The Iceman Cometh by Harold Bloom, Eugene O’Neill Read Free Book Online Page B

appears from the bar at rear, right, yawning .
    HOPE
    With fuming irritation .
    Rocky! Bejees, can’t you keep that crazy bastard quiet?
    ROCKY starts for WILLIE .
    WILLIE
    And now the influence of a good woman enters our mariner’s life. Well, perhaps “good” isn’t the word. But very, very kind.
    He sings .
    “Oh, come up,” she cried, “my sailor lad,
    and you and I’ll agree,
    And I’ll show you the prettiest
    Rap, rap, rap .
    That ever you did see.”
    He speaks .
    You see, Larry? The lewd Puritan touch, obviously, and it grows more marked as we go on.
    He sings .
    Oh, he put his arm around her waist,
    He gazed in her bright blue eyes
    And then he—
    But here rocky shakes him roughly by the shoulder .
    ROCKY
    Piano! What d’yuh tink dis dump is, a dump?
    HOPE
    Give him the bum’s rush upstairs! Lock him in his room!
    ROCKY
    Yanks willie by the arm .
    Come on, Bum.
    WILLIE
    Dissolves into pitiable terror .
    No! Please, Rocky! I’ll go crazy up in that room alone! It’s haunted!
    I—
    He calls to HOPE .
    Please, Harry! Let me stay here! I’ll be quiet!
    HOPE
    Immediately relents — indignantly .
    What the hell you doing to him, Rocky? I didn’t tell you to beat up the poor guy. Leave him alone, long as he’s quiet.
    ROCKY lets go of WILLIE disgustedly and goes back to his chair in the bar .
    WILLIE
    Huskily .
    Thanks, Harry. You’re a good scout.
    He closes his eyes and sinks back in his chair exhaustedly, twitching and quivering again .
    HOPE
    Addressing MCGLOIN and MOSHER , who are sleepily awake — accusingly .
    Always the way. Can’t trust nobody. Leave it to that Dago to keep order and it’s like bedlam in a cathouse, singing and everything. And you two big barflies are a hell of a help to me, ain’t you? Eat and sleep and get drunk! All you’re good for, bejees! Well, you can take that “I’ll-have-the-same” look off your maps! There ain’t going to be no more drinks on the house till hell freezes over!
    Neither of the two is impressed either by his insults or his threats. They grin hangover grins of tolerant affection at him and wink at each other . HARRY fumes .
    Yeah, grin! Wink, bejees! Fine pair of sons of bitches to have glued on me for life!
    But he can’t get a rise out of them and he subsides into a fuming mumble .
    Meanwhile, at the middle table , CAPTAIN LEWIS and GENERAL WETJOEN are as wide awake as heavy hangovers permit . JIMMY TOMORROW nods, his eyes blinking . LEWIS is gazing across the table at JOE MOTT , who is still chuckling to himself over WILLIE’s song. The expression on LEWIS ’ s face is that of one who can’t believe his eyes.
    LEWIS
    Aloud to himself, with a muzzy wonder .
    Good God! Have I been drinking at the same table with a bloody Kaffir?
    JOE
    Grinning .
    Hello, Captain. You comin’ up for air? Kaffir? Who’s he?
    WETJOEN
    Blurrily .
    Kaffir, dot’s a nigger, Joe.
    JOE stiffens and his eyes narrow . WETJOENGOES on with heavy jocosity . Dot’s joke on him, Joe. He don’t know you. He’s still plind drunk, the ploody Limey chentleman! A great mistake I missed him at the pattle of Modder River. Vit mine rifle I shoot damn fool Limey officers py the dozen, but him I miss. De pity of it!
    He chuckles and slaps LEWIS on his bare shoulder .
    Hey, wake up, Cecil, you ploody fool! Don’t you know your old friend, Joe? He’s no damned Kaffir! He’s white, Joe is!
    LEWIS
    Light dawning — contritely .
    My profound apologies, Joseph, old chum. Eyesight a trifle blurry, I’m afraid. Whitest colored man I ever knew. Proud to call you my friend. No hard feelings, what?
    He holds out his hand .
    JOE
    At once grins good-naturedly and shakes his hand .
    No, Captain, I know it’s mistake. Youse regular, if you is a Limey.
    Then his face hardening .
    But I don’t stand for “nigger” from nobody. Never did. In de old days, people calls me “nigger” wakes up in de hospital. I was de leader ob de Dirty Half-Dozen Gang. All six of us colored boys, we was