The Open Window
Narrator: One autumn day Mr. Nuttel
comes
to the
Samplettonshouse to make aquitance to his new neighbours. He
has moved recently in the country due to a serious health
condition. Mr. Nuttel is a very nervous man, in fact he has had a
nervous breack down and his doctor advised him to live in the
serenity of the country side for a while. So here he is, enjoying the
tranquility of the village where his sister, Olivia lives. But this
morning he has decided that it is the time to meet his neighbours.
He goes to the front door where Vera, the Samplettonss nice
welcome him.
Vera: (smiles at Mr. Nuttel)
"Good morning mr. Nuttel!My
aunt will join us soon. Until then, you must try and put up with me.
May I take your hat and coat?"
Mr. Nuttel (who is a nervous man and shyly smiles back at Vera) :
"Thank you,"
(He gives her his hat and coat. Vera welcomes Mr. Nuttel into
Mrs. Sappleton's house. Mr. Nuttel nervously looks around the
drawing room. He looks at all the pictures on the walls and the
couch. He looks at the open window. He looks at the green lawn
just beyond the open window.Vera closely watches Mr. Nuttel.)
Vera: "You just moved to the country?"
Mr. Nuttel: "Yes,"
(He fidgets with his hands. His eye twitches.)
"I moved here to benefit from country life. Country life is relaxing
and slow."
Vera: "Do you know anyone in the country?"
Mr. Nuttel: "Not a soul. Your aunt, Mrs. Sappleton, is my first
new friend." (Mr. Nuttel takes a deep breath. His body shivers.)
"My sister, Olivia, lived in the country four years ago. Olivia met
your aunt at that time. Olivia says your aunt is very nice."
Vera: "So you don't know anything about my aunt?"
Mr. Nuttel: "I only know her name and address, Is she nice?"
(He asks with a gulp)
Vera : "Oh, yes, very nice indeed. She is nice despite the tragedy."
Mr Nuttel: "Tragedy? What do you mean?"
(He fidgets with his hands. His eye twitches. His body shivers.)
Vera: "The tragedy happened about three years ago, since your
sister was here," (Vera looks directly into Mr. Nuttel's eyes.) "You
may wonder why this window is open,"
Mr. Nuttel: "I had noticed it. The view is very pretty."
Vera; "Pretty and tragic. Three years ago today, my aunt's
husband, two brothers, and their favorite dog left through that
window on a hunting trip. They never returned. They had gone
hunting on the moors. When they crossed a moor, they fell into a
deep bog and were never seen again."
(Mr. Nuttel's eyes widen with fear.)
Vera: "On the anniversary of their deaths, my poor aunt leaves the
window open. She believes that they will return. And, you know,
Mr. Nuttel, on such a lovely day as this, I sometimes think they
will."
(Vera's aunt walks into the room.)
Mrs Sampletton: "Mr. Nuttel, I am sorry to keep you waiting. I
hope my niece has made you comfortable."
Mr. Nuttel: "Y-y-y-es,"
(Mr. Nuttels eyes looking quickly from Mrs. Sappleton to Vera to
the window. )
Mrs. Sappleton : "I do hope you don't mind the open window. My
husband and brothers are hunting on the moors. They should return
soon. They always come back through this door. I do hate how
they track mud onto my carpets. Those moors are so muddy, you
know."
(Mr. Nuttel listens with horror. He fidgets with his hands. His eye
twitches. His body shivers. Vera watches Mr. Nuttel.)
Mr. Nuttel: "I-I-I see," (Mr. Nuttel is anxious to change the
subject.) "I am pleased to meet you. I will be in the country for a
few months. I moved to the country for the benefit of my nerves.
My doctor says I absolutely must relax. Country life is relaxing
and slow, don't you think?"
(Mrs. Sappleton turns from the open window. She looks at her
guest.)
Mrs. Sampletton: "Yes, it is, Mr. Nuttel. And the hunting in the
country is very good, too."
(Mrs. Sappleton turns back to the open window.)
Mrs. Sampletton: "I wonder how the hunting is today?"
(The drawing room is silent. Mr. Nuttel nervously tries to fill the
silence.)
Mr. Nuttel; "My sister, Olivia, met you about four years ago,
Olivia said the country would be very good for my nerves."
Mrs. Sappleton: "Look! Here they are. And they're back just in
time for tea." (The older woman walks towards the open window.
She looks out across the green lawn.) "Goodness! Look at all that
mud. They will surely ruin all of my carpets today."
(Mr. Nuttel cannot believe his eyes and ears. What a tragic
situation. This poor Mrs. Sappleton needs more help than he does.
Mr. Nuttel turns to Vera to show his sympathy, but the child is
staring out the window. Vera's eyes are wide with horror. Vera
spies the hunting party returning from the forest. Mr. Nuttel fidgets
with his hands. His eye twitches. His body shivers. He turns to look
out the window.
Far across the green lawn, a dog runs toward the drawing room.
Following the dog is an older man with a shotgun resting on his
shoulder and two young boys carrying sacks. Their boots are
covered in mud.)
Mr. Nuttel (screams): "AAARRRGGGHHH!"
(Mr. Nuttel grabs his coat and hat. Without turning back, he runs
from the drawing room and out the open window. He runs across
the lawn and disappears from sight. In his hasty exit, he almost
knocks over the returning Mr. Sappleton. Mr. Nuttel runs out of the
house without turning back.)
Mr. Sappleton: "What got into that young man?" (He steps on the
clean carpet with his muddy boots.)
(Mrs. Sappleton shakes her head and looks at the mud.)
Mrs. Sappleton: "Such an odd, nervous fellow," (She tells Mr.
Sappleton.)"He fidgeted with his hands. His eye twitched. His
body shivered. He talked all about his nervous condition. Then he
left without saying good-bye. Very peculiar."
Vera: "He was probably frightened by the dog," (She bends to
scratch the dog's head.) "Makes sense, really, He told me that he
was very scared of dogs. Several years ago he was hiking in the
mountains when he stumbled upon a pack of wild dogs. The dogs
chased the poor fellow for three days. Finally, he climbed up a tree
but below him, the dogs walked back and forth, snarling and
barking, for a whole week."
(Vera sweetly smiles at her aunt and uncle.)
Narrator: Vera likes to tell stories.
