694 SIDNEY HOWARD

the fourth, if there is any worrying to be

done, let iae remind you that it's Christina

and not David who is going to have a baby.[MRS. PHELPS breaks off her playingin the middle of a phrase]

I'm sorry if I've shocked you, but the truth

is, you've both shocked me.Robert. How have we shocked you?Hester. By not being a great deal more

thrilled over Christina's baby. When I

drank my cocktail to it before dinner,neither of you drank yours. When I wantedto talk about it during dinner, you both

changed the subject. You haven't mentioned that baby since dinner, except once,and that was catty! YouVe known about

that baby for over two hours and you aren't

excited about it yet I Not what / call ex

cited.

Mrs. Phelps. If you'll forgive any saying

so, Hester, I'm not sure that an unborn

baby is quite the most suitable subjectfor ...

Hester. I'm blessed if I see anything badform about a baby I

Robert. No more does Mother after it's

born.

Hester. I can't wait for that, I love think

ing about them. And wondering whatthey're going to be I mean, boy or girl.

Why, we had bets up on my sister's babyfor months before he was born.

Mrs. Phelps. I'm not ashamed to be old-

fashioned.

Hester. You ought to be. This is goingto be a very remarkable baby. There aren't

many born with such parents. And I intendto go right on talking about it with anyonewho'll listen to me, Christina doesn't mind.She's just as interested as I am. Pve al

ready made her promise to have my sister's

obstetrician.

Mrs. Phelps. Really, Hester f

Hester. I'd go to the ends of the earthfor that man. Christina's baby has put mein a very maternal frame of mind.Mrs. Phelps. Maternal!Hester. What I say is: I'm as good as

married, I might as well make the best of

my opportunities to get used to the idea.Because I intend to have as many babiesas possible.

Mrs, Phelps {glancing at Robert]. Is that

why you're marrying Rob, Hester?Hester. What better reason could I have?

I'm sorry if IVe shocked you, but, as I

said before, you've shocked me, and that's

that.

[Coolly, MRS. PHELPS goes for the cof

fee tray. Her eyes meet ROBERT'S, andthere is no mistaking the intention

of the look they give him. Then} with

out a wordy she leaves ROBERT andHESTER alone together"!

Robert [starting after her]. Mother! . . .

Hester didn't mean. . . . Oh. . . . [He turns

back to HESTER] Hester, how could you?Hester I don't know. . . . But I don't care

if I did!

Robert. It doesn't make things any easier

for me.Hester. Oh, Rob, dear, I am sorry!Robert. You've got Mother all ruffled and

upset. Now we'll have to smooth her downand have all kinds of explanations and

everything. Really, it was too bad of you.Hester* I know. I lost my temper. . . .

You understand, don't you?Robert. I understand that you're a guest

in Mother's house.

Hester. Is that all you understand? Oh,Rob!Robert. I'm sorry, Hester. But, for the

moment, I'm thinking of Mother.Hester. I see. . . . I'll apologize.Robert. That's up to you.Hester. I suppose she'll never forgive me.

It isn't this, though.Robert. This?

Hester. The scene I made.Robert. What do you mean?Hester. I don't know. . . . Some mothers

like the girls their sons marry.Robert. Doesn't that depend on the girls?Hester. Not entirely.

Robert. You mustn't be unjust to Mother.Hester. Rob, I'm a little tired of hearing

about your mother. . . . [Suddenly penitent againl Oh, I didn't mean to say that!

I didn't mean it a bit! I'm sorry, Rob.- , . Now I'm apologizing to you. I>on't

you hear me?Robert. Yes, I hear you. What then?Hester. Oh, what difference does it make?

I'm not marrying your mother. I'm marrying you. And I love you, Rob! I love you!Robert. Yes, my dear.

Hester. I'll never be bad again.Robert. I'm willing to take your word

for it.

Hester. You'd better be. Oh, you are

angry with me, Rob!

THE SILVER CORD 695

Robert. No. Fm not.

Hester. You're a queer one.

Robert. Think so? How?Hester. As a lover. I've never seen an

other like you.Robert. Haven't you? IA thought strikes

him] Tell me something, Hester.

Hester. What?Robert. Have you had many?Hester. Many what?Robert. Lovers.

Hester. Oh, Robert, what a thing to sayto a lady!

Robert. You know what I mean.

Hester. Fm not quite sure I want to an

swer.

Robert. I'm not asking for their names.

Hester. Oh, I shouldn't mind that . . .

the truth is ... I don't know . . .

Robert. You must.

Hester. I don't really. I used to think

. . . oh, quite often . . . that one of mybeaux was coming to the point . . . but . . .

Robert. Yes?Hester. But none of them ever did.

Robert. That surprises me. Why not?

Hester. I don't think it was entirely lack

of allure. Rob.Robert. Of course it wasn't I

Hester. I think it was because I always

laughed.Robert, You didn't laugh at me.

Hester. You looked foolish enough, nowthat I think of it.

Robert. Yes. I daresay. ... So I was the

only one.

Hester. Say the only one I didn't laugh

at, please. You make me sound so unde

sirable.

Robert. I didn't mean to. Tell me, Hester ...

Hester. Anything.Robert. Have you thought what it will

mean to be my wife?

Hester. A very pleasant life.

Robert. For you?Hester. I certainly hope so.

Robert. I don't know that I quite share

your enthusiasm for children.

Hester. You will.

Robert. They don't exactly help a eareer,

you know.

Hester. Have you got a career?

Robert. I fully intend to have one.

Hester. I'm glad to hear it.

Robert. I've got just as much talent as

Dave has,

Hester. What kind of talent?

Robert. I haven't decided. I can draw

pretty well. I'm not a bad musician. I mightdecide to compose. I might even write.

I've often thought of it. And children, yousee . . .

Hester. I don't know much about careers,

but Lincoln had children and adored 'em,

and if you can do half as well as he did

Robert. Then my preferences aren't to be

considered?

Hester. You just leave things to me. If

we're poor, I'll cook and scrub floors. Ill

bring up our children. I'll take care of

you whether we live in New York or Kamchatka. This business is up to me, Rob.

Don't let it worry you.Robert {.crushed}. I only wanted to make

sure you understood my point of view.

Hester. If I don't, I shall, so let's cut this

short.

[She goes a little huffily to the window,ROBERT watching her uneasily]

Hello!

Robert. What is it?

Hester. There goes your mother downthe road.

Robert {joining her]. So it is! What can

she be doing?Hester. She's fetching her darling David

in out of the cold. I knew she would.

Robert. Hester, would you mind not

speaking that way of Mother?Hester. Can't she leave them alone for

a minute?

Robert. She's the worrying kind.

Hester. Oh, rotl

Robert. Evidently you're bent on making

things as difficult as possible for me.

Hester. I'm sorry you feel that.

IA long irritable pause]

Robert. Hester?

Hester. Yes?Robert. Have you thought any more

about our honeymoon?Hester. Didn't we decide to go abroad?

Robert. Abroad's a pretty general term.

You were to think where you wanted to be

taken.

Hester. I left that to you.Robert. You said you "didn't care."

Hester. I doa't.

696 SIDNEY HOWARD

Robert. Nor where we live after . . . norhow.

Hester. I don't ... I don't ... I want to

live with you. {.Suddenly warming] What'sthe use of this, Rob?Robert. We've never talked seriously

about our marriage before.

Hester. What is there to say about it?

Robert. A great deal.

Hester. I don't agree. Marriages are

things of feeling. They'd better not be

talked about.

Robert. Real marriages can stand dis

cussion !

Hester. Rob!Robert. What?Hester. That wasn't nice.

Robert. Wasn't it?

Hester [suddenly frightened]. What's the

matter, Rob? I'll talk as seriously as you

please. Do I love you? Yes. Am I going to

make you a good wife? I hope so, though I

am only twenty and may make mistakes.

Are you going to be happy with me? I hope

that, too, but you'll have to answer it for

yourself.

Robert. I can't answer it.

Hester. Why can't you?Robert. Because I'm not sure of it.

Hester. Aren't you, Rob?Robert. These things are better faced be

fore than after.

Hester. What is it you're trying to say?Robert. If only we could be sure!

Hester [stunned]. So that's itl

Robert. Are you so sure you want to

marry me?Hester. How can I be now?Robert. Marriage is such a serious thing.

You don't realize how serious.

Hester. Don't I?

Robert. No. . . . I hope you won't think

harshly of me. . . . And, mind you, I haven'tsaid I wanted to break things off. ... I

only want . . .

Hester. Please, Rob!Robert. No. You've got to hear me out.Hester. I've heard enough, thank you I

Robert. I'm only trying to look at this

thing . . .

Hester. Seriously. ... I know. . . .

Robert. Because, after all, the happinessof three people is affected by it.

Hester. Three?Robert. As Mother said, before dinner, j

Hester. So you talked this over with yourmother?Robert. Isn't that natural?

Hester. Is your mother the third?

Robert. Wouldn't she be?Hester. Yes, I suppose she would. .

I think you might tell me what else shehad to say.Robert. It was all wise and kind. You

may be as hard as you like on me, but youmustn't be hard on poor splendid lonelyMother.Hester [savage under her breath]. So

she's lonely, tool

Robert. Yout

will twist my meaning !

Hester. You said "lonely".Robert. Perhaps I did. But Mother didn't.

You know, she never talks about herself.

Hester. I see. What else did she sayabout us?

Robert. Well, you haven't been very in

terested in planning our future. She noticessuch things.

Hester. What else?

Robert. She sees through people, youknow.

Hester. Through me?Robert. She thought, as I must say I do,

that we didn't love each other quite enoughto ... At least, she thought we ought tothink very carefully before we ...Hester [gripping his two arms with all

her strength, and stopping him]. If youreally want to be free ... if you reallywant that, Rob, it's all right. It's perfectlyall right. . . . I'll set you free. . . . Don't

worry. . . . Only you've got to say so.

You've got to. ... Answer me, Rob. Doyou want to be rid of me?

[There is a pause. ROBERT cannot holdher gaze, and his eyes fall. She takesthe blow]

I guess that's answer enough. [She drawsa little back from him and pulls the en

gagement ring from her finger] Here's yourring.

Robert. Hester I Don't do anything you'llbe sorry for afterwards! Don't, please! Ican't take it yet!Hester [without any sign of emotion,

dropping the ring on a table]. I shall havean easier time of it, if you keep away fromme. I want to save my face ... if I can.Robert. Hester, please!Hester. All right, if you won't go, I will.

Robert. I'm sorry. Of course I'll go.

THE SILVER CORD 697

Hester. And take your ring with you.[He gpes to the table, picks up the ring,

pockets it, and has just got to the

door when HESTEB breaks into furi

ous, hysterical sobbing. Her sobs rack

her and seem, at the same time, to

strike ROBERT like the blows of a

whip]Robert. For God's sake, Hester. . . .

[She drops into a chair and sits, staring

straight before her, shaken by her

sobs of outraged jury and wretched

ness"]

Mother! Christina! Come here! Hester . . .

[CHRISTINA appears in the door. MRS.PHELPS follows her. DAVID appears.

-

ROBERT returns to HESTER]

Can't you pull yourself together?[She motions him away]

Christina. What's the matter?

Robert. It's Hester. Can't you stop her?

Mrs. Phelps. Good heavens, Robin!

What's wrong with the child?

Robert. She's . . . upset . . . you see, I

was just . . . you know . . .

Mrs. Phelps. I see! . . . She's taking it

badly.[HESTER'S sobs only increase]

Christina. Hester, stop it!

Hester. I'm all right. . . . J can't ... I

. . . Christina . . . please . . .

Christina. Open a window, Dave. . . .

Haven't you any smelling salts in the house,Mrs. Phelps?

[MRS. PHELPS goes for them where she

left them at teatime]

Hester. Tell Rob to go away! Tell Robto go away!

Christina. Never mind Rob I ... Get mesome aromatic spirits, one of you! Hurry

up! [ROBERT goes]Mrs. Phelps. Here are my salts.

Christina [peremptorily]. Hester! [She

holds the salts for HESTER to smell]. Now,stop it! Stop it, do you hear me?

Hester. I'm trying to stop. If you'd onlysend these awful , people out I Take meaway, Christina! Take me back to NewYork! I've got to get away from here. I

can't face them ! I can't I I can't !

Christina. Now, stop it!

David [coming forward from a window].

Here's some snow in my handkerchief. Rubit on her wrists and temples.

Christina. Thanks, Dave.[She applies it. HESTEB, by dint of great

effort, -gradually overcomes her sobs.

ROBERT returns with a tumbler partly

filled with a milky solution of aro

matic spirits]

Mrs. Phelps [speaking at the same time,

in unfeigned wonderment to DAVID]. Really,

I do wonder at what happens to girls

nowadays! When I was Hester's age, I

danced less and saved a little of mystrength for self-control.

Robert [speaking through]. Here, Dave.

Take this.

[DAVID takes it. ROBERT goes again. DAVID gives the tumbler to CHRISTINA]

Christina. Good ! Can you drink this now,Hester?

Hester. Thank you, Christina. I'm all

right now. It was only ...Christina. Never mind what it was. Drink

this. . [HESTER drinks it]

There, now. That's better. Just sit still and

relax.

David. What on earth brought it on?

Mrs. Phelps [shrugging1 her shoulders].

Rob and she must have had a falling out.

David. No ordinary one. . . . Rob! He's

gone. . . . That's funny.Mrs. Phelps. He'd naturally be distressed.

Hester. I'm really all right, now, Chris

tina . . . and frightfully ashamed. . . .

Mrs. Phelps. You'd better see how Robis, Dave. His nerves are none too stout.

Such scenes aren't good for him.

Hester [in a high, strained voice]. No,isn't that so, Mrs. Phelps?Mrs. Phelps. Did you speak to me, Hes

ter?

Hester. Take the smelling salts to Robwith my love. ... Oh God, Christina!

Christina. Now, never mind, Hester.

You'll go to pieces again.Hester. But I've got to mind! And I'm

all right! It won't hurt me. ... I wish

you'd go, David.

Christina. Yes, Dave, do. I'll come upin a jiffy.

Mrs. Phelps. When Hester's quieted

down. [To DAVID] We'd better both go and

see how Rob is. [She starts to go]Hester. Mrs. Phelps. There's something

I want to ask you before we part.

Mrs. Phelps. To-morrow, my dear girl.

Hester. There isn't going to be any to

morrow.Mrs. Phelps. What?

698 SIDNEY HOWARD

Hester. Rob has just broken our engage-

meat,Mrs. Phelps. Not really!

Christina [staggered]. Hester, what do

you mean?Hester. I mean what I say. Rob's just

broken our engagement.[CHRISTINA motions to DAVE to go. Heobeys]

Mrs. Phelps. I'm immensely distressed, of

course.

Hester [shaking her head doggedly]. Hetalked it all over with you before dinner.

He told me that much, so it won't do youthe least bit of good to pretend to be sur

prised.

Mrs. Phelps. Aren't you forgetting your

self, Hester?

Hester. You made him do it. Why did

you make him do it, Mrs. Phelps?

[CHRISTINA, amazed, draws back to ob

serve the pair of them]

Mrs. Phelps [with perfect dignity]. I

don't intend to stand here, Hester, and

allow any hysterical girl to be rude to me.

Hester [driving on querulously]. I'm not

being rude! All I want to know is why youtalked Eob into jilting me. Will you an

swer me, please?Mrs. Phelps. Such things may be pain

ful, my dear girl, but they're far less painful before than after.

Hester. He quoted that much.Christina. What's the good of this, Hes

ter?

Hester. I'm only trying to make her tell

me why she did it.

Mrs. Phelps. But, Hester! Really! This

is absurd I

Hester. YouVe got to ! You've got to ex

plain !

Mrs. Phelps. I had nothing to do with

Robin's change of heart.

Hester. You must have had, Mrs. Phelps,and I'm demanding an explanation of whyyou talked Rob into . . .

Mrs. Phelps. Isn't it enough that he foundout in time that you weren't the wife for

him?Hester. That isn't the truth!

Christina. Hester, darling!Hester. Can you tell me what he meant

when he said that the happiness of three

people was at stake?

Mrs. Phelps. He must have been think

ing of your happiness as well as his own andmine.

Hester. What about your loneliness?

Mrs. Phelps. This is contemptible of you !

Christina. Really, Hester, this can't do

any good!Hester. I'm going to make her admit

that she made Rob . . .

Mrs. Phelps [exploding]. Very well, then,

since you insist! I did advise my son to

break with you. Do you want to knowwhy?Hester. Yes!Mrs. Phelps. Because of your indifference.

Hester. Oh!Mrs. Phelps. Because he came to me to

say that you neither love him nor makeany pretense of loving him . . .

Hester. Rob said that?

Mrs. Phelps. He even said that you musthave misconstrued his friendship and that

he never wanted to marry you . . .

Hester. No!Mrs. Phelps. And I told him to risk any

thing . . . anything, rather than such an

appalling marriage . . .

Hester. I don't believe a word of it!

Mrs. Phelps. You may believe it or not!

Christina, tylrs. Phelps, you had really

better let me handle this.

Mrs. Phelps. Willingly.

Hester. Do you believe I took advantageof Rob, Christina?

Christina. Of course not!

Mrs. Phelps. So you take her side, Chris

tina!

Christina. I don't believe that, Mrs.

Phelps.Mrs. Phelps [realizing that she has gone

too far]. No? Well, perhaps . . .

Christina. Whatever Robert may think, I

can't believe that he said . . .

Mrs. Phelps [frightened]. Perhaps hedidn't say quite that, in so many words. . . but he certainly meant . . .

Hester. I'm going. I'm going now. Rightthis minute.

Mrs. Phelps. There's a train at nine in the

morning. It gets you to New York at

twelve. I shall have the car for you at

eight-thirty.

Hester. May I have the car now, please,Mrs. Phelps?Mrs. Phelps. There's no train to-night.Hester. It doesn't matter. I won't stay

THE SILVER CORD 699

here. Not another minute. I'll go to the

hotel in town.Mrs. Phelps. You'll do nothing of the

sort!

Hester. You see if I don't!

Mrs. Phelps. You've got to think of ap

pearances !

Hester. Appearances are your concern.

Yours and Rob's. I'm going to the hotel.

I don't care what people sayl I don't care

about anything. I won't stay here!

Mrs. Phelps. Can't you talk to her, Chris

tina? Surely you see . . . for all our sakes!

Hester. If you won't let me have the

car, I'll call a taxi. . . . [She plunges to

wards the telephone]Mrs. Phelps. I forbid you!Hester [.seizing the instrument']. I want

a taxi ... a taxi. . . , What is the number? ... Well, give it to me. . . . Locust

4000? Give me Locust 40001

[MRS. PHELPS hesitates an instant,

then, with terrible coolness, steps for

ward and jerks the telephone cord

from the wall. Except for a startled

exclamation, very low, from CHRIS

TINA, there is not a sound. HESTER

hangs up the receiver and sets downthe dead instrument]

Mrs. Phelps [after an interminable si

lence"! . You are the only person in the

world who has ever forced me to do an un

dignified thing. I shall not forget it. [She

goes nobly]Hester [weakly, turning to CHRISTINA].

Christina, it isn't true what she said. . . .

He did. . . . He did want to marry me!

Really, he did! He did!

Christina. Of course he did, darling!

Hester. I won't stay! I won't stay under

that woman's roof!

Christina. Hester, darling!Hester. I'll walk to town!Christina. Don't, Hester!

Hester. That wasn't true, what she said!

Christina. Of course not!

Hester. I still love him. . . . Let me go,

Christina, I'll walk . . .

Christina. You can't, at this time of

night! It wouldn't be safe!

Hester. I don't care ! I won't stay !

Christina. There! There! You'll come to

bed now, won't you!Hester. No! No! I can't! I'd rather die!

I'll walk to town.

Christina. You'll force me to come with

you, Hester. I can't let you go alone.

Hester. I won't stay another minute!

Christina. Do you want to make me walk

with you? Think, Hester! Think what I

told you before dinner! Do you want to

make me walk all that way in the cold?

Hester [awed by this]. Oh, your baby!I didn't mean to forget your baby! Oh,

Christina, you mustn't stay, either! This

is a dreadful house ! You've got to get your

baby away from this house, Christina!

Awful things happen here!

Christina. Hester, darling! Won't youplease be sensible and come up to bed?Hester [speaking at the same time, as

her nerves begin to go again]. Awful things,

Christina. . . . You'll see if you don't

come away! You'll seel ... She'll do the

same thing to you that she's done to me.You'll see! You'll seel

SCENE Two

The curtain rises again, as soon as possible, (upon DAVID'S little bedroom, untouched since the day when DAVID went

away to Harvard and scorned to take his

prep school trophies and souvenirs with

him. The furniture is rather more than sim

ple. The bed is single. There is a dresser.

There are only a couple of chairs. The cur

tains at the single window have been freshlylaundered and put back in their old state

by MRS. PHELPS in a spirit of maternal

archeology. Insignificant loving cups, wonat tennis, stand about the dresser. No pennants, no banners. There might be sometennis racquets, golf sticks, crossed skis, a

pair of snow-shoes, class photographs and

framed diplomas. There must also be a

fairly important reproduction of Velasquez'Don Balthazar Carlos on horseback, se

lected by MRS. PHELPS as DAVID'S favorite

Old Master. A final touch is DAVID'S babypillow.DAVID stands in his pajamas and socks,

about to enter upon the last stages of his

preparations to retire for the night. Theroom has been strewn with clothing dur

ing the preliminary stages. Now he is in

the ambulatory state of mind. A series of

crosses and circumnavigations produces sev

eral empty packs of cigarettes from several

pockets, corners of the suitcase, etc. This

frustration brings on baffled scratching* oj

700 SIDNEY HOWARD

the head and legs. Then he gives up the

cigarette problem, turns again to the suit

case, spills several dirty shirts and finally,

apparently from the very bottom, extracts

a dressing-gown, a pair of slippers, a tooth

brush, and some tooth-paste. He sheds the

socks, dons the slippers and dressing-gown,

and sallies forth with brush and paste to

do up his teeth in the bathroom. He goes

by the door which gives on the hall at the

head of the stairs.

After he has been gone a few seconds, a

tiny scratching sound is heard on the other

side of the other door to the room and that

is opened from without. We see the

scratcher at work, conveying the impression

that a wee mousie wants to come in. The

wee mousie is none other than MRS.

PHELPS, all smiles in her best negligee, the

most effective garment she wears in the

course of the entire play, carrying a large

eiderdown comfort.The smile fades a little when she dis

covers that the room is empty. Then its

untidiness catches het eye and she shakes

her head reprovingly, as who should say:

"What creatures these big boys are!" She

goes to work at once, true mother that she

is, to pick things up. She loves her work

and puts her whole heart into it. The trou

sers are neatly hung over the back of the

chair, the coat and waistcoat hung over

them. The shirts, socks, and underwear are

folded and laid chastely on the seat. Oneor two of the garments receive devout maternal kisses and hugs. Then she goes to

the bed, lifts off the suitcase, pushes it un

derneath, adjusts the eiderdown, smoothsthe pillow and kisses that. Last, all smiles

again, she sits, carefully disposing her laces

and ribbons, to await DAVTO'S return. She

yearns for it, and she has not long to wait.

DAVID returns. His mother's beamingsmile, as he opens the door, arouses his

usual distaste for filial sentimentality. It is

intensified, now and very ill-concealed bythe hour, his costume, and recent events.

He hesitates in the doorway."]

Mrs. Phelps. Why do you look so star

tled? It's only Mother!David [laconically']. Hello, Mother!Mrs. Phelps. I came in- to ask if you

needed anything and . . ,

David. Not a thing, thanks.

Mrs. Phelps. And to warn you against

opening the window in this weather. Oh,and I brought you that extra cover. I've

been picking up after you, tool

David [looking gloomily about]. Youneedn't have troubled.

MBS. PHELPS. It took me back to the

old days when I used to tuck you up in-

that same little bed . . .

David [as a strong hint]. Yeah. . . .

I'm just turning in, Mother.Mrs. Phelps [regardless] , . . And then

sit in this very chair and talk over all myproblems with you. I feel that I must talk

to my big boy tonight. ... I must get

acquainted with my Dave again.David [as an even stronger hint]. We're

not exactly strangers, are we? And besides,it's getting late.

Mrs. Phelps [even more persistent]. It

was always in these late hours that we hadour talks in the old days when we werestill comrades. Oh, are those days goneforever? Don't you remember how we usedto play that we had an imaginary kingdom where we were king and queen?David [moribund]. Did we? I wish Chris

'ud come up.Mrs. Phelps [with a frown and speaking

quickly]. Have you noticed, Dave, boy,that your room is just as you left it? I've

made a little shrine of it. The same cur-

tains, the same . . .

David [breaking in]. I suppose Chris is

still trying to get Hester quiet?Mrs. Phelps. I suppose so. ... And every

day I dusted in here myself and every

night I prayed in here for ...David [a little too dryly for good man

ners]. Thanks.

Mrs. Phelps [reproachfully]. Oh, David,

you can't get that horrid scene downstairs

out of your mind!David. No.Mrs. Phelps. Try ! I need my big boy so !

Because I'm facing the gravest problem of

my life, Dave. And you've got to help me.

David. What is it?

Mrs. Phelps. Is it true that I'm of nomore use to my two sons?

David. Whatever put such an idea in

your head?Mrs. Phelps. You did.

David [shocked]. I?

Mrs. Phelps [nodding]. You weren't

really glad to see me this afternoon.

THE SILVER CORD 701

David [in all sincerity]. I was. ... I

was delighted!Mrs. Phelps [bravely stopping him}. Not

glad as I was to see you. I noticed, Dave !

. . . And that made me wonder whetherthis scientific age because it is a scientific

age, Dave isn't making more than one boyforget that the bond between mother andson is the strongest bond on earth. . . .

David [not quite sure of the superlative"!. Well, it's certainly strong.Mrs. Phelps. Do you realize how sinful

any boy would be to want to loosen it?

David. Sure I realize that!

Mrs. Phelps. I see so many poor mothers,no less deserving of love and loyalty than

I, neglected and discarded by their chil

dren, set aside for other interests.

David. What interests?

Mrs. Phelps. All kinds of things. . . .

Wives. . . .

David [shying]. Nonsense, Mother!Mrs. Phelps. The Chinese never set any

relationship above their filial piety. They'dbe the greatest people on earth if only

they'd stop smoking opium.David. You haven't any kick, have you?

I mean: Hob and I haven't let you down?Mrs. Phelps. Not yet, Dave. But, you

know the old saying?David. What old saying?Mrs. Phelps. That a boy's mother is his

best friend.

David. Oh I Bet I do!

Mrs. Phelps. Do you think of yourmother as your best friend?

David. None better, certainly.

Mrs. Phelps. None better! Hm! Youcan say, though, that you haven't entirely

outgrown me?David. Of course I haven't! Why, I'd

hate to have you think that just because

I'm a grown man, I ...Mrs. Phelps. No son is ever a grown man

to his mother!

[There is a knock at the door]

Who can that be at this hour?

David. I hope it's Chris. [He starts jor

the door]

Mrs. Phelps [freezing suddenly as she

rises]. Dave!David Uurning]. What?Mrs. Phelps. Wait. ... I mustn't in

trude. . . . Good-night. ...David [calling out]. Just a minute! [To

his mother, politely] You wouldn't be in

truding !

Mrs. Phelps. Not on you, I know.But . . .

David. Not on Chris either!

Mrs. Phelps. I know best. Kiss me good

night.David. Good-night, Mother. [He kisses

her cheek]Mrs. Phelps [giving him a quick hug].

God bless my big boy![She goes as she came. DAVID'S lookt

as he watches her door close behind

hert is baffled. He goes quickly to the

other door. ROBEET is standing out

side]

David. For Pete's sake, Rob! I thought it

was Chris! . . , Why didn't you walk in?

Robert. I thought Mother was in here.

David. She was. She just went to bed.

Robert [entering]. She must have thoughtit was Chris, too!

David. How do you mean?Robert. I shouldn't rush things if I were

you.David. Maybe you're right. Women are

too deep for me.Robert. I came in for a smoke. I had to

talk to you. I've been sitting in my room

wondering what you think of all this.

David [.finding and lighting a cigarette].

I don't think much, and that's the truth !

Robert. Good God, Dave, can't you be a

little easier on me? Didn't you ever feel anydoubts when you were engaged? Were youalways so sure of Christina that you . . .

David. The first time I asked Chris to

marry me, she made it perfectly clear that,

as far as she was concerned, I was to con

sider myself dripping wet. After that I wastoo damn scared I wouldn't get her to think

whether she loved me or not.

Robert [darkly]. And I never had one

comfortable moment from the time Hester

accepted me.David. Oh, being in love's like everything

else. You've got to put some guts in it.

Robert [with bitter anger]. You think I

haven't got any guts. You want to make melook like a callous cad! All right, I'll be t.

cad. I don't care what people think aboutme ! But I'll tell you one thing ! I'm damnedif I'm going to let you turn Motherme!David. Do what?Robert. You heard me!

702 SIDNEY HOWARD

David. My God, haven't you outgrown

that old stuff yet?Robert. I know from experience what to

expect when you and Mother get together.

I used to listen at that door, night after

night, night after night, while you and

Mother sat in here and talked me over.

Then I'd watch for the change in her

next morning at breakfast when I hadn't

slept a wink all night. The way you used

to own the earth at those breakfasts! Well,

if you try any of that old stuff to-night,

111 lose the only prop I've got left.

David. Isn't it about time you let go of

Mother's apron-strings?Robert. You would say that! You don't

realize that I'm desperate.

David. Desperate, hell! You're crazy!

Mother's gone to bed and . . .

[The wee mowie scratches at the door

again!"What's that?

Mrs, Phelps lenieringl. It's only Mother.

Are you two beaux quarreling? Jealous,

jealous Robin! What's the matter?

David. Nothing.Mrs, Phelps. A fia-e man is a frank man,

David! Do you think I didn't hear every

word you said? Surely you must know

that Hester wasn't worthy of your brother?

David. Wasn't she? Well, let's not talk

any more about it.

Mrs. Phelps. Oh, but we must. For all our

sakes, we must clear the air. I have always

taken the stand that my boys could do

absolutely no wrong, and that is the properstand for a mother to take. Didn't I alwaysside with you in your school scrapes? Even

against the masters? Even when you were

clearly in the wrong? Of course, I did! AndI shall not permit one word of criticism

against jour brother now. Loyalty, Dave!

Loyalty! Come, nowl Tell Mother all

about it!

David. But if you overheard every wordwe said , . . I

Mrs. Phelps. "Overheard," David? Am I

given to eavesdropping?David. I didn't say so.

Mrs. Phelps. I simply want to make sure

I didn't miss anything while I was in mybath.

David. I don't misunderstand him. I'm

eorry for Hester, that's all.

Robert, We're all sorry for Hester.

David. I don't think it's your place to

be too sorry.

Robert. Let's drop it, Mother.

Mrs. Phelps. No. IVe got to know what's

on Dave's mind. My whole life may hangon it. What is it, Dave? [Carefully sound

ing] If Robin's not to blame, perhaps I

am?Robert {horrified"]. Mother 1

David. What's the use of getting BO

worked up over nothing?Mrs. Phelps. Nothing 1 Can you say

"nothing" after what we were talking about

a few minutes ago?David [cornered]. I only think . . ,

Mrs. Phelps. What?David. Well, that youVe both handed

Hester a somewhat dirty deal. And Chris

must think so, too!

Mrs. Phelps [.wary]. Indeed 1 And how,

please?David. Well, it cornea of what Chris calls

"mythologizing"Mrs. Phelps [frightened]. Does Chris

tina discuss our family affairs already?David. No. It's one of her old ideas about

people in general. You mythologize Robinto a little tin god. Rob thinks he is a

little tin god. Along comes Hester and falls

in love with the real Rob. She never heard

of your little tin god Rob. She doesn't de

liver the incense and tom-toms. That makes

you and Rob sore, and the whole works

goes to hell. That's mythologizing. Believe

me, it can make plenty of trouble.

Mrs. Phelps [relieved that the criticism

is so general]. If that's all I'm to blame

fox, I don't know that I can object. Expecting the best of everyone is, at least, a

worthy fault. Still, if I may venture anolder woman's opinion on one of Christina's

ideas?

David. I wish to God I hadn't started

this.

Mrs. Phelps. So do I. But perhaps you'll

tell me what Christina would say to the

true reason for Robin's break with Hester?

David. What is the true reason?

Mrs. Phelps. Do you want to tell him,Robin?Robert linspvredl. I broke with Hester

because of an ideal, the ideal of womankind Mother gave us both by being the

great woman that she is. / knew / couldn't

be happy with any woman who fell short

of her.

