Strife by John Galsworthy Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: John Galsworthy
your own mother, if you must.
[ROUS seizes her by both her arms. She stands rigid, with her head bent back. He releases her, and he too stands motionless.]
ROUS. I swore to stand by Roberts. I swore that! Ye want me to go back on what I've sworn.
MADGE. [With slow soft mockery.] You are a pretty lover!
ROUS. Madge!
MADGE. [Smiling.] I've heard that lovers do what their girls ask them—
[JAN sounds the cuckoo's notes]
—but that's not true, it seems!
ROUS. You'd make a blackleg of me!
MADGE. [With her eyes half-closed.] Do it for me!
ROUS. [Dashing his hand across his brow.] Damn! I can't!
MADGE. [Swiftly.] Do it for me!
ROUS. [Through his teeth.] Don't play the wanton with me!
MADGE. [With a movement of her hand towards JAN—quick and low.] I would be that for the children's sake!
ROUS. [In a fierce whisper.] Madge! Oh, Madge!
MADGE. [With soft mockery.] But you can't break your word for me!
ROUS. [With a choke.] Then, Begod, I can!
[He turns and rushes off.] [MADGE Stands, with a faint smile on her face, looking after him. She turns to MRS. ROBERTS.]
MADGE. I have done for Roberts!
MRS. ROBERTS. [Scornfully.] Done for my man, with that—! [She sinks back.]
MADGE. [Running to her, and feeling her hands.] You're as cold as a stone! You want a drop of brandy. Jan, run to the "Lion"; say, I sent you for Mrs. Roberts.
MRS. ROBERTS. [With a feeble movement.] I'll just sit quiet, Madge. Give Jan his tea.
MADGE. [Giving JAN a slice of bread.] There, ye little rascal. Hold your piping. [Going to the fire, she kneels.] It's going out.
MRS. ROBERTS. [With a faint smile.] 'T is all the same!
[JAN begins to blow his whistle.]
MADGE. Tsht! Tsht!—you
[JAN Stops.]
MRS. ROBERTS. [Smiling.] Let 'im play, Madge.
MADGE. [On her knees at the fire, listening.] Waiting an' waiting. I've no patience with it; waiting an' waiting that's what a woman has to do! Can you hear them at it, I can!
[JAN begins again to play his whistle; MADGE gets up; half tenderly she ruffles his hair; then, sitting, leans her elbows on the table, and her chin on her hands. Behind her, on MRS. ROBERTS'S face the smile has changed to horrified surprise. She makes a sudden movement, sitting forward, pressing her hands against her breast. Then slowly she sinks' back; slowly her face loses the look of pain, the smile returns. She fixes her eyes again on JAN, and moves her lips and finger to the tune.]
The curtain falls.
SCENE II
It is past four. In a grey, failing light, an open muddy space is crowded with workmen. Beyond, divided from it by a barbed-wire fence, is the raised towing-path of a canal, on which is moored a barge. In the distance are marshes and snow-covered hills. The "Works" high wall runs from the canal across the open space, and ivy the angle of this wall is a rude platform of barrels and boards. On it, HARNESS is standing. ROBERTS, a little apart from the crowd, leans his back against the wall. On the raised towing-path two bargemen lounge and smoke indifferently.
HARNESS. [Holding out his hand.] Well, I've spoken to you straight. If I speak till to-morrow I can't say more.
JAGO. [A dark, sallow, Spanish-looking man with a short, thin beard.] Mister, want to ask you! Can they get blacklegs?
BULGIN. [Menacing.] Let 'em try.
[There are savage murmurs from the crowd.]
BROWN. [A round-faced man.] Where could they get 'em then?
EVANS. [A small, restless, harassed man, with a fighting face.] There's always blacklegs; it's the nature of 'em. There's always men that'll save their own skins.
[Another savage murmur. There is a movement, and old THOMAS, joining the crowd, takes his stand in front.]
HARNESS. [Holding up his hand.] They can't get them. But that won't help you. Now men, be reasonable. Your demands would have brought on us the burden of a dozen strikes
[ROUS seizes her by both her arms. She stands rigid, with her head bent back. He releases her, and he too stands motionless.]
ROUS. I swore to stand by Roberts. I swore that! Ye want me to go back on what I've sworn.
