naught 'neath the sun 
 As dear as myself by your fire. 
 
 And then, it was fame: 
 
 To have noised your name 
 On the tongue of young and of old; 
 
 But when cottage and hall, 
 
 All flocked at your call. 
 You then longed for nothing but gold. 
 
 PIERROT 
 
 What you say may be true, 
 But, Pierrette, 't is to you 
 
 I should look for my comfort and hope: 
 And when gaining my end, 
 You're a pretty poor friend 
 
 To do nothing but grumble and mope. 
 
 {Pierrette has sunk on the ground in a sad little heap 
 and is crying softly^ 
 
 PIERROT 
 
 Well, sit there and cry! 
 If you live or you die, 
 I'll keep up my search till the last; 
 
And I think some fine morrow, 
 
 You'll see to your sorrow, 
 What you lost by not holding fast. 
 
 For in coach and with four, 
 
 I shall roll past your door, 
 While the world and his wife smile on me; 
 
 But the poor Pierrette, 
 
 Like a grizzled grisette, 
 I never, no never, will see! 
 
 PIERRETTE 
 
 Pierrot, if I could, 
 
 I'd still trudge the wood, 
 But I'm only a burden, you say. 
 
 God grant that the treasure 
 
 You find in full measure 
 Or ever the first peep o' day! 
 
 PIERROT 
 
 (^Snapping his Ji?igers.) 
 
 Tush! that for your flow 
 Of fine words! 
 
 {Pierrot quite ruthlessly leaves her.) 
 
 6 
 
PIERRETTE 
 
 Pierrot, 
 
 Farewell! You've grown heartless of late 
 So now in the cold, 
 I lie down on the mold, 
 
 And give myself up to my fate. 
 
 (As Pierrette is about to lie dow7t, a shaft oj 
 moonlight strikes through the green wood.) 
 
 But alack! there's the moon, 
 
 And they say, late or soon, 
 Who sleeps in the bright light of it, 
 
 Will find that his head 
 
 Has been turned, and from bed 
 The dreamer'll arise without wit. 
 
 Then I take me this bough. 
 
 To cover me now. 
 And so, if I live or I die, 
 
 They'll not say, " How sad! 
 
 But the poor maid went mad — 
 And that made her Pierrot fly." 
 
 {Ere she lies dow?t, Pierrette offers this prayer to 
 Our Lady. ) 
 
 Our Lady, I pray. 
 To Pierrot on his way 
 
Give guidance forever and ever: 
 And grant some day he 
 May come back to me 
 
 To leave me, ah, never, no never! 
 
 (As Fierrette drops off to sleeps a faery micsic is heard, 
 and Will <?' the Wisp with his lanthorn, enters, 
 addressing, first, the audience, and later, Pierrette.^ 
 
 WILL O' THE WISP 
 
 Dear friends, let me lisp, 
 
 I'm Will o' the Wisp. 
 I glide o'er the marsh and the fen. 
 
 I lead wildest fancies 
 
 On merry, mad dances, 
 And often I lead foolish men. 
 
 So, sweet Pierrette, 
 
 Fear not you, nor fret: 
 E'en now, your false Pierrot 
 
 Wanders round in a ring 
 
 That shortly will bring 
 His steps to your bedside, I know. 
 
 {There is a moment of darkness to suggest a lapse of 
 time, during which the faery music is resumed. 
 As the light returns, Pierrot re-enters^ 
 
 8 
 
PIERROT 
 
 {He calls?) 
 
 Pierrette! Pierrette! 
 
 How you plagued me! and yet 
 I'm tired and lonely and blue. 
 
 I verily think, 
 
 Though just on the brink 
 Of high fortune, I want only you. 
 
 Yes, I vow by my soul, 
 
 Just in reach of my goal, 
 I've learned since I left her this while 
 
 That there's nothing to me 
 
 By land or by sea 
 That's worthy compare with her smile. 
 
 {Pierrot suddenly ?iotes where the moonlight falls on 
 Pierrette^s hair, gleaming through the bough 
 which she has laid over her head.) 
 
 But stay! what is here? 
 
 By all that is dear, 
 I swear there's the gleam of my gold. 
 
 Beneath yonder bough 
 
 Is awaiting me now 
 My treasure to have and to hold. 
 
But, alas! — vain regret — 
 
 Could I find Pierrette, 
 I'd toss it away down the wind. 
 
 Yea, though the moon gleams 
 
 On the world's wealth, it seems 
 I'm minded to leave it behind. 
 
 PIERRETTE 
 
 (^She murmurs in her sleep.) 
 
 O dear Pierrot! 
 PIERROT 
 
 ( Unable to locate the voice.) 
 
 'Tis her voice! — I know. 
 O speak to me once and again! 
 
 Pierrette, tell me where 
 
 In earth or in air 
 You are, or I die in my pain. 
 
 PIERRETTE 
 
 (^Stzll sleeping.) 
 Pierrot! Pierrot! 
 
 lO 
 
PIERROT 
 
 Where is she? Why lo! 
 'Tis she that lies 'neath yonder bough! 
 
 And her dear golden hair, 
 
 'Twas that, I will swear, 
 I took for my treasure e'en now. 
 
 PIERRETTE 
 
 {Awaki7ig^ 
 Ah, Pierrot, dear — 
 
 PIERROT 
 
 {Kneeling behind her and supposing her.) 
 Sweet child, never fear! 
 
 PIERRETTE 
 
 Have you found 't, Pierrot? Tell me true. 
 
 PIERROT 
 
 Pierrette, do you care? 
 
 PIERRETTE 
 
 Not I, how /fare, 
 But only what's fortuned to you. 
 
 II 
 
PIERROT 
 
 Then hark, sweetest child, 
 Though I've long been beguiled, 
 
 It's never too late, dear, to mend; 
 And I've found, for my part, 
 That your own loving heart 
 
 Is my wealth at the true rainbow's end! 
 
 {Pierrette looks up ifito Pierrofs face with a smile of 
 unutterable happt7iess and the?i) — 
 
 The Curtain Falls.