THE SILVER CORD 703

Mrs. Phelps. What becomes of your"dirty" deal now, David?David. But I'm not going against that

ideal, Mother. That's another thing.Robert. You couldn't have troubled much

about it when you married 1

Mrs. Phelps. You shouldn't have said

that, Robin. I haven't had Christina's ad

vantages. I wasn't given a German education.

David. Now, don't take this out on Chris,

Mother.Mrs. Phelps. I think I know a little of a

mother's duty toward her daughter-in-law.

Good-night, Robin. I must talk with yourbrother alone, now. And before you quarrel

again, stop to think that you are all I

have, you two, and try to consider me. It

isn't much to ask and it won't be for long.

You both know what the doctors think

about my heart! Dr. McClintock tells meI may go at any moment. [After a pause}

Good-night, Robin.Robert [frightened"!. Good-night, Mother.Mrs. Phelps. You may come into my

room later, if you like, I may need you to

comfort me after . . .

[She waves her hand. He leaves. Shehas never taken her eyes off DAVID.

When the door closes behind ROBERT, she speaks]

David, in this moment, when your brother

and I most needed your loyalty, you havehurt me more than I have ever been hurt

in my life before, even by your father.

David. I never meant to hurt you.Mrs. Phelps [working it up]. You have

been wicked, David! Wicked! Wicked!David, How?Mrs. Phelps. You have shown me too

clearly that what I most dreaded has al

ready come to pass!David. What, Mother?Mrs. Phelps. You have loosened the bond

between us. You have discarded me.David [horrified] . But I haven't done any

such thing!Mrs. Phelps. Don't say any more! Act

upon your treachery, if you will, but don't,

please, don't say another thing. Remember!

"The brave man does it with a sword,The coward with a word!"

[And she sweeps out, slamming Tier door

after herl

David [speaking through her door]. ButI didn't mean anything. . . . Won't you let

me explain? ... I didn't know what I wa&

talking about!

[There is no answer. He rattles the

door. It is locked. He comes away,

swearing softly under his breath.

Then, manfully, he takes refuge in

sulks. He kicks off his slippers andthrows his dressing-gown aside. Helights a cigarette and flounces into

bed, snatching up a book or magazine en route. Just as he is settled,

his mother's door opens again very

slowly. Mas. PHELPS presents a tear-

stained face to view and comes in]

Mrs. Phelps. Smoking in bed, Dave boy?David [starting up]. Eh?Mrs. Phelps. It's only Mother. ... No,

don't get up. . . . Let me sit here as I usedto in the old days.David [sitting up]. Mother, I didn't

mean . . .

Mrs. Phelps. Never mind. I was wrong to

be hurt.

David. But you had me all wrong. I

mean . . . You and I ... We're just the

same as we always were. . . . Believe me,we are. . . . Why, if anything came to spoil

things between us ...Mrs. Phelps [having conquered the first

objective]. That's what I wanted you to

say! Now talk to me about Christina.

David [taken aback without knowingwhy]. Huh?Mrs. Phelps. Give me your hand in mine

and tell me all about her.

David [obeying rather reluctantly]. Whatis there to tell?

Mrs. Phelps. Well, for one thing, tell meyou think she's going to like me!David [warmly]. She does already!Mrs. Phelps. Doesn't think I'm an old-

fashioned frump?David. I should say not! How could

she?

Mrs. Phelps. She's such a modern younglady. So lovely, but so very up-to-date. Youmust tell me everything I can do to winher to me. And I'll do it. Though I'm afraid

of her, Dave.David [amused]. Afraid of Chris. Why?Mrs. Phelps. She's so much cleverer than

I am. She makes me realize that I'm just

a timid old lady of the old school.

David [with nice indignation]. You old!

704 SIDNEY HOWARD

Mrs. Phelps [archly so brave t about it].

Yes, I amiDavid. Well, you and Chris are going to

be the best friends ever.

Mrs. Phelps. You are happy, aren't you?David. You bet I amiMrs. Phelps. Really happy?David. Couldn't be happier 1

Mrs. Phelps. I'm so glad I And I thank

God that when your hour struck it didn't

strike falsely as it did for Robin. Because

any one can see the difference between

Christina and Hester. Of course, that's a

little the difference between you and Rob.

You know what I've always said. You are

my son. Robert takes after his father. But

you mustn't be impatient with Christina

if she seems, at first, a little slow, a little

resentful of our family. We've always been

so close, we three. She's bound to feel a lit

tle out of it, at first. A little jealous . . .

David. Not Chris!

Mrs. Phelps. Oh, come now, Dave! I'm

sure she's perfect, but you mustn't try to

tell me she isn't human. Young wives are

sure to be a little bit possessive and exact

ing and . . . selfish at first.

David. We needn't worry about that.

Mrs. Phelps. No. ... At first I thoughtChristina was going to be hard and cold.

I didn't expect her to have our sense of

humor, and I don't believe she has muchof that. But we've more than we need al

ready. If only she will learn to care for

me as I care for her, we can be so happy,all four of us together, can't we?David. You bet we can!

Mrs. Phelps [dreamily]. Building; our

houses in Phelps Manor. . . . Deciding to

put an Italian Villa here and a little bungalow there. . . . [As DAVID grows restive]

But the important thing for you, Dave boy,is a sense of proportion about your marriage. I'm going to lecture you, now, for

your own good. If, at first, Christina doesseem a little exacting or unreasonable, particularly about us, remember that she hasto adjust herself to a whole new world

here, a very different world from her friends

in Omaha. And you must never be impatient with her. Because, if you are, I shall

take her side against you.David. You are a great woman, Mother!Mrs. Phelps. You're the great one! How

many boys of your age let their wives un

dermine all their old associations andloosen all their old ties!

David. Chris wouldn't try that!

Mrs. Phelps. She might not want to. But

jealous girls think things that aren't so

and say things that aren't true. Morbid

things.David. Morbid things? Chris?

Mrs. Phelps. Only you won't pay too

much attention or take her too seriously.

I know that, because you would no morelet anyone strike at rne than I would let

anyone strike at you.David. But Chris wouldn't . . .

Mrs. Phelps. As I said to Christina this

afternoon: "Christina," I said, "I cannot

allow you to sacrifice David!"David. Chris sacrifice me! How?Mrs. Phelps. Why, by taking you away

from your magnificent opportunity here.

David. Oh!Mrs. Phelps. Be master in your own

house. Meet her selfishness with firmness,her jealousy with fairness and her . . . her

exaggerations with a grain of salt. . . .

David. What exaggerations?Mrs. Phelps. Well, you know ... a girl

... a young wife, like Christina . . .

might possibly make the mistake of ...well, of taking sides ... in what happeneddownstairs, for instance . . . and without

fully understanding. . . . You can see howfatal that would be. ... But, if you face

the facts always, Dave, boy, and nothingbut the facts, your marriage will be a happyone. And, when you want advice, come to

your mother always.David. Thanks.Mrs. Phelps. Now, isn't your mother your

best friend?

David. You bet you are, Mummy!Mrs. Phelps. How long it is since you've

called me that! Bless you, my dear, dear

boy !,

[She leans over to seal her triumphwith a kiss. CHRISTINA'S entrance fol-

lows so closely upon her knock that

the picture is still undisturbed for

her to see. She has changed her dress

for a very simple negligee. Her moodis dangerous]

Christina. Oh, I beg your pardon!Mrs. Phelps [so sweetly, after the very-

briefest pause]. Come in, Christina. I was

only saying good-night to Dave. Nothingprivate ! You're one of the family now. You

THE SILVER CORD 705

must feel free to come and go as you like

in the house.

Christina. Thank you.Mrs. Phelps. We can accustom ourselves

to it, can't we, Dare?David. Yeah. . . .

Christina. Dave and I have got so usedto sharing the same room, I came in here

quite naturally, and , . .

Mrs. Phelps. Here's your dressing-gown,Dave boy. We won't look while you slip it

on.

[Confusedly DAVE gets out of bed androbes himself. CHKISTINA'S eyes meethis mother's. CHRISTINA'S eyes havethe least flash of scorn in them; MKS,

PHELPS', the least quaver of fear. In

that glance, the two women agree onundying enmity]

David. You can . . . you can look now.Christina. Are you quite sure / may,

Mrs. Phelps?Mrs. Phelps. Whatever else you may have

taken from me, Christina, you canned takefrom me the joy of feeling

1 my son here,once more, in his old room, beside me.. . Christina [marking up the first score] .

I haven't meant to take anything from

you, Mrs. Phelps.Mrs. Phelps [so sweetly again]. You know

I was only joking. [She is routed, though]Good-night. [The two women kiss]

Don't keep Dave up too late. He's verytired. [She pats DAVE, as she passes him onher way to the door] You must be tired,

too, Christina. How is Hester, now?Christina. Quite all right, thank you.Mrs. Phelps. Thank you!

[She blows a kiss to DAVH> from the

door and goes. CHEISTINA stands motionless. DAVU> reaches for a cigarette]

David. You look pretty Btern, Chris.

Christina. Do I?David You've been a brick.

Christina. Thanks.David. Hester is all right, isn't she?Christina. Yes, poor youngster! I

shouldn't be surprised if she were really in

luck, Dave.David. You may be right. But it isn't

exactly up to me to say so, is it?

[He lights his cigarette. Her eyes burnhim up]

Christina. Dave. . . .

David. Yes?Christina. Whom do you love?

David. You. Why?Christina. I wondered, that's all. I want

to be kissed.

David. That's easy. [He takes her in his

arms]

Christina. Such a tired girl, Dave. . . .

I want to be held on to and made muchof, ... I want to feel all safe and warm.... I want you to tell me that you're in

love with me and that you enjoy being in

love with me. Because just loving isn't

enough, and it's being in love that reallymatters. . . . Will you tell me all that,

please, Dave?David [hugging her]. Darling!Christina. You haven't kissed me yet.David [complying, a trifle absent-mind

edly]. There!Christina [as she draws back from him].

That isn't what I call making love in a

big way.David [repeating the kiss with more en

ergy]. Is that better?

Christina. There's still something lacking.. . . What's the matter? There's nobodjwatching us.

David. That's a funny thing to say.Christina. You take me right back to my

first beau in Germany. He never got veryfar, either. All the English he knew was"water closet."

David. Chris ! Shame on you !

Christina. Shame on you, making me taketo low jokes to amuse you. ... I love

you.David. Darling, darling, Chris I

Christina. I love you! I love you I [Fora moment she clings to Jiim wildly] I hate

being so far from you to-night, Dave.

'Way off there at the other end of the

hall!

David. I'm none too pleased myself. It's

just one of Mother's fool ideas. [He lowers

his voice whenever he mentions his mother]Christina. She naturally wanted you near

her!

David. That's it. [His eyes fall beneathher steady gaze] We mustn't talk so loud.

We'll keep Mother awake. She can hear

every sound we make.Christina. Let her hearl It'll do her good I

David. That's no way to talk, Chris!

Christina. Excuse me. I didn't mean to

snap. I've been fearfully shaken up to

night.David. I know you have.

706 SIDNEY HOWARD

Christina. And I'm awfully tired.

David. Poor girl!

Christina. Poor Hester! ... I don't feel

like going to bed yet. I want to talk. Doyou mind?

David. Go to it.

Christina. I've never come up against

anything like this before, I've heard of it,

but I've never met it. I don't know what

to do about it. And it scares me.

David. What does?

Christina. I don't know how to tell you.

[With sudden force] But I've got to tell

you, Dave. Fve got to tell you. There are

no two ways about that.

David. What are you driving at?

Christina. Well . . . [But she changes her

mind] May I ask you a question? Rather

an intimate one?David. If you must!

Christina. Being your wife, I thought I

might.David. Shoot 1

Christina. Do you look on me as apart

from all other women? I mean, do youthink of all the women in the world and

then think of me quite, quite differently?

Do you, Dave?David. I'll bite. Do I?

Christina. Please answer me. It's awfully

^mportant to me just now.David. Of course I do. ... Why is it BO

important just now?Christina. Because that's how I feel about

you and all the other men in the world.

Because that's what being in love mustmean and being properly and happily married. Two people, a man and a woman, to

gether by themselves, miles and miles from

everybody, from everybody else, glancing

around, now and then, at all the rest of

mankind, at all the rest, Dave, and say

ing: "Are you still there? And getting

along all right? Sure there's nothing we cando to help?"David. Only we do help, don't we?Christina. Only really if we feel that way

about one another. Only by feeling that

way.David. That's pretty deep! You do go

off on the damnedest tacks !

Christina. Don't you see how that feelingbetween a man and a woman is what keepsJife going?David. Is it?

Christina. What else could be strong

enough?David. Perhaps you're right. [Then, un

accountably, he shies] But what's the idea

in getting so worked up about it?

Christina. Because it matters so much3

Dave . . . just now . . . that you and I

feel that way about each other and that we

go on feeling that way and exclude every

body, everybody else. Tell me you think so,

too?David. Sure, I think so. . . .[Then, again,

he shies from her inner meaning] You're

getting the worst habit of working yourself

up over nothing!Christina. Do you realize, Dave, that the

blackest sinner on earth is the man . . .

or woman . . . who breaks in on that feel

ing? Or tampers with it in any way? Or per

verts it?

David. If you say so, I'll say he is.

Christina. He!David. Huh?Christina. Never mind. . . . Your brother

didn't feel that way about poor Hester,

did he?David. Hob always was a funny egg.

Christina. Your mother calls him Robin!

"Tweet! Tweet! What does the Birdie

say?"David, From all I can gather, Hester

didn't feel much of any way about him.

Christina, I know better than that. . . .

I've had that child on my hands for the

past hour. I've learned an awful lot, Dave.About her, and from her.

David. Look here, Chris. . . . Don't youget mixed up in this business, will you?

Christina. I wonder if I'm not mixed upin it already,

David. Well, don't "take sides."

Christina* I wonder if I can help takingsides.

David. It's none of our business.

Christina. I wish I were sure of that.

[Baffled, she again shifts her approach]Poor little Hester goes tomorrow morning.How long are we staying?David. Oh, I dunno.

Christina, A week?David. We can't do less, can we?Christina, Can't we?David. Don't you want to?

[There is another pause before CHRISTINA shakes her head. DAVID froums]

You see wfcat comes of taking things so

THE SILVER CORD 707

hard? I'm just as distressed over what's

happened as you are. Maybe more. But I

certainly don't want to run away. It

wouldn't be right. Mother'd never understand. I'd feel like a bum going off and

leaving her in the lurch after this. Thinkwhat Rob's put her through today andwhat she'll have to go through with Hester's family and all her friends and everybody else before she's done!

Christina. She seems to be bearing up.David. You can't be sure with Mother.Christina. Can't you?David. She's so damned game.Christina. Is she?

David. Can't you see that? And, anyway, I've got to look around.

Christina. What at? The houses in PhelpsManor?David. I know how you feel, Chris, about

Mother's helping hand. But I can't be

throwing away opportunities, now, can I?

With the baby coming?Christina Igravelyl. No, Dave. Of course,

you can't. Neither can I.

David. How do you mean?Christina. Forgotten all about my op

portunities, haven't you?David. What opportunities?Christina. My appointment.David. Didn't Mother say she could

scare up something for you here?

Christina. She thought she might "scare

up" a place where I could "putter around"and keep myself "happy and contented"

when the "real doctors" weren't working.David. She didn't mean anything unkind,

Chris. Just give Mother a chance and. . . What are you crying for?

Christina [hotly untruthful] . I'm not cry

ing.

David. You are!

Christina. I can't help it. ...David. But what's the matter?Christina. It doesn't look as if I'm to

have much of a show for my eight years of

hard work, does it?

David. Mother and I'll dope out something. I couldn't leave her now. You knowthat. And anyway, I've got to stay till I

get my shirts washed. IVe only got twoleft.

Christina. Then we stay, of course.

David. And I must say, Chris, that I

don't think you're quite playing ball to

judge my home and my family entirely on

what you've seen tonight. Besides, the

whole purpose of this visit was to bring

you and Mother together and to showMother that a lady scientist mayn't be as

bad as she sounds. Because you and Motherhave just got to hit it off, you know.

Christina. Have we?David. You're apt to be impatient, Chris,

and I'm afraid you're intolerant.

Christina. Those are bad faults in a

scientist.

David. They're bad faults in anybody.. . . Now, you just give me time, andyou'll see how things straighten out.

Christina. Aren't you satisfied with the

way our meeting has come off?

David. There's no use pretending it wasideal. I believe in facing the facts always.But don't you worry. Mother gets on mynerves sometimes. .You just have to re^

member what a hard life she's had.Christina. How has it been hard?David. Oh, lots of ways. My father wasn't

much, you know.Christina. I didn't know. You've neve*

mentioned him.

David, He died when I was five.

Christina. What was the matter withhim? Women or drink?David. Nothing like that. He just didn't

amount to much.Christina. Made a lot of money, didn't

he?David. Lots.

Christina. And left your mother rich..

What other troubles has she had?David. Well, her health.

Christina. It doesn't seem so bad,David. It is, though. Heart. And I wish

I could tell you half of what she's gonethrough for R,ob and me.

Christina. Go on and tell me. I'd like to

hear,

David. I've heard her say she was bornwithout a selfish hair in her head.

Christina. No!David. And that's about true. Why, I've

seen her nurse Rob through one thing after

another when she'd admit to me that she

was twice as sick as he was. I've seen hercome in here from taking care of him andshe'd be half fainting with her bad heart,but there'd be nothing doing when I'd begher to get him a nurse. She said we were

her job, and she just wouldn't give in. Andthe way she always took interest in every-

70g SIDNEY HOWARD

we did. Why, when she used to come

up to school, all the boys went just crazy

about her.

Christina. I'm sure they did. [But she

turns the inquiry into more significant

channels'] How did your girl friends get on

with her?- David. Oh, they loved her, too ! Motherused to give us dances here.

Christina. Did she invite the girls youwere in love with?

David. I never fell in lovel Not really.

Not till I met you.Christina. Darling! [She smiles rather

absently] What was the name of the one

your mother thought could wear my dress?

David. Clara Judd?Christina. Weren't you sweet on Clara?

David. I dunno. What made you ask

that?

Christina. Just something in the wayyour mother spoke of her this evening. It

came back to me. Weren't you?David. Mother thought so.

Christina. Used to pester you about

Clara, didn't she?

David. She was afraid I was going to

marry Clara.

Christina. I see. Anything wrong with

ber?1 David, With Clara? No. Damn nice girl.

You'll meet her.

Christina. Then why didn't your motherwant you to marry her?

David. Thought I was too young.Christina. When was it?

David. Summer after the war.

Christina. You weren't so young, were

you?David. You know Mother.Christina. How about your brother? Did

he used to fall in love a great deal?

David. I don't know that I'd call it "in

love."

Christina. Why not?David. It's the family skeleton. She was

a chorus girl, my dear. She cost Mothertwelve thousand berries.

Christina. That must have been jolly!

V^as she the only one or were there others?

David. There were plenty of others. Onlythey didn't have lawyers.

Christina. And then Hester?

David. Right.Christina. Well, that's all very interest

ing.

David. What are you trying to prove?Christina. An idea this affair of Hester's

put into my head. And I must say, it fits

in rather extraordinarily.

David. What does?

Christina. You're being too young to

marry after the war and Robert's taking to

wild women. . . . And you had to be three

thousand miles from home to fall in love

with me! Never mind. . . . That's enoughof that! Now let me tell you something.

Only you must promise not to get mad.

David. I won't get mad.Christina. Promise?

David. Promise,

Christina [after a deep breath"]. Shirts

or no shirts, we've got to get out of here

tomorrow.David [as though she had stuck him

with a pM. Now, Chris 1 Haven't we beenover all that?

Christina. Yes. But not to the bottomof it.

Davi4. What more is there to say?Christina [with sudden violence}. That

a defenseless, trusting, little girl has been

cruelly treated! We've got to "take sides"

with her, Dave!David. What's the matter with Hester's

own family? This is their business, not

ours!

Christina. We owe it to ourselves to

make it our business.

David. I don't see it.

Christina. Why don't you see it? Whathave you put over your eyes that keeps

you from seeing it? Do you dare answer

that?

David. Dare? What do you mean?Christina. "Face the facts," Dave! "Face

the facts!"

David. Rot! You're making a mountainout of a mole-hill!

Christina. Cruelty to children isn't a molehill!

David. You're exaggerating I Hester's en

gagement isn't the first that was ever

broken.

Christina. Think how it was broken andby whom 1

David. You just said she was in luck to

be rid of Rob. I'll grant you that, I haven't

any more use for Rob than you have.Christina. Who stands behind Ro^ I

David. I don't know what you meai*. ,.,

Christina. Don't you?

THE SILVER CORD 709

David. No.Christina. All right, I'll tell you.David [quickly]. You needn't. . . . Are

you trying to pick a fight with me?Christina. On the contrary. I'm asking

you to stand by me. [Her eyes corner

him]David. I won't go away and leave Mother

in the lurch.

Christina. You see? You do know what

I mean!David. I don't 1 I'm just telling you I

won't let Mother down.Christina. You'd rather stand by your

mother than by the right, wouldn't you?David. Oh, the right!

Christina. Isn't Hester the right?

David [cornered again}. I can't help it if

she is. I won't let Mother down.

Christina. You'll let me down.

David. Oh, Chris! It's late. Come on.

Let's turn in.

Christina. You'd rather stand by yourmother than by me, wouldn't you?

David. No, I wouldn't. I tell you Hester's none of our business.

Christina. You'll admit this is?

David. What is?

Christina. This! . . . Who comes first

with you? Your mother or me?David. Now what's the good of putting

things that way?Christina. That's what things come to!

If your mother and I ever quarreled about

anything, if it ever came up to you to

choose between sticking by me and sticking

by her, which would you stick by?David. I'd ... I'd try to do the right

thing. . . .

Christina. That isn't an answer. That's

another evasion.

David. But why ask such a question?

Christina. Because I love you. Because

I've got to find out if you love me. AndI'm afraid . . . I'm afraid. . . .

David. Why?Christina. Because you won't see the

facts behind all this. I'm trying to tell

you what they are, and you won't listen.

You can't even hear me.

David. I can hear you. And a worse line

of hooey I've never listened to in my life.

Christina [gravely, but with steadily in

creasing fervor]. Have you ever thought

what it would be like to be trapped in a

submarine in an accident? I've learned to

night what that kind of panic would be like.

I'm in that kind of a panic now, this minute. I've been through the most awful ex

perience of my life tonight. And I've been

through it alone. I'm still going throughit alone. It's pretty awful to have to face

such things alone. . . . No, don't interrupt

me. I've got to get this off my chest. Eversince we've been married I've been comingacross queer rifts In your feeling for me,like arid places in your heart. Such vast

ones, too! I mean, you'll be my perfect

lover one day, and the next, I'll find myself

floundering in sand, and alone, and younowhere to be seen. We've never been

really married, Dave. Only now and then,

for a little while at a time, between yourretirements into your arid places. ... I used

to wonder what you did there. At first, I

thought you did your work there. But youdon't. Your work's in my part of your

heart, what there is of my part. Then I

decided the other was just No-Man's Land.

And I thought: little by little, I'll encroach

upon it and pour my love upon it, like

water on the western desert, and make it

flower here and bear fruit there. I thought:then he'll be all alive, all free and all him

self; not partly dead and tied and blind;

not partly some one else or nothing. Yousee, our marriage and your architecture

were suffering from the same thing. Theyonly worked a little of the time. I meantthem both to work all the time. I meant

you to work all the time and to win your

way, all your way, Dave, to complete manhood. And that's a good deal farther than

you've got so far. . . . Then we came here,

and this happened with Hester and your

brother, and you just stepped aside and did

nothing about it ! You went to bed. You did

worse than that. You retired into your

private wastes and sat tight. . . . I've shown

you what you should do, and you won't

see it. I've called to you to come out to me,and you won't come. So now I've discov

ered what keeps you. Your mother keeps

you. It isn't No-Man's Land at all. It's

your mother's land. Arid, sterile, and yourmother's! You won't let me get in there.

Worse than that, you wont let life get in

there! Or she won't! . . . That's what I'm

afraid of, Dave: your mother's hold on

you. And that's what's kept me from getHr";

anywhere with you, all these months. I've

seen what she can do with Robert. And

710 SIDNEY HOWARD

what she's done to Hester. I can't help won

dering what she may not do with you and

to me and to the baby. That's why I'm ask

ing you to take a stand on this business of

Hester's, Dave. You'll never find the right

any clearer than it is here. It's a kind of

test case for me. Don't you see? What youdecide about this is what you may, even

tually, be expected to decide about . . ,

about our marriage.David [after a pause, with sullen m'o-

lence]. Nol I'm damned if I see!

Christina [breaking]. Then I can't hopefor much, can I? . . .1 feel awfully like

a lost soul, right now. ... Oh, my God,

what am I going to dol What am I going

to do!

David. I hope you're going to behave.

You ought to be ashamed. Just as I was

bringing Mother around to you and . . .

Christina [violently]. You'd better think

a little about bringing me around to your

mother I

David. Chris 1

Christina. Why should your mother and

I get on?David, Because you should, that's why.

Because she's an older woman and mymother. And you know, just as well as I

do ...Christina. I know a great deal better

than you that your mother dislikes me fully

as much as I dislike her. You're wasting

your time trying to bring your mother and

me together, because we won't be brought.

You say you believe in lacing the facts.

Well, let's see you face that one !

David, I've never heard anything so out

rageous. When you know what Mothermeans to me and what . . .

Christina [desperate]. Your mother I

Your mother! Always your mother! She's

got you back! Dave, her big boy, who ran

off and got married! She's got you backl

David. I won't stand for any more of

this. A man's mother is his mother.

Christina [crescendo]. And what's his

wife, may I ask? Or doesn't she count?

David. This is morbid rot! She warnedme you'd be jealous of her I

Christina. Did she?

David But I never expected anything'ike this!

Christina. What's going to become of me?David. I won't stand for any more. . . ,

Christina. Hester's escaped, but I'm

caught! I can't go back and be the old

Christina again. She's done for. And Chris

tina, your wife, doesn't even exist! That's

the fact I've got to face! I'm going to

have a baby by a man who belongs to an

other woman !

David. Damn it, Chris! Do you want

Mother to hear you?Christina. Do I not!

[MRS, PHELPS stands in her door, white,

bat steady]

David [turning, sees her]. Oh ... Youdid hear !

Mrs. Phelps. How;could I help hearing

every word that Christina said?

David. Oh, this is awful!

Mrs. Phelps. We know, now, where we

stand, all three of us.

David. Chris, can't you tell her you didn't

mean it?

Mrs. Phelps [with heroic sarcasm]. Chris

tina isn't one to say things she doesn't

mean. And I have no intention of defend

ing myself.David. Mother, please! . - . Chris, you'd

better beat it.

Mrs. Phelps. I ask her to stay. She has

made me afraid ever to be alone with you

again. She must have made you afraid to

be alone with me.David. Nonsense, Mother! She hasn't

done anything of the sort. You'd better

go, Chris. It's the least you can do after

what you've said,

Christina. The very least. I belong with

Hester now. [She goes quickly]

David [turning wildly to his mother],

I'll straighten everything out in the morn

ing. I swear I will!

Mrs. Phelps [in a very different, verynoble tone]. This is an old story, Daveboy, and I'm on Christina's side just as I

said I should be.

David. I can't have you talking like that,

Mother!Mrs. Phelps. I accept my fate. You have

your own life to live with the woman youhave chosen. No boy could have givenme back the love I gave you. Go to Chris

tina! Make your life with her! No bondbinds you to me any longer.

David. That isn't true!

Mrs. Phelps. I'm not complaining. I'm

only sorry for one thing. I'm only sorry

to see you throw away your chance here,

youi great chancel

THE SILVER CORD 711

David. But I haven't thrown it away. I'll

stay here and work for you, if you wantme to.

Mrs. Phelps. Christina won't let you. Youknow that 1

David. She's my wife, isn't she?

Mrs. Phelps. Think what that means,Dave I Think what that means!David. And you're my mother. I'm think

ing what that means, tool

Mrs. Phelps. Then it isn't good-bye?Then Fve still got my big boy, after all?

David. You bet you've got him!Mrs. Phelps [in triumph]. Oh, Dave!

Dave! Dave!David. Now, Mummy!

[But a sound downstairs distracts him}Hello! What's that?

[She listens, too}

Mrs. Phelps. Heavens, it isn't a fire, is

it?

David. Wait . . . I'll see. . . * [He opensthe door into the hall and stands listening}

Christina [below}. I went into her room,and she wasn't there, and then I looked for

her and I found the dining-room window

open.Robert [below}. What do you think has

happened?Christina [below}. I don't like to imagine

things, but . . .

Robert [below}. Hester, where are you?Christina [below}. She's got away! I tell

you, she's got away! I shouldn't have left

her. . . .

David [speaking during the above}.

What?Mrs. Phelps. It's Christina and Robert.

David. Something's happened to Hester.

Mrs. Phelps. No!David. Chris! What's going on?

Robert [below}. Hester! Where are you,

Hester?

Christina [appearing in the hall} . Hester's

got away, Dave. Out by the dining-room

window. You'll have to get dressed and find

her. She can't get to town tonight in this

cold.

David. All right. We'll have a look.

Mrs. Phelps. The little fool! Let her go,

Dave!Christina. But, Mrs. Phelps, she isn't

properly dressed. She didn't even take her

coat. . . .

Robert [still calling below}. Hester!

Where are you, Hester? Hester! . . , Oh,

my God![CHRISTINA has walked to the windowto look out. She utters an inarticulate

scream}

David. What is it, Chris?

Mrs. Phelps. Good heavens!

Christina [strangled with horror}. It's the

pond ! The holes in the pond ! Quick, Dave,for heaven's sake!

David. What? ... Oh! ... IHe runs out

as CHRISTINA opens the window}Mrs. Phelps. Dave! . . . [To CHRISTINA]

What is it you say?Robert [below}. Dave! For God's sake!

Hold on, Hester! Don't struggle!

[DAVID'S shouts join his}

Christina [as she collapses on the bed}.

The pond! ... I can't look. . . .'

Mrs. Phelps. Oh, IVe no patience with

people who have hysterics!

Christina. Mrs. Phelps, the girl's drown

ing!

Mrs. Phelps. Oh, no! ... .Not that! IBKe,

too, goes to the window, but recoils in Aor-

ror from what she sees} They'll save her,

won't they? They must . . . they mustsave her. ... If only , . . [Then a new

fear overwhelms her} If only those two

boys don't catch pneumonia! [And she

leaps to the window to call after her sons

as they race, shouting, across the snow}

Eobin, you're not dressed! Dave, get yourcoat! Are you crazy? Do you want to catch

pneumonia?

ACT THREE

The living-room again, and the next

morning. MRS. PHELPS is wearing a sim

ple house dress and is busily fixing a great

many flowers which she takes from boxes

strewn about the stage, After she has been

so occupied for a few seconds, ROBERTenters.

Robert. The doctor's gone.Mrs. Phelps [surprised}. Without seeing

me?Robert. It seems so.

Mrs. Phelps, Doesn't that seem very

strange to you, Robin? Of course, I thoughtit best not to go up to Hester's room with

him. In view of the perfectly unreasonable

attitude she's taken toward me. But I should

712 SIDNEY HOWARD

have supposed, naturally, that he'd have

made his report to me.Robert. He says she may as well go to

day. He says traveling won't be as bad

for her as staying here.

Mrs. Phelps. Did he say that to you?Robert. I couldn't face him. They told

him the whole story.

Mrs. Phelps. Christina and Hester?

[ROBERT nods']

I might have known they would. . . . Andhe listened to them and never so much as

asked for me?Robert. What of it!

Mrs. Phelps. He'll never enter this house

again!Robert. So he said I He also said there's

nothing the matter with your heart and

never has been anything the matter with it.

He said it would take a stick of dynamiteto kill you.

Mrs. Phelps. Damned homeopath t

Robert. And that isn't the worst.

Mrs. Phelps. What more?

Robert. He said that I'd always been a

rotter.

Mrs. Phelps. Oh?Robert. And that I couldn't have been

anything else with such a mother.

IThere is venom in this last. MRS.

PHELPS'S lips stiffen under it]

Mrs. Phelps. I think you might have

spared me that, Robin.

Robert. I didn't mean to be nasty.

Mrs. Phelps. No. Still, there are things

one doesn't repeat to sensitive people. [But

a dark foreboding will not be downed]

Somehow, though, I can't help feeling that

. . . [She does not say what she sees in

the future]

Robert. Neither can L[She looks at him in quick fear. Thenshe returns to her flowers with a

shrug]Mrs. Phelps. Oh, well! There 'can't have

been much wrong with the girl if she's able

to go this morning.Robert. Thank God for that. [Then with

level-eyed cruelty] It might have been se

rious, though, after what you did to the

teleplaone. Because we couldn't have reacheda soul, you know. And without Christina in

the house . . .

