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Show LieriA Man Hi- Wife The Stranger. '1 .'Ho.' in" I rcor. The dour opens and :i pa figure i;, silhouetted againei an oblong Mnt. shv .loses iii.. door noiseics-dv behind and gropes her way across the Uoor i. a chair. e -s ut u - .-:! (: . m t ho room Tl i-pttmt i-pttmt belongs to empty houses. Presently the ?n begir. to -co ' luictl) and ii o coutinu- ry. H til' .. ,; I- -., , ; her p to expression, (hiding eomfnrt in tears. A m the door slams violent! behind hini. Konfoiind the .ir.-nht! D..: I Btartle you ' I vo )..., .;ir,.,,llLr ,. i( r ;, lamp ami J1""1 ' d gn of one to be found! My felt match went out in tho hnll. 1 usually P"ci.-i full, l..,. I,,,.,; ,,,,; ,ave it- (he r.-l :l pUVl. fnvnitn,, n i 1 1 ,.j i t . h-;- ever, giving vent to the exclamation usual on such an occasion SHE (in D stifled voice) There's a chair just behind you. HE 1 rve found it. (He seals himself.) From the general rack and ruin of the place, I jndge t lie caretaker care-taker has been away front here a month r more. And the beat of it is the fellow calls regularly at the post-Office post-Office for his pay. The old r::se:ii' You should pee the kitchen ' Bats -rat.- spider. 8HB (suddenly) Hush! Listen! HE Ehl SHE 1 thought 1 heard the ticking of a HE Nothing but a beetle In the wall. The house is alive with 'em. 8 HE (listening) No ' it is not a beetle. It is the branch of a tree striking the window pane. HE It's very must:.' here. Buppofc I raise a win-dorr win-dorr and let in some fresh air? SHE You forgot. Tho windows cro nailed do-wu in toll room. HE Then why not do cutifido :uid walk about for b whilel SHI' I;:n too tired. Tho bill wne a hard climb. I rather rost here. HE There may bo n chair or two left on the porch. At any rate, the steps have aot been chopped up and carried away. Potter come, The moon rises in a quarter of an hotir and there's ft fine breeze, Smells of forest flree. .Nu lor Btr.rs! Our old favorites favor-ites arc still there! SHE I wish you wouldn 't insist. I want to bo alone! CSho breaks down and sobs.) Just alono that's all' HE (In an alterod tone) Do senuible. Come away from here. Tocg This is all wrong. And you know it. It ian :t good for you. Givo it up SHE Go away! HE I -as a fool to consider this thin for a moment. It's eheer lunacv! I'll boII the place You'll see. I'll have it torn down. Every stick of it! SHE (choking; If you dare if you dare HE (after a moment) Go ahead. Have your cry out. Don't pay attention to what I say. I've not a caso of nerves myself. Feel as thouh'l "had ;i cat under my skin," as they say. I'll wait outsido on tho piazza " Toss? SHE What is it now? HE If I had a match I might gather a pile of dry leaves and light a fire on the lawn. As soTt of a beacon, you know-. This fellow what's his nam? SHE Chalmers. HE This fellow Chalmers mav have some difficulty diffi-culty in finding his way. Tho foliage is dense and the road is as black as n man's hat at this hour. SHE I've arranged with the station master to accompany him as far as the cliff path. HE Let's hope he'll bring a lantern along A glimmer of light is necessary. In ease of fraud I wish to be prepared to detect it. J1 HE In other words, make success impossible at the outset by your antagonistic attitude. HE Don't worry about, my end of it. If there's any good to be got out of it I'll do my le- ei beat to work the thing out right. SHE ''Work the thing out right" you speak of if :is you might a conjuror's trick. Your thought will never be an;, thing but material even here in this room . TIE (fumbling about the mantelpiece) Hullo! Matches! good ones and a candle! Here's luck! (He lights the candle. The room is seen to be a nursery. A Mother Goose border papers the wall At one side of the room is a child's bed The woman catcher her breath as she looks about her. She goes to the bed and touches the pillow with her hands Tne man watches her with anxiety. She turns her face away and leans against the walk her body quivering). HE Tess " ' (lie touches her shoulder). SHE (roughly I 'in all right. Don't bother. III! (looking about) Bv George! It looks it looks natural, doesn't it I Even tho little clock" (He (kais bis throat. Sets the candle upon the table and t;:!ing out his handkerchief, mops his race and neek. Me picks a picture book fnm the flour, turning the pages with clumsy fingers. His face betrays deep emotion. emo-tion. There is a silence HE After all, I here's g feeling of peace in this room A stranger's presence would seem an intrusion SHE (bitterly) There is no feeling of peace here for me. Only sorrow and tho agony or loss " ' I v,;int my hah;.. (Her voice breaks. She rocks violently vio-lently to and tOm in a low chair. Her mouth IS Stiffly drawn to one side und her eyes glitter with resentment resent-ment and pain.) Why was my child taken.'