Michael and His Lost Angel, by Henry Arthur Jones

Transcriber’s Note

This transcription is based on scanned images posted by the Internet Archive from a copy made available by the University of California:

archive.org/details/michaelhislostan00joneiala

This copy is a 1920 reprint of the edition published in May 1896. In preparing this transcription, the copy held by the Library of Congress was also consulted. Images of this copy are posted at:

archive.org/details/michaelhislostan01jone

The LOC copy appears to be an advance proof submitted to secure copyright in the United States. The title page of the LOC copy was date-stamped on December 18, 1895, and the play opened in London in January 1896. Subsequent printings by Macmillan have a copyright date of 1895 and a date of publication of May 1896. The LOC copy was compared with the copy used in the transcription as well as a copy printed in 1896 held by the Robarts Library at the University of Toronto and posted at:

archive.org/details/michaelandhislos00joneuoft

The pagination of the LOC copy and the other consulted copies is essentially the same.

The differences between the LOC copy and the play as subsequently printed by Macmillan include:

The “Preface” and “Author’s Note” were added to the 1896 edition.
On p. 1 of the LOC copy, the stage direction reads: “showing to the right part of Cleveheddon Minster in ruins.” In the 1896 edition, “a” has been inserted before “part”.
On p. 5 of the LOC copy, the stage direction reads: “supported by a Protestant sister. In the 1896 edition, the words “a Protestant” have been changed to “an Anglican”.
On p. 6 of the LOC copy, a line of Michael’s reads: “Those of you who have been moved by all the awful lesson of this morning. . .” In the 1896 edition, “all” has been deleted.
On p. 29, at the end of Act I, after the line “Your bad angel has kissed your good angel,” the following stage direction was added to the 1896 edition: “(A mock curtsey to him.)”
On p. 45, Audrie’s line “He kicked her on the eye. . .” in the LOC copy was changed to “He kicked her on the nose. . .” in the 1896 edition.
On p. 53, the tableau at the end of Act II is different. In the LOC copy, the stage direction reads “(Takes both her hands in his, very slowly.)” and Michael repeats the line “No boat will come to-night!” followed by “VERY SLOW CURTAIN.” In the 1896 edition, the stage direction reads “(They stand looking at each other.)” followed by “VERY SLOW CURTAIN.”
On p. 69 of the LOC copy, Audrie has the line, “My memory is good for such trifles. Forget you?!” The exclamation mark is deleted in the 1896 edition.
On p. 73 of the LOC copy, in the scene description at the beginning of Act IV, the phrase “Large brass candlesticks on altar with lighted candles.” is followed by “The altar covered with flowers.” The second phrase is deleted from the 1896 edition.
On p. 74 of the LOC copy, the stage direction at the beginning of Act IV describes “the organ boy” as “a refined lad about fifteen”. The word “refined” is deleted from the 1896 edition.
On p. 82 of the LOC copy, the stage direction reads: “ROSE is in a Protestant sister’s dress”. In the 1896 edition, the words “a Protestant” have been changed to “an Anglican”.
On p. 86 of the LOC copy, Audrie has the line, “Life’s the matter with me, I think, old girl.” The phrase “old girl“ is deleted from the 1896 edition.
The 1896 edition corrects for the missing period at the end of Milly’s line “Oh, you give me the creeps” on p. 86 of the LOC copy.
On p. 96 of the LOC copy, Sir Lyolf has the line, “Ned, I believe she’s dying.” “Ned” is deleted from the 1896 edition.
On p. 97 of the LOC copy, Sir Lyolf has the line, “Ned, she has come from England with the one hope of seeing him.” “Ned” is deleted from the 1896 edition.
On p. 98 of the LOC copy, Sir Lyolf has the line, “I wish he’d come back, Ned.” “Ned” is deleted from the 1896 edition.
On p. 98 of the LOC copy, Sir Lyolf has the line, “Ned, I believe it always comes from heaven!” “Ned” is deleted from the 1896 edition.
On p. 98 of the LOC copy, Sir Lyolf has the line, “I must tell him, Ned.” “Ned” is deleted from the 1896 edition.
On p. 98 of the LOC copy, Michael enters “in the dress of a monk, but without a tonsure.” In the 1896 edition, he enters “in a travelling cloak.”
On p. 99 of the LOC copy, the stage direction ends with “Then he sits down without speaking.)” The closing parenthesis was deleted in the 1896 edition.
On p. 99 of the LOC copy, Michael has the line, “When can I take the vows?” In the 1896 edition, this line was changed to “When can I be received?”
On p. 100 of the LOC copy, Sir Lyolf has the line, “No—! Wait, Ned. (Goes to MICHAEL.) Michael, you are at peace now, aren’t you?” “Wait, Ned” is deleted from the 1896 edition.
On p. 100 of the LOC copy, Sir Lyolf has the line, “No, Ned.” “Ned” is deleted from the 1896 edition.

The advertising included at the end of the copy held by the Robarts Library is also included in this transcription. This advertising was included in neither the 1920 reprint nor the LOC copy.

For consistency, closing parentheses were added at the end of stage directions on the following pages:

On p. 37, at the end of the stage direction that begins “Sits himself resolutely at table”.
On p. 70, at the end of the stage direction that begins “She goes out again”.