Mrs. Phelps. How was I to know the

little fool wanted to drown herself?

Robert [shuddering]. For heaven's sake,

don't put it that way!Mrs. Phelps. How do you put it?

Robert. She tried to get away, that's all.

And she got lost in the dark and . . .

Mrs. Phelps. I tell you, she tried to kill

herself. I've always suspected there was

insanity in her family. She had a brother

who was an aviator in the war. Everybodyknows that aviators are lunatics. Her ownconduct has never been what I should

call normal. Everything points to insanity.

That's another reason why you shouldn't

have married her. Because we've never had

any of that in our family. Except yourfather's Bright's Disease. I shall certainly

tell everyone that Hester is insane.

Robert. Perhaps that will make things

simpler.Mrs. Phelps. As to the telephone, it's the

only thing I've ever done to be ashamed

of, and I said as much when I did it. Shemade me angry with her wanton attacks

on you.Robert. I didn't hear any wanton attacks.

Mrs. Phelps. Where were you?Robert. Out there in the hall.

Mrs. Phelps. You couldn't have heard the

things she muttered under her breath.

Robert [with an incredulous sneer]. No![There is a pause, sullen on his part,

troubled on hers]

We're just like Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, aren't we?Mrs. Phelps. For heaven's sakes, how?Robert. We've got into a mess we can't

ever get out of. We'll have to get in deeperand deeper until we go mad and . . .

Mrs. Phelps. Don't be ridiculous.

Robert. I'm sorry, Mother, but I can't

help regretting.

Mrs. Phelps. Regretting what?Robert [in a low tone]. Hester.

Mrs. Phelps. Nonsense, Robin! I tell

you . . .

Robert. What do you know about it? Doyou understand me any better than Hesterdid?

Mrs. Phelps. How can you, Robin? I notunderstand you? Haven't I always told youthat however David may take after his

father, you are my son?

Robert. What's that got to do with it?

Mrs. Phelps. Robin!Robert. If I wasn't sure that I loved

Hester, how on earth can I be sure that I

THE SILVER CORD 713

didn't love her? I don't know this minute

whether I loved her or not. I only know that

I'll regret losing her all my life long. [A

movement of exasperation from his mother

stops him. Then he concludes] MaybeDave's right about me. Maybe I am too

weak to love any one.

Mrs. Phelps [frightened to herself].

Dave didn't say that!

Robert. He said I hadn't any guts.

Mrs. Phelps. Ugh! That horrible word!

No, Robin. You must put all such thoughts

aside.

Robert. I suppose I'll have to take yourword for it [Then with sudden, cold fury]

But I won't next time!

Mrs. Phelps. Robin! You're not holding

wie responsible?Robert. Who put the idea in my head?

Who persuaded me? Who made me promise?

Mrs. Phelps. Are you implying that 7

came between you?Robert. Well, if you didn't, who did?

Mrs. Phelps. Robin! You ought to be

ashamed !

Robert. Think so?

Mrs. Phelps. That you should turn on

me! Some day you'll regret this. It won't

be Hester, but this that you'll regret. . . .

When it's too late. [And from force of habit

her hand steals to her heart]

Robert. I daresay I've got a life full of re

grets ahead of me. [He walks sullenly to

the window]Mrs. Phelps. You frighten me, Robin! I

don't know you like this.

Robert. Don't you?[There is a pause. MRS. PHELPS stares

at him in growing horror. He looks

out of the window]

Mrs. Phelps. No.Robert [looking out, his back tp her]

That's too bad. . . . There's Dave putting

up danger signs all around the pondl Isn't

that like him! After it's too late.

[She turns away from him and dully

goes on with her flowers, carrying a

bowl of them over to the piano. ROBERT watches her coldly. Then a sudden

frown contracts his brow, and he

moves toward her]

Mother!Mrs. Phelps. What?

Robert. Don't put those flowers there I

They're too low!

Mrs. Phelps. Fix them yourself.

Robert [changing them with a jar of

something else] Isn't that better?

Mrs. Phelps. Much. What an eye youhave!

Robert. Perhaps I'll develop it some day.

Mrs. Phelps. Would you like to?

Robert. I've got to do something.Mrs. Phelps [darkly]. I quite agree.

Every young man should have some profession.

[Then, suddenly and involuntarily, the

boy reverts and is a child again]Robert. What are we going to do, Mother?Mrs. Phelps [in a low tone]. Do?Robert. What are we going to do, you

and I? We're in the same boat, you know.Mrs. Phelps [in a lower tone]. I don't

know what you mean.Robert. Well, what am I going to do,

then? I can't stay here and face peopleafter this!

Mrs. Phelps. What will there be to face?

Robert [crescendo]. You know as well as

I do. This story'11 be all over this d0mntown. And Hester's people aren't going to

keep quiet in New York. Her brothers go

everywhere I go. My friends will begin

cutting me in the street.

Mrs. Phelps. If we say she's insane?

Robert. What difference will that make?Mrs. Phelps. The Paris sails on Saturday.Robert [after a pause, tremulously].

What of it?

Mrs. Phelps. We might go to Washington to hurry our passports.

Robert. Could we get passage, though?Mrs. Phelps [slowly]. I've already wired

for it. This morning.Robert. I see. . . . Then we're to sneak

away like two guilty fugitives!

Mrs. Phelps [avoiding his eye]. Sh! Don't

say such things 1

[DAVH> enters, his cheeks stung crim

son by the cold]

David. Phew, it's cold. The pond'll be

frozen again by tomorrow if this keeps up.

What's the doc say about Hester?

Robert. She's leaving us today.David. I'm glad she's well enough.Mrs. Phelps. There never was

anythingthe matter with her.

David. It's easy to see, Mother that yoia

714 SIDNEY HOWARD

don't often bathe in that pond in zero

weather.

Mrs. Phelps. I hope I have more self-

control. Robin, will you see, please, that

the car is ready for Hester?

Robert. Yes. [He goes]

David. Anybody seen Chris?

Mrs. Phelps. Not I.

David. No. I suppose not. . . . What's

the idea in the floral display?

Mrs. Phelps. I felt I had to have flowers

about me.David. That sounds pretty Green Hat-

tish, ... It has a festive look, too* I don't

see what there is to celebrate.

Mrs. Phelps {noble tragedienne that she

&]. Last night, at a single blow, beauty was

stricken out of my life. I can't live with

out beauty, Dave. You must know that.

So I went to the florist this morning and

bought these. They comfort me ... a

little.

David [.with that worried look agaM.I've been thinking, Mother, that maybe, all

things considered, after last night, it will

be as well for me to take Chris away on

Wednesday, say.

Mrs. Phelps. If you like.

David. We can come back later. After

things have cooled down.

Mrs. Phelps. Later, I hope, and often.

David. Time does make things easier,

doesn't it?

Mrs. Phelps. They say eo.

David. When scientists get these wild

ideas and fly off the handle, they're just

as embarrassed afterwards as any one else

would be.

Mrs. Phelps. Naturally.David. And then Hester's running away

and the telephone being busted and

all. . . .

Mrs. Phelps. I quite understand.

David. I knew you would.

Mrs. Phelps [the boxes and papers all

stowed away, she sits down to business].

What I'm wondering now, though, is whatI'm. to do with Robin? And I'm afraid

youVe got to help me with him.

David. I'll do anything I can.

Mrs. Phelps. If I were well and able to

*tand the things I used to stand before myb,eart went back on me because it has goneback on me and before my blood pressure

got so high ... I shouldn't trouble you.

But as I am, and with Robin on the verge

of a complete breakdown . . .

David. But Rob isn't . . .

Mrs. Phelps. Oh, yes, he is, Dave! Hesaid things to me before you came in

that no son of mine would dream of saying

unless he had something the matter with

him. I've got to get him away.

David. Send him abroad.

Mrs. Phelps. I don't think he ought to

go alone. He can't face things alone. He's

like his father, in that. You're my son,

you know. That's why I always turn to

you,David. Why not go with him?

Mrs. Phelps. Because I'm really not well

enough in case anything should happen.. . And I don't know what to do. Oh,

Dave, boy, do you think . . .

David. What?Mrs. Phelps. That Christina could spare

you for a little? Just a few weeks? Just

long enough to get Rob and me settled in

some restful place? Do you think she

would?David. There's no need of that!

Mrs. Phelps. Of course, I'd love to have

Christina, too. Only I'm afraid that would

be asking too much. I mean, making her

put off her work when she's so set on it.

David. But Rob isn't going to give youany trouble.

Mrs. Phelps. Do you think I'd ask such

a sacrifice of you . . . and Christina, if I

weren't sure that it's absolutely necessary?

Oh, I'm not thinking of myself, I no longer

matter. Except that I shouldn't want to

die abroad with only Robin there, in his

present condition.

David, Don't talk that way, Mother!Mrs. Phelps. Why not? I'm not asking

you to be sorry for me. It's Robin I'm

thinking of. Because we haven't done all

that we should for Robin. And now that

I'm old ... and sick . . . dying . . . [She

breaks down]David. You're not, Mother!Mrs. Phelps [weeping hysterically']. I

can't cope with him. He'll slip back againto drinking and fast women . . .

David. Get hold of yourself, Mother!Mrs. Phelps [more hysterical"]. And

when I think of what I might have donefor him and realize that it's too late, that

I haven't any more time . . . only a few

THE SILVER CORD 715

months ... or weeks ... I don't know... I ... [She really becomes quite

faint]

David [snatching her hand in terror'].

Mother, what's the matter? Are you ill?

Mrs. Phelps {recovering "by inches, as

she gasps for breath] . No ! It's nothing . . .

I . . Just give me a minute . . . Don'tcall any one ... I'll be all right. . . .

There! . . . That's better!

David. You scared me to death.

Mrs. Phelps. I scare myself sometimes.You see I do need somebody's help.David. Yes, I see you do.

Mrs. Phelps. And so I thought : well, since

Dave is going to build my houses in PhelpsManor. . . . You're not going to disappointme there, I hope?David. Oh, no!

Mrs. Phelps. Well, then you won't wantto start in that New York office.

David. Why not?

Mrs. Phelps. When you'll be leaving so

soon to begin here? They wouldn't want

you.David. I hadn't thought of that.

Mrs. Phelps. And so I thought: Well, he

can't begin here until April anyway, and-

that leaves him with two idle months onhis hands when he might be drawing plansand getting ideas abroad. Think it over,

Dave, boy.David. You certainly are a great planner,

Mother.

Mrs. Phelps. I make such good plans!

David. When would you be sailing?

Mrs. Phelps. Well, I . . . I had thought. . . vaguely ... of sailing on the Pan's

, . . Saturday . . .

David. Good Lord! Give a man timeto think! I want to do the right thing, butI couldn't leave Chris . . . Not with the

baby coming, you know.Mrs. Phelps. But you'll be home in plenty

dl time for that.

David. That may all be, but, just the

same, I wouldn't feel right to leave her.

[ROBERT returns]

Mrs. Phelps. I've just been telling Daveabout our wonderful plans, Robin, and he'sso enthusiastic! I shouldn't wonder if hecame along with us. LA sign to DAVID to

play up]Robert. What are the plans?

Mrs. Phelps. Why, your going abroad to

study interior decorating, of course.

[ROBERT looks surprised]David. Oh, is Rob going to do that?

Robert. Any objections?David. I think it's just the job for you.

Painting rosebuds on bathtubs.Robert. I can make your houses look

like something after you've finished withthem.

Mrs. Phelps [ecstatically]. My two boysin partnership! Oh, that's always been mydream! Oh, how simply things comestraight when people are willing to co

operate and make little sacrifices! If there's

one thing I pride myself on, it's my will

ingness to make little sacrifices. Here weare, we three, a moment ago all at oddswith life and with each other; now unitedand of a single mind . . .

David. This is all very fine. But don't

you forget that I've got to talk to Christina . . .

[But CHRISTINA has opened the doorupon his very words. She is dressedas she was when she first came to thehouse. She wears her hat and her

fur coat and carries her bag in herhand]

Christina [speaking as she enters]. Well,now's your chance, Dave. What have yougot to talk to me about?David [staring at her]. What's the idea,

Chris?

Christina [setting the bag down by the

door]. I'm going away with Hester. Areyou coming, too?David [staggered]. Now?Christina. In a few minutes. I came down

ahead. No, don't go, Mrs. Phelps. Andwon't you stay, too, Robert? I think it's

best that we should thrash this questionout together, here and now. for good andall.

Mrs. Phelps. What question, Christina?

Christina. The David question, Mrs.

Phelps. Whether David is going on fromthis point as your son or as my husband.Robert. What?Christina. Isn't that the issue?

[She asks the question less of DAVIDthan of MRS. PHELPS, who turns to

her sons in terror]

Mrs. Phelps. I can't go through this asecond time !

716 SIDNEY HOWARD

David [quieting her with a gesture}. Noone expects you to. ... [To CHRISTINA,

pleading almost pathetically] You're not

going to begin all that again, Chris?

Christina. I'm afraid I am.David. But, just as I was getting every

thing all straightened out , . .

Christina. Were you doing that?

David. If only you'll leave things be,

they'll be all right. You may believe it or

not . . .

Christina. I can't believe it, and I can't

leave things be. Oh, I'd walk out without

a word, even loving you as I do, if I

thought this state of affairs made any one

of you happy.Robert. What state of affairs?

Christina. The state of affairs you'veall been living "in and suffering from, for

so long.

Mrs. Phelps. You might let us judge our

own happiness.Christina. I might, if you had any. But

you haven't.

Robert. You're quite sure of that?

Christina. Quite, Robert. You're all of

you perfectly miserable! Am I wrong?Mrs. Phelps. Christina! Please!

Robert. Thank you for being sorry for

us!

Christina. You give me such good rea

son, Robert. Such awfully good reason 1 Because you're not really bad people, youknow. You're just wrong, all wrong, ter

ribly, pitifully, all of you, and you're

trapped . . .

Mrs. Phelps. What we say in anger, wesometimes regret, Christina. . . .

Christina. Oh, I'm not angry. I was,but I've got over it. I rather fancy myself,

now, as a sort of scientific Nemesis. I meanto strip this house and to show it up for

what it really is. I mean to show you up,

Mrs. Phelps. Then Dave can use his own

judgment.Mrs. Phelps [in blank terror at this at

tack]. Oh! Dave, I. ...David. Now, Mother ! Chris ! Haven't you

any consideration for our feelings? Are theynothing to you?

Christina. I'm trying to save my love,

my home, my husband, and my baby'sfather. Are they nothing to you?David. But surely I can be both a good

son and a good husband I

Christina. Not if your mother knows

it, you can't!

Mrs. Phelps [with a last desperate snatch

at dignity}. If you'll excuse me, I'd rather

not stay to be insulted again. [She is

going}Christina. You'll probably lose him if you

don't stay, Mrs. Phelps![MRS. PHELPS stays. CHRISTINA turns

to DAVID]

No, Dave, There's no good in any more pre

tending. Your mother won't allow you to

divide your affections, and I refuse to goon living with you on any basis she will

allow.

Mrs. Phelps. I cannot see that this is

necessary.

Christina. It's a question a great manyyoung wives leave unsettled, Mrs. Phelps.I'm not going to make that mistake. [Back

to DAVE again] You see, Dave, I'm not

beating about the bush. I'm not persuad

ing you or wasting any time on tact. Doyou want your chance or don't you? Be

cause, if you don't, I'll have to get over

being in love with you as best I canand . . .

David. I wish you wouldn't talk this

way, Chris!

Christina. Are you coming with me? Onthe understanding that, for the present, until your affections are definitely settled on

your wife and child, you avoid your mother's society entirely. Well? What do you

David. I don't know what to say.

Christina. You never do, Dave darling.

David. I'm too shocked. I've never beenso shocked in my life.

Christina [with a glance at her wrist

watch]. Just take your time, and think before you speak.David. I don't mean that I don't know

what to say about taking my chance, as

you call it. I can answer that by remind

ing you of your duty to me. I can answerthat by calling all this what I called it last

night: morbid rot I But I am shocked at

your talking this way about my mother andto her face, too!

Christina. Is that your answer?David. No, it isn't! But a man's mother

is his mother.

Christina. So you said last night. I'mnot impressed. An embryological accident

THE SILVER CORD 717

is no grounds for honor. Neither is a painful confinement, for I understand, Mrs.

Phelps, that you're very proud of the wayyou bore your children. I know all about

the legend of yourself as a great womanthat you've built up these thirty years for

your sons to worship. It hasn't taken melong to see that you're not fit to be anyone's mother.

David. Chris!

Robert [speaking at the same time]. See

here, now!Mrs. Phelps. Let her go on! Let her go

on! She will explain that or retract it!

Christina. I'm only too glad to explain.

It's just what I've been leading up to. AndI'll begin by saying that if my baby ever

feels about me as your sons feel about

you, I hope that somebody will take a little

enameled pistol and shoot me, because I'll

deserve it.

Mrs. Phelps [going again}. I've been in

sulted once too often.

Christina. I don't mean to insult you.I'm being as scientific and impersonal as

possible.

Robert. Good God!Christina [regardless]. Speaking of in

sults, though, what explanation can youoffer me for your rudeness to me as a

guest in your house?

Mrs. Phelps. I have not been rude to

you.Christina. You have been appallingly

rude. Second question: Why do you resent

the fact that I am going to have a baby?Mrs. Phelps. I don't resent it,

Christina. Then why are you so churlish

about it?

Mrs. Phelps. Your indelicacy about it

would have . . .

Christina. That's another evasion. You're

afraid that baby will give me another and

stronger hold on David, and you mean to

separate David and me if it's humanlypossible.

Mrs. Phelps. I do not! I do not!

Christina. Did you or did you not bend

every effort to separate Hester and Robert?

Mrs. Phelps. I most certainly did not!

Christina. Then how do you account for

the deliberate and brutal lies you told

Hester about Robert? Because she did lie

to Hester about you, Robert, She told

Hester that you never wanted to marryher.

Robert [aghast]. Mother, you didn't!

Mrs. Phelps. Of course, I didn't.

Christina [Joan of Arc raising the siege

of Orleans], I heard her. And I heard hercall both of you back, last night, whenyou ran out to save Hester from drowning.I heard her call you back from saving a

drowning girl for fear of your catchingcold. I heard her. I heard her.

David [shaken]. You shouldn't havecalled us, Mother!

Christina. Can she deny that her oneidea is to keep her sons dependent onher? Can she deny that she opposes anymove that either one of you makes to

ward independence? Can she deny that sheis outraged by your natural impulses to

ward other women?Mrs. Phelps [furious]. I deny all of it!

Christina. You may deny it until you'reblack in the face; every accusation I makeis true! You belong to a type that's verycommon in this country, Mrs. Phelps a

type of self-centered, self-pitying, son-de

vouring tigress, with unmentionable proclivities suppressed on the side.

David. Chris!

Christina. I'm not at all sure) it wouldn'tbe a good idea, just as an example to the

rest of the tribe, to hang one of your kind

every now and then!

Robert. Really!Christina. Oh, there are normal mothers

around; mothers who want their children

to be men and women and take care of

themselves; mothers who are people, too,and don't have to be afraid of loneliness

after they've outlived their motherhood;mothers who can look on their children

as people and enjoy them as people andnot be forever holding on to them and

pawing them and fussing about their health

and singing them lullabies and tuckingthem up as though they were everlasting

babies. But you're not one of the normal

ones, Mrs. Phelps! Look at your sons, if

you don't believe me. You've destroyedRobert. You've swallowed him up until

there's nothing left of him but an effete

make-believe. Now he's gone melancholymad and disgraced himself. And Dave ! PoorDave! The best he can do is dodge the

more desperate kinds of unhappiness by

718 SIDNEY HOWARD

pretending! How lie survived at all is be

yond me. If you're choking a bit on David,

now, that's my fault because you'd have

swallowed him up, too, if I hadn't come

along to save him! Talk about cannibals!

You and your kind beat any cannibals I've

ever heard of! And what makes you doubly

deadly and dangerous is that people ad

mire you and your kind. They actually

admire you 1 You professional mothers ! . . .

You see, Fm taking this differently from

that poor child upstairs. She's luckier than

I am, too. She isn't married to one of your

sons. Do you remember what she said

about children yesterday? "Have 'em. Love

'em. And leave 'em be."

Mrs. Phelps. You are entitled to your

opinions, Christina, just as I am to mine

and David is to Ms. I only hope that he

sees the kind of woman he's married. I

hope he sees the sordidness, the hardness,

the nastiness she offers him for his life.

Christina Iwith an involuntary cry of

pain]. I'm not nasty! I'm not!

Mrs. Phelps. What have you to offer

David?Christina. A hard time. A chance to

work on his own. A chance to be on his

own. Very little money on which to share

with me the burden of raising his child.

The pleasure of my society. The solace of

my love. The enjoyment of my body. To

which I have reason to believe he is not

indifferent.

Mrs. Phelps [revolted]. Ugh!Christina. Can you offer so much?Mrs. Phelps. I offer a mother's love. Or

perhaps you scoff at that?

Christina. Not if it's kept within bounds.

I hope my baby loves me. I'm practically

certain I'm going to love my baby. But

within bounds.

Mrs. PLelps. And what do you mean bywithin bounds?

Christina. To love my baby with as muchand as deep respect as I hope my baby will

feel for me if I deserve its respect. To love

my baby unpossessively ; above all, un-

romantically.

Mrs. Phelps. I suppose that's biology!

You don't know the difference between

good and evil!

Christina. As a biologist, though, I do

know the difference between life and death.

And I know sterility when I see it. I doubt

if evil is any more than a fancy name for

sterility. And sterility, of course, is what

you offer Dave. Sterility for his mind as

well as for his body. That's your profes

sional mother's stock in trade. Only we've

been over that, haven't we? Well, Dave!

How about it?

Robert. I think this has gone far enough!

Mrs. Phelps. No! This woman has got to

answer me one question.

Christina. Willingly. What is it?

Mrs. Phelps. How old were you when

you married?

Christina. The same age I am now.

Twenty-nine.Mrs. Phelps. I was twenty.

Christina. Just Hester's age.

Mrs. Phelps [riding over her]. I was

twenty, and my husband was fifteen years

older than I. Oh, thirty-five isn't old, but

he was a widower, too, and an invalid.

Everyone told me I'd made a great match.

And I thought I had. But before we'd been

married a week, I saw my illusions shat

tered. I knew at the end of a week howmiserable and empty my marriage was. Hewas good to me. He made very few de

mands on me. But he never dreamed of

bringing the least atom of happiness into

my life. Or of romance. . . . Only a womanwho has lived without romance knows howto value it. ... That isn't true of my life,

either. I didn't live without romance. I found

it ... and I'm proud to have found it

where you say it doesn't belong ... in

motherhood. I found it in my two babies.

In Dave first and in Robin four years later.

I found it in doing for them myself all

those things which, nowadays, nurses and

governesses are hired to do. To spare mothers! I never asked to be spared. . . . Their

father 'died. The night he died, Robin had

croup, and I had to make the final choice

between my duties. I stayed with Robin.

You, with your modern ideas and your

science, Christina, would you have chosen

differently? I knew the difference between

life and death that night. And I've knownit for every step of the way I battled for

Robin's health, every step as I taught

Dave his gentleness and his generosity.

... If I made my mistakes, and I'm only

human . . . I'm sorry for them. But I can

point to my two sons and say that mymistakes could not have been serious ones

. . . Think! I was a widow, rich and verv

THE SILVER CORD 719

pretty, at twenty-five. Think what that

means! But I had found my duty and I

never swerved from it. ... There was oneman in particular. A fine man. But I re

sisted. I knew that second marriage wasnot for me* Not when I had my sons. I putthem first, always. ... I shall not stoopto answer any of the foulnesses you have

charged me with. They are beneath mydignity as a woman and contempt as amother. No, there is one I cannot leave

unanswered. That word "sterility." Sterilityis what I offer David, you say. I wonder,is sterility David's word for all he has hadof me these thirty years? Let him answerthat for himself. All my life I have savedto launch my two boys on their careers,

saved in vision as well as in money. I

don't offer my sons a love half dedicated to

selfish, personal ambition. I don't offer themcareers limited by the demands of other

careers. I offer David a clear field aheadand a complete love to sustain him, a mother's love, until a real marriage, a suitable

marriage may be possible for him. AndI do not deny that I would cut off myright hand and burn the sight out of myeyes to rid my son of you! . . . That is

how I answer your impersonal science,

Christina.

Christina [before either of the boys can

speak] . I see I ... Well. . . . It's a very

plausible and effective answer. And I'msure you mean it, and I believe it's sincere.

But it is the answer of a woman whose hus

band let her down pretty hard and whoturned for satisfaction to her sons. . . .

I'm almost sorry I can't say more for it,

but I can't. . . . [She turns from MRS.PHELPS to the two sons] It's a pity she

didn't marry again. Things would havebeen so much better for both of you if

she had. [With increasing force, to DAVID]

But the fact remains, Dave, that she did

separate you and me last night and that

she separated us because she couldn't bear

the thought of our sleeping together.

[They flinch at this, but she downsthem]

And she couldn't bear that because she

refuses to believe that you're a grownman and capable of desiring a woman. Andthat's because, grown man that you are,

down, down in the depths of her, she still

wants to suckle you at her breast 1

David [in a cry of horror]. Chris!

Robert [at the same time]. Good God!!Mrs. Phelps [at the same time]. No!Christina. You find that picture revolt

ing, do you? Well, so it is. ... I can't

wait any longer for your answer, Dave.David. I don't think you've any sense of

decency left in you. Of all the filthy,

vile . . .

Christina. I'm sorry you feel that way.David. How else can I feel?

Christina. Is that your answer?

David. I want to do the right thing,but ...

Christina. Remember me, won't you, onMother's Day! [She calls out] Are youreadf, Hester?David. You make things mighty hard

Chris, for a man who knows what fair pla>is and gratitude and all those other thingsI naturally feel for my mother.

Christina. Do I?

David, What do you expect me to say?Christina. I don't know. I've never

known. That's been the thrill of it.

[HESTER, dressed for her journey, ap

pears in the door and stands besid-

CHRISTINA. CHRISTINA'S arm encir

cles the younger girl's shoulders]

It's time, Hester.

Hester, Isn't David coming with us?

Christina. I'm afraid not.

Hester. Oh, Christina!

Christina. Sssh! Never mind. It can't

be helped.Robert [breaking out]. Hester! Hester!

Couldn't we try again? Couldn't you . . .

Hester. What?Robert. I mean . . . what are you going

to do ... now?Hester. I don't know. [Then a smile

comes through] Yes, I do, too, know. I'm

going to marry an orphan.Christina [with a long look at DAVID].

Good-bye, Dave.David [desperately pleading]. Chris, you

can't! It isn't fair to me!Christina [still looking at him]. I'm sorry

it's come to this. ... It might easily havebeen so ...

[Her voice chokes with crying. She

picks up her bag where she put it

down beside the door and goes quicklyout. HESTER, with a reproachful glanceat DAVID, iollows her. DAVID stands

720 SIDNEY HOWARD

rigid, MRS. PHELPS watches him.

ROBERT covers his face with his hands.

Then the jront door slams, andDAVID comes suddenly to life]

David [with a frantic cry]. Chris! [Heturns excitedly to his mother] I'm sorry,

Mother, but I guess I'll have to go.

Mrs. Phelps [reeling]. No, Davel No!No!David. I guess she's right.

Mrs. Phelps, Oh, no ! ! You mustn't saythat! You mustn't say that!

David [holding her off from him] . I can't

help it. She said we were trapped. We are

trapped. I'm trapped.Mrs. Phelps [absolutely beyond herself],

No! No! She isn't right! She can^t be

right! I won't believe it!

David [breaking loose from her]. I can't

help that!

Mrs. Phelps [speaking at the same time],

For God's sake, Dave, don't go with her!

Not with that awful woman, Dave! Thatwicked woman! For God's sake, don't leave

me for her, Dave! [She turns wildly to

ROBERT] You know it isn't true, Robin!You know it was vile, what she said! Tell

him ! Tell him ! [But DAVID is gone]Dave ! My boy ! My boy ! My boy I Oh, myGod! Dave! She isn't right! She isn't,

Dave! Dave! Dave![The front door slams a second time.

There is an awful pause]He's gone.Robert [uncovering his face]. Who?

Dave?

Mrs. Phelps. Can you see them from the

window?Robert [looking out]. Yes, . . . They're

talking. . . . Now he's kissed her and taken

the suitcase. . . . Now he's helping Hester ... Hester . . . into the car. . . . Nowhe's getting in. ... Now they're starting.

Mrs. Phelps. I loved him too much. I've

been too happy. Troubles had to come. I

must be brave. I must bear my troubles

bravely.Robert [turning to her]. Poor Mother!Mrs. Phelps. I must remember that I still

have one of my great sons. I must keep mymind on that.

Robert [with a step or two toward her],

That's right, Mother.Mrs. Phelps. And we'll go abroad, my

great Robin and I, and stay as long as ever

we please.

Robert [as he kneels beside her]. Yes4

Mother.

Mrs. Phelps [her voice growing strongeras that deeply religious point of view of

hers comes to her rescue]. And you mustremember what David, in his blindness, has

forgotten: that mother love suffereth longand is kind; envieth not, is not puffed up, is

not easily provoked; beareth all things; be-

lieveth all things; hopeth all things; eri-

dureth all things. ... At least, I think mylove does?

Robert [engulfed forever]. Yes, Mother.

THE END

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS

A TRAGEDY IN FOUR ACTS

BY SEAN O'CASEY

Copyright, 1926, by the Macmillan Company and usedwith their permission and that of the author.

All Rights Reserved

Copyright, 1932 (Acting Edition) by Samuel French, Ltd.

CAUTION: Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that The Plough and the

Stars, being fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America, theBritish Empire, including the Dominion of Canada, and all other countries of the CopyrightUnion, is subject to a royalty. All rights, including professional, amateur, motion pictures,

recitation, public reading, radio broadcasting and the rights of translation into foreign lan

guages are strictly reserved. Amateurs may produce this play upon payment of a royaltyof Twenty-Five Dollars for each performance, payable one week before the play is to be

given, to Samuel French, at 25 West 45th Street, New York 19, N. Y., or 7623 Sunset Boule

vard, Hollywood 46, Calif., or if in Canada to Samuel French (Canada) Ltd., 480 UniversityAvenue, Toronto, Ont.

SEAN O'CASEY AND HIS PLAYS

SEAN O'CASEY (Shaun O'Cathasaigh) was born in Dublin in 1884 and spent most of his

early life struggling against poverty and disease in the slums. Ill health, poor eyesight,

and the necessity of earning a living at the earliest possible moment prevented him from

obtaining a formal education. As a boy, O'Casey was sent off to push carts, dig ditches,

wrap parcels, deliver papers; later he became a laborer on railroads and construction

projects. He early interested himself in the workers' movement, and in the Gaelic League,

and took part in the Easter Rebellion of 1916 which forms the setting of The Plough and

the Stars.

Out of this background, and a love of Shakespeare and the theatre gratified only bya few hard bought visits to the Abbey, O'Casey became the leading playwright of post

war Ireland. His first produced play, The Shadow of a Gunman (1922), written, not

surprisingly, out of his own experiences, deals with the Fenian troubles with Englandin 1921. It is a somewhat ramshackle composition with nonetheless the close observation

and engaging characters which are his chief stock in trade. He followed this with two

trivial farces, little more than exercises in construction. His great talents were fully

realized in Juno and the Paycock (1925), a tragicomedy which has become a classic of the

modern theatre. He recalls the Easter Rebellion in which he had participated, and the playis his observation (without auctorial comment) of the effect of the sacrifices of himself and

of those others who thought "no man can do enough for Ireland." It is bitter and disillu

sioned and at the same time affectionate and understanding. The play is constructed

almost in the manner of Tchekhov, with sudden juxtapositions of comedy and pathos, and

audiences are often uncertain whether to laugh or to cry. This characteristic structure is

what lends O'Casey's works their sense of being a picture of life, of reality.

In The Plough and the Stars, O'Casey paints on a larger canvas. He seems here to

have recaptured the whole existence of the urban Irish working classes, as Synge had the

peasants. The play throbs with life, with humor and tragedy, sympathy and hatred. The

genius for comic portraiture which created Captain Boyle in Juno produces in this playFluther Good, the carpenter, Peter Flynn, and the Young Covey. The pathetic and

human Juno here becomes Nora and Bessie Burgess. Comic or tragic, .these characters are

not types but complex human beings.