. The world iv full ol mutilated little creatures who might be her tor off if k Why should tt have been mine? HE Thai cry i6 as old as the universe or nearly I wish I knew what to say to you. But 1 don't It -aot giver me to solve God's enigma: Indeed. I never realized how far I had strayed from actual belief in (.od until now when 1 am trying to hnd my wav back. " SHE (rising and pacing the floor) only want the realization of her presence, .lust that alone would convince me I have tried to feel that she i h near mi bnl I never can. Oh, if I might be granted n sign just once' Just one touch from out the darkness dark-ness of her little fingers, and I d believe in Him al ways. I'd never doubt aain. I'd sob out. my loy ;ind gratitude en m knees SHE ('soothingly) Tess, dear Tess SHE Why do you try to silence me? Isn't it sane and legitimate for a mother to long for her child? I care for nothing else in this world, 1 tell you, and never shall as long as I live. Nothing! Nothing! HE That's wrong il must be There's a was set before n. and it's useless for us to rebel We've jus 1 got to keep tiat hold of our courage and go on. SHE All thai is simple enough for you. 1 dare say. You have other interests. A man always has dist ractions HE A man may think and suffer, even while he works. 1 loved thai little girl as well as you SHE (excitedly) Phere b the train whistle, in less than twenty minutes Mr. Chalmers will be here. Premise me you will welcome bim cord:allv and at no time show any skepticism or doubt. Ho cannot work under adverse conditions. He is cot a man to ir' treated lightly. It was only after hours of persuasion that he consentod to como at all. (8ho clears the table and drawn it into the center of tho room. Then she places beeide it three straight-bucked straight-bucked chairs ller husband watches tho proceeding with knitted brows.) HE (moodily) Granted that th 13 phenomenon is possible is it right? SHE What do you mean by ''right?" HK Ipn:t it wholly selfishness on our part that prompts us to Beck to recall a little spirit to this piano? SHE Your Hcruples arise from cowardice a shrinking from the unusual, as well as fear for mo if this should fail But it shall not fail. Right, wrong or whatever, f must have this grain of consolation. HE It. is Belfishuess, Tess. SHE Wo won't split hairs as to motives. HE (touching the tablo with his finger tips) I wonder what there is about it I cannot quite reconcile myself to? It seems crude like forcing an entranco to a sacred place by way of the back stairs SHE Miracles are made up of simple facts frequently fre-quently unbeaufiful one?. (She consults her watch. Suddenly she raises her head, startled.) What is thai? HE I don't hear anything unusual. SHE Listen and you will. It's curious A tapping. There it is now! Tap. tap. tap Do you hear? HE It's the shutter All of them swing from the hinges. To appreciate the utter dilapidation of the house one must see it in full da. Iid I tell you the kitchen ceiling hus fallen? bHE I wonder if it really is tho shutter tho sound I hear 7 HE What else? ' What a child vou are! As you looked then you reminded me of tho time when we lirsl went to housekeeping. Remember mv nightly tours in search of burglars? I used to look back and see you standing at the head of the stairs, lamp in hand and that long braid of hair over your shoulder. SHE There's little of that braid left now. And some of it's gray. Oh, Jim. isn't life disappointing? (A hell dring3.) HE The telephone? Who can be calling us up at this out-of-the-way place, do you suppose? (He goes to the hall to answer phone.) SHE Be careful the draught docs not -blow out the candle. (She shields the flame with her hand - HE (in the hall Hello! Yes " Who? Oh that- you? Vou sav there was no one? Yes, I understand. Much obliged. Good of you to ring up. What? A visit? No; just looking t lie place over Thanks, I will. Good by. (Ho returns to the room.) SHE Who was it? HE The stntion master. Called up to let us know your mar. ha3 not arrived The 7:45 left no passengers. pas-sengers. SHE ( breathlessly 1 Xo passengers! H E Xot one. SHE Bui you dou '? mean that Chalmers hn? failed me that he is not coming? HE Locks that way. SHE He may have taken a later train Where's t he time table ? HE (taking time table from his pocket) 10:30. An express; does uot stop. There is nothing later. SHE Oh. it's too bad of him, too bad of him' But what does it metin ? Surely Ihe sum we agreed upon was sufficient And 1 explained to bim fullj my reason for wishing it to take place here HE I am sorry you are disappointed. But what 's to be done now? Shall we go? SHE (resentfully) Why are you so impatient to leave ? HE Impatient 1 Not that exactly, but . Oh, Tess' '.'an't you see the uselcssness of all this? Il is disturbing and painful to both of us. Believe mo, it is dangerous to indulge one's grief. There are barriers that even a mother's love cannot break down. We cannol bring back those whom God has taken by th sheer force of our desire. It 's wroug to try Tt is not meant to