MS-UoR-1227-7-7-1

[0003] Front centre,[0004] sitting on a small
plain wooden chair before a small
plain wooden table, X.[0004|001] .
[0005] [0008] [0004] ^{Little wearish old man.}

[0005] ^{Rusty black narrow} trousers, [⁁] ^{too short for him.}[0006]
^{Rusty black} sleeveless waistcoat^{, 4 pockets}.[0007]
^{Heavy silver watch & chain.}[0008] Grimy white
shirt open at neck. No collar.
[0009] Surprising pair of ^{white boots},
size ten, very narrow & pointed.
[0010] Pallid face.[0011] Purple nose.

[0014] Very near-sighted and[0015] hard of
hearing.[0014] No glasses.
[0016] Croaking voice,[0017] characteristic accent.
[0019] On the table a tape-recorder and
a number of cardboard boxes
containing recorded tapes.
[0020] Table and immediately adjacent area
in strong light.[0021] Rest of stage in
darkness.

[0036] A (reading from ledger, his nose down on it).
[0037] Box ... thr^rree ... spool ... five.
[0038] (He turns
and stares front.[0039] With relish.)[0040] Spool!
[0041] (Pause.)[0042] Spooool![0045] (He turns back to
table, starts peering & poking
at the boxes.)

[0046] Box ...
thrree ... thrree ... four... two ...
(with surprise) ... nine! ...
good God! ... seven ... ah! ....
the little rascal![0047] (He separates box
three from the others.)[0048] Box thrree.

[0049] (He opens it, peers at the spools it
contains.)[0050] Spool ... (He peers at
ledger, finds the entry.) Five. (He
peers at spools) Five ... five ...[0051] (He
takes out a spool, straightens up,
holds up the spool between finger
& thumb.)[0052] ^Spoool five.