The play was received by yet another in the long series of riots which have accompanied

opening nights at the Abbey Theatre. The audience resented the pessimistic attitude

taken about the Revolutionaries, and the degraded picture of city life. At one point

during the performance, a dozen women climbed out of the pit and onto the stage to

debate the importance of "morality, patriotism, and the virtues of home life" with the

actors; and at the end of the play, W. B. Yeats came forward and announced to the howl

ing audience, "You have disgraced yourselves again. Is this to be the ever-recurring

celebration of the arrival of Irish genius?"

Yeats, although opposed to the realistic drama as a whole, was a stanch advocate

of O'Casey, comparing him at one time with Swift. But after The Plough riots, the play

wright left Ireland and settled in England where, removed from his immediate inspiration,

he began experimenting with form and trying his hand at expressionism. The Silver Tassie,

his first play in the new genre, was rejected by Yeats with the explanation, "Your great

power of the past has been the creation of some unique character who dominated all about

him and was himself a main impulse in some action that filled the play from beginning

to end." This, coupled with the Tchekhovian structure (although he had seen only a one-

act play by the great Russian), is the secret of O'Casey's success and the basis of his

technique.He has continued to write in England semi-expressionist plays and volumes of auto

biography. Several of the plays have been produced with some success, most notablyWithin the Gates (1933), but they are largely without life except when a realistically

observed or comically conceived Irishman is on the scene, and some of the latest have been

marred as drama by a tendency to lecture the audience on communist doctrine. But Ma

724 SEAN 'CASEY AND HIS PLAYS

tragedy, The Plough and the Stars, and the tragicomic Juno and the Paycock, are contributions of lasting value to the contemporary drama, and their great central figures incarnatein the inimitable performances of Barry Fitzgerald are among the most memorable of the

post-war theatre.

The Plough and the Stars was first produced at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, in 1926,with F. J. McCormick as Clitheroe, Barry Fitzgerald as Fluther, and Maureen Delaneyas Bessie Burgess. In the same year it was presented in London with Arthur Sinclair as

Fluther and Sara Allgood as Bessie.

CHARACTERS

JACK CLITHEROE, a bricklayer-commandant in ^the Irish Citizen Army

NORA CLITHEROE, his wifePETER FLTNN, a labourer-~-Nora's uncle

THE YOUNG COVET, a fitter Clitheroe 's cousin

BESSIE BURGESS, a street fruit-vendor

Residents in

the tenementMRS. GOGAN, a charwomanMOLLSER, her consumptive child

FLUTHER GOOD, a carpenterLIEUT. LANGON, a civil servant of the Irish VolunteersCAPT. BRENNAN, a chicken butcher of the Irish Citizen

ArmyCORPORAL STODDART, of the Wiltshires

SERGEANT TINLEY, of the Wiltshires

ROSIE REDMOND, a daughter of "the Digs"A BAR-TENDERA WOMANTHE FIGURE IN THE WINDOW

ACT I The living-room of the Clitheroe flat in a Dublin tenementACT II A public-house^ outside of which a meeting is being heldACT III The street outside the Clitheroe tenementACT IV The room of Bessie BurgessTIME Acts I and II, November 1915; Acts III and IV, Easter Week, 1916.

A jew days elapse between Acts III and IV

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS

ACT ONE

SCENE The home of the CLITHEROES. It

consists of the front and back drawing-rooms in a fine old Georgian house, struggling for its life against the assaults of time,

and the more savage assaults of the tenants.

The room shown is the back drawing-room,wide, spacious and lofty. At back is the entrance to the front drawing-room. Thespace, originally occupied by folding doors,is now draped with casement cloth of a dark

purple, decorated with a design in reddish-

purple. One of the curtains is pulled aside,

giving a glimpse of the front drawing-room,at the end of which can be seen the wide,lofty windows looking out into the street.

The room directly in front of the audienceis. furnished in a way that suggests an at

tempt towards a finer expression of domestic

life. The large fireplace on L. is of wood,painted to look like marble (the original hasbeen taken away by the landlord). Belowthe fireplace, on the wall, is a small mirror.

On the mantelshelf are two candlesticks ofdark carved wood. Between them is a smallclock. Over the clock, on wall, is a pictureof

<(The Bleeping Venus!3 On the right ofthe entrance to the front drawing-room is <z

copy of "The Gleaners" on the oppositeside a copy of "The Angelus" Underneath"The Gleaners" is a chest of drawers onwhich stands a green bowl filled with scarlet

dahlias and white chrysanthemums. Nearto the fireplace is a couch which at nightforms a double bed for CLITHEROE andNORA. Near the end of the room oppositeto the fireplace is a gate-legged table, covered with a cloth. On top of the table a

huge cavalry sword is lying. To the L.

above fireplace is a door which leads to alobby from which the staircase leads to thehall The floor is covered with a dark greenlinoleum. The room is dim except where it

is illuminated from the glow of the fire.

FLUTHEB GOOD is repairing the lock of

door, L. A claw hammer is on a chair beside

him, and he has a screwdriver in his hand.He is a man of 40 years of age, rarely sur

rendering to thoughts of anxiety, fond of his

725

"oil" but determined to conquer the habit

before he dies. He is square-jawed andharshly featured; under the left eye is a

scar, and his nose is bent from a smashingblow received in a fistic battle long ago. Heis bald, save for a few peeping tufts of reddish hair around his ears; and his upper lip

is hidden by a scrubby red moustache, embroidered here and there with a grey hair.

He is dressed in a seedy black suit, cottonshirt with a soft collar, and wears a very re

spectable little black bow. On his head is a

faded jerry hat, which, when he is excited,he has a habit of knocking farther back onhis head, in a series of taps. In an argumenthe usually fills with sound and fury, generally signifying a row. He is in his shirt

sleeves at present, and wears a soiled white

apron, from a pocket in which sticks a car

penter's two-foot rule. He has just finishedthe job of putting on a new lock, and, filledwith satisfaction, he is opening and shuttingthe door, enjoying the completion of a workwell done. Sitting at the fire, airing a white

shirt, is PETER FLYNN. He is a little, thinbit of a man, with a face shaped like a

lozenge; on his cheeks and under his chinis a straggling wiry beard of a dirty-whiteand lemon hue. His face invariably wearsa look of animated anguish, mixed withirritated defiance, as if everybody was at warwith him, and he at war with everybody.He is cocking his head in such a way that

suggests resentment at the presence of

FLTJTHER, who pays no attention to him,apparently, but is really furtively watchinghim. PETER is clad in a singlet, white whipcord knee-breeches} and is in his stockingedfeet.

A voice is heard speaking outside of doorL. (it is that of MRS. GOGAN talking to

someone) .

Mrs. Gogan [outside door L.]. Who are

you lookin' for, sir? Who? Mrs. Clitheroe?. . . Oh, excuse me. Oh ay, up this way.She's out, I think: I seen her goin'. Oh,you've somethin' for her. Oh, excuse me.You're from Arnott's. ... I see. . . .

You've a parcel for her. . . . Righto. . . .

I'll take it. ... I'll give it to her the min-

726 SEAN O'CASEY

ute she comes in. ... It'll be quite safe.

... Oh, sign that. . . . Excuse me. ...

Where? . . . Here? . . . No, there ;

righto. Am I to put Maggie or Mrs.?

What is it? You dunno? Oh, excuse me.

[MRS. GOGAN opens the door and comes

in. She is a doleful-looking little

woman of 40, insinuating^manner and

sallow complexion. She is fidgety and

nervous, terribly talkative, has a habit

of taking up things that may be near

her and fiddling with them while she

is speaking. Her heart is aflame with

curiosity, and a fly could not come

into nor go out of the house without

her knowing. She has a draper's parcel

in her hand, the knot of the twine

tying it is untied]

[MRS. GOGAN crosses in front of FLTJ-

THER, behind the couch, to the table R.,

where she puts the parcel, fingering it

till she has the paper off, showing a

cardboard box. PETER, more resentful

of this intrusion than of FLTJTHER'S

presence, gets up from the chair, and

without looking around, his head car

ried at an angry cock, marches into the

room at back. He leaves the shirt on

the back of the chair}

{Removing the paper and opening the card

board box it contains} I wondher what's this

now? A hat! [Sh& takes out a hat, black,

with decorations in red and gold} God, she's

goin' to th' divil lately for style! That hat,

now, cost more than a penny. Such notions

of upperosity she's getting. [Putting the

hat on her head] Swank! [Turning to

FLUTHER] Eh, Fluther, swank, what!

[FLTJTHER looks over at her, then goeson opening and shutting the door]

Fluther. She's a pretty little Judy, all

the same.Mrs. Gogan. Ah, she is, an' she isn't.

There's prettiness an' prettiness in. it. I'm

always sayin' that her skirts are a little too

short for a married woman. An' to see her,

sometimes of an evenin', in her glad-neck

gown would make a body's blood run cold.

I do be ashamed of me life before her

husband. An' th' way she thries to be

polite, with her "Good mornin', Mrs. Gogan," when she's goin' down, an' her "Good

evenin', Mrs. Gogan," when she's comin' up.But there's politeness an' politeness in it.

Fluther. They seem to get on well to

gether, all th' same.

Mrs. Gogan. Ah, they do, an' they don't.

The pair o' them used to be like two turtle

doves always billin' an' cooin'. You couldn't

come into th' room but you'd feel, instinc

tive like, that they'd just been afther kissin3

an' cuddlin' each other. ... It often made

me shiver, for, afther all, there's kissin' an'

cuddlin' in it. But I'm thinkin' he's begin-

nin' to take things more quietly; the mys-

thery of havin' a woman's a. mysthery no

longer. ... She dhresses herself to keep

him with her, but it's no use afther a

month or two, th' wondher of a womanwears off.

[MRS. GOGAN takes off the hat, and puts

it back in the box; going on to re

arrange paper round box, and tie it up

again]Fluther. I dunno, I dunno. Not wishin'

to say anything derogatory, I think it's all

a question of location: when a man finds

th' wondher of one woman beginnin' to die,

it's usually beginnin' to live in another.

Mrs. Gogan. She's always grumblin'

about havin' to live in a tenement house.

"I wouldn't like to spend me last hour in

one, let alone live me life in a tenement,"

says she. "Vaults," says she, "that are hidin'

th' dead, instead of homes that are shel-

therin' th' livin'." "Many a good one," says

I, "was reared in a tenement house." Oh,

you know, she's a well-up little lassie, too;

able to make a shillin' go where another

would have to spend a pound. She's wipin'

th' eyes of th' Covey an' poor oul' Pether

everybody knows that screwin' every pennyshe can out o' them, in ordher to turn th'

place into a babby-house. An' she has th'

life frightened out o' them; washin' their

face, combin' their hair, wipin' their feet,

brushin' their clothes, thrimmin' their nails,

cleanin' their teeth God Almighty, you'dthink th' poor men were undhergoin' penalservitude.

Fluther [with an exclamation of disgust].

A-a-ah, that's goin' beyond th' beyonds in a

tenement house. That's a little bit too

derogatory.[PETER enters from room, back, headelevated and resentful fire in his eyes;he is still in his singlet and trousers,

but is now wearing a pair of unlaced

boots possibly to be decent in the

presence of MRS. GOGAN][PETER comes down c. and crosses, front

of settee, to chair in front of fire; he

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 727

turns the shirt which he has left to air

on the back of the chair, then goes,

front of couch, to the chest of drawers,back L., opens drawer after drawer,looking for something; as he fails to

find it, he closes each drawer with a

snap. He jerks out things neatlyfolded, and shoves them back into the

drawers any way"!Peter [in anguish, snapping a drawer

shut]. Well, God Almighty, give me patience.

[PETER returns, front of couch, to the

fireplace, gives the shirt a vicious turn

on the back of the chair, and goes back,

front of couch, to room, back, FLUTHERand MRS. GOGAN watching him fur

tively all the time]Mrs. Gogan [curiouslyl. I wondher what

is he foostherin' for now?Fluther [coming c.L He's adornnV him

self for the meeting to-night. [He pulls ahandbill from one of his pockets, and reads']

"Great Denionsthration an' Torchlight Procession around places in the City sacred to

th' memory of Irish Pathriots to be concluded be a meeting at which will be takenan oath of fealty to th' Irish Republic.Formation in Parnell Square at eighto'clock." Well, they can hold it for Fluther.

I'm up th' pole; no more dhrink for Fluther.

It's three days now since I touched a dhrop,an' I feel a new man already.

[He goes back to door L.]

Mrs. Gogan. Isn't oul' Peter a funny-lookin' little man? . . . Like somethin'

you'd pick off a Christmas Tree. . . . Whenhe's dhressed up in his canonicals, you'dwondher where he'd been got. God forgive

me, when I see him in them, I always thinkhe must ha' had a Mormon for a father!

He an' th' Covey can't abide each other; th'

pair o' them is always at it, thryin' to best

each other. There'll be blood dhrawn oneo' these days.

Fluther. How is it that Clitheroe himself,

now, doesn't have anythin' to do with th'

Citizen Army? A couple o' months ago, an'

you'd hardly ever see him without his gun,an' th' Red Hand o 7

Liberty Hall in his hat.

Mrs. Gogan. Just because he wasn't madea Captain of. He wasn't goin' to be in anything where he couldn't be conspishuous.He was so cocksure o' being made one that

he bought a Sam Browne belt, an' was al

ways puttin' it on an' standin' at th' door

showing it off, till th' man came an' put out

th' street lamps on him. God, I think heused to bring it to bed with him ! But I'mtellin

7

you herself was delighted that that

cock didn't crow, for she's like a clockin' henif he leaves her sight for a minute.

[While she is talking she takes up abook from the table, looks into it in

a near-sighted way, and then leaves it

back. She now lifts up the sword, and

proceeds to examine it]

Be th' look of it, this must ha' been a

general's sword. . . . All th' gold lace an'

th' fine figaries on it. ... Sure it's twicedtoo big for him.

[FLUTHER crosses from door L. behind

couch, back of table, where MRS. GOGAN is examining the sword, and looks

at it, standing to L. of MRS. GOGAN]Fluther [contemptuously]. Ah, it's a

baby's rattle he ought to have, an' he as he

is, with thoughts tossin' in his head of whatmay happen to him on th' Day of Judgement.

[PETER appears at the curtained door,

back, sees MRS. GOGAN with the sword,and a look of vexation comes on to his

face. He comes down c. to the table,

snatches the sword out of MRS. Go-GAN'S hands, and bangs it back on the

table. He then returns into room,back, without speaking]

Mrs. Gogan [to PETER, as he snatches the

sword]. Oh, excuse me. [To FLTTTHER]Isn't he the surly oul' rascal; Fluther?

[She wanders from the table, back ofthe couch, to the chest of drawers,where she stops for a few moments,pulling out drawers and pushing themin again]

Fluther [leaning against left side of the

table]. Take no notice of him. . . . You'dthink he was dumb, but when you get his

goat, or he has a few jars up, he's vic$

versa.

[FLUTHER coughs. MRS. GOGAN, whohas wandered from the chest of

drawers, down L., to the fireplace,

where she is fingering PETERJS shirt,

turns to look at FLUTHER, as soon as

-she hears the cough]Mrs. Gogan [with an ominous note in her

voice]. Oh, you've got a cold on you,Fluther.

Fluther [carelessly] . Ah, it's only a little

one.

728 SEAN O'CASEY

Mrs. Gogan. You'd want to be careful,

all th' same. I knew a woman, a big lumpof a woman, red-faced an' round-bodied, a

little awkard on her feet; you'd think, to

look at her, she could put out her two arms

an' lift a two-storied house on th' top of her

head; got a ticklin' in her throat, an' a

little cough, an' th' next mornin' she had

a little catchin' in her chest, an' they had

just time to wet her lips with a little rum,an' off she went. [She begins to look at and

handle the shirt']

Fluther [a little nervously]. It's only a

little cold I have; there's nothing derogatory

wrong with me.

Mrs. Gogan [warningly]. I dunno; there's

many a man this minute lowerin' a pint,

thinkin' of a woman, or pickin3 out a winner,

or" doin' work as you're doin', while th'

hearse dhrawn be th' horses with the black

plumes is dhrivin' up to his own hall door,

an' a voice that he doesn't hear is muttherin'

in his ear, "Earth to earth, an' ashes t?

ashes,

an' dust to dust."

Fluther [faintly, affected by her talk].

A man in th' pink o' health should have a

holy horror of allowin' thoughts o' death

to be festherin' in his mind, for [with a

frightened cough] be God, I think I'm afther

gettin' a little catch in me chest that time

it's a creepy thing to be thinkin' about.

[FLUTHER sits weakly in chair L. of table]

Mrs. Gogan. It is, an' it isn't; it's both

bad an' good. ... It always gives meself

a kind o' thresspassin' joy to feel meself

movin' along in a mournin' coach, an} methlnkia' that, maybe, th' next funeral'll be

me own, an' glad, in a quiet way, that this

is somebody else's.

Fluther [very frightened"]. An' a curious

kind of a gaspin' for breath I hope there's

nothin' derogatory wrong with me.

Mrs. Gogan [examining the shirt]. Frills

on it, like a woman's petticoat.

Fluther [panic-stricken]. Suddenly get-

tin' hot, an' then, just as suddenly, gettin'

cold.

Mrs. Gogan [holding out the shirt towards

FLTJTHER]* How would you like to be

wearin' this Lord Mayor's nightdhress,

Fluther?

Fluther [vehemently] . Blast you an' your

nightshirt! Is a man fermentin' with fear

to stick th' showin' off to him of a thing

that looks like a shinin' shroud?

Mrs. Gogan [startled at FLUTTER'S vehe

mence] . Oh, excuse me.

[PETER appears at curtained door, back.

Bees his shirt in MRS. GOGAN'S hand,

comes rapidly down c., goes front of

couch to MRS. GOGAN, snatches shirt

from her, and replaces it on the back

of the chair; he returns the same wayto room, back]

Peter [loudly, as he goes to room, back] .

Well, God Almighty give me patience!

Mrs. Gogan [to PETER]. Oh, excuse me.

[There is heard a cheer from the men

working outside on the street, followed

by the clang of took being thrown

down, then silence]

[Running? into the back room to look

out of the window] What's the men re-

pairin' th' streets cheerin' for?

Fluther [sitting down weakly on a chair] .

You can't sneeze but that oul' one wants

to know th' why an' th' wherefore. ... I

feel as dizzy as bedamned I I hope I didn't

give up th;beer too suddenly.

[The COVEY comes in by door ii. He is

about 26, tall, thin, with lines on his

face that form a perpetual protest

against life as he conceives it to be.

Heavy seams fall from each side of

nose, down around his lips, as if they

were suspenders keeping his mouth

from falling. He speaks in a slow,

wailing drawl; more rapidly when he is

excited. He is dressed in dungarees,

and is wearing a vividly red tie. Hecomes down c. and flings his cap with

a gesture of disgust on the table, and

begins to take off his overalls]

Mrs. Gogan [to the COVEY, as she runs

back into the room]. What's after hap

pening Covey?The Covey [with contempt]. Th' job's

stopped. They've been mobilized to marchin th7 demonstration to-night undher th'

Plough an' th' Stars. Didn't you hear them

cheering th' mugs. They have to renewtheir political baptismal vows to be faithful

in -seculo seculorum.

Fluther [sitting on the chair L. of table,

forgetting his fear in his indignation].There's no reason to bring religion into it.

I think we ought to have as great a regardfor religion as we can, so as to keep it out

of as many things as possible.

The Covey [pausing in the taking off of

his dungarees]. Oh, you're one o' the boys

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 729

that climb into religion as high as a short

Mass on Sunday mornin's? I suppose you'll

be singin' songs o' Sion an' songs o' Tara

at th 7 meetin7

, too.

Fluther. We're all Irishmen, anyhow;aren't we?The Covey Iwith hand outstretched, and

in a professional tone]. Look here, comrade, there's no such thing as an Irishman,or an Englishman, or a German or a Turk;we're all only human bein's. Scientifically

speakin', it's all a question of the accidental

gatherin' together of mollycewels an' atoms.

[PETER comes in from room, back, with

a stiff collar in his hand, comes down

a, crosses, in front of couch, to the

mirror on the wall L., below the fire

place. He stands before the mirror

and tries to put on his collar. FLUTHER gets up from the chair, goes c.

and stands to R. of the COVEY]FLuther. Mollycewels an' atoms 1 D'ye

think I'm goin' to listen to you thryin' to

juggle Fluther's mind with complicatedcunundhrums of mollycewels an' atoms?The Covey {.rather loudly}. There's

nothin' complicated in it. There's no fear

o 7

th' Church tellin' you that mollycewelsis a stickin' together of millions of atoms o'

sodium, carbon, potassium o' iodide, et

cetera, that, accordin' to th' way they're

mixed, make a flower, a fish, a star that yousee shinin' in th' sky, or a man with a bigbrain like me, or a man with a little brain

like you !

Fluther [more loudly still]. There's no

necessity to be raisin' your voice; shoutin's

no manifestin' forth of a growin' mind.

[FLUTHER and the COVEY turn to look at

PETER]Peter {.struggling with his collar"! . God

give me patience with this thing. . . . She

makes these collars as stiff with starch as a

shinin' band of solid steel! She does it

purposely to thry an' twart me. If I can't

get it on to the singlet, how in the name of

God am I goin' to get it on the shirt !

[FLUTHER and the COVEY face each

other again]The Covey [loudly]. There's no use o'

arguin' with you; it's education you want,comrade.

Fluther [sarcastically]. The Covey an'

God made th' world I suppose, wha'?

The Covey [jeering] . When I hear somemen talkin

7 I'm inclined to disbelieve that

th' world's eight-hundhred million years old,

for it's not long since th' fathers o' some o'

them crawled out o' th' sheltherin' slime o'

the sea.

Mrs. Gogan [from room at back]. There,

they're afther formin' fours, an' now they're

goin' to march away.Fluther [scornfully taking no notice of

MRS. GOGAN]. Mollycewels! [He begins

to untie his apron] What about Adam an'

Eve?The Covey. Well, what about them?

Fluther [fiercely]. What about them,

you?The Covey. Adam anj Eve! Is that as

far as you've got? Are you still thinkin7

there was nobody in th' world before Adaman' Eve? [Loudly] Did you ever hear,

man, of th' skeleton of th' man o 7 Java?

Peter [casting the collar from- him] . Blast

it, blast it, blast it !

[PETER angrily picks up the collar he

has thrown on the floor, goes up c.,

right of couch, to the chest of drawers,

and begins to hunt again in the

drawers]

Fluther [to the COVEY, as he viciously

folds apron]. Ah, you're not goin7 to be

let tap your rubbidge o' thoughts into th 7

mind o 7

Fluther.

The Covey. You're afraid to listen to

th'thruth!

Fluther [pugnaciously]. Who's afraid?

The Covey. You are!

Fluther [with great contempt]. G'way,

you wurum!The Covey. Who's a worum?Fluther. You are, or you wouldn't talk

th' way you're talkin'.

[MRS. GOGAN wanders in from room,

back, turns L., sees PETER at the chest

of drawers, turns back, comes down c.,

goes, front of couch, to the fireplace]

The Covey. Th' oul', ignorant savage

leppin3

up in you, when science shows youthat th' head of your god is an empty one.

Well, I hope you're enjoyin' th' blessin' oj

havin' to live be th' sweat of your brow.

Fluther. You'll be kickin' an* yellin' for

th' priest yet, me boyo. I'm not goin' to

stand silent an' simple listenin' to a thick

like you makin' a maddenin' mockery o'

God Almighty. It 'ud be a nice derogatory

thing on me conscience, an' me dyin', to

look back in rememberin' shame of talkin1

730 SEAN O'CASEY

to a word-weavin' little ignorant yahoo of a

red flag Socialist!

Mrs. Gogan {.at the fireplace, turning to

Look at the disputants]. For God's sake,

Fluther, dhrop it; there's always th' makin's

of a row in the mention of religion.

[She turns her head, and looks at the

picture of "The Bleeping Venus/9

hang

ing over the mantelpiece. She looks at

it intently and a look of astonishment

comes on her face]

God bless us, it's the picture of a naked

woman, [With a titter] Look, Fluther.

[FLUTHER looks over at the fireplace;

comes slowly to the fireplace; looks

steadily at the picture. PETER, hearing

what was said, leaves the chest of

drawers, and comes down, standing a,

little behind FLUTHER and MRS. GOGAJST,

and looks at the picture. The COVEY

looks on from c.l

Fluther. "What's undher it? [Reading

slowly] "Georgina: The Sleeping Vennis."

Oh, that's a terrible picture. ... Oh, that's

a shockin' picture! [Peering into it with

evident pleasure! Oh, the one that got that

taken, she must ha' been a prime lassie!

Peter [laughing in a silly way, with head

tilted back]. Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee!

Fluther [indignantly, to PETER]. Whatare you hee, hee-in' for? [Pointing to the

picture] That's a nice thing to be hee, hee-

in' at. Where's your morality, man?Mrs. Gogan [looking intently at if]. God

forgive us, it's not right to be lookin' at it.

Fluther. It's nearly a derogatory thing to

be in thj room where it is.

Mrs. Gogan [giggling hysterically']. I

couldn't stop any longer in th' same roomwith three men, afther lookin' at it !

*

[MRS. GOGAN goes upstage L., and out

by door L. The COVEY, who has taken

off his dungarees, seeing PETER'S shirt

on the chair, throws dungarees over it

with a contemptuous movement]Peter [roused by the COVEY'S action].

Where are you throwin' your dungarees?Are you thryin' to twart an' torment me

The Covey. Who's thryin' to twart you?[PETER takes the dungarees from the

back of the chair and flings them

violently on floor]

Peter. You're not goin' to make me lose

me temper, me young covey I

[The COVEY, in retaliation, takes PETER'S

white shirt from the back of the chair,

and flings it violently on the floor]

The Covey. If you're Nora's pet aself,

you're not goin' to get your own way in

everything.[The COVEY moves to the back end of

the table, enjoying PETER'S anger]

Peter [plaintively, with his eyes looking

up at the ceiling] . I'll say nothin'. . . . I'll

leave you to th' day when th' all-pitiful,

all-merciful, all-lovin' God'll be handin' youto th' angels to be rievin' an' roastin' you,

tearin' an' tormentin' you, burnin' an'

blastin' you !

The Covey. Aren't you th' little malig

nant oul' bastard, you lemon-whiskered ouF

swine!

[PETER rushes to the table, takes upthe sword, draws it from its scabbard,and makes for the COVEY, who runs

round the table R., followed by PETER]

The Covey [dodging round the table to

FLUTHER]. Fluther, hold him, there. It's

a nice thing to have a lunatic, like this,

lashing round with a lethal weapon![The COVEY, after running round the

table, rushes up c., and runs back of

couch, out of door L., which he bangsto behind him in the face of PETER.

FLUTHER remains near the fireplace,

looking on]

Peter [hammering at the door to the

COVEY, outside]. Lemme out, lemme out.

Isn't it a poor thing for a man who wouldn't

say a word against his greatest enemy to

have to listen to that Covey's twartin 7

animosities, shovin' poor, patient peopleinto a lashin' out of curses that darken his

soul with th' shadow of th' wrath of th'

last day!Fluther. Why d'ye take notice of him?

If he seen you didn't, he'd say nothin' .

derogatory.Peter. I'll make him stop his laughin' an'

leerin', jibin' an' jeerin' an' scarifyin' peoplewith his corner-boy insinuations! ... He's

always thryin' to rouse me: if it's not a

song, it's a whistle;

if it isn't a whistle, it's

a cough. But you can taunt an' taunt I'm

laughin' at you ; he, hee, hee, hee, hee, heee !

The Covey [jeering loudly through the

keyhole]. Dear harp o' me counthry, in

darkness I found thee,

The dark chain of silence had hung o'er

thee long

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 731

Peter [frantically to FLUTHER]. Jasus,

d'ye hear that? D'ye hear him soundin'forth his divil-souled song o' provocation?{.Battering at door L.] When I get out I'll

do for you, I'll do for you, I'll do for you!The Covey {through the keyhole].

Cuckoo-oo 1

[NoRA enters by door L. She is a youngwoman of 23, alert, swift, full of nervous energy, and a little anxious to geton in the world. The firm lines of her

face are considerably opposed by asoft, amorous mouth, and gentle eyes.When her firmness fails her, she persuades with her jeminine charm. Sheis dressed in a tailor-made costume,and wears around her neck a silver

fox fur]

Nora [running in and pushing PETER awayfrom the door] . Oh, can I not turn me backbut th' two o' yous are at it like a pairo' fightin'-cocks ! Uncle Peter . . . UnclePeter . . . UNCLE PETER!Peter [vociferously]. Oh, Uncle Peter,

Uncle Peter be damned! D'ye think I'm

goin' to give a free pass to th 7

young Coveyto turn me whole life into a Holy Manualo j

penances an' martyrdoms?The Covey [angrily rushing into the

room]. If you won't exercise some sort o 7

conthrol over that Uncle Peter o' yours,there'll be a funeral, an' it won't be methat'll be in th' hearse!

Nora [c. back, between PETER and the

COVET, to the COVEY]. Are yous alwaysgoin' to be tearin' down th' little bit of re

spectability that a body's thryin' to build

up? Am I always goin' to be havin' to

nurse yous into th' habit o' thryin' to keepup a little bit of appearance?The Covey. Why weren't you here to see

th' way he run at me with th' sword?Peter. What did you call me a lemon-

whiskered oul' swine for?

Nora. If th3 two o' yous don't thry to

make a generous altheration in your goin's

on, an7

keep on thryin' t' inaugurate th7

cus

toms o7th' rest o 7

th' house into this place,

yous can flit into other lodgin's where yourbowsey battlin

7

'ill meet, maybe, with an.

encore.

[The COVEY comes down, back of couchto the fire, and sits down in the chair

where PETER'S shirt had hung; he takes

a book from a pocket and begins to

read]

Peter [to NORA]. Would you like to becalled a lemon-whiskered oul' swine?

[NORA takes the sword from PETER, goesto the table, puts it back in the scab

bard, goes to the chest of drawers,back L.J and leaves it on the chest of

drawers]

Nora [to PETER]. If you attempt to wagthat sword of yours at anybody again, it'll

have to be taken off you, an' put in a safe

place away from babies that don't know the

danger of them things.

[NoRA goes across back, taking off her' hat and coat, which she leaves. PETERcomes down c., takes up the shirt fromthe floor, and goes back c. towards

room, back]Peter [at entrance to room, back]. Well,

I'm not goin' to let anybody call me a

lemon-whiskered ouF swine !

[PETER goes into room, back. FLUTHERmoves from the fireplace, L. of couch,to door L., which he begins to open and

shut, trying the movement]Fluther [half to himself, half to NORA].

Openin' an' shuttin' now with a well-mannered motion, like a door of a select bar ina high-class pub.

[NoRA takes up the hat and coat fromthe table, carries them into the room,back, leaves them there, comes out,

goes to the dresser, above table R., andputs a few tea things on the table]

Nora [to the COVEY, as she lays table fortea]. An', once for all, Willie, you'll haveto thry to deliver yourself from th' desire to

practice o' provokin' oul' Pether into a wild

forgetfulness of what's proper an' allowablein a respectable home.The Covey. Well, let him mind his own

business, then. Yestherday, I caught himhee-hee-in7 out of him an' he readin' bits outof Jenersky's Thesis on th3

Origin, Development art Consolidation of th' EvolutionaryIdea of th' Proletariat.

Nora. Now, let it end at that, for God's

sake; Jack'll be in any minute, an' I'm not

goin' to have th' quiet of his evenin' tossed

about in an everlastin3

uproar between youan' Uncle Pether.

[NoRA crosses back to FLUTHER L., andstands on his K.]

Nora [to FLUTHER]. Well, did you manage to settle the lock yet, Mr. Good?Fluther [opening and shutting the door].

It's betther than a new one, now,. Mrs.

732 SEAN O'CASEY

Clitheroe; it's almost ready to open and

shut of its own accord.

Nora [giving him a com]. You're a whole

man. How many pints will that get you?Fluther [seriously]. Ne'er a one at all,

Mrs. Clitheroe, for Fluther's on th' wather

waggon now. You could stan' where you're

stannin' ehantin3

,"Have a glass o' malt,

Fluther; Fluther, have a glass o' malt," till

th' bells would be ringin' th5 ould year out

an}th' New Year in, an' you'd have as much

chance o' movin' Fluther as a tune on a tin

whistle would move a deaf man an'- he dead.

[As NORA is opening and shutting the

door, MRS. BESSIE BURGESS appears at

it. She is a woman of 40, vigorously

built. Her face is a dogged one, hard

ened by toil, and a little coarsened by

drink. She looks scornfully and vi

ciously at NORA for a few moments be

fore she speaks]

Bessie. Puttin' a new lock on her door

. . . afraid her poor neighbours ud break

through an' steal. . . . Un a loud tone]

Maybe, now, they're a damn sight_

more

honest than your ladyship . . . checkin' th'

children playin' on th' stairs . . . gettin' on

th' nerves of your ladyship. . . . Com-

plainin' about Bessie Burgess singin' her

hymns at night, when she has a few up. ...