MADGE. [With slow soft mockery.] You are a pretty lover!
ROUS. Madge!
MADGE. [Smiling.] I've heard that lovers do what their girls ask them—
[JAN sounds the cuckoo's notes]
—but that's not true, it seems!
ROUS. You'd make a blackleg of me!
MADGE. [With her eyes half-closed.] Do it for me!
ROUS. [Dashing his hand across his brow.] Damn! I can't!
MADGE. [Swiftly.] Do it for me!
ROUS. [Through his teeth.] Don't play the wanton with me!
MADGE. [With a movement of her hand towards JAN—quick and low.] I would be that for the children's sake!
ROUS. [In a fierce whisper.] Madge! Oh, Madge!
MADGE. [With soft mockery.] But you can't break your word for me!
ROUS. [With a choke.] Then, Begod, I can!
[He turns and rushes off.] [MADGE Stands, with a faint smile on her face, looking after him. She turns to MRS. ROBERTS.]
MADGE. I have done for Roberts!
MRS. ROBERTS. [Scornfully.] Done for my man, with that—! [She sinks back.]
MADGE. [Running to her, and feeling her hands.] You're as cold as a stone! You want a drop of brandy. Jan, run to the "Lion"; say, I sent you for Mrs. Roberts.
MRS. ROBERTS. [With a feeble movement.] I'll just sit quiet, Madge. Give Jan his tea.
MADGE. [Giving JAN a slice of bread.] There, ye little rascal. Hold your piping. [Going to the fire, she kneels.] It's going out.
MRS. ROBERTS. [With a faint smile.] 'T is all the same!
[JAN begins to blow his whistle.]
MADGE. Tsht! Tsht!—you
[JAN Stops.]
MRS. ROBERTS. [Smiling.] Let 'im play, Madge.
MADGE. [On her knees at the fire, listening.] Waiting an' waiting. I've no patience with it; waiting an' waiting that's what a woman has to do! Can you hear them at it, I can!
[JAN begins again to play his whistle; MADGE gets up; half tenderly she ruffles his hair; then, sitting, leans her elbows on the table, and her chin on her hands. Behind her, on MRS. ROBERTS'S face the smile has changed to horrified surprise. She makes a sudden movement, sitting forward, pressing her hands against her breast. Then slowly she sinks' back; slowly her face loses the look of pain, the smile returns. She fixes her eyes again on JAN, and moves her lips and finger to the tune.]
The curtain falls.
SCENE II
It is past four. In a grey, failing light, an open muddy space is crowded with workmen. Beyond, divided from it by a barbed-wire fence, is the raised towing-path of a canal, on which is moored a barge. In the distance are marshes and snow-covered hills. The "Works" high wall runs from the canal across the open space, and ivy the angle of this wall is a rude platform of barrels and boards. On it, HARNESS is standing. ROBERTS, a little apart from the crowd, leans his back against the wall. On the raised towing-path two bargemen lounge and smoke indifferently.
HARNESS. [Holding out his hand.] Well, I've spoken to you straight. If I speak till to-morrow I can't say more.
JAGO. [A dark, sallow, Spanish-looking man with a short, thin beard.] Mister, want to ask you! Can they get blacklegs?
BULGIN. [Menacing.] Let 'em try.
[There are savage murmurs from the crowd.]
BROWN. [A round-faced man.] Where could they get 'em then?
EVANS. [A small, restless, harassed man, with a fighting face.] There's always blacklegs; it's the nature of 'em. There's always men that'll save their own skins.
[Another savage murmur. There is a movement, and old THOMAS, joining the crowd, takes his stand in front.]
HARNESS. [Holding up his hand.] They can't get them. But that won't help you. Now men, be reasonable. Your demands would have brought on us the burden of a dozen strikes
Similar Books
Smoketree
Jennifer Roberson
Courting Darkness
Melynda Price
Haven 5 Blood Magic BOOK
B. V. Larson
The Mystery at the Calgary Stampede
Gertrude Chandler Warner
Casket for Sale, Only Used Once
Jeff Strand
In Our Control
Laura Eldridge
Enticed
J.A. Belfield
The Strange Tale of the Snake Ring
John Holroyd
The Tigress of Forli
Elizabeth Lev
Strip Jack
Ian Rankin