be. (,'ome, Tess, Tlipre is no place for us here. It is only a deserted hoiise an empty room. SHE (passionately)! don't believe jroul I don't believe you! Hi; It distress's me to sec you like li i-. she Leave me. then! Don'f stand watching me! I want BO much to be alone! HE Very well (lie goes out the door (Left to herself the woman become- less unquiet. She drops her head in her clasped hands and begm to praj j Shi: o Great heart of Love. Forsake not the work of Thy hands' (Jut of Thy boundless mercy grant me a little comfort and a little light! (She rises, wipes her ej es and. taking the Bible from th" shelf, opens it at ran Join Reads.) "Stand ye i"i l he ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way. and walk therein, and ye shall find re-; fur your soul-. But they said. ''We will not walk i herein. 1 ' ' SHE- .v rr.rs !' answei n.i been pes met Hut I don't understand 1 I don't understand! (As she stands, pondering, she is attracted bj a noise coming from behind the wall. She gazes intently in the direction of the sound; it is distincth audible.) SHE (breathlessly---The tappng' It i not tho shutter! Oh, no! ' It is coming Dearer 1 Then is some one here! I am almost frightened. 1 cm so sold oh, why should I be a cowsvrdl I who hero prayed for a miracle? (A door in the wall opens. The woman utter a tided cry. A ragged little boy stands in the doorwaj, leaning upon a ernteh.) THE BOX Don't be frightened it's only me s?HE (trembling) Who who sre yonl NMiere did you come from ? THE BOY (pointing upward) Up there. SHE Dp where? THE BOY The garret. 1 was gettin' some nuta. SHE- Whatever sre you talking ahont? My hear beats so can scarcely hnr! THE BOY I was hungry. 1 thought maybe in the garret there 'd be some nuts And thre was. But BOmethin ' else that was hungry had got there first. You see these chestnuts are all wormeaten. (He holds his hand out to her ) SHE You're a real boy alive! And I thought but what are you doing in mv ho..-. - How did you get in here? THE BOY (proudly) V mightn't believe it but T dumb up the vines! I 'm a regular monkey when it. comes to elimbiag T sort of" hold tight with my leg the good one and drag up with my hands. They uster call no Jack an the Beanstalk " 'cos l" love climbin '. SHE- "TheV"--who? THE BO V The folks at the poor farm. SHE- The poor farm I see. I suppose you have run awny Boys on poor farms usually do. Till. BOY yes'm. SHE What else did they call you over there? THE BOY ' Skinny ' ' and Number -'27. " SHE Did you climb my ities to slay a giant or 1 o teal ? THE BOY (hotly, indicating the room with a motion mo-tion of his crutch)-fount yu ' thing! Ever one of em! You'll see 1 didn't touch anythin"! SHE I believe you. But why did you break in? THE BOY I got tired of sleepin ' in the woods in the dark and the wet with the inxects crawlin ' all around mo Besides (he pauses awkwardly"). SHE Go on. THE BOY Besides, 1 heard there wa a lady liv-in liv-in ' here that loved children. SHE J So that is why you came? THE BOY T thought I d take a chanst and find out. SHE (passionately) Oh Tiod! Why have you sent him to me: This is your test! ' Be patient with me! Tt is so hard fur me to open my heart to this stranger- when I want only my little girl! THE BOY Are you the lady of the house? SHE (looking at him) Poor little wretch' How thin and white you are! (Below her breath) and a cripple1 THE BOY 1 can lick any one of my size if ho fights fair. SHE Vou are here to fight a giant and you must win ' )i- f THE BoY I read about B lot of giants in your picture books They are ail right But just now I wisht I hnd Bomethin' In my stumick. ' I feel queer (He reels forwards.) SHE Oh little boy' (As he falls she catches him in her arms.l He has fainted' iShe carries him to the bed and bends over bim.) SHE Boor, starved little soul' Little more than a baby! " " I'll take you home with me! What thin, dirty little hands! But never mind! Vou have slain a giant, little bdj ' (She runs to the door nnd calls to her husband.) SHE Jim Jim! (As she open3 the door the draught blow ou-the ou-the candle. The sccdo is plunged in darkness. HE (in the hallway) I'm here, Tess! SHE Bring a light I've something to show you! A little boy! A little crippled boy' We're going ro take him home with us! Qui-'k' ' Eight the canals! ' (She snatches the lighted taper from his hand and rushes to the bed It is empty.) SHE (i one! HE (puzzled) -Tess, you've been dreaming! SHE No! No! He was here an instant age! A little ragged boy! - But BOW the room is empty! Oh! run to the window! Make "haste! He mav have taken frigh: and run BWBJ ! He may be climbing down the vines! HE The vines! They were torn down two years ago! 8HE (panting) And this door is locked! Locked on the inside! This door that 1 saw him enter HE You were dreaming! Dreaming! SHE (in an altered voice) No. I was awake. And I saw clearly. He came to this empty house to bring a message to me! (CERTAIN. 1 (Dramatic right reserved.) |