[She comes in half-way on the threshold,

and screams] Bessie Burgess '11 sing when

ever she damn well likes 1

[NoRA tries to shut the door, but BESSIE

violently shoves it in, and, gripping NORA by

(he shoulders, shakes her]

Bessie {violently]. You little over-

dhressed throllope, you, for one pin, I'd

paste th' white face o' you!Nora [frightened]. Fluther, Fluther 1

Fluther {.breaking the hold of BESSIE from

NORA]. Now, now, Bessie, Bessie, leave

poor Mrs. Clitheroe alone; she'd do no one

any harm, an' minds no one's business but

her own.

Bessie. Why is she always thryin' to

speak proud things, an' lookin7like a mighty

one in th:

congregation o' th' people!

[The COVET looks up from his book,

watches the encounter, but does not

leave his seat by the fire]

[NoRA sinks down on back of the couch.

JACK CLITHEROE enters by door, L. Heis a tall, well-made fellow of 25. His

face has none of the strength of NORA'S.

It is a face in which is the desire for au

thority, without the power to attain it]

Clitheroe [excitedly]. What's up?

What's afther happenin'?

Fluther. Nothin', Jack. Nothin'. It's all

over now. Come on, Bessie, come on.

Clitheroe [coming to couch and bending

over NOKA anxiously]. What's wrong,

Nora? Did she say anything to you?

Nora [agitatedly]. She was bargin5

out

of her, an; I only told her to go up ower

that to her own place; anj before I knew

where I was, she flew at me, like a tiger,

an' tried to guzzle me.

[CLITHEROE goes close to BESSIE, stand

ing in front of the chest of drawers,

and takes hold of her arm to get her

away]Clitheroe. Get up to your own place,

Mrs. Burgess, and don't you be interferin'

with my wife, or it'll be ttyworse for

you. ... Go on, go on!

Bessie [as CLITHEROE is pushing her out].

Mind who you're pushin', now. ... I at

tend me place of worship, anyhow. . . . Not

like some of them that go neither church,

chapel or meetin' house. ... If me son

was home from the threnches, he'd see me

righted.

[FLUTHER takes BESSIE by the arm, and

brings her out by the door L. CLITH

EROE closes the door behind them, re

turns to NORA, and puts his arm around

her. The COVET resumes his reading]

Clitheroe [his arm around her]. There,

don't mind that old bitch, Nora, darling;

I'll soon put a stop to her interferin'.

Nora. Some day or another, when I'm

here be meself, she'll come in an' do some-

thin' desperate.Clitheroe [kissing her]. Oh, sorra fear

of her doin' anythin' desperate. I'll talk

to her to-morrow when she's sober. A tast

o' me mind that'll shock her into the sensi

bility of behavin' herself!

[NORA gets up, crosses to the dresser

K., and finishes laying the table for

tea. She catches sight of the dunga~

rees on the floor and speaks indig

nantly to COVET . CLITHEROE leaves

his hat on the chest of drawers, and

sits, waiting for tea, on the couch]

Nora [to COVET]. Willie, is that the place

for your dungarees?

Covey [irritably rising, and taking them

from the floor]. Ah, they won't do the floor

any harm, will they?

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 733

[He carries them up c., into room back,comes back again, down c., and sits

by fire. NORA crosses from the table

to the fire, gets the teapot from the

hob, and returns to the table]

Nora [to CLITHEROE and COVEY] . Tea's

ready.[CLITHEKOE and COVET go to the table

and sit down L. of same, COVEY nearest

the audience. NORA sits down on R. of

table, leaving the chair for PETER

below, on same side]

Nora [calling towards room, back]. UnclePeter, Uncle Peter, tea's ready I

[PETER comes in from room back.PETER is in the full dress of the Irish

National Foresters: bright green, gold-braided coat, white breeches, black topboots and frilled, white shirt. He car

ries a large black slouch hat, fromwhich waves a long white ostrich

plume, in his hand. He puts the haton the chest of drawers beside the

sword, he comes down c., goes roundfront end of table, and sits on the vacant seat facing COVEY on oppositeside of the table. They eat for a fewmoments in silence, the COVEY fur

tively watching PETER with scorn in

his eyes; PETER knows this, and is

fidgety]The Covey [provokingly]. Another cut

o' bread, Uncle Peter?

[PETER maintains a dignified silence]

Clitheroe. It's sure to be a great meetin'

to-night. We ought to go, Nora.Nora [decisively]. I won't go, Jack; you

can go if you wish. r . .

[A pause]The Covey [with great politeness, to

PETER]. D'ye want th' sugar, Uncle Peter?Peter [explosively]. Now, are you goin'

to start your thryin' an7

your twartin' again?Nora. Now, Uncle Peter, you mustn't be

so touchy; Willie has only assed you if youwanted th

j

sugar.Peter [angrily]. He doesn't care a damn

whether I want th' sugar or no. He's onlythryin' to twart me!Nora [angrily, to the COVEY]. Can't you

let him alone, Willie? If he wants the

sugar, let him stretch his hand out an' getit himself I

The Covey [to PETER]. Now, if you wantthe sugar, you can stretch out your handand get it yourself! IA pause!

Clitheroe. To-night is th' first chance

that Brennan has got of showing himself off

since they made a Captain of him why,God only knows. It'll be a treat to see him

. swankin' it at th' head of the Citizen Armycarryin' th' flag of the Plough an' th'

Stars. . . . [Looking roguishly at NORA] Hewas sweet on you, once, Nora?Nora. He may have been. ... I never

liked him. I always thought he was a bit of

a thick.

The Covey. They're bringin' nice dis

grace on that banner now.Clitheroe [to COVEY, remonstratively] .

How are they bringin' disgrace on it?

The Covey [snappily] . Because it's a Labour flag, an' was never meant for politics.

. . . What does th' design of th' field

plough, bearin' on it th' stars of th' heavenlyplough, mean, if it's not Communism? It's

a flag that should only be used when we're

buildin' th' barricades to fight for a Workers' Republic!Peter [with a puff of derision]. P-phuh.The Covey [angrily, to PETER] . What are

you phuhin' out o' you for? Your mind is

th' mind of a mummy. [Rising] I betther

go an' get a good place to have a look at

Ireland's warriors passin' by.[He goes into room L., and returns with

his cap]Nora [to the COVEY], Oh, Willie, brush

your clothes before you go.

The Covey [carelessly]. Oh, they'll dowell enough.Nora. Go an' brush them; th' brush is in

th' drawer there.

[The COVEY goes to the drawer, mutter

ing, gets the brush, and starts to brush

his clothes]

The Covey [reciting at PETER, as he does

so].

Oh, where's the slave so lowly,Condemn'd to chains unholy,

Who, could he burst his bonds at first,

Would pine beneath them slowly?

We tread th' land that . . . bore us,

Th' green flag glitters . . . o'er us,

Th' friends we've tried are by our side,

An' th' foe we hate . . . before us!

Peter [leaping to his feet in a whirl of

rage]. Now, I'm tellin' you, me youngCovey, once for all, that I'll not stick any

734 SEAN O'CASEY

longer these tittherin3 taunts of yours, rovin

3

around to sing your slights an' slandhers,

reddenin3 th j mind of a man to th

7thinkin

3

an3savin

3 of things that sicken his soul with

sin! [Hysterically; lifting up a cup to fling

at the COVEY] Be God, I'll

Clitheroe [catching his arm]. Now then,

none o7

that, none o 3 that !

Nora [loudly]. Uncle Pether, Uncle Pe

ther, UNCLE PETHER!

The Covey [at the door L., about to go

out]. Isn't that th}

malignant oul3 varmint!

Lookin7like th3

illegitimate son of an ille

gitimate child of a corporal in th3 Mexican

army![He goes out door L.]

Peter [plaintively]. He's afther leavin'

me now in such a state of agitation that I

won't be able to do meself justice* when I3m

marchin3

to th3 meetin

7. t

[NoRA jumps up from the table, crosses

back end of table to the chest of draw

ers, back, and takes up PETEE3

s sword]

Nora. Oh, for God's sake, here, buckle

your sword on, an3

go to your meetin', so

that we'll have at least one hour of peace.

[PETER gets up from the chair, goes over

to NORA, and she helps him to put on

his sword]

Clitheroe. For God3

s sake, hurry him upout o

3

this, Nora.

Peter. Are yous all^goin3 to thry to start

to twart me now?Nora [putting on his plumed hat] . S-s-sh.

Now, your hat's on, your house is thatched ;

off you pop ! [She gently pushes him from

her, towards door L.]

Peter [going and turning as he reaches the

door L.]. Now, if that young CoveyNora. Go on, go on,

[He goes out door L.]

[CLITHEROE goes from the table to the

couch and sits down on end nearest the

fire, lights a cigarette, and looks

thoughtfully into the fire. NORA takes

things from the table, and puts them

on the dresser. She goes into room,

back, and comes back with a lighted

shaded lamp, which she puts on the

table. She then goes on tidying things

on the dresser]

[Softly speaking over from the dresser, to

CLITHEEOE] A penny for them, Jack.

Clitheroe. Me? Oh, I was thinkin3

of

nothing.

Nora. You were thinkin3

of th 3

.

;.

meetin3

. . . Jack. When we were courtin'

an3 I wanted you to go, you'd say, "Oh, to

hell with meeting33 an} that you felt lonely

in cheerin3 crowds when I was absent. An'

we weren't a month married when you be

gan that you couldn't keep away from them.

Clitheroe [crossly]. Oh, that's enough

about th3 meetin3

. It looks as if you wanted

me to go th3 way you're talkin'.^

You were

always at me to give up the Citizen Army,an3 I gave it up : surely that ought to sat

isfy you.Nora [from dresser]. Aye, you gave it

up, because you got the sulks when they

didn3t make a captain of you.

[She crosses over to CLITHEROE, and sits

on the couch to his R.]

Nora [softly]. It wasn3t for my sake,

Jack.

Clitheroe. For your sake or no, you're

benefitin3

by it, aren't you? I didn't forget

this was your birthday, did I? [He puts his

arms around her] And you liked your new

hat; didn't you, didn't you? [He kisses her

rapidly several times]

Nora [panting] . Jack, Jack ; please, Jack !

I thought you were tired of that sort of

thing long ago.

Clitheroe. Well, youjre finding out now

that I amn't tired of it yet, anyhow. Mrs.

Clitheroe doesn't want to be kissed, sure she

doesn'tf [He kisses her again] Little, little

red-lipped Nora!

Nora [coquettishly removing his arm

from around her] . Oh, yes, your little, little

red-lipped Nora's a sweet little girl when th3

fit seizes you; but your little, little red-

lipped Nora has to clean your boots every

mornin7

,all the same.

Clitheroe [with a movement of irritation].

Oh, well, if we're goin3

to be snotty![A pause]

Nora. It3

s lookin3

like as if it was youthat was goin

3 to be ... snotty! Bridlin3

up with bittherness, th3 minute a body at

tempts t'open her mouth.

Clitheroe. Is it any wondher, turnin3 a

tendher sayin3into a meanin3 o 3 malice an'

spite !

Nora. B 3

s hard for a body to be always

keepin3 her mind bent on makin3

thoughts

that7

!! be no longer than th7

length of yourowcu satisfaction.

[A pause]

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 735

Nora islanding up}. If we're goin' to

dhribble th' time away sittin' here like a

pair o' cranky mummies, I'd be as well

sewin' or doin' something about th' place.[She looks appealingly at him for a fewmoments; he doesn't speak. She

swiftly sits down beside him, and putsher arm around his neck]

Nora [imploringly]. Ah, Jack, don't beso cross!

Clitheroe [doggedly]. Cross? I'm not

cross; I'm not a bit cross. It was yourselfstarted it.

Nora [coaxingly], I didn't mean to sayanything out o

j

th' way. You take a bodyup too quickly, Jack. [In an ordinary tone

as if nothing of an angry nature had beensaid] You didn't offer me evenin' allowance

yet.

[CLITHEROE silently takes out a cigarette for her and himself and lights

both]

[Trying to make conversation] How quietth' house is now; they must be all out.

Clitheroe [rather shortly]* I suppose so.

Nora [rising from the seat]. I'm longin'to show you me new hat, to see what youthink of it. Would you like to see it?

Clitheroe. Ah, I don't mind.[NORA hesitates a moment, then goes upc. to the chest of drawers, takes the hat

out of the box, comes down c., stands

front of the couch, looks into the mirror on the wall below the fireplace, and

fixes hat on her head. She then turns

to face CLITHEROE]Nora. Well, how does Mr. Clitheroe like

me new hat?

Clitheroe. It suits you, Nora, it does

right enough.[He stands up, puts his hand beneathher chin, and tilts her head up. Shelooks at him roguishly. He bends

down and kisses her]

Nora. Here, sit down, an' don't let mehear another cross word out of you for th'

rest o' the night.

[The two sit on the couch again, CLITHEROE nearest the fire]

Clitheroe [his arms round NORA]. Little

red-lipped Nora.Nora [with a coaxing movement of her

body towards him]. Jack!

Clitheroe [tightening his arms around

her]. Well?Nora. You haven't sung me a song since

our honeymoon. Sing me one now, do ...

please, Jack!

Clitheroe. What song? "Since MaggieWent Away"?Nora. Ah, no, Jack, not that; it's too sad.

"When You Said You Loved Me."

[Clearing his throat, CLITHEROE thinks

for a moment, and then begins to sing.

NORA, putting an arm around him, nes

tles her head on his breast and listens

delightedly]Clitheroe [singing verses following to the

air of "When You and I Were Young, Maggie").

Th' violets were scenting th' woods, Nora,

Displaying their charm to th' bee,When I first said I lov'd only you, Nora,An' you said you lov'd only me!

Th' chestnut blooms gleam'd through th'

glade, Nora,A robin sang loud from a tree,

When I first said I lov'd only you, NoraAn' you said you lov'd only me!

Th' golden-rob'd daffodils shone, Nora,An' danc'd in th' breeze on th' lea;

When I first said I lov'd only you, Nora,An' you said you lov'd only me !

Th' trees, birds an' bees sang a song, Nora,Of happier transports to be,

When I first said I lov'd only you, Nora,An' you said you lov'd only me !

[NORA kisses him][A knock is heard at the door, R.; a

pause as they listen. NORA clings

closely to CLITHEROE. Another knock,more imperative than the first]

I wonder who can that be, now?Nora [a little nervous]. Take no notice

of it, Jack; they'll go away in a minute.

[Another knock, followed by the voice

of CAPTAIN BRENNAN]The Voice of Capt. Brennan. Comman

dant Clitheroe, Commandant Clitheroe, are

you there? A message from General Jim

Connolly.Clitheroe [taking her arms from round

him]. Damn it, it's Captain Brennan.Nora [anxiously] . Don't mind him, don't

mind, Jack. Don't break our happiness.. . . Pretend we're not in. . . . Let us for

get everything to-night but our ' two -selves!

Clitheroe [reassuringly]. Don't be

736 SEAN O'CASEY

alarmed, darling; I'll just see what he wants,

an' send him about his business.

Nora [tremulously putting her arms

around him]. No, no. Please, Jack; don't

open it. Please, for your own little Nora's

sake!

Clitheroe [taking her arms away and n's-

ing to open the door] . Now don't be silly,

Nora.

[CLITHEROE opens door, and admits a

young man in the full uniform of the

Irish Citizen Army green suit; slouch

green hat caught up at one side by a

small Red Hand badge; Sam Browne

belt, with a revolver in the holster.

He carries a letter in his hand. Whenhe comes in he smartly salutes CLITH-

EEOE. The young man is CAPTAIN

BRENNAN. He stands in front of the

chest of drawers']

Capt. Brennan [giving the letter to

CLITHEROE]. A dispatch from General Con

nolly.

Clitheroe [reading. While he is doing so,

BRENNAN'S eyes are fixed on NORA, who

droops as she sits on the lounge]. "Commandant Clitheroe is to take command of

the eighth battalion of the I.CA. which will

assemble to proceed to the meeting at nine

o'clock. He is to see that all units are pro

vided with full equipment: two days' ra

tions and fifty rounds of ammunition. At

two o'clock A.M. the army will leave Liberty

Hall for a reconnaissance attack on Dublin

Castle. Com.-Gen. Connolly."

Clitheroe [in surprise, to CAPT. BRENNAN] .

I don't understand this. Why does General

Connolly call me Commandant?

Capt. Brennan. Th' Staff appointed youCommandant, and th' General agreed with

their selection.

Clitheroe. When did this happen?

Capt. Brennan. A fortnight ago.

Clitheroe. How is it word was never sent

to me?

Capt. Brennan. Word was sent to you.... I meself brought it,

Clitheroe. Who did you give it to, then?

Capt. Brennan [after a pause]. I think I

gave it to Mrs. Clitheroe, there.

Clitheroe. Nora, d'ye hear that?

[NORA makes no answer]

[Standing c. there is a note of hardness in

his voice] Nora . . . Captain Brennan sayshe brought a letter to me from General

Connolly, and that he gave it to you. . . .

Where is it? What did you do with it?

[CAPT. BRENNAN stands in front of the

chest of drawers, and softly whistles

"The Soldiers' Song"]Nora [running over to him, and plead

ingly putting her arms around him]. Jack,

please Jack, don't go out to-night an' I'll

tell you; I'll explain everything. . . . Send

him away, an' stay with your own little red-

lipp'd Nora.

Clitheroe [removing her arms fromaround him]. None o' this nonsense, now;I want to know what you did with th' let

ter?

[NoRA goes slowly to the couch and sits

down again]

[Angrily] Why didn't you give me th' let

ter? What did you do with it? ... [Goes

over and shakes her by the shoulder] Whatdid you do with th' letter?

Nora [flaming up and standing on her

feet]. I burned it, I burned it! That's

what I did with it 1 Is General Connolly an'

th' Citizen Army goin' to be your only care?

Is your home goin' to be only a place to

rest in? Am I goin' to be only somethin' to

provide merrymakin' at night for you?Your vanity '11 be th' ruin of you an' meyet. . . . That's what's movin' you: be

cause they've made an officer of you, you'll

make a glorious cause of what you're doin',

while your little red-lipp'd Nora can go on

sittin' here, makin' a companion of th' lone

liness of th' night !

Clitheroe [fiercely]. You burned it, did

you? [He grips her arm] Well, me goodladyNora. Let go you're hurtin' me !

CUtheroe. You deserve to be hurt. . . .

Any letther that comes to me for th' future,

take care that I get it. , . D'ye hear

take care that I get it J

[He lets her go, and she sinks down,

crying on the couch. He goes to the

chest of drawers and takes out a SamBrowne belt, which he puts on, andthen puts a revolver in the holster.

He puts on his hat, and looks towards

NORA]

[At door L., about to go out] You needn't

wait up for me; if I'm in at all, it won't be

before six in th' morning.Nora [bitterly]. I don't care if you never

came back!

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 737

Clitheroe [to CAPT. BRENNAN]. Comealong, Ned.

[They go out; there is a pause. NORApulls the new hat from her head andwith a bitter movement flings it to the

other end of the room. There is a gentle knock at door L.

} which opens, andMOLLSER comes into the room. She is

about 15, but looks to be only about

10, for the ravages of consumptionhave shrivelled her up. She is pitifully

worn, walks feebly, and frequently

coughs. She goes over and sits downL. of NORA]

Mollser [to NORA]. Mother's gone to th'

meetin', an 7

I was feelin' terrible lonely, so

I come down to see if you'd let me sit with

you, thinkin' you mightn't be goin' yourself.... I do be terrible afraid I'll die sometime when I'm be meself. ... I often envyyou, Mrs. Clitheroe, seein' th' health youhave, an' th?

lovely place you have here, an'

wondherin' if I'll ever be sthrong enough to

be keepin' a home together for a man.[The faint sound of a band playing is

heard in the distance outside in the

street]

Mollser. Oh, this must be some more of

the Dublin Fusiliers flyin' off to the front.

[The band, passing in the street outside,is now heard loudly playing as they

pass the house. It is the music of a

brass band playing a regiment to the

boat on the way to the front. Thetune that is being played is "It's a

Long Way to Tipperary" ; as the bandcomes to the chorus, the regiment is

swinging into the street by NORA'S

house, and the voices of the soldiers

can be heard lustily singing the chorus

of the song]It's a long way to Tipperary, it's a long way

to go;It's a long way to Tipperary, to th' sweetest

girl I know!

Good-bye, Piccadilly, farewell Leicester

Square.It's a long way to Tipperary, but my heart's

right there I

[NoRA and MOLLSER remain silently lis

tening. As the chorus ends, and the

music is faint in the distance again,BESSIE BURGESS appears at door L.,

which MOLLSER has left open]Bessie [speaking in towards the room].

There's th' men marchin' out into th' dhread

dimness o' danger, while th' lice is crawlin*

about feedin' on th' fatness o' the land!

But yous'll not escape from th' arrow that

flieth be night, or th' sickness that wasteth

be day. . . . An' ladyship an' all, as someo

7 them may be, they'll be scatthered

abroad, like th' dust in thjdarkness!

[BESSIE goes away; NORA steals overand quietly shuts the door. She comesback to the lounge and wearily throws

herself on it beside MOLLSER]Mollser [after a pause and a cough]. Is

there anybody goin', Mrs. Clitheroe, with a

titther o' sense?

ACT TWOSCENE A public-house at the corner of

the street in which the meeting is being addressed from Platform No. 1. One end ofthe house is visible to the audience. Part

of the counter at the back, L., extending out

towards L., occupies one-third of the width

of the scene from R. to L. On the counter

are glasses, beer-pulls, and a carafe filled

with water. Behind the counter, on the

back wall, are shelves containing bottles of

wine, whisky and beer. At back c. is a

wide, high, plate-glass window. Under the

window is a seat to hold three or four persons seated. L. are the wide swing-doors.At wall, R., is a seat to hold two persons.A few gaudy-coloured show-cards on the

walls.

A band is heard outside playing "The Sol

diers' Song," before the CURTAIN rises, and

for a few moments afterwards, accompaniedby the sounds of marching men.The BARMAN is seen wiping the part of

the counter which is in view. HOSIE REDMOND is standing at the counter toying with

what remains of a half of whisky in a wine

glass. She is a sturdy, well-shaped girl of

20; pretty and pert in manner. She is wear

ing a crearn, blouse, with an obviously sug

gestive glad neck; a grey tweed dress, brown

stockings and shoes. The blouse and most

of the dress are hidden by a black shawl.

She has no hat, and in her hair is jauntilyset a cheap, glittering, jewelled ornament.

It is an hour later.

Barman [wiping counter]. Nothin' muchdoin' in your line to-night, Rosie?

Rosie. Curse o' God on th' haporth,

hardly, Tom. There isn't much notice

taken of a pretty petticoat of a night like

738 SEAN O'CASEY

this. . . . They're all in a holy mood. Th'

aolemn-lookin' dials on th' whole o' them

an' they marchin3

to th' meetin'. You'd

think they were th7

glorious company of th'

saints, an' th' noble army of martyrs

thrampin' through th' sthreets of Paradise.

They're all thinkin' of higher things than a

girl's garthers. . . . It's a tremendous

meeting four platforms they have there's

one o' them just outside opposite th' win

dow.Barman. Oh, ay; sure when th' speaker

comes [motioning with his hand] to th' near

end, here, you can see him plain, an' hear

aearly everythin' he's spoutin3

out of him.

Rosie. It's no joke thryin' to make up

fifty-five shillin's a week for your keep an'

laundhry, an' then taxin' you a quid for

your own room if you bring home a friend

Cor th' night. ... If I could only put by a

couple of quid for a swankier outfit, every

thin' in th' garden ud look lovely

[In the window, back, appears^

the fig

ure oj a tall man, who, standing on a

platform, is addressing a crowd outside.

The figure is almost like a silhouette.

The BARMAN comes to L. end oj coun

ter to listen, and ROSIE moves c. to see

and listen tool

Barman [to ROSIE]. Whisht, till we hear

what he's sayin3

.

The Voice of the Man. It is a glorious

thing to see arms in the hands of Irishmen.

We must accustom ourselves to the thought

of arms, we must accustom ourselves to the

sight of arms, we must accustom ourselves

to the use of arms. . . . Bloodshed is a

cleansing and sanctifying thing, and the na

tion that regards it as the final horror has

lost its manhood. . . . There are manythings more horrible than bloodshed, and

slavery is one of them !

[The figure, moving towards L., passesthe window, and is lost to sight and

hearing. The BARMAN goes back to

wiping of the counter. ROSIE remains

looking out of the window]

Rosie. It's th' sacred thruth, mind you,

what that man's afther sayin'.

Barman. If I was only a little younger,I'd be plungin' mad into th' middle of it I

Rosie [who is still looking out of the win

dow]. Oh, here's th' two gems runnin7over

again for their oil !

[The doors L. swing open, and FLUTHERand PETER enter tumultuously. Theyare are hot and hasty with the things

they have seen and heard. They hurryacross to the counter, PETER leading

the way. ROSIE, after looking at them

listlessly for a moment, retires to the

seat under the window, sits down,takes a cigarette from her pocket,

lights it and smokes]

Peter [splutteringly to the BARMAN].Two halves ... [To FLUTHER] A meetin'

like this always makes me feel as if I could

dhrink Loch Erinn dhry!Fluther. You couldn't feel anyway else

at a time like this when th' spirit of a manis pulsin' to be out fightin' for th' thruth

with his feet thremblin' on th' way, maybeto th' gallows, an' his ears tinglin' with th'

faint, far-away sound of burstin' rifle-shots

that'll maybe whip th' last little shock o'

life out of him that's left lingerin' in his

body!Peter. I felt a burnin* lump in me throat

when I heard th' band playin' "The Soldiers'

Song/' rememberin' last hearin' it marchin'

in military formation, with th' people starin'

on both sides at us, carryin' with us th' pride

an' resolution o' Dublin to th' grave of

Wolfe Tone.Fluther. Get th' Dublin men goin' an5

they'll go on full force for anything that's

thryin' to bar them away from what they're

wantin', where th' slim thinkin' counthry

boyo ud limp away from th' first faintest

touch of comprornization !

Peter [hurriedly to the BARMAN]. Twomore, Tom! ... [To FLUTHER] Th' memory of all th' things that was done, an' all th'

things that was suffered be th' people, wasboomin' in me brain. . . . Every nerve in

me body was quiverin' to do somethin' des

perate !

Fluther. Jammed as I was in th' crowd,I listened to th

3

speeches pattherin' on th3

people's head, like rain fallin' on th' corn;

every derogatory thought went out o' memind, an' I said to meself, "You can die

now, Fluther, for you've seen th' shadow-dhreams of th' last leppin' to life in th' bodies of livin' men that show, if we were with

out a titther o' courage for centuries, we're

vice versa now!" Looka here. [Hestretches out his arm under PETER'S face androlls up his sleeve] The blood was boilin

fin

me veins!

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 739

[The silhouette of the tall figure againmoves into the frame of the window,speaking to the people]

Peter [unaware, in his enthusiasm, of the

speaker's appearance, to FLUTHER]. I wasburnin' to dhraw me sword, an' wave it over

meFluther [overwhelming PETER], Will you

stop your blatherin' for a minute, man, an3

let us hear what he's sayin' !

[The BARMAN comes to L. end of the

counter to look at the figure in the

window; ROSIE rises from the seat,

stands and looks. FLUTHER and PETERmove towards c. to see and listen]

The Voice of the Man. Comrade soldiers

of the Irish Volunteers and of the Citizen

Army, we rejoice in this terrible war. Theold heart of the earth needed to be warmedwith the red wine of the battlefields. . . .

Such august homage was never offered to

God as this : the homage of millions of lives

given gladly for love of country. And wemust be ready to pour out the same red

wine in the same glorious sacrifice, for with

out shedding of blood there is no redemption!

[The figure moves out of sight and

hearing][FLUTHER runs back to the counter andgulps down the drink remaining in his

glass; PETER does the same, less rap

idly; the BARMAN leaves the end ofthe counter; ROSIE sits on the seat

again]Fluther [finishing drink, to PETER].

Come on, man; this is too good to bemissed !

[FLUTHER rushes across the stage andout by doors L. PETER wipes his mouthand hurries after FLUTHER. The doors

swing open, and the COVEY enters. Hecollides with PETER c. PETER stiffens

his body, like a cock, and, with a look

of hatred on his face, marches stiffly

out by doors L. The COVEY looks

scornfully after PETER, and then crosses

to the counter. ROSIE sees possibilities

in the COVEY, gets up and comes to the

counter, a little to the L. of the COVEY]The Covey [to BARMAN]. Give us a glass

o' malt, for God's sake, till I stimulate me-self from the shock of seeing the sight that's

afther goin' out.

. Rosie [slyly, to the BARMAN]. Another

one for me, Tommy; the young gentleman'sordherin' it in the corner of his eye.

[The BARMAN gets a drink for the

COVEY, leaves it on the counter; ROSIE

whips it up. The BARMAN catches

ROSIE'S arm, and takes glass from her,

putting it down beside the COVEY]Barman [taking the glass from ROSIE].

Eh, houl' on there, houl' on there, Rosie.

Rosie [angrily, to the BARMAN], Whatare you houldin' on out o' you for? Didn't

you hear th7

young gentleman say that hecouldn't refuse anything to a nice little

bird? [To the COVEY] Isn't that right,

Jiggs? [The COVEY says nothing] Didn't I

know, Tommy, it would be all right? It

takes Rosie to size a young man up, an' tell

th7

thoughts that are thremblin' in his mind.Isn't that right, Jiggs?

[The COVEY stirs uneasily, moves a lit

tle farther away, and pulls his cap over

his eyes]

[Moving after him] Great meetin' that's

gettin' held outside. Well, it's up to us all,

anyway, to fight for our freedom.

The Covey [to the BARMAN]. Two more,please. [To ROSIE] Freedom! What's th'

use o' freedom, if it's not economic free

dom?Rosie [emphasizing with extended arm

and moving finger]. I used them verywords just before you come in. "A lot o'

thricksters," says I, "that wouldn't knowwhat freedom was if they got it from their

mother." ... [To the BARMAN] Didn't I,

Tommy?Barman. I disremember.Rosie [to the BARMAN], No, you don't

disremember. Remember you said, yourself, it was all "only a flash in th7

pan."

Well, "flash in th' pan, or no flash in th'

pan," says I, "they're not goin' to get Rosie

Redmond," says I, "to fight for freedomthat wouldn't be worth winnin' in a raffle!"

The Covey [contemptuously]. There's

only one freedom for th' workin3 man: <;on-

throl o' th' means o' production, rates of ex

change an' th' means of disthribution.

[Tapping ROSIE on the shoulder] Look here,

comrade, I'll leave here to-morrow night for

you a copy of Jenersky's Thesis on the On-gin, Development an3

Consolidation of the

Evolutionary Idea of th}Proletariat.

Rosie [throwing off her shawl on to the

counter, and showing an exemplified glad

neck, which reveals a good deal of a white

740 SEAN O'CASEY

bosom] . If y'ass Rosie, it's heartbreakin' to

see a young fella thinkin' of anything, or

admirin' anything, but silk thransparentstockin's showin' off the shape of a little las

sie's legs 1

[The COVEY is frightened, and moves

away from BX>SIE along the counter,

towards R. KOSIE follows, gliding after

him in a seductive way}[Following him] Out in th' park in th'

shade of a warm summery evenin', \rith

your little darlin' bridie to be, kissin' an'

cuddlin' [she tries to put her arm around his

neck], kissin' an' cuddlin', ay?The Covey [frightened]. Ay, what are

you doin'? None o' that, now; none o' that.

I've something else to do besides1 shinan-

nickin' afther Judies !

[The COVEY turns to L. and moves

slowly to L., away from HOSIE; she

turns with him, keeping him facing

her, holding his arm. They move this

way to C.]

Rosie. Oh, little duckey, oh, shy little

duckey! Never held a mot's hand, an7

wouldn't know how to tittle a. little Judy![She* clips him under the chin] Tittle himundher th' chin, tittle him undher th' chin!

The Covey [breaking away and running

out by doors I/.]. Aye, go on, now; I don't

want to have any meddlin' with a lassie like

you!Rosie [enraged returning to the seat at

the window]. Jasus, it's in a monastherysome of us ought to be, spendin' our holi

days kneelin' on our adorers, tellin' our

beads an' knockin' hell out of our bufcfcums !

[The voice of the COVEY is heard out

side doors L. calling in a scale oj notes,

"Cuckoo-ooooo:" Then the swing-doors open, and PETER and FLXJTHER,

followed by MRS. GOGAN, come in.

