Rada - A Drama of War in One Act | Page 2

wild-goose chase to the other end of the valley?
RADA No. In the old mill-house. Not a hundred yards away. Money, money enough to make us all rich. But [a cunning expression comes into her face] if I tell you where to find it, you must come back and give me my share.
MICHAEL [Staring at her.] Another pack of lies! What are you up to, eh?
ARRAM It's been too much for her nerves. Don't worry her, or she'll go out of her mind, and then there'll be nobody to get us our supper.
NANKO That would be selfish, Rada. You know it's Christmas Eve. Nobody ought to think of unpleasant things on Christmas Eve. I don't think it's right to spoil people's pleasure on Christmas Eve. What have you done with the Christmas tree, Rada?
ARRAM And who's to blame? That's what I want to know. You don't blame us, do you? Why, as likely as not, we shall be fighting on your side against somebody else before next Christmas.
MICHAEL What have you got in there? [He points to the door on the left again and advances toward it.]
RADA [_Hurriedly and as if misunderstanding him, opens a cupboard between him and the door._] Food! Food! Food for hungry men! Food enough for a wolf-pack. Come on, help yourselves!
MICHAEL Holy St. Peter, what a larder! Look at this, Arram. Here's a dinner for forty men.
RADA [Laughing wildly.] Better take your pick before the others come. It's our Christmas dinner.
[She thrusts dishes into MICHAEL'S_ hands and begins loading the table with food._]
NANKO If you happen to have any crystallized plums there, Rada, you might give me one.
ARRAM Lord, what a sight for hungry soldiers! We're in luck's way. Here, fetch me a bowl of water! I'm hungry; but there are times when you can't enjoy food without washing your hands.
[RADA hesitates, then goes out of the room. ARRAM holds out a ring to MICHAEL.]
Her husband's ring. I got it off his finger When he went down. He lay there on his back Howling like a wolf, with his belly blown out. I put him out of his misery. Look at my hands. Ugh! I want to wash.
[NANKO rises and peers at them.]
NANKO Ah, but they're red. Red, aren't they? And there's red on your coat, too.
[He fingers it curiously.]
I suppose that's blood, eh? People are such cowards. Many of them never seem to understand That man's a fighting animal. They're afraid, Dreadfully afraid of the sight of blood. I think it's a beautiful colour, beautiful! You know, in the Old Testament, they used To splash it on the door-posts.
ARRAM [Pushing him off.] Go and sit down, You crazy old devil!
[RADA _enters with a bowl of water, sets it on a bench and returns to her place. ARRAM washes his hands._]
MICHAEL My hands want washing, too. O Lord, you've turned the water into wine! Fetch me some fresh.
[RADA _approaches, stares at the bowl and moves back, swaying a little, as if faint._]
ARRAM [Roughly] I'll empty it. Give it to me. [He goes out]
NANKO The Old Testament, you know, is full of it. Who is this, it says, _that cometh from Edom In dyed garments from Bozrah_? It was blood That dyed their garments. And in Revelations Blood came out of the wine-press, till it splashed The bridles of the horses; and the seas Were all turned into blood. Doesn't that show That man's a fighting animal?
MICHAEL [Goes to the door on the right and tries to open it.] What's in here?
RADA [Thrusting herself between him and the door.] No! No! Don't go in there! Don't go in there!
MICHAEL So that's the treasury, is it? Loot? More loot? What is it? The family stocking?
[ARRAM _enters with the bowl and sets it down. Then goes to the table and begins eating._]
NANKO O, no! no! The stocking is in the chimney-corner, see! [He shakes the empty stocking that hangs in the fireplace.] All ready for Santa Claus. It's a new custom. They do it in Germany. The children, there, Believe