The Bells
1
The scene of "The Bells" is
laid in Alsatia, in a hamlet
at the foot of Mount Snow-
top, during the great snow
storm of Christmas 1868.
2
Several versions of this classic
of the theatre have been
presented during the last half
century. The most notable
performance of the play was
that of the late Sir Henry
Irving.
3
Mathias, owner of the inn
and village mill, having
ambitions to be Burgo-
master, is not as exacting
towards his customers as
his wife Catharine.
... Lionel Barrymore
4
- and no one could obtain
credit from Catharine - -
with her it was - no pay -
no drinks.
... Caroline Frances Cooke
5
Jerome Frantz declares to
his friends that when he
takes possession of the inn,
Mathias will not have
enough to buy a drink.
... Gustav Von Seyffertitz
6
"To Mathias - our next
Burgomaster."
7
"To become Burgomaster,
I must be liberal to our
influential citizens."
8
"If you persist in giving
everything away - how
are you going to get
the money to repay
Frantz his loan?"
9
"So you would bribe our
villagers to make you
Burgomaster! Bribe
them with credit and
free drinks!"
10
"Be sure you have the
money when due, six
thousand francs, or you
will be on the outside
looking in through the
window."
11
"Please, neighbor Frantz,
not so loud."
12
The mill - like the inn,
owned by Mathias, also
ran on credit.
13
Hans - who has charge
of the mill, demands
cash payment - for like
his daughter Catharine
it is - no pay - no flour.
... Lorimer Johnston
14
"I'll ask Mathias - he'll
give us credit, if you
won't."
15
"Take it along - - pay
me when you can."
16
"I expect your help
in appointing me
Burgomaster, eh?"
17
Christian - on his way
to the village, to
which he has been
appointed gendarme.
... Edward Phillips
18
Annette -
Daughter of Mathias.
--- Lola Todd
19
"No, we must save the
little money we have
- we cannot buy
anything."
20
"- - but Mathias goes
shabby just to see you
and Annette in pretty
dresses and fine
ribbons."
21
"Unless we pay Frantz
we'll be disgraced.
Where is the money to
come from?"
22
Fair Day is Holiday -
in all the country
round about.
23
"Much credit, eh - and
little cash."
24
"Now, if you would arrange
a marriage between your
daughter and me, I might
cancel this debt."
25
"I told you my daughter
marries the man of her
choice - and that man
will not be you."
26
"You'll sing another tune
when I turn you out
into the street to beg."
27
"Come one - - come all!
To maidens fair and
soldiers bold,
To you your future I'll
unfold."
The fortune-teller.
... Laura Lavarnie
28
The Mesmerist - performs
feats that makes the town
wonder.
... Boris Karloff
29
"Let me put you in a
mesmeric sleep - I can
make you tell any
incident of your life."
30
"I can make criminals
confess their crimes
and good men tell of
their good deeds."
31
Christmas brings to Mathias
no 'Peace on Earth' nor
any 'Good will' from his
neighbor Frantz -
32
"Peace be with you!"
33
"The snow is deep; the road
is dark. May I rest here
an hour. I am a travelling
merchant from Warsaw."
Baruch Koweski -
The Polish Jew.
... E. Alyn Warren
34
"I have troubles to drown
- many troubles."
35
"Is that all gold - in
your money belt?"
36
"Yes, friend - all gold
- bright, shining gold."
37
"Peace be with you!"
38
The next sun shines bright
and clear, but in the
bosom of Mathias rages
the storms of yesternight.
39
"My uncle's death is a
great sorrow, even
though the inheritance
enables me to pay my
debt to you."
40
"The legacy from your
father's uncle came just
in time - we are free
of debt and rich - -
rich!"
41
"A terrible murder has been
committed - the body cannot
be found, only a glove -
and a cap cleft with a sharp
axe. They are bringing the
sleigh here."
42
"This crime will bring
disgrace upon the fair
name of our village."
43
"We must find the
murderer at once!"
44
"No! Do not enter! It
would bring ill luck
to my house."
45
"Mathias has a tender
heart - - he cannot
stand hearing of such
violence."
46
Mathias determines that
'his sins shall not find
him out', and so fortifies
himself against
detection.
47
"'Faint heart never won
fair lady.' What is it?"
48
"Monsieur Mathias, I want
to ask for the hand of
your daughter - I have
little myself - my pay
is small."
49
"My boy, nothing would
give me greater
happiness."
50
"- and as for your pay,
Annette's dowry shall
be thirty thousand
francs."
51
"There are some other
matters I would like
to discuss with you,
M. Mathias."
52
"As gendarme of the
village, it is my duty
to find the man who
committed this horrible
murder."
53
"As there was no trace
of the body, I believe
that it was thrown in
a lime kiln and
burned."
54
"Take care, Christian,
you know I have
lime kilns."
55
"True, but then the body
could have been thrown
in one of yours."
56
"If I find the murderer
I may win promotion
or even the Legion of
Honor."
57
"- and the marriage
is to take place at
once."
58
"What's more, I'm going
up-stairs and count out
Annette's dowry - -
Thirty Thousand Francs."
59
"- - all in bright,
shining gold."
60
"I'll give it back, if
you don't look at me
so accusingly - - I'll
give it back!"
61
The great day - when
Mathias is to receive
his appointment as
Burgomaster.
62
"The best in the house
to the men who have
appointed me
Burgomaster.
63
"Monsieur Mathias - we
now greet you as our
Burgomaster."
64
"Will you kindly tell
me where I can find
the Burgomaster?"
65
"Peace be with you!"
66
"My name is Jethro Koweski
- - I am from Poland,
seeking my brother - and
if murdered to avenge his
death."
E. Alyn Warren
67
"I have come to offer
a reward to the one
who discovers my
brother's murderer."
68
"- and I have brought
this mesmerist to aid
me - - he has made
many criminals confess
their crimes."
69
"We conduct matters here
by process of law and
not with devil's practices."
70
"Leave my inn before
you bring ill-luck
here - as your brother
brought disgrace upon
the village."
71
The first duty of Mathias
as Burgomaster is to
investigate the horrible
crime that has so
shocked the village.
72
"I am prepared to offer
Thirty Thousand Francs
to find the murderer
of my brother."
73
"This mesmerist can weave
spells that will make
evil-doers confess their
evil."
74
"The guilty man is in
this village - yea, he
may be in this very
room."
75
"I can read the inmost
secrets of your heart."
76
"Get out! You practice
witchcraft - you are an
invention of the devil.
Get out and never
return to this village!"
77
His tormentor --
CONSCIENCE.
78
The joyous ringing of the
bells - Wedding Bells -
announce the marriage of
Christian and Annette.
79
Mathias hears the bells - -
bells that are ever ringing
in his ears - - ringing a
jangling, discordant
accusation.
80
The dream of - accusing
conscience.
81
"You are a cunning man
- - you thought to
destroy all proofs by
burning the body in
your lime kiln."
82
"I'm innocent - anyone
could throw a body
in the kiln. I'm an
honest man!"
83
"Why do you always
hear the sound of
bells?"
84
"I do not hear the
sound of bells."
85
"If you do not confess
I'll summon the
mesmerist."
86
"Yes, I hear the bells
- but as in a dream."
87
"On the night of the great
storm last Christmas, tell
us what you did with the
Polish Jew's body."
88
"Wake him!"
89
"You are guilty - by
your own confession."
90
"It's a lie! It's not the law!
It's devil's work!"
91
"We sentence you to be
hanged by the neck
until dead."
92
"I have REPENTED -
my SIN has been
FORGIVEN."
93
"Then - 'Peace be
with you'."
The End
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