MRS. GOGAN carries a baby in her

arms]Peter [in plaintive anger, looking towards

the door L.] . It's terrible that young Coveycan't let me pass without proddin' at me!Did you hear him murmurin' "cuckoo"

when he were passin'?Fluther [irritably to PETER]. I wouldn't

be everlastin' cockin' me ear to hear everylittle whisper that was floatin' around about

me ! It's my rule never to lose me tempertill it would be dethrimental to keep it.

There's nothin' derogatory in th' use o' th'

word "cuckoo," is there?

[MRS. GOGAN, followed by PETER, go upto the seat under the window and sit

down, PETER to the R. of MRS. GOGAN.

ROSIE, after a look at those who've

come in, goes out by doors L.]

Peter [tearfully]. It's not the word, it's

the way he says it! He never says it

straight out, but murmurs it with curious

quiverin' ripples, like variations on a flute.

Fluther [standing in front of the seat].

A' what odds if he gave it with variations on

a thrombone? [To MRS. GOGAN] What's

yours goin' to be, maam?Mrs. Gogan. Ah, half a malt, Fluther.

[FLUTHER goes from the seat over to

the counter]

Fluther [to the BARMAN], Three halves,

Tommy.[The BARMAN gets the drinks, leaves

them on the counter. FLUTHER paysthe BARMAN; takes drinks to the seat

under the window; gives one to MRS.

GOGAN, one to PETER, and keeps the

third for himself. He then sits on the

seat to the L. of MRS. GOGAN]Mrs. Gogan [drinking, and looking ad

miringly at PETER'S costume]. The Forest-

hers' is a gorgeous dhress! I don't think

I've seen nicer, mind you, in a pantomime.... Th' loveliest part of th' dhress, I think,

is th' ojsthrichess plume. . . When yousare goin' along, an' I see them wavin' an'

noddin' an' waggin', I seem to be lookin' at

each of yous hangin' at th' end of a rope,

your eyes bulgin' an' your legs twistin' an'

jerkin', gaspin' an' gaspin' for breath while

yous are thryin' to die for Ireland!

Fluther [scornfully]. If any o' them is

ever hangin' at the end of a rope, it won't

be for Ireland!

Petef. Are you goin' to start th' youngCovey's game o' proddin' an' twartin' a

man? There's not many that's talkin' can

say that for twenty-five years he nevermissed a pilgrimage to Bodenstown!Fluther [looking angrily at PETER].

You're always blowin' about goin' to Bodenstown. D'ye think no one but yourselfever went to Bodenstown? [FLXJTHER emphasizes the word "Bodenstown"]Peter [plaintively]. I'm not blowin'

about it; but there's not a year that I gothere but I pluck a leaf off Tone's grave, an'

this very day me prayer-book is nearly full

of them.Fluther [scornfully]. Then Fluther has a

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 741

vice-versa opinion of them that put ivyleaves into their prayer-books, scabbin' it onth' clergy, an' thryin' to out-do th' haloes o'

th' saints be lookin' as if he was wearin'

around his head a glittherin' aroree boree

allis ! [Fiercely] Sure, I don't care a damnif you slep' in Bodenstown! You can take

your breakfast, dinner an' tea on th' grave,in Bodenstown, if you like, for Fluther !

Mrs. Gogan. Oh, don't start a fight, boys,for God's sake; I was only sayin' what a

nice costume it is nicer than th' kilts, for,

God forgive me, I always think th' kilts is

hardly decent.

Fluther {laughing scornfully']. Ah, sure,

when you'd look at him, you'd wondherwhether th' man was makin' fun o' th' cos

tume, or th' costume was makin' fun o' th'

man!Barman [over to them] . Now, then, thry

to speak asy, will yous? We- don't want noshoutin' here.

[The swing-doors open and the COVEY,

followed by BESSIE BURGESS, come in.

They go over and stand at the counter.

Passing, BESSIE gives a scornful look at

those seated near the window. BESSIE

and the COVEY talk together, but fre

quently eye the group at the window]

Covey [to the BARMAN]. Two glasses o'

malt.

[The BARMAN gets the drinks; leaves

them on the counter. The COVEY putsone beside BESSIE and keeps the other.

He pays the BARMAN]Peter [plaintively]. There he is now I

knew he wouldn't be long till he folleyedme in.

Bessie [speaking to the COVEY, but really

at the other party]. I can't for th' life oj

me undherstand how they can call themselves Catholics, when they won't lift a fin

ger to help poor little Catholic Belgium.Mrs. Grogan [raising her voice]. What

about poor little Catholic Ireland?

Bessie [over to MRS. GOGAN]. You mindyour own business, maam, an' stupify yourfoolishness be gettin' dhrunk.

Peter [anxiously to MRS. GOGAN]. Takeno notice of her; pay no attention to her.

She's just tormentin' herself towards havin'

a row with somebody.Bessie [in quiet anger]. There's a storm

of anger tossin' in me heart, thinkin' of all

th' poor Tommies, an' with them me ownson, dhrenched in water an' soaked in blood,

gropin' their way to a shattherin' death, in

a shower o' shells! Young men with th'

sunny lust o' life beamin' in them, layin'

down their white bodies, shredded into torn

an' bloody pieces, on th' althar that GodHimself has built for th' sacrifice of heroes !

Mrs. Gogan [indignantly] . Isn't it a nice

thing to have to be listenin' to a lassie an'

hangin' our heads in a dead silence, knowin'

that some persons think more of a ball of

malt than they do of th' blessed saints.

Fluther [deprecatingly]. Whisht; she's

always dangerous an' derogatory when she's

well oiled. Th' safest way to hindher her

from havin' any enjoyment out of her spite,

is to dip our thoughts into the fact of her

bein5 a female person that has moved out of

th' sight of ordinary sensible people.Bessie [over to MRS. GOGAN, viciously].

To look at some o' th' women that's

knockin' about, now, is a thing to make a

body sigh. ... A woman on her own,dhrinkin' with a bevy o7 men is hardly an

example to her sex. ... A womandhrinkin' with a woman is one thing, an' awoman dhrinkin' with herself is still a

woman flappers may be put in another

category altogether but a middle-agedmarried woman makin' herself th' centre of

a circle of men is as a woman that is loud

an' stubborn, whose feet abideth not in her

own house.

The Covey [to BESSIE with a scornfullook at PETER]. When I think of all th'

problems in front o' th' workers, it makesme sick to be lookin' at ouP codgers goin'

about dhressed up like green-accoutered fig

ures gone asthray out of a toyshop !

Peter [angrily]. Gracious God, give mepatience to be listenin' to that blasted

young Covey proddin7at me from over at

th' other end of th' shop !

Mrs. Gogan [dipping her finger in the

whisky, and moistening with it the lips ofher baby]. Cissie Gogan's a woman livin'

for nigh on twenty-five years in her ownroom, an' beyond biddin' th' time o' day to

her neighbours, never yet as much as nodded her head in th' direction of other peo

ple's business, while she knows some [with

a look at BESSIE] as are never content unless they're standin' senthry over other peo

ple's doin's!

[Again the figure appears, like a sil

houette, in the window, back, and all

hear the voice of the speaker declaim-

742 SEAN O'CASEY

ing passionately to the gathering out

side. FLUTHER, PETER and MRS. GO

GAN stand up, turn, and look towards

the window. The BARMAN comes to

the end of the counter; BESSIE and the

COVEY stop talking',and look towards

the window}

The Voice of the Speaker. The last six

teen months have been the most glorious in

the history of Europe. Heroism has come

back to the earth. War is a terrible^

thing,

but war is not an evil thing. People in Ire

land dread war because they do not know

it, Ireland has not known the exhilaration

of war for over a hundred years. When war

comes to Ireland she must welcome it as she

would welcome the Angel of God 1

[The figure passes out of sight and

hearingf L.]

The Covey Howards all present}. Dope,

dope. There's only one war worth havin' :

th' war for th' economic emancipation of thj

proletariat.

Bessie [referring to MRS. GOGAN]. They

may crow away out o' them; but it ud be

fitther for some o' them to mend their ways,

an' cease from havin' scouts out watchin'

for th' comin' of th' Saint Vincent de Paul

man, for fear they'd be nailed lowerin' a

pint of beer, mockin' th' man with an angel

face, shinin' with th' glamour of deceit an'

lies!

Mrs. Gogan [over to BESSIE]. An' a cer

tain lassie standin' stiff behind her own door

with her ears cocked listenin' to what's be

ing said, stuffed till she's sthrained with

envy of a neighbour thryin' for a few little

things that may be got be hard sthrivin' to

keep up to th' letther an' th' law, an' th'

practices of th' Church!

Peter [to MRS. GOGAN]. If I was you,

Mrs. Gogan, I'd parry her jabbin' remarks

be a powerful silence that'll keep her tan-

talizin' words from penethratin' into your

feelin's. It's always betther to leave these

people to th' vengeance o' God!

Bessie [at the counter}. Bessie Burgess

doesn't put up to know much, never havin'

a swaggerin' mind, thanks be to God, but

goin' on packin' up knowledge accordio.' to

her conscience: precept upon precept, line

upon line; here a little, an' there a little.

[BESSIE, with a vigorous swing of her

shawl, turns, and with a quick mment goes c., facing MRS GOGAN]

[Furiously} But, thanks be to Christ, she

knows when she was got, where she was got,

an' how she was got; while there's some she

knows, decoratin' their finger with a well-

polished weddin' ring, would be hard put to

it if they were assed to show their weddin'

lines!

[MRS. GOGAN springs up from the seat

and bounces to c., facing BESSIE BUR

GESS. MRS. GOGAN is wild with anger}

Mrs. Gogan [with hysterical rage}. Y'

oul' rip of a blasted liar, me weddin' ring's

been well earned be twenty years be th' side

o' me husband, now takin' his rest in

heaven, married to me be Father Dempsey,in th' Chapel o' Saint Jude's, in th' Christ

mas Week of eighteen hundhred an' ninety-

five ;an' any kid, livin' or dead, that Jinnie

Gogan's had since, was got between th'

bordhers of th' Ten Commandments! . . .

Bessie [bringing the palms of her hands

together in sharp claps to emphasize her re

marks}. Liar to you, too, maam, y' oul'

hardened thresspasser on other people's

good nature, wizenin' up your soul in th'

arts o' dodgeries, till every dhrop of re

spectability in a female is dhried up in her,

lookin' at your ready-made manceuverin'

with th' menkind !

Barman [anxiously leaning over the coun

ter}. Here, there; here, there; speak asy

there. No rowin' here, no rowin' here, now.

[FLTTTHER comes from the seat, gets in

front of MRS GOGAN, and tries to pac

ify her; PETER leaves the seat}and tries

to do the same with BESSIE, holding

her back from MRS. GOGAN. The posi

tions are: BARMAN behind the counter,

leaning forward; BESSIE R.; next PE

TER; next FLTJTHER; next MRS. GOGAN,with baby in her arms. The COVEY re

mains leaning on the counter, look

ing on}

Fluther [trying to calm MRS. GOGAN].

Now, Jinnie, Jinnie, it's a derogatory thing

to be smirchin' a night like this with a row;

it's rompin' with th' feelin's of hope we

ought to be, instead o 7bein' vice versa !

Peter [trying to quiet BESSIE]. I'm ter

rible- dawny, Mrs. Burgess, an' a fight leaves

me weak for a long time aftherwards. . . .

Please, Mrs. Burgess, before there's damagedone, thry to have a little respect for yourself.

Bessie [with a push of her hand that sends

PETER tottering to the end of the counter}.

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 743

G'way, you little sermonizing, little yella-

faced, little consequential, little pudgy, lit

tle bum, you !

Mrs. Gogan [screaming and struggling].

Fluther, leggo! I'm not goin' to keep anunresistin' silence, an' her seatherin' her fes-

therin' words in me face, stirrin' up everydhrop of decency in a respectable female,with her restless rally o' lies that wouldmake a saint say his prayer backwards!Bessie [shouting]. Ah, everybody knows

well that th' best charity that can be shownto you is to hide th

j

thruth as much as ourthrue worship of God Almighty will allow

us I

Mrs. Gogan [frantically]. Here, houF th'

kid, one o' yous; hour th' kid for a minute!There's nothin' for it but to show this lassie

a lesson or two. ... [To PETER] Here,houl 7

th' kid, you.[MRS GOGAN suddenly rushes over to

PETER, standing, trembling with fear,

between the end of the counter and the

seat under the window. Bewildered,and before he's aware of it, MRS. GOGAN has put the baby in his arms.

MRS. GOGAN rushes back c. and puts

herself in a fighting attitude in front

of BESSIE]

[To BESSIE, standing before her in a fight

ing attitude] Come on, now, me loyal las

sie, dyin' with grief for little Catholic Bel

gium! When Jinnie Gogan's done with

you, you'll have a little leisure lyin' down to

think an' pray for your king an' counthrylBarman [coming from behind the counter,

getting between the women, and proceedingto push BESSIE towards the door]. Here,

now, since yous can't have a little friendly

argument quietly, yous'll get out o' this

place in quick time. Go on, an' settle yourdifferences somewhere else I don't want to

have another endorsement on me licence.

[The BARMAN pushes BESSIE towards

the doors LV MRS. GOGAN following]Peter [anxiously calling to MRS. GOGAN].

Here, take your kid back ower this. Hownicely I was picked now for it to be plumpedinto my arms !

The Covey [meaningly]. She knew whoshe was givin' it to, maybe.

[PETER goes over near to the COVEY at

the counter to retort indignantly, as

the BARMAN pushes BESSIE out of the

doors L. and gets hold of MRS. GOGANto put her out too]

Peter [hotly to the COVEY]. Now, I'm

givin' you fair warnin', me young Covey, to

quit firin' your jibes an' jeers at me. . . .

For one o' these days, I'll run out in front o'

God Almighty an' take your sacred life!

Barman [pushing MRS. GOGAN out after

BESSIE]. Go on, now; out you go.

Peter [leaving the baby down on the floor

c]. Ay, be Jasus, wait there, till I give her

back her youngster !

[PETER runs to the door L., opens it, andcalls out after MRS. GOGAN]

Peter [calling at the door L.]. Eh, there,

eh! What about the kid? [He runs back

in, c., and looks at FLUTHER and the COVEY]

There, she's afther goin' without her kid

what are we goin' to do with it now?The Covey [jeering] . What are you goin'

to do with it? Bring it outside an' show

everybody what you're afther findm'.

Peter [in a panic to FLUTHER]. Pick it

up, you, Fluther, an' run afther her with it,

will you?Fluther [with a long look at PETER].

What d'ye take Fluther for? You mustthink Fluther's a right gom. D'ye think

Fluther's like yourself, destitute of a titther

of undherstandin'?

Barman [imperatively to PETER], Takeit up, man, an' run out afther her with it,

before she's gone too far. You're not goin'to leave th' bloody thing there, are you?Peter [plaintively, as he lifts up the

baby]. Well, God Almighty, give me patience with all th' scorners, tormentors, an'

twarters that are always an' ever thryin' to

goad me into prayin' for their blindin' an 1

blastin' an' burnin' in th' world to come !

[PETER, with the baby, goes out of the

door L. FLUTHER comes from the front

of the window to the counter andstands there, beside the COVEY]

Fluther [with an air of relief]. God, it's

a relief to get rid o' that crowd. Women is

terrible when they start to fight. There's noholdm' them back . [To the COVEY] Are yougoin' to have anything?The Covey. Ah, I don't mind if I have

another half.

Fluther [to the BARMAN]. Two more.

Tommy, me son.

[The BARMAN gets the drinks, FLUTHER

pays]Fluther [to the COVEY]. You know there's

no conthrolhV a woman when she loses her

head.

744 SEAN O'CASEY

[RosiE appears at the doors L. She

looks over at the counter, sees the two

men, then crosses over to the L. end of

the counter, where she stands, with a

suggestive look towards FLUTHEE]

Rosie [to the BARMAN]. Divil a use o'

havin' a thrim little leg on a night like

this; things was never worse. . . . Give us

a half till to-morrow, Tom, duckey.Barman {coldly}. No more to-night,

Rosie; you owe me for three already.

Rosie [combatively]. You'll be paid,

won't you?Barman. I hope so.

Rosie. You hope so! Is that th' waywith you, now?

Fluther [with a long glance at ROSIE, to

the BARMAN]. Give her one it'll be all

right.

[The BARMAN gets a drink, and puts it

on the counter before ROSIE; FLUTHER

pays for if]

Rosie [clapping FLTTTHER on the back].

Our sport!Fluther [to COVEY]. Th' meetin' should

be soon over, now.The Covey [in a superior way}. Th5

sooner th1

betther. It's alia lot o' blasted

nonsense, comrade.

Fluther. Oh, I wouldn't say it was all

nonsense. After all, Fluther can remember

th' time, anj him only a dawny chiselur,

bein' taught at his mother's knee to be

faithful to th' Shan Vok Vok!The Covey. That's all dope, comrade;

th* sort o' thing that workers are fed on be

th' Boorzwawzee.Fluther [a little sharply]. What's all

dope ? Though I'm sayin;

it that shouldn't :

[catching his cheek with his hand, and pull

ing down the flesh from the eye] d'ye see

that mark there, undher me eye? ... Asabre slice from a dragoon in O'Connell

Street 1 [Thrusting his head forward to-

wards ROSIE] Feel that dint in th' middle

o' me nut!

Rosie [rubbing FLTTTHER'S head, and wink

ing at the COVEY] . My God, there's a holla !

Fluther [.putting on his hat with quiet

pride]. A skelp from a bobby's baton at a

Labour meetin' in th' Phcenix Park!

The Covey [sarcastically]. He must ha'

hitten you in mistake. I don't know what

you ever done for th' Labour movement.Fluther [loudly]. D J

ye not? Maybe,

then, I done as much, an' know as much

about th' Labour movement as th' chancers

that are biowin' about it!

Barman [over the counter]. Speak easy,

Fluther, thry to speak easy.

The Covey [quietly]. There's no neces

sity to get excited about it, comrade.

Fluther [more loudly]. Excited? Who's

gettin' excited? There's no one gettin' ex

cited! It would take something more than

a thing like you to futther a feather o'

Fluther. Blatherin', an', when all is said>

you know as much as th' rest in th' wind

up!The Covey [emphatically]. Well, let us

put it to th' test, then, an' see what youknow about th' Labour movement: what's

the mechanism of exchange?

Fluther [roaring, because he feels he is

beaten] . How th' hell do I know what it is?

There's nothin' about that in th' rules of our

Thrades Union!Barman [protestingly]. For God's sake,

thry to speak easy, Fluther.

The Covey. What does Karl Marx say

about th' Relation of Value to th' Cost o'

Production?

Fluther [angrily]. What th' hell do I

care what he says? I'm Irishman enoughnot to lose me head be follyin' foreigners!

Barman. Speak easy, Fluther.

The Covey [contemptuously]. It's onlywaste o' time talkin' to you, comrade.

Fluther. Don't be comradin' me, mate.

I'd be on me last legs if I wanted you for

a comrade.

Rosie [to the COVEY, taking FLXJTHER'S

part]. It seems a highly rediculous thing to

hear a thing that's only an inch or two awayfrom a kid, swingin' heavy words about he

doesn't know th' meanin' of, an' uppishly

thryin' to down a man like Misther Fluther

here, that's well flavoured in th' knowledgeof th' world he's livin' in.

The Covey [bending over the counter

savagely to ROSIE]. Nobody's askin' youto be buttin' in with your prate. ... I

have you well taped, me lassie. . . . Just

you keep your opinions for your own place.

. . . It'll be a long time before th' Coveytakes any instructions or reprimandin'from a prostitute!

[RosiE, wild with humiliation, bounds

jrom the end of the counter to c. andwith eyes blazing, faces towards the

COVEY]

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 745

Rosie. You louse, you louse, you! . . .

You're no man. . . . You're no man . .

I'm a woman, anyhow, an5

if Fm a prostitute aself, I have me feelin's. . . . Thryin'to put his arm around me a minute ago, an'

givin' me th' glad eye, th' little wrigglin'

lump o' desolation turns on me now, becausehe saw there was nothin' doin'. . . . Youlouse, you ! If I was a man, or you were awoman, I'd bate th' puss o' you 1

Barman. Ay, Rosie, ay! You'll have toshut your mouth altogether, if you can't

learn to speak easy!

[FLTJTHER, with a dignified walk, goesover to ROSIE c. and puts a hand onher shoulder]

Fluther [to ROSIE]. Houl' on there,

Rosie; houl' on, there. There's no necessityto flutther yourself when you're with Fluther. . . . Any lady that's in th' companyof Fluther is goin' to get a fair hunt. . . .

This is outside your province. . . . I'm not

goin' to let you demean yourself be talkin'

to a tittherin' chancer. . . . Leave this toFluther this is a man's job. . . . [He turns

from ROSIE, comes back, crosses the COVET,then turns and faces him. To the COVEY]Now, if you've anything to say, say it to

Fluther; an' let me tell you, you're not

goin' to be pass-remarkable to any lady in

my company.The Covey. Sure I don't care if you were

runnin' all night afther your Mary o' th'

Curlin' Hair, but, when you start tellin'

luscious lies about what you done for th'

Labour movement, it's nearly time to showy'up!

Fluther [fiercely! . Is it you show Fluther

up? G'way, man, I'd beat two o' you beforeme breakfast!

The Covey [contemptuously]. Tell uswhere you bury your dead, will you?

Fluther [with his face stuck into the faceof the COVEY] . Sing a little less on th' highnote, or, when I'm done with you, you'll puta Christianable consthruction on things, I'mtellin' you!The Covey. You're a big fella, you are.

Fluther [tapping the COVEY threateninglyon the shoulder]. Now, you're temptin'Providence when you're temptin' Fluther!The Covey [losing his temper, knocking

[FLUTHER'S hands away, and bawling].

Easy with them hands, there, easy withthem hands! You're startin' to take a little

risk when you commence to paw the Covey I

[FLTTTHER suddenly springs into the c.

of the shop, flings his hat into the

corner, whips off his coat, and beginsto paw the air like a pugilist]

Fluther [roaring]. Come on, come on,

you lowser; put your mitts up now, if there's

a man's blood in you! Be God, in a fewminutes you'll see some snots flyin' around,I'm tellin' you. . * . When Fluther's donewith you, you'll have a vice-versa opinionof him! Come on, now, come on!

[The COVEY squares up to FLTJTHER]Barman [running from behind the counter

and catching hold of the COVEY] . Here, out

you go, me little bowsey. Because you gota couple o' halves you think you can act

as you like. [He pushes the COVEY to the

doors L.] Fluther's a friend o' mine, an' I'll

not have him insulted.

The Covey [struggling with the BARMAN].Ay, leggo, leggo there; fair hunt, give a mana fair hunt! One minute with him is all I

ask; one minute alone with him, while

you're runnin' for th' priest an' th' doctor!Fluther [to the BARMAN]. Let him go, let

him go, Tom : let him open th' door to sudden death if he wants to!

Barman [grappling with the COVEY]. Goon, out you go an' do th' bowsey somewhereelse.

[The BARMAN pushes the COVEY out bydoors i., and goes back behind the

counter. FLTJTHER assumes a proud air

of victory. ROSIE gets his coat, andhelps him to put it on; she then getshis hat and puts it on his head]

Rosie [helping FLUTHER with his coat].

Be God, you put th' fear o' God in his heartthat time! I thought you'd have to be dugout of him. . . . Th' way you lepped outwithout any of your fancy side-steppin' !

"Men like Fluther," says I to meself, "is

gettin' scarce nowadays."Fluther [with proud complacency

'

t c.]. I

wasn't goin' to let meself be malignined bya chancer. ... He got a little bit too de

rogatory for Fluther. ... Be God, to thinkof a cur like that comin1 to talk to a manlike me I

Rosie [fixing on his hat]. Did j'ever!Fluther. He's lucky he got off safe. I hit

a man last week, Rosie, an' he's fallin' yet!Rosie. Sure, you'd ha' broken him in two

if you'd ha' hitten him one clatther !

Fluther [amorously, putting his armaround ROSIE]. Come on into th' snug, me

746 SEAN 'CASEY

little darlin', an' we'll have a few dhrinks

before I see you home.

Rode. Oh, Fluther, I'm afraid you're a

terrible man for th' women.[FLUTHER leads ROSIE to the seat with

the round table in front, E. She sits

down on the seat. He goes to the

counter]

Fluther [to the BABMAN]. Two, full ones,

Tommy.. [BAEMAN gets the drinks. FLUTHER

brings them over to seat E., leaves them

on the table, and sits down beside

ROSIE. The swing-doors L. open and

CAPTAIN BRENNAN, COMMANDANT

CLITHEROE, and LIEUTENANT LANGON

enter, and cross quickly to the counter.

CAPT. BRENNAN carries the banner of

The Plough and the Stars, and LIEUT.

LANGON a green, white and orange Tri

colour. They are in a state of emotional excitement. Their faces are

flushed and their eyes sparkle; they

speak rapidly, as if unaware of the

meaning of what they say. They have

been mesmerized by the fervency of

the speeches]Clitheroe [almost pantingly to the BAR

MAN]. Three glasses o' portl

[The BARMAN brings the drinks, CLITH

EEOE pays]

Capt. Brennan. We won't have long to

wait now.Lieut. Langon. Th' time is rotten ripe for

revolution.

Clitheroe [to LIEUT. LANGON]. You have

a mother, Langon.Lieut. Langon. Ireland is greater than a

mother.

Capt. Brennan [to CLITHEROE]. You have

a wife, Clitheroe.

Clitheroe. Ireland is greater than a wife.

Lieut. Langon. Th' time for Ireland's

battle is now th' place for Ireland's battle

is here.

[The tall, dark figure again appears in

the window. The three men stiffen to

attention. They stand out from the L.

of the counter, BRENNAN nearest

counter, then CLITHEROE, then LIEUT.

LANGON. FLUTHER and ROSIE, busy

with each other, take no notice]

The Voice of the Man. Our foes are

strong, but strong as they are, they cannot

undo the miracles of God, who ripens in the

heart of -young men the seeds sown by the

young men of a former generation. Theythink they have pacified Ireland; think they

have foreseen everything; think they have

provided against everything; but the fools,

the fools, the fools! they have left us our

Fenian dead, and, while Ireland holds these

graves, Ireland, unfree, shall never be at

peace !

Capt. Brennan [lifting up the Plough and

the Stars] . Imprisonment for th' Independ

ence of Ireland !

Lieut. Langon [lifting up the Tri-colour].

Wounds for th' Independence of Ireland !

Clitheroe. Death for th' Independence of

Ireland I

The Three [together]. So help us God!

[They lift their glasses and drink to

gether. The "Assembly" is heard on

a bugle outside. They leave their

glasses on the counter, and hurry out

by doors L. A pause. Then FLUTHER

and ROSIE rise from the seat, and start

to go L. ROSIE is linking FLUTHER,who is a little drunk. Both are in <a

merry mood]

Rosie. Are you afraid or what? Are you

goin' to come home, or are you not?

Fluther. Of course I'm goin' home. Whatud ail me that I wouldn't go?

Rosie [lovingly]. Come on, then, ou?

sport.

Officer's Voice [giving command outside].

Irish Volunteers, by th' right, quick march!

Rosie [putting her arm round FLUTHER

and singing to the air "Twenty-four Strings

to My Bow"].

I once had a lover, a tailor, but Jb.e could

do nothin' for me,An' then I fell in with a sailor as strong an'

as wild as th' sea.

We cuddled an' kissed with devotion, till th'

night from th' mornin7 had fled ;

An' there, to our joy, a bright bouncin' boyWas dancin' a jig in th' bed!

Dancin' a jig in th' bed, an' bawlin' for

Lvtther an' bread.

An' there, to our joy, a bright bouncin' boyWas dancin' a jig in th' bed!

[They go out with their arms round

each other]

Clitheroe's Voice [in command outside].

Dublin Battalion of the Irish Citizen Army,by th' right, quick march!

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 747

ACT THEEE

SCENE A corner house of a street of tene

ments; exterior of house in which the

Clitheroes live. It is a tall, gaunt five-

storey tenement. Its brick front is dull

from weather and age. It juts out from L.

more than half-way across stage, showing

part of the front elevation, with wide, heavy

door, having windows above and on both

sides* The windows on L., looking into the

rooms of the Clitheroes, are hung with goodcasement cloth. The others are draped with

grimy lace curtains. Stone steps lead fromthe door to the path on the street. Fromthese steps, on each side of the door are

railings to prevent anyone from falling downthe area. To the extreme R. the front of

another house is merely indicated by the

side aspect of a wall with steps leading fromthe door, on which the wounded LANGONrests later on in the scene. Between the two

runs a lane which, upstage, turns to the R.

At the corner of the lane, nearest the house

shown almost full front, is a street lamp.As the house is revealed, MRS. GOGAN is

seen helping MOLLSER to a chair, which

stands on the path beside the railings, at

the L. side of the steps. She then wraps a

shawl around MOLLSER'S shoulders. It is

some months later.

Mrs. Gogan [arranging shawl around

MOLLSER]. Th' sun'll do you all th' goodin th' world. A few more weeks o* this

weather, an7there's no knowin' how well

you'll be. ... Are you comfy, now?Mollser [weakly and wearilyl. Yis, ma;

I'm all right.

Mrs. Gogan Ibending over her]. How are

you feelin1?

Mollser. Betther, ma, betther. If thj

horrible sinkinrfeelin' ud go, Fd be all right.

Mrs. Gogan. Ah, I wouldn't put much

pass on that. Your stomach maybe's out of

ordher. ... Is thj

poor breathin* any bet

ther, d'ye think?

Mollser. Yis, yis, ma; a lot betther.

Mrs. Gogan. Well, that's somethin* anyhow. . , . With th' help o' God, you'll beon thj mend from this out. . . . D'your legs

feel any sthronger undher you, d'ye think?

Mollser [irritably], I can't tell, ma. I

think so. ... A little.

Mrs. Gogan. Well, a little aself is some-thin'. ... I thought I heard you coughin'

a little more than usual last night. . . .

D'ye think you were?Mollser. I wasn't, ma, I wasn't.

Mrs. Gogan. I thought I heard you, for

I was kep' awake all night with th' shootin'.

An' thinkin' o' that madman, Fluther, run-

nin* about through th' night lookin' for

Nora Clitheroe to bring her back when he

heard she'd gone to folly her husband, an' in

dhread any minute he might come staggerin'

in covered with bandages, splashed all over

with th' red of his own blood, an' givin' us

barely time to bring thj

priest to hear th'

last whisper of his final confession, as his

soul was passin' through th' dark doorwayo' death into th' way o' th' wondherin' dead.

. . . You don't feel cold, do you?Mollser. No, ma; I'm all right.

Mrs. Gogan. Keep your chest well

covered, for that's th' delicate spot in you... if there's any danger, I'll whip you in

again. . . .

[MRS. GOGAN crosses to R., goes up the

lane, turns and looks R., as if lookingdown the streetl

Oh, here's the Covey an' oul' Peter hurryin'

along. [She comes down the lane, andcrosses to MOLLSER] God Almighty, sthrange

things is happenin' when them two is pullin'

together.

[The COVEY and PETER come into the

lane R., come down, and stand B.C.

MRS. GOGAN stands c, near the steps.

The two men are breathless and ex-<

cited!

[To the two men\ Were yous far up th*

town? Did yous see any sign o' Fluther or

Nora? How is things lookin'? I hear

they're blazing away out o' th' G.P.O. Thatth' Tommies is sthretched in heaps aroundNelson's Pillar an* th' Parnell Statue, an'

that th' pavin' sets in O'Connell Street is

nearly covered be pools o3 blood.

Peter. We seen no sign o' Nora or

Fluther anywhere.Mrs. Gogan. We should ha* held her back

be main force from goin' to look for her

husband. . . . God knows what's happenedto her I'm always seein' her sthretched onher back in some hospital, moanin' with th'

pain of a bullet in her vitals, an' nuns thryin*

to get her to take a last look at th' crucifix !

The Covey. We can do nothin'. Youcan't stick your nose into O'Connell Street,

an' Tyler's is on fire.,

Peter. An' we seen th' Lancers

748 SEAN O'CASEY

The Covey [interrupting]. Throttin7

along, heads in th' air; spurs an' sabres

jinglin', an' lances quiveria', an' lookin' as

if they were assia' themselves, "Where's

these blighters, till we get a prod at them/7

when there was a volley from th' Post Office

that stretched half o 7

them, an' sent th7rest

gallopin' away wondherin3 how far they'd

have to go before they'd feel safe.

Peter [.rubbing his hands]. "Damn it,"

says I to meself, "this looks like business!"

The Covey. An' then out comes General

Pearse an' his staff, an7

, standin7

in th3 mid

dle o' th' street, he reads th' Proclamation.

Mrs. Gogan. What proclamation?Peter. Declarin

7 an Irish Republic.

Mrs. Gogan [with amazement]. Go to

God!Peter. The gunboat Helga's shellin'

Liberty Hall, an' I hear that people livin'

on th7

quays had to crawl on their bellies

to Mass with th' bullets that were flyia'

around from Boland's Mills.

Mrs. Gogan. God bless us, what's goin'

to be th7 end of it all!

Bessie [opening and looking out of a

window]. Maybe yous are satisfied now;

maybe yous are satisfied now! Go on an'

get guns if yous are men Johnny get your

gun, get your gun, get your gun! Yous are

all nicely shanghaied now; th7

boyo hasn't

a sword on his thigh, now! Oh, yous are

all nicely shanghaied now! [She shuts

down the window viciously]

Mrs. Gogan [warningly to PETER and the

COVEY]. S-s-sh, don't answer her. She's th'

right oul7

Orange bitch ! She's been chantin'

"Rule, Britannia77

all th7 mornin'.

Peter. I hope Fluther hasn't met with

any accident, he's such a wild card.

The Covey. Fluther's well able to take

care of himself.

Mrs. Gogan [dolefully]. God grant it;

but last night I dreamt I seen gettin7

carried

into th' house a sthretcher with a figure

lyin7 on it, stiff an' still, dhressed in th' habit

of Saint Francis. An7

then, I heard th7

murmurs of a crowd no one could see sayin'

th' litany for th' dead; an' then it got so

dark that nothin7 was seen but th' white

face of th7

corpse, gleamin' like a white

wather lily floatin' on th7

top of a dark lake.

Then a tiny whisper thrickled into me ear,

sayin', "Isn't the face very like th' face o'

Fluther," an' then, with a thremblin7

flutther,

th' dead lips opened, an', although I couldn't

hear, I knew they were sayin7

,"Poor oul'

Fluther, afther havin' handin' in his gun at

last, his shakin' soul moored in th7

place

where th' wicked are at rest an3

th' weary

cease from throublin'."

[While MRS. GOGAN is speaking, PETER

wanders up the lane, looks R., then

stares; then puts on spectacles and

looks again. He turns and shouts at

MRS. GOGAN and the COVEY]

Peter [shouting]. Here they are, be God,

here they are; just afther turmV the corner

Nora an' Fluther!

[The COVEY runs up the lane and looks

R. with PETER]

Covey. She must be wounded or some

thing Fluther seems to be carryin' her.

[FLUTHER, half carrying NORA, comes in

R.; NORA'S eyes are 'dim and hollow;

her face pale and strained-looking; her

hair is tossed and her clothes are dusty.

They pass by COVEY and PETER, come

down the lane, and cross over to the

door of the house c. PETER and the

COVEY follow, and stand R. MRS. GOGAN goes over solicitously to NORA.

NORA wears a brown mackintosh]

Mrs. Gogan [running over to them] . Godbless us, is it wounded y'are, Mrs. Clitheroe,

or what?Fluther [confidently] . Ah, she's all right,

Mrs. Gogan; only worn out from thravellin'

an' want o' sleep. A night's rest, now, an7

she'll be as fit as a fiddle. Bring her in,

an3 make her lie down.

Mrs. Gogan [to NORA]. Did you hear e'er

a whisper o' Mr. Clitheroe?

Nora [wearily]. I could find him no

where, Mrs. Gogan. None o' them would

tell me where he was. They told me I

shamed my husband an7

th' women of Ire

land be carryin' on as I was. . . . They said

th7 women must learn to be brave an7 cease

to be cowardly. . . . Me who risked more

for love than they would risk for hate. . . .

[Raising her voice in hysterical protest] MyJack will be killed, my Jack will be lulled!

... He is to be butchered as a sacrifice to

th7 dead!

[NoRA sinks down on the steps at the

door. BESSIE BURGESS opem the win

dow, and shouts at them. They do not

look at her]

Bessie. Yous are all nicely shanghaied

now I Sorra mend the lassies who have

beer^ kissin7an' cuddlin' their boys into th'

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 749

sheddin' of blood. Fillin' their minds with

fairy tales that had no beginning but, please

God, '11 have a bloody quick endin'l [She

shuts the window with a bang]Fluther [losing control]. Y' ignorant oul'

throllope, you!Mrs. Gogan [coaxingly, to NOEA]. You'll

find he'll come home safe enough to you,Mrs. Clitheroe. Afther all, there's a powero' women that's handed over sons an' hus

bands, to take a runnin' risk in th' fight

they're wagin'.Nora. I can't help thinkin' every shot

fired '11 be fired at Jack, an' every shot fired

at Jack '11 be fired at me. What do I care

for th' others? I can think only of me ownself. . . . An' there's no woman gives a son

or a husband to be killed if they say it,

they're lyin', lyin', against God, Nature, an'

against themselves! . . . One blasted hussyat a barricade told me to go home an' not

be thryin' to dishearten th' men . . .

Peter {.unctuously]. You'll have to have

patience, Nora. We all have to put up with

twarthers an' tormentors in this world.

The Covey. If they were fightin' for anything worth while, I wouldn't mind.

Fluther [to NORA]. Nothin' derogatory'11 happen to Mr. Clitheroe. You'll find,

now, in th' finish up, it'll be vice versa.

Nora. Oh, I know that wherever he is,

he's thinkin' of wantin' to be with me. I

know he's longin' to be passin' his hand

through me hair, to be caressin' me neck, to

fondle me hand an' to feel me kisses clingin'

to his mouth. . . . An' he stands wherever

he is because he's brave? [Vehemently]

No, but because he's a coward, a coward,a coward!Mrs. Gogan. Oh, they're not cowards

anyway.Nora [with denunciatory anger]. I tell

you they're afraid to say they're afraid!

. . . Oh, I saw it, I saw it, Mrs. Gogan. . . .

At th' barricade in North King Street I saw

fear glowin' in all their eyes. . . . An' in th'

middle o' th' sthreet was somethin' huddled

up in a horrible tangled heap. . . . An' I

saw that they were afraid to look at it. ...

I tell you they were afraid, afraid, afraid!

Mrs. Gogan [lifting her up from the

steps]. Come on in, dear. If you'd been

a little longer together the wrench asundher

wouldn't have been so sharp.Nora [painfully ascending the steps,

helped by MRS. GOGAN]. Th' agony I'm in

since he left me has thrust away every

rough thing he done, an' every unkind wordhe spoke; only th' blossoms that grew out

of our lives are before me now; shakin' their

colours before me face, an' breathin' their

sweet scent on every thought springin' upin me mind, till, sometimes, Mrs. Gogan,sometimes I think I'm goin' mad!Mrs. Gogan. You'll be a lot betther when

you have a little lie down.

Nora [turning towards FLUTHER as she is

going in] . I don't know what I'd have done,

only for Fluther. I'd have been lyin' in th'

sthreets, only for him. . . . [As she goes in]

They have dhriven away th' little happinesslife had to spare for me. He has gone from

me for ever, for ever. . . . Oh, Jack, Jack,

Jack!

[As NORA is led in, BESSIE comes out.

She passes down the steps with her

head in the air; at the bottom she

stops to look back. When they have

gone in, she takes a mug of milk fromunder a shawl she is wearing and gives

it to MOLLSER silently. MOLLSER takes

it from her]

Fluther [going from c. to the COVEY and

PETER, R.]. Which of yous has the tossers?

The Covey. I have.

[BESSIE crosses from MOLLSER to R.

She pauses at the corner of the lanef

R., to speak to the two men]Bessie [scornfully, to FLUTHER and the

COVET]. You an' your Leadhers, and their

sham-battle soldiers has landed a body in

a nice way, havin' to go an' ferret out a bit

o' bread, God knows where. . . . Whyaren't yous in the G.P.O., if yous are men?It's paler an paler yous are gettin'. ... Alot of vipersthat's what the Irish peo

ple is !

[BESSIE goes up the lane, turns R., and**

goes out]

Fluther [warningly]. Never mind her.

[To the COVEY] Make a start, an' keep us

from th' sin of idleness. [He crosses fromR. to MOLLSER and speakes to her] Well,

how are you to-day, Mollser, oul' son?

What are you dhrinkin'? Milk?

Mollser. Grand, Fluther, grand, thanks

yes, milk.

Fluther [to MOLLSER]. You couldn't get

a betther thing down you. . . . This turn

up has done one good thing, anyhow; youcan't get dhrink anywhere, an' if it lasts a

750 SEAN O'CASEY

week I'll be so used to it that I won't think

of a pint.

[FLTJTHEB returns and joins the two

men R. The COVEY takes from his

pocket two worn coins and a thin strip

of wood (or tin) about jour inches

long. He puts the coins on the strip

of wood and holds the strip out fromhim']

The Covey. What's the bettin'?

Peter. Heads, a juice.

Fluther. Harps, a tanner.

[The COVEY flips the coins from the

wood into the air. As they jingle onthe ground the distant boom of a big

gun is heard. They leave the coins

where they are and listen intently]

Fluther [awed]. What th' hell's that?

The Covey [awed] . It's like the boom of

a big gun !

Fluther. Surely to God, they're not goin'

to use artillery on us!

The Covey [scornfully]. Not goin'!

[Vehemently] Wouldn't they use anythingon us, man?

Fluther. Aw, holy Christ, that's not

playin' th}

game!Peter [plaintively]. What would happen

if a shell landed here now?The Covey [ironically]. You'd be off to

heaven in a fiery chariot.

Peter. In spite of all th' warnin's that's

ringin' around us, are you goin' to start yourpickin' at me again?

Fluther. Go on, toss them again, toss

them again. . . . Harps, a tanner.

Peter. Heads, a juice.

[The COVEY tosses the coins as before;

they fall on the ground and roll a little.

FLUTHER waves the other two back as

they bend over the rolling coins]

Fluther. Let them roll, let them roll

heads be God![BESSIE runs in R., runs down the lane

towards the three men. She is breath

less with excitement. She has a newfox fur round her neck over her shawl,a number of new umbrellas under one

arm, a box of biscuits under the other,and she wears a gaudily trimmed hat

on her head. She speaks rapidly and

breathlessly]

Bessie. They're breakin' into thj

shops,

they're breakin' into th j

shops! Smashin'th' windows, batterin' in th' doors an' whip-pin' away everything ! An' th' Volunteers is

firin' on them. I seen two men an' a lassie

pushin' a piano down th' sthreet, an' th'

sweat rollin' off them thryin' to get it upon th' pavement ;

an' an oul' wan that mustha' been seventy lookin' as if she'd dhropevery minute with th' dint o' heart beatin',

thryin' to pull a big double bed out of a

broken shop window! I was goin' to wait

till I dhressed meself from th7skin out.

Mollser [to BESSIE, as she is going into

the house c.]. Help me in, Bessie; I'mfeelin' curious.

[BESSIE leaves the looted things in the

house, and, rapidly returning, helpsMOLLSER in]

The Covey [to FLUTHER]. Th' selfishness

of that one she waited till she got all

she could carry before she'd come to tell

anyone !

Fluther [running over to the door of the

house and shouting in to BESSIE]. Ay,Bessie, did you hear of e'er a pub gettin'

a shake up?Bessie [inside]. I didn't hear o' none.

Fluther [in a burst of enthusiasm] . Well,

you're goin' to hear of one soon !

The Covey [to FLUTHER, excitedly].

Come on, man, an' don't be wastin' time.

Peter [calling to them as they run up the

lane]. E, eh, are yous goin' to leave mehere, alone?

[FLUTHER and COVEY halt in middle ofthe lane, and turn to look and reply to

PETER]Fluther. Are you goin' to leave yourself

here?

Peter [anxiously]. Didn't yous hear her

sayin' they were firin' on them?The Covey and Fluther [together],

Well?Peter. Supposin' I happened to be

potted?Fluther. We'd give you a Christian bur

ial, anyhow.The Covey [ironically]. Dhressed up in

your regimentals.Peter [to the COVEY, passionately]. May

th' all-lovin' God give you a hot knock oneo' these days, me young Covey, tuthorin'

Fluther up now to be tiltin' at me, an'

crossin' me with his mockeries an* jibinM[FLUTHER and COVEY run up the lane,and go off R. PETER looks after themand then goes slowly into the house, c.]

[After a slight pause, MRS. GOGAN appears at the door oj the house c., push-

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 751

ing a pram in front of her. As she getsthe pram over the threshold BESSIE

appears, catches the pram, and stopsMRS. GOGAN'S progress]

Bessie [angrily]. Here, where are yougoin' with that? How quick you were, melady, to clap your eyes on th' pram. . . .

Maybe you don't know that Mrs. Sullivan,before she went to spend Easther with her

people in Dunboyne, gave me sthrict in

junctions to give an occasional look to see

if it was still standin' where it was left in

th' corner of th' lobby.Mrs. Gogan [indignantly]. That remark

of yours, Mrs. Bessie Burgess, requires a

little considheration, seein' that th' pramwas left on our lobby, an' not on yours; afoot or two a little to th' left of th' jambof me own room door; nor is it needful to

mention th' name of th' person that gavea squint to see if it was there th' first thingin th' mornin', an' th' last thing in th' still

ness o' th' night; never failin' to realize

that her eyes couldn't be goin' wrong, besthretchin' out her arm an' runnin' her handover th/ pram, to make sure that th' sight

was no deception! Moreover, somethings

tellin' me that th/ runnin' hurry of aninthrest you're takin' in it now is a suddenambition to use th7

pram for a purpose, that

a loyal woman of law an' ordher would

stagger away from![MRS. GOGAN pushes the pram violentlydown the steps, pulling BESSIE with

her, who holds her up again when theyreach the street]

Bessie [still holding the pram]. There's

not as much as one body in th' house that

doesn't know that it wasn't Bessie Burgessthat was always shakin' her voice com-

plainin' about people leavin' bassinettes in

th' way of them that, week in an' week out,

had to pay their rent, an' always had to

find a regular accommodation for her ownfurniture in her own room. . . . An' as for

law an' ordher, puttin' aside th' harp an'

shamrock, Bessie Burgess '11 have as muchrespect as she wants for th' lion an' unicorn !

Peter [appearing at the door of the housef

c.] . I think I'll go with th' pair of yous an'

see th' fun. A fella might as well chance

it, anyhow.Mrs. Gogan [taking no notice of PETER,

and pushing the pram on towards the lane].

Take your rovin' lumps o' hands from pat-tin' th' bassinette, if you please, ma'am;

an', steppin' from th' threshold of goodmanners, let me tell you, Mrs. Burgess, that

it's a fat wondher to Jennie Gogan that a

lady-like singer o' hymns like yourselfwould lower her thoughts from sky-thinkin'to sthretch out her arm in a sly-seekin' wayto pinch anything dhriven asthray in th'

confusion of th' battle our boys is makin'

for th' freedom of their counthry!Peter [laughing and rubbing his hands

together]. Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee! I'll gowith th' pair o' yous an' give yous a hand.Mrs. Gogan [with a rapid turn of her

head as she shoves the pram forward] . Get

up in th' prambulator an' we'll wheel youdown.Bessie [to MRS. GOGAN as she halts the

pram again] . Poverty an' hardship has sent

Bessie Burgess to abide with sthrange company, but she always knew them she had to

live with from backside to breakfast time;an' she can tell them, always havin' had aChristian kinch on her conscience, that a

passion for thievin' an' pinchin' would find

her soul a foreign place to live in, an' that

her present intention is quite th' lofty-

hearted one of pickin' up anything shaken

up an' scatthered about in th' loose confusion of a general plundher !

[MRS. GOGAN, BESSIE and the pram run

up the lane and go off R. PETER follows,but as he reaches the corner of the

lane the boom of the big gun bringshim to a sudden halt]

Peter [frightened into staying behind bythe sound of the gun]. God Almighty,that's th' big gun again! God forbid anyharm would happen to them, but sorra mindI'd mind if they met with a dhrop in their

mad endeyvours to plundher an' desthroy.[He looks down the street from the lane

for a moment, then runs to the hall

door of the house, c., which is open,and shuts it with a vicious pull;he then goes to the chair in whichMOLLSER had sat, sits down, takes out

his pipe, lights it and begins to smokewith his head carried at a haughtyangle. The COVEY comes in R. anddown the lane, staggering with a ten-

stone sack of flour on his back. Hegoes over to the door, pushes it with

his head, and finds he can't open it; heturns slightly in the direction of PETER]

The. Covey [to PETER]. Who shut th'

door? . . . [He kicks at it] Here, come on

752 SEAN O'CASEY

an' open it, will you? This isn't a mot's

hand-bag IVe got on me back.

Peter. Now, me young Covey, d'ye think

I'm goin' to be your lackey?The Covey {.angrily}. Will you open th'

door, y'oul'

Peter [shouting!. Don't be assin' me to

open any door, don't be assin' me to open

any door for you. . . . Makin' a shame an*

a sin o' th' cause that good men are fightin'

for. . . . Oh, God forgive th' people that,

instead o' burnishin5 th3 work th' boys is

doin' to-day, with quiet honesty an' patience,

is revilin' their sacrifices with a riot of lootin,

an' roguery!The Covey [sarcastically]. Isn't your

own eyes leppin' out o' your head with

envy that you haven't th' guts to ketch a

few o' th' things that God is givin' to His

chosen people? . . . Y'ouT hypocrite, if

every one was blind you'd steal a cross off

an ass's back !

Peter [very calmly]. You're not goin' to

make me lose me temper; you can go on

with your proddin' as long as you like;

goad an' goad an' goad away; hee hee, heee!

I'll not lose me temper.

[Somebody opens door and the COVEY

goes in]

Covey [inside house, to mock PETER].

Cuckoo-oo !

[PETER gets up from chair in a blaze of

passion, and follows the COVEY in,

shouting]Peter [shouting]. You lean, long, lanky

lath of a lowsey bastard. [Going in door

of house, c.1 Lowsey bastard, lowsey bas

tard!

[MRS. GOGAN and BESSIE, pushing the

pram, come in Rv come down lane to

front of the house, c. BESSIE is push

ing the pram, which is filled with loot.

MRS. GOGAN carries a tall standard

lamp, topped with a wide and bright-

coloured shade. The pram is filled

with fancy-coloured dresses, and boots

and shoes. They are talking as they

appear R.]

Mrs. Gogan [appearing R.]. I don't re

member ever havin' seen such lovely pairs

as them with the pointed toes an' the cuban

heels.

Bessie [they are now c., lifting one of the

evening dresses from the pram, holding it

up admiringly]. They'll go grand with th'

dhresses we're afther liftin', when we've

Stitched a sthray bit o' silk to lift th' bodices

up a little bit higher, so as to shake th'

shame out o' them, an' make them fit for

women that hasn't lost themselves in thj

nakedness o' th' times.

Peter [at door, sourly to MRS. GOGAN].

Ay, you. Mollser looks as if she was goin'

to faint, an' your youngster is roarin' in con

vulsions in her lap.

Mrs. Gogan [snappily]. She's never anyother way but faintin' !

[MRS. GOGAN runs into the house with

her arm full of things. She comes

back, takes up the lamp and is about

to go in, when a rifleshot very near is

heard. MRS. GOGAN, with lamp, and

BESSIE, with pram, rush to the door

which PETER, in a panic, has shut}

Mrs. Gogan [banging at the door]. Eh,

eh, you cowardly oul' fool, what are you

thryin' to shut the door on us for?

[MRS. GOGAN pushes the door open and

runs in, followed by BESSIE dragging

in the pram. They shut the door. Apause. Then CAPT. BRENNAN, sup

porting LIEUT. LANGON, comes in L,,

along the street in front of the house,

c. As BRENNAN and LANGON reach c.

going R., CLITHROE, pale and in a state

of calm nervousness, appears at L.,

walking backwards or looking back in

the direction from which they've come;he has a rifle held at the ready

^

in his

hands. LANGON is ghastly white and

now and again his face is twisted in

agony]

Capt. Brennan [back to CLITHEROE].

Why did you fire over their heads? Whydidn't you fire to kill?

Clitheroe. No, no, Bill; bad as they are,

they're Irish men an' women.[BRENNAN gently lets LANGON recline

on the steps of the house indicated to

the extreme R., holding him by an arm.

CLITHEROE is c., watching LANGON]

Capt, Brennan [savagely]. Irish be

damned! Attackin' an' mobbin' th' menthat are riskin' their lives for them. If these

slum lice gather at our heels again, plug one

o}

them, or I'll soon shock them with a snot

or two meself !

Lieut.'Langon [moaningly] . My God, is

there ne'er an ambulance knockin' around

anywhere? . . . Th' stomach is ripped out

oj me ; I feel it o-o-oh, Christ !

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 753

Capt. Brennan. Keep th' heart up, Jim;we'll soon get help, now.

[Door of house c. opens and NORArushes out, dashes down steps into

CLITHEROE'S arms at bottom. She

flings her arms around his neck. Herhair is down, her face haggard, but her

eyes are agleam with happy relief]

Nora [to CLITHEROE] . Jack, Jack, oh,

God be thanked. Kiss me, kiss me, Jack;kiss your own Nora.

Clitheroe [kissing her, and speaking bro

kenly]. My Nora; my little, beautiful

Nora, I wish to God I'd never left you.Nora. It doesn't matter not now, not

now, Jack. It will make us dearer than

ever to each other. . . . Kiss me, kiss meagain.

Clitheroe. Now, for God's sake, Nora,don't make a scene.

Nora [fervently]. I won't, I won't; I

promise, Jack honest to God.[BESSIE opens window of house to the

R., puts out her head, and shouts at

CLITHEROE and BRENNAN]Bessie [at window]. Has th' big guns

knocked all th' harps out of your hands?General Clitheroe'd rather be unlacin' his

wife's bodice now, than standin' at a barri

cade. [To BRENNAN] An' the professor of

chicken butcherin', there, finds he's upagainst something a little tougher than his

own chickens, an' that's sayin' a lot!

Capt. Brennan [over to BESSIE]. Shut up,

y'oul' hag !

Bessie [down to BRENNAN]. Choke thj

chicken, choke th' chicken, choke th'

chicken !

Lieut. Langon. For God's sake, Bill,

bring me some place where me wound '11 belooked afther. . . . Am I to die before anything is done to save me?

Capt. Brennan [to CLITHEROE]. Come on,

Jack. We've got to get help for Jim, here

have you no thought for his pain an' dan

ger?Bessie. Choke th' chicken, choke th'

chicken, choke th' chicken!

Clitheroe [to NORA]. Loosen me, darling,

let me go.

.ZVora [clinging to him]. No, no, no, I'll

not let you go ! Come on, come up to our

home, Jack, my sweetheart, my lover, myhusband, an' we'll forget th' last few terrible

days! . . .

Lieut. Langon [appealingly] . Oh, if I'd

kep' down only a little longer, I mightn't ha'

been hit! Every one else escapin', an' megettin' me belly ripped asundher! ... I

couldn't scream, couldn't even scream. . . .

D'ye think I'm really badly wounded, Bill?

Me clothes seem to be all soakin' wet. . . .

It's blood . . . My God, it must be me ownblood!

Capt. Brennan [to CLITHEROE]. Go on,

Jack, bid her good-bye -with another kiss,

an' be done with it! D'ye want Langon to

die in me arms while you're dallyin' with

your Nora?Clitheroe [to NORA]. I must go, I must-

go, Nora. I'm sorry we met at all. ... It

couldn't be helped all other ways were

blocked be th' British. . . . Let me go,

can't you, Nora? D'ye want me to be un-

thrue to me comrades?Nora. No, I won't let you go. ... I

want you to be thrue to me, Jack. . . . I'm

your dearest comrade; I'm your thruest

comrade. [Tightening her arms round

CLITHEROE] Oh, Jack, I can't let you go !

Clitheroe [with anger, mixed with affec

tion]. You must, Nora, you must.

Nora. All last night at the barricades I

sought you, Jack. I asked for you everywhere. I didn't think of the danger I

could only think of you. They dhrove meaway, but I came back again.

Clitheroe [ashamed of her action]. Whatpossessed you to make a show of yourself,

like that! What are you more than anyother woman?Nora. No more, maybe; but you are

more to me than any other man, Jack. . . .

I couldn't help it. ... I shouldn't havetold you. . . . My love for you made memad with terror.

Clitheroe [angrily] . They'll say now that

I sent you out th' way I'd have an excuse to

bring you home. . . . Are you goin' to turn

all th' risks I'm takin' into a laugh?Lieut. Langon. Let me lie down, let me

lie down, Bill; th' pain -would be easier,

maybe, lyin' down. . . . Oh, God, have

mercy on me I

Capt. Brennan [encouragingly to LANGON]. A few steps more, Jim, a few stepsmore ; thry to stick it for a few steps more.

Lieut. Langon. Oh, I can't, I can't, I

can't!

Capt. Brennan [to CLITHEROE]. Are youcomin', man, or are you goin' to make an

arrangement for another honeymoon? . . .

754 SEAN O'CASEY

If you want to act th' renegade, say so, an'

we'll be off I

Bessie [from window}. Hunnin' from th'

Tommies choke th' chicken. Runnin'

from th5 Tommies choke th' chicken!

Clitheroe [savagely to BRENNAN] . Damnyou, man, who wants to act th7

renegade?[To NORA] Here, let go your hold; let go,

I say!Nora [clinging to CLITHEROE, and indicat

ing BRENNAN] . Look, Jack, look at th' an

ger in his face; look at th' fear glintin' in

his eyes. . . . He, himselfs afraid, afraid,

afraid! ... He wants you to go th7 wayhe'll have th' chance of death sthrikin' youan' missin' him ! . . .

Clitheroe [struggling to release himself

from NORA]. Damn you, woman, will youlet me go !

Capt. Brennan [fiercely, to CLITHEROE].

Break her hold on you, man; or go up an'

sit on her lap !

[CLITHEROE tries to break her hold with

his right hand (he's holding rifle in the

other), but NORA clings to him]

Nora [imploringly"!. Jack, Jack, Jack!

Lieut. Langon [agonizingly] . Brennan, a

priest; I'm dyin', I think. I'm dyin'.

Clitheroe [to NORA]. If you won't do it

quietly, I'll have to make you! [To BRENNAN] Here, hold this gun, you, for a minute.

[He hands the gun to BRENNAN]Nora [pitifully]. Please, Jack. . . .

You're hurting me, Jack. . . . Honestly.. . . Oh, you're hurting ... me! ... I

won't, I won't, I won't! . . . Oh, Jack, I

gave you everything you asked of me. . . .

Don't fling me from you, now![He roughly loosens her grip} and

pushes her away from him, NORA sinks

to the steps at the door, and lies there]

Nora [weakly]. Ah, Jack. . . . Jack.

. . . Jack!

Clitheroe [taking the gun back fromBRENNAN]. Come on, come on.

[CLITHEROE hurries over to BRENNAN,catches hold of LANGON'S other arm;they both lift him up from steps, and

supporting him, turn into the lane and

go off R.]

[BESSIE looks at NORA lying on the

street, for a few moments, then, leav

ing the window, she comes out, runs

over to NORA, lifts her up in her arms,and carries her swiftly into the house.

A short pause, then down the street is

heard a wild, drunken yell; it comes

nearer, and FLUTHER enters, frenzied,

wild-eyed, mad, roaring drunk. In his

arms is an earthen half-gallon jar of

whisky; streaming from one of the

pockets of his coat is the arm of a newtunic shirt; on his head is a woman'svivid blue hat with gold lacing, all ofwhich he has looted]

[The evening begins to darken]

Fluther [singing in a frenzy, as he comesdown the lane].

Fluther's a jolly good fella . . .

Fluther's a jolly good fella ... up th'

rebels !

. . . that nobody can deny![He reels across to L., staggers up the steps

of the house, -c., and hammers at the door]

Get us a mug, or a jug, or somethin', someo' yous, one o' yous, will yous, before I lay

one o' yous out !

[Rifle firing is heard some distance

away and the boom of the big gun.

FLTJTHER turns from the door, andlooks off R.]

Bang an' fire away for all Fluther cares.

[He beats at the door] Come down an' openth}

door, some o' yous, one o' yous, will

yous, before I lay some o' yous out! . . .

Th' whole city can topple home to hell, for

Fluther.

[Inside the house, c., is heard a scream

from NORA, followed by a moan]

[Singing frantically] That nobody can deny,that nobody can deny,For Flutter's a jolly good fella,

Fluther's a jolly good fella,

Fluther's a jolly good fella ... up th'

rebels !

. . . that nobody can deny !

[His frantic movements cause him to

spill some of the whisky out of the jar]

[Looking down at jar] Blast you, Fluther,don't be spillin' th' precious liquor! [Hekicks at the door] Give us a mug, or a jug,or somethin', one o' yous, some o' yous, will

yous, before I lay one o' yous out !

[The door suddenly opens, and BESSIE,

coming out, grips him by the collar]

Bessie [indignantly]. You bowsey, comein ower o' that. . . . I'll thrim your thricks

o' dhrunken dancin' for you, an' none of usknowin' how soon we'll bump into a worldwe were never in before !

Fluther [as she is pulling him in]. Ay,th' jar, th' jar, th' jar. Mind th' jar!

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 755

[A short pause, then again is heard a

scream of pain from NORA. The door

opens and MRS. GOGAN and BESSIE are

seen standing at if]

IThe light gets dim"!

Bessie. Fluther would go, only he's too

dhrunk. . . . Oh, God, isn't it a pity he's so

dhrunk ! We'll have to thry to get a docthor

somewhere.Mrs. Gogan. I'd be afraid to go. . . .

Besides, Mollser's terrible bad. I don't

think you'll get a docthor to come. It's

hardly any use goinj

.

Bessie [determinedly}. I'll risk it. . . .

Give her a little of Fluther's whisky. . . .

It's th' fright that's brought it on her so soon.

. . . Go on back to her, you.[MRS. GOGANT goes into the house, andBESSIE softly closes the door. Shecomes down steps, and is half-wayacross to R., when rifle-firing and the

tok-tok-tok of a machine-gun bringher to a sudden halt. She hesitates for

a moment, then tightens her shawl

round herf as if it were a shield}

[Softly} God, be Thou my help in time o'

throuble; an' shelther me safely in th'

shadow of Thy wings.[She goes forward, goes up the lane, and

goes oft R.]

ACT FOUR

ScEN^Er^-The living-room of BESSIE BURGESS. It is one of two small attic rooms (the

other, used as a bedroom, is on the L.), the

low ceiling slopes down towards the back.

There is an unmistakable air of povertyabout the room. The paper on the walls is

torn and soiled. On the R., downstage, is a

door. A small window c. back. To L. of

window, a well-worn dresser, with a small

quantity of Delft. On the L. wall, upstageis a door leading to a bedroom. The door

on R. leads to the rest of the house and

street. Below door on L. wall, the fireplace.

Inside fender is a kettle and saucepan. Onthe hob a teapot. In front of fire a well-

worn armchair. In front of window, back,

a little to E.J an oak coffin stands on two

kitchen chairs. On floor, front of coffin, is

a wooden box, on which are two lighted can

dles in candlesticks. In front of coffin, a lit

tle to L., a small kitchen table. At R. end of

table, a kitchen chair. In corner where R.

and back walls meet, the standard lamp,

with coloured shade, looted in Third Act,

stands; beside the lamp, hanging from nail

in wall, back, hangs one of the eveningdresses. There is no light in the room but

that given from the two candles and the fire.

The dusk has well fallen, and the glare of

the burning buildings in the town can be

seen through the windows in the distant sky.

The COVEY, FLUTHER and PETER have been

playing cards, sitting on the floor by the

light of the candles on the box near the cof

fin. When the CURTAIN rises the COVEY is

shuffling the cards, PETER is sitting in a stiff,

dignified way opposite him, and FLUTHER is

kneeling beside the window, back, cau

tiously looking out into street. It is a few

days later.

Fluther [furtively peeping out of the win

dow}. Give them a good shuffling. . . .

Th' sky's gettin' reddher an' reddher. . . .

You'd think it was afire. . . . Half o' th'

city must be burnin'.

The Covey [warningly}. If I was you,

Fluther, I'd keep away from that window.. . . It's dangerous, an', besides, if they see

you, you'll only bring a nose on th' house.

Peter [anxiously}. Yes; an' he knows wehad to leave our own, place th' way theywere riddlin

7it with machine-gun fire. . . .

He'll keep on pimpin* an' pimpin' there, till

we have to fly out o' this place too.

Fluther [ironically to PETER]. If theymake any attack here, we'll send you out in

your green an' glory uniform, shakin' yoursword over your head, an' they'll fly before

you as th' Danes flew before Brian Boru !

The Covey [placing the cards on the

floor, after shuffling them}. Come on, an'

cut.

[FLUTHER creeps, L. end of table, over

to where COVEY and PETER are seated,

and squats down on floor between

them}

[Having dealt the cards} Spuds up again.

[NoRA moans feebly in room on L.

They listen for a moment}Fluther. There, she's at it again. She's

been quiet for a good long time, all th'

same.

The Covey. She was quiet before, sure,

an' she broke out again worse than ever.

. . . What was led that time?

Peter [impatiently}. Thray o' Hearts,

Thray o' Hearts, Thray o' Hearts.

Fluther. It's damned hard lines to think

of her dead-born kiddie lyin' there in th1

756 SEAN O'CASEY

arms o j

poor little Mollser. Mollser snuffed

it, sudden too, afther all.

The Covey. Sure she never got any care.

How could she get it, an' th' mother out dayand night lookin' for work, an' her consumptive husband leavin' her with a baby to be

born before he died.

Voices [in a lilting chant to the L. in an

outside street]. Red Cr . . . oss, Red Cr

... oss ! ... Ambu . . . lance, Ambu

. . . lance!

The Covey [to FLTJTHER]. Your deal,

Fluther.

Fluther [shuffling and dealing the cards].

It'll take a lot out o' Nora if she'll ever be

th' same.

The Covey. Th' docthor thinks she'll

never be th' same; thinks she'll be a little

touched here. IHe touches his forehead]

She's ramblin' a lot; thinkin' she's out in th'

counthry with Jack; or, gettin' his dinner

ready for him before he comes home; or,

yellin' for her kiddie. All that, though,

might be th' chloroform she got. ... I

don't know what we'd have done only for

oul' Bessie: up with her for th}

past three

nights, hand runnin'.

Fluther [approvingly]. I always knewthere was never anything really derogatory

wrong with poor Bessie. [Suddenly catch-

ing PETER'S arm as he is taking a trick] Eh,houl' on there, don't be so damn quickthat's my thrick !

Peter [resentfully] . What's your thrick?

It's my thrick, man.Fluther [loudly]. How is it your thrick?

Peter [answering as loudly]. Didn't I

lead th' deuce !

Fluther. You must be gettin' blind, man;don't you see th' ace?

Bessie [appearing at door of room, L.; in

a tense whisper]. D'ye want to waken her

again on, me, when she's just gone asleep?If she wakes will yous come an' mind her?

If I hear a whisper out o' one o' yous again,

I'll . . . gut yous!The Covey [in a whisper]. S-s-s-h. She

can hear anything above a whisper.Peter [looking up at the ceiling]. Th'

gentle an' merciful God '11 give th' pair o'

yous a scawldin, an' a scarifyin' one o' these

days![FLTTTHER takes a bottle of whisky fromhis pocket, and takes a drink]

The Covey [to FLTTTHER]. Why don't

you spread that out, man, an' thry to keepa sup for to-morrow?

Fluther. Spread it out? Keep a sup for

to-morrow? How th' hell does a fella knowthere'll be any to-morrow? If I'm goin' to

be whipped away, let me be whipped awaywhen it's empty, an' not when it's half-full!

[BESSIE comes in a tired way from door

of room L., down to armchair by fire,

and sits 'down]

[Over to BESSIE] Well, how is she now, Bes

sie?

Bessie. 1 left her sleeping quietly. WhenI'm listenin' to her babblin', I think she'll

never be much betther than she is. Her

eyes have a hauntin' way of lookin' in in

stead of lookin' out, as if her mind had been

lost alive in madly minglin' memories of th'

past. . . . [Sleepily] Crushin' her thoughts

. . . together ... in a fierce ... an' fanci

ful ... [she nods her head and starts wake-

fully] idea that dead things are living an'

livin' things are dead. . . . [With a start]

Was that a scream I heard her give? [Re

assured] Blessed God, I think I hear her

sereamin' every minute ! An' it's only there

with me that I'm able to keep awake.

The Covey. She'll "sleep, maybe, for a

long time, now. Ten here.

Fluther [gathering up cards]. Ten here.

If she gets a long sleep, she might be all

right. Peter's th' lone five.

The Covey [suddenly]. Whisht! I think

I hear somebody movin7 below. Whoeverit is, he's comin' up.

[A pause. Then the door, R. opens, andCAPT. BRENNAIST comes timidly in. Hehas changed his uniform for a suit of

civies. His eyes droop with the heavi

ness of exhaustion; his face is pallid

and drawn. His clothes are dusty andstained here and there with mud. Heleans heavily on the back of a chair R.

end of table]

Capt. Brennan. Mrs. Clitheroe; where's

Mrs. Clitheroe? I was told I'd find her

here.

Bessie. What d'ye want with Mrs. Clithe

roe?

Capt. Brennan. I've a message, a last

message for her from her husband.

Bessie. Killed! He's not killed, is he!

Capt. Brennan [sinking stiffly and pain*

fully on to a chair]. In th' Imperial Hotel;we fought till th' place was in flames. Hewas shot through th' arm, an' then through

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 757

th' lung. ... I could do nothin' for him

only watch his breath comin' an' goin' in

quick, jerky gasps, an' a tiny sthream o'

blood thricklin' out of his mouth down over

his lower lip. ... I said a prayer for th'

dyin', an' twined his Rosary beads aroundhis fingers. . . . Then I had to leave himto save meself. . . . [He shows some holes

in his coat] Look at th' way a machine-guntore at me coat, as I belted out o

j

th7

buildin' an' darted across th' sthreet for

shelter. . . . An' then, I seen The Ploughan' th' Stars falhV like a shot as th' roof

crashed in, an' where I'd left poor Jack wasnothin' but a leppin' spout o' flame I

Bessie [with partly repressed vehemence"].

Ay, you left him! You twined his Hosarybeads round his fingers, an' then, you runlike a hare to get out o' danger !

Capt. Brennan [defensively]. I took mechance as well as him. . . . He took it like

a man. His last whisper was to "Tell Norato be brave; that I'm ready to meet myGod, an7 that I'm proud to die for Ireland."

An' when our General heard it he said that

"Commandant Clitheroe's end was a gleamof glory." Mrs. Clitheroe's grief will be a

joy when she realizes that she has had a

hero for a husband.

Bessie. If you only seen her, you'd knowto th' differ.

[NoRA appears at door, L. She is clad

only in her nightdress and slippers; her

hair, uncared for some days, is hangingin disorder over her shoulders. Herpale face looks paler still because of avivid red spot on the tip of each cheek.

Her eyes are glimmering with the light

of incipient insanity; her hands are

nervously fiddling with her nightgown.She halts at the door for a moment,looks vacantly around the room, andthen comes slowly in. The rest do not

notice her till she speaks. BESSIE has

fallen asleep in chair]

PETER, COVEY and FLTJTHER stop their

card-playing and watch her]

Nora [roaming slowly towards R. to back

of table]. No ... not there, Jack ... I

feel very, very tired . . . [Passing her handacross her eyes] Curious mist on my eyes.

Why don't you hold my hand, Jack. . . .

[Excitedly] No, no, Jack, it's not : can't yousee it's a goldfinch? Look at the black sat

iny wings, with the gold bars, an' th' splashof crimson on its head. . . . [Wearily]

Something ails me, something ails me. . . .

[Frightened] You're goin' away, an' I can't

follow you ! [She wanders back to L. end of

table] I can't follow you. [Crying out]

Jack, Jack, Jack!

[BESSIE wakes with a start, sees NORA,gets up and runs to her]

Bessie [putting arm round NORA]. Mrs.

Clitheroe, aren't you a terrible woman to

get up out o' bed. . . . You'll get cold if

you stay here in them clothes.

Nora [monotonously]. Cold? I'm feelin7

very cold . . . it's chilly out here in th'

counthry. [Looking around, frightened]What place is this? Where am I?

Bessie [coaxingly]. You're all right,

Nora; you're with friends, an' in a safe

place. Don't you know your uncle an.' yourcousin, an' poor oul' Fluther?

Peter [rising to go over to NORA]. Nora,

darlin', nowFluther [pulUng him back]. Now, leave

her to Bessie, man. A crowd '11 only makeher worse.

Nora [thoughtfully]. There is somethingI want to remember, an' I can't. [With

agony] I can't, I can't, I can't! My head,

my head! [Suddenly breaking from BES

SIE, and running over to the men, and grip

ping FLTTTHER by the shoulders] Where is

it? Where's my baby? Tell me where

you've put it, where've you hidden it? Mybaby, my baby; I want my baby! Myhead, my poor head. . . . Oh, I can't tell

what is wrong with me. [Screaming"] Givehim to me, give me my husband!

Bessie. Blessin* o' God on us, isn't this

pitiful !

Nora [struggling with .BESSIE]. I won't

go away for you ;I won't. Not till you give

me back my husband. [Screaming] Murderers, that's what yous are; murderers,murderers !

[BESSIE gently, but firmly, pulls her

from FLUTHER, and tries to lead her to

room, L.]

Bessie [tenderly], Ss-s-sh. We'll bringMr. Clitheroe back to you, if you'll only lie

down an' stop quiet. . . . [Trying to lead

her in] Come on, now, Nora, an' I'll sing

something to you.Nora. I feel as if my life was thryin,' to

force its way out of my body. ... I can

hardly breathe . . . I'm frightened, I'm

frightened, I'm frightened ! For God's sake,

758 SEAN O'CASEY

don't leave me, Bessie. Hold my hand, put

your arms around me !

Fluther [to BRENNAN]. Now you can see

th' way she is, man.Peter. An' what way would she be if she

heard Jack had gone west?

The Covey [to PETER, warningly]. Shut

up, you, man!Bessie [to NORA]. We'll hare to be brave,

an' let patience clip away th' heaviness of

th' slow-movin3hours, rememberin' that sor

row may endure for th* night, but joy com-

eth in th' mornin'. . , . Come on in, anjI'll

sing to you, an' you'll rest quietly.

Nora [stopping suddenly on her way to

the room]. Jack an' me are goin' out some

where this evenin'. Where I can't tell.

Isn't it curious I can't remember. . .

[Screaming, and pointing E.] He's there, he's

there, an they won't give him back to me!

Bessie. S-ss-s-h, darlin', s-ssh, I won't

sing to you, if you're not quiet,

Nora [nervously holding BESSIE], Hold

my hand, hold my hand, an' sing to me, sing

to me !

Bessie. Come in an' lie down, an' I'll sing

to you.Nora [vehemently]. Sing to me, sing to

me; sing,

Bessie [singing as she leads NORA into

room, L],

Lead, kindly light, amid th* encircling

gloom,Lead Thou me on,

ThJ

night is dark an' I am far from home,Lead Thou me on,

[Leading NORA, BESSIE goes into room,L.]

[Singing softly inside room, L.]

Keep thou my feet, I do not ask to see

Th' distant scene one step enough for me.

Covey [to BRENNAN]. Now that you'veseen how bad she is, an' that we daren't tell

her what has happened till she's betther,

you'd best be slippin' back to where youcome from.

Capt. Brennan. There's no chance oy

slip-

pin' back now, for th' military are everywhere: a fly couldn't get through. I'd never

have got here, only I managed to change meuniform for what I'm wearin'. . . . I'll have

to take me chance, an' thry to lie low here

for a while.

The Covey [frightened]. There's no

place here to lie low. Th' Tommies '11 be

hoppin' in here, any minute 1

Peter [aghast]. An' then we'd all be

shanghaied I

The Covey. Be God, there's enoughafther happenin' to us!

Fluther [warningly, as he listens'].

Whisht, whisht, th' whole os

yous. I think

I heard th' clang of a rifle butt on th' floor

of th' hall below. [All alertness] Here,

come on with th' cards again. I'll deal. [He

shuffles and deals the cards to all] Clubs up.

[To BRENNAN] Thry to keep your hands

from shakin', man. You lead, Peter. [As

PETER throws out a card] Four o' Hearts led.

[Heavy steps are heard coming upstairs, outside door R. The door opens

and CORPORAL STODDART of the Wilt-

shires enters in full war kit steel hel

met, rifle, bayonet and trench tools.

He stands near door R., looks around

the room, and at the men who go on

silently playing cards. A pause]

[Gathering up cards, and breaking the si

lence] Two tens an' a five.

Corporal Stoddart.3Ello. [Indicating

the coffin] This the stiff?

The Covey. Yis.

Corporal Stoddart. Who's gowing with

it? Ownly one allowed to gow with it, youknaow.The Covey. I dunno.

Corporal Stoddart. You dunnow?The Covey. I dunno.

Bessie [coming into the room]. She's

afther slippin3

off to sleep again, thanks be

to God. I'm hardly able to keep me own

eyes open. [To the soldier] Oh, are yous

goin' to take away poor little Mollser?

Corporal Stoddart. Ay; 'oo's agowingwith >er?

Bessie. Oh, th' poor mother, o' course.

God help her, it's a terrible blow to her!

Fluther. A terrible blow? S(ure, she's in

her element now, woman, mixin1 earth to

earth, an' ashes t'ashes, an' dust to dust, an*

revelHn' in plumes an* hearses, last days an'

judgements!Bessie [falling into chair by the fire].

God bless us! I'm jaded!

Corporal Stoddart. Was she plugged?

Covey [shortly]. No; died of consumption.

Corporal Stoddart [carelessly]. Ow, is

that all thought she might 'ave been

plugged.

Covey [indignantly]. Is that all! Isn't

it enough? D'ye know, comrade, that more

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 759

die o' consumption than are killed in thewar? An' it's all because of th' system we're

livin' undher.

Corporal Stoddart. Ow, I know. I'm a,

Socialist, myself, but I 'as to do my dooty.Covey [ironically'!. Dooty! Th' only

dooty of a Socialist is th' emancipation of

th' workers.

Corporal Stoddart. Ow, a man's a man,an' 'e 'as to fight for 'is country, 'asn't 'e?

Fluther {.aggressively}. You're not

fightin' for your counthry here, are you?Peter [anxiously, to FLUTHERJ. Ay, ay,

Fluther, none o7

that, none o' that!

The Covey. Fight for your counthry!Did y'ever read, comrade, Jenersky's Thesis

on the Origin, Development an}

Consolidation of th' Evolutionary Idea of the Pro-litariatf

Corporal Stoddart {good-humouredly],Ow, cheese it, Paddy, cheese it!

Bessie {sleepily']. How is things in th'

town, Tommy?Corporal Stoddart. Ow, I think it's

nearly over. We've got 'em surrounded, an'

we're closing in on the blighters. It was

only a bit of a dorg-fight.

{Outside in the street is heard the sharp

ping of a sniper's rifle, followed by a

squeal of pain]Voices [to the L. in a chant, outside in

street}. Red Cr . . . oss, Red Cr . . . oss!

Ambu . . . lance, Ambu . . . lance!

Corporal Stoddart {going up E. and look

ing out of window, back}. Christ, there's

another of our men 'it by the blarsted

sniper! 'E's knocking abaht 'ere some-wheres. {Venomously} Gord, wen we getsthe blighter, we'll give 'im the cold steel, wewill. We'll jab the belly aht of 'im, we will I

[MRS. GOGAN enters tearfully by door

R.; she is a little proud of the importance of being connected with death}

Mrs. Gogan {to FLUTHER]. I'll never for

get what you done for me, Fluther, goin'around at th' risk of your life settlin' everything with th

j

undhertaker an' th' cemeterypeople. When all me own were afraid to

put their noses out, you plunged like a goodone through hummin' bullets, an' theyknockin' fire out o' th' road, tinklin' throughth' frightened windows, an' splashin' themselves to pieces on th' walls! An' you'll

find, that Mollser in th' happy place she's

gone to, won't forget to whisper, now an'

again, th' name o7 Fluther.

[CORPORAL STODDART comes from windowdown R. to door R., and stands near the

door]

Corporal Stoddart {to MRS. GOGAN]. Git

it aht, mother, git it aht,

Bessie [from the chair]. It's excusin' meyou'll be, Mrs. Gogan, for not stannin' up,seein' I'm shaky on me feet for want of a

little sleep, an' not desirin' to show any dis

respect to poor little Mollser.

Fluther. Sure, we all know, Bessie, that

it's vice versa with you.Mrs. Gogan {to BESSIE]. Indeed, it's me-

self that has well chronicled, Mrs. Burgess,all your gentle hurryin's to me little Moll

ser, when she was alive, bringin3her some-

thin' to dhrink, or somethin' t'eat, an' never

passin' her without lifting up her heart witha delicate word o' kindness.

Corporal Stoddart {impatientlyf but

kindly]. Git it aht, git it aht, mother.[The men rise from their card-playing ;

FLUTHER and BRENNAN go R. to R. end

of coffin; PETER and COVEY go L. of ta

ble to L. end of coffin. One of themtake box and candles out of way.They carry coffin down R. and out bydoor R., CORPORAL STODDART watchingthem. MRS. GOGAN follows the coffin

out]

{A pause. CORPORAL STODDART, at door

R., turns towards BESSIE][To BESSIE, who is almost asleep] 'Owmany men is in this 'ere 'ouse? [No answer. Loudly] 'Ow many men is in this 'ereJouse?

Bessie [waking with a start]. God, I was

nearly asleep! . . . How many men?Didn't you see them?Corporal Stoddart. Are they all that are

in the 'ouse?

Bessie [sleepily] . Oh, there's none higher

up, but there may be more lower down.

Why?Corporal Stoddart. All men in the dis

trictJ

as to be rounded up. Somebody's giv

ing 'elp to the snipers, an' we 'as to tike precautions. If I 'ad my wy I'd mike 'em all

join up an' do their bit! But I supposethey an' you are all Shinners.

Bessie [who has been sinking into sleep,

waking up to a sleepy vehemence]. Bessie

Burgess is no Shinner, an' never had nothruck with anything spotted be th' fingerso' th' Fenians. But always made it her

business to harness herself for Church when-

760 SEAN O'CASEY

ever she knew that God Save The King was

goin' to be sung at t'end of th' service;

whose only son went to th' front in th' first

contingent of the Dublin Fusiliers, an' that's

on his way home carryin' a shatthered armthat he got fightin' for his King an' coun-

thry!

[BESSIE'S head sinks slowly forward

again. Door, R., opens and PETER

comes in, his body stiff, and his face

contorted with anger. He goes up R.,

to back, and paces angrily from side to

side. COVEY, with a sly grin on his

face, and FLUTHER follow PETER.

FLUTHER goes to L. and COVEY goes to

R. end of table. BRENNAN follows in

and slinks to back of table to L. corner

between dresser and door, L. CORPORAL

STODDART remains standing a little in

from door R.]

Fluther [after an embarrassing pause}.

Th' air in thj

sthreet outside's shakin' with

the firin' o' rifles, an' machine-guns. It mustbe a hot shop in th' middle o' th' scrap.

Corporal Stoddart. We're pumping lead

in on 'em from every side, now; they'll soon

be shoving up th' white flag.

Peter [with a shout at FLUTHER and

COVEY]. I'm tellin' you either o' yous two

lowsers 'ud make a betther hearseman than

Peter! proddin' anj

pokin' at me an' I

helpin' to carry out a corpse!

Fluther [provokingly] . It wasn't a very

derogatory thing for th' Covey to say that

you'd make a fancy hearseman, was it?

Peter [furiously]. A pair o' redjesthered,

bowseys pondherin' from mornin' till nighton how they'll get a chance to break a gap

through th' quiet nature of a man that's al

ways endeavourin' to chase out of him anysthray thought of venom against his fella-

man!The Covey. Oh, shut it, shut it, shut it!

Peter [furiously]. As long as I'm a livin'

man, responsible for me thoughts, words an'

deeds to th' Man above, I'll feel meself in

stituted to fight again' th' sliddherin' waysof a pair o' picaroons, whisperin', concurring

concoctin', an' conspirin' together to rendher

me unconscious of th' life I'm thryin' to

live!

Corporal Stoddart [dumbfounded] .

What's wrong, Paddy; wot 'ave they doneto you?Peter [savagely to the CORPORAL]. You

mind your own business! What's it got to

do with you, what's wrong with me?Bessie [in a sleepy murmur]. Will yous

thry to conthrol yourselves into quietness?Yous'll waken her ... up ... on ... me. . . again. [She sleeps]

Fluther [coming c.]. Come on, boys, to

thj cards again, an' never mind him.

Corporal Stoddart. No use of you goingto start cards; you'll be going aht of 'ere,

soon as Sergeant comes.

Fluther [in surprise]. Goin out o' here?

An' why're we goin' out o' here?

Corporal Stoddart. All men in district 'as

to be rounded up, an' 'eld in till the scrap is

over.

Fluther [concerned]. An' where're we

goin' to be held in?

Corporal Stoddart. They're puttin' themin a church.

Covey [astounded]. A church?

Fluther. What sort of a church? Is it a

Protestan' church?

Corporal Stoddart. I dunno; I supposeso.

Fluther [in dismay]. Be God, it'll be a

nice thing to be stuck all night in a Protes-

tan' church!

Corporal Stoddart. If I was you, I'd

bring the cards you might get a chance of

a gime.Fluther [hesitant] . Ah, no, that wouldn't

do ... I wondher. . . . [After a moment's

thought] Ah, I don't think we'd be doin'

anything derogatory be playin' cards in a

Protestan' church.

Corporal Stoddart. If I was you I'd bringa little snack with me; you might be gladof it before the morning. [Lilting]

Oh, I do like a snice mince pie,

Oh, I do like a snice mince pie.

[Again the snap of the sniper's rifle

rings out, followed by a scream of pain.CORPORAL STODDART goes pale, runs up R.

to near window, c., with his rifle at the

ready]Voices [in street to R., chanting]. Red

Cr ... oss ... Red Cr . . . oss! Ambu. . . lance . . . Ambu . . . lance!

[The door R. is dashed open, and SERGEANT TINLEY, pale, agitated, and

angry, comes rapidly in. He stands in

side the door, glaring at men in the

room. CORPORAL STODDART swings roundat the ready as TINLEY enters and lets

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 761

his rifle drop when he sees the SER

GEANT]

Corporal Stoddart [to SERGEANT] . One of

our men 'it again, Sergeant?Sergeant Tinley [angrily]. Private Tay

lor: got it right through the chest, 'e did;an 'ole in front as ow you could put your'and through, an' arf 'is back blown awylDum-dum bullets they're using. Gang of

assassins potting at us from behind roofs.

That's not plying the gime : why don't theycome into the open and fight fair?

Fluther [unable to stand the slight, facingSERGEANT]. Fight fair! A few hundhredscrawls o' chaps with a couple o' guns an'

Rosary beads, again' a hundhred thousandthrained men with horse, fut an' artillery.

... [To others in room] An' he wants us

to fight fair! [To SERGEANT] D'ye want us

to come out in our skins an' throw stones?

Sergeant Tinley [to CORPORAL], Are these

four all that are 'ere?

Corporal Stoddart. Four ; that's hall, Ser

geant.

Sergeant Tinley [roughly] . Come on,

then, get the blighters aht. [To the men]'Ere, 'op it aht! Aht into the street with

you, an' if another of our men goes west,

you go with 'im. [He catches FLUTHER bythe arm] Go on, git aht!

Fluther [pulling himself free]. Eh, whoare you chuckin', eh?

Sergeant Tinley [roughly]. Go on, git

aht, you blighter.

Fluther [truculently]. Who're you callin'

a blighter to, eh? I'm a Dublin man, bornan' bred in th' City, see?

Sergeant Tinley. Oh, I don't care if youwere Bryan Buroo; git aht, git aht.

Fluther [pausing as he reaches door R.,

to face the SERGEANT defiantly] . Jasus, youan' your guns! Leave them down, an' I'd

beat th' two of yous without sweatin' 1

[Shepherded by the two soldiers, whofollow them out, PETER, COVEY, FLXJTH-

ER and BRENNAN go out by door R.]

[BESSIE is sleeping heavily on the chair

by the fire. After a pause NORA appears at door L., in her nightdress. Remaining at door for a few moments she

looks vaguely around the room. Shethen comes in quietly, goes over to the

fire, pokes it and puts the kettle on.

She thinks for a few moments, pressingher hand to her forehead. She looks

questioningly at the fire, and then at

the press at back. She goes to the

dresser L., back, opens drawer, takes

out a soiled cloth and spreads it on the

table. She then places things for tea

on the table]

Nora. I imagine th' room looks very

odd, somehow. ... I was nearly forgetting

Jack's tea. . . . Ah, I think I'll have every

thing done before he gets in. ... [She lilts

gently, as she arranges the table]

Th' violets were scenting th' woods, Nora,

Displaying their charms to th' bee,

When I first said I lov'd only you, Nora,An' you said you lov'd only me.

Th' chestnut blooms gleam'd through th'

glade, Nora,A robin sang loud from a tree,

When I first said I lov'd only you, Nora,An' you said you lov'd only me.

[She pauses suddenly, and glances roundthe room]

[Doubtfully] I can't help feelin' this roomvery strange. . . . What is it? ... Whatis it? ... I must think. ... I must thryto remember. . . .

Voices [chanting in a distant street].

Ambu . . . lance, Ambu . . . lance! RedCro . . . ss, Red Cro . . . ssl

Nora [startled and listening for a moment,then resuming the arrangement of the

table].

Trees, birds an' bees sang a song, Nora,Of happier transports to be,

When I first said I lov'd only you, Nora,An' you said you lov'd only me.

[A burst of rifle-fire is heard in a street

near by, followed by the rapid tok-

tok-tok of a machine-gun][Staring in front of her and screaming]

Jack, Jack, Jack! My baby, my baby, mybaby!

Bessie [waking with a start]. You divil,

are you afther gettin' out o' bed again!

[She rises and runs towards NORA, who'rushes to the window, back L., which

she frantically opens]Nora [at the window, screaming]. Jack,

Jack, for God's sake, come to me!Soldiers [outside, shouting]. Git awoy,

git awoy from that window, there !

Bessie [seizing hold of NORA]. Come

762 SEAN O'CASEY

away, come away, woman, from that win

dow!Nora [struggling with BESSIE]. Where is

it; where have you hidden it? Oh, Jack,

Jack, where are you?Bessie [imploringly!. Mrs. Clitheroe, for

God's sake, come away I

Nora [fiercely]. I won't; he's below. Let

. me ... go! You're thryuV to keep

me from me husband. I'll follow him.

Jack, Jack, come to your Nora !

Bessie. Hus-s-sh, Nora, Nora! He'll be

here in a minute. Ill bring him toyou,^

if

you'll only be quiet honest to God, I will.

[With a great effort BESSIE pushes NOBA

away from the window, the force used

causing her to stagger against it her

self. Two rifle-shots ring out in quick

succession. BESSIE jerks her body con-

vulsively; stands stiffly upright for a

moment, a look of agonized astonish

ment on her jace, then she staggers

forward, leaning heavily on the table

with her hands}

[With an arrested scream of fear and pain]

Merciful God, I'm shot, I'm shot, I'm shotl

... Th' life's pourin7 out o' me! [To

NORA] I've got this through . . . through

you - . . through you, you bitch, you! . . .

God, have mercy on me ! ... [To NOKA]

You wouldn't stop quiet, no you wouldn't,

you wouldn't, blast you! Look at what I'm

afther gettin', look at what I'm afther gettin'

I'm bleedin' to death, an 5 no one's here

to stop th' flowin' blood! [Calling] Mrs.

Gogan, Mrs. Gogan! Fluther, Fluther, for

God's sake, somebody, a doctor, a doctor!

[BESSIE, leaving E. end of table, staggers

down towards door E., but, weakening',

she sinks down on her kneesf B.C., then

reclining, she supports herself by her

right hand resting on floor. NOKA is

rigid with her back to wall, L., her

trembling hands held out a little fromher sides; her lips quivering, her breast

heaving, staring wildly at the figure of

BESSIE]

Nora [in a breathless whisper] . Jack, I'm

frightened. . . . I'm frightened. Jack. . . .

Oh, Jack, where are you?Bessie [meaningly} . This is what's afther

comin' on me for nursin' you day an' night.

... I was a fool, a fool, a fool! Get me a

dhrink o' wather, you jade, will you?There's a fire burnin' in me blood ! [Plead

ingly] Nora, Nora, dear, for God's sake,

run out an' get Mrs. Gogan, or Fluther, or

somebody to bring a doctor, quick, quick,

quick! [As NOEA does not stir] Blast you,

stir yourself, before I'm gone!

Nora. Oh, Jack, Jack, where are you?Bessie [in a whispered moan], Jesus

Christ, me sight's goin' ! It's all dark, dark !

Nora, hold me hand !

[BESSIE'S body lists over and she sinks

into a prostrate position on the floor]

I'm dyin5

,I'm dyin' . * . I feel it. ... Oh

God, oh God! [She feebly sings]

I do believe ... I will believe

That . . . Jesus . . . died ... for ... me,

That ... on ... the . . . cross He . . .

shed . . . His , , . blood

From ... sin ... to ... set ... free.

[She ceases singing, and lies stretched

out, still and rigid. A pause; then

MRS. GOGAN runs hastily in by door R.

She halts at door and looks round with

. a frightened air]

Mrs. Gogan [quivering with fear].

Blessed be God, what's aftKer happenin!

[To NOEA] What's wrong, child, what's

wrong? [She sees BESSIE, runs to her and

bends over the body] Bessie, Bessie! [She

shakes the body] Mrs. Burgess, Mrs. Bur

gess! [She feels BESSIE'S forehead] MyGod, she's as cold as death. They're afther

murdherin' th' poor inoffensive woman!

[SEEGEANT TINLEY and COEPOEAL STOD-

DAET, in agitation, enter by door E.,

their rifles at the ready]

Sergeant Tinley [excitedly]. This is the

'ouse! [They go rapidly to window, back,

c.] That's the window!Nora [pressing back against the waU].

Hide it, hide it; cover it up, cover it up!

[SEEGEANT TINLEY, looking round room,sees body. He comes from window to

BESSIE, and bends over her]

Sergeant Tinley [bending over body].

'Ere, wot's this? Oo's this? Oh, God,we've plugged one of the women of the

'ouse !

Corporal Stoddart [at window]. W'y the

'ell did she go to the window? Is she dead?

Sergeant Tinley. Dead as bedamned.

Well, we couldn't afford to tike any chances.

[SEEGEANT TINLEY goes back to window,and looks out]

Nora [screarningf and putting her hands

before her face]. Hide it, hide it; don't let

me see it! Take me away, take me away,Mrs. Gogan I

THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS 763

[MRS. GOGAN, who has been weepingsoftly over BESSIE, rises, and crosses byfront of table to room, L., goes in andcomes out with a sheet in her hands.She crosses over and spreads the sheetover BESSIE'S body]

Mrs. Gogan las she spreads the sheet].

Oh, God help her, th' poor woman, she's

stiffenin' out as hard as she can! Her facehas written on it th' shock o j sudden agony,an' her hands is whitenin' into th' smoothshininess of wax.

Nora [whimperingly]. Take me away,take me away; don't leave me here to belookin' an' lookin' at it!

Mrs. Gogan [going over to NOEA and putting her arm round her]. Come on withme, dear, an' you can doss in poor Mollser's

bed, till we gather some neighbours to comean' give th' last friendly touches to Bessiein th' lonely layin' of her out.

[MRS. GOGAN puts her arms roundNORA, leads her across from L. to R.,

and they both go slowly out by doorR.]

[CORPORAL STODDART comes from windowto table, looks at tea-things on table;goes to fireplace, takes the teapot up inhis hand]

Corporal Stoddart [over to TINLEY, at

window]. Tea here, Sergeant; wot abaht a

cup of scald?

Sergeant Tinley. Pour it aht, pour it aht,Stoddart I could scoff anything just now.

[CORPORAL STODDART pours out two cupsof tea. SERGEANT TINLET comes fromwindow to table, and sits on R. end;CORPORAL STODDART sits on opposite end

of table, and they drink the tea. Inthe distance is heard a bitter burst of

rifle and machine-gun fire, interspersedwith the boom, boom of artillery. Theglare in the sky seen through the window c., back, flares into a fuller and a

deeper red]

Sergeant Tinley. There gows the generalattack on the Powst Office.

Voices [in a distant street]. Ambu . . .

lance, Ambu . . . lance! Red Cro . . . ss,

Red Cro ... ss!

[The voices of soldiers at a barricadeoutside the house are heard singing]

They were summoned from the 'illside,

They were called in from the glen,And the country found 'em readyAt the stirring call for men.Let not tears add to their 'ardship,As the soldiers pass along,And although our 'eart is breaking,Make it sing this cheery song.

[SERGEANT TINLEY and CORPORAL STODDART join in the chorus as they sip the

tea]

Sergeant Tinley and Corporal Stoddart

[singing] .

Keep the Jome fires burning,While your 'earts are yearning,Though your lads are far away,They dream of 'ome;There's a silver lining

Through the dark cloud shining,Turn the dark cloud inside out,Till the boys come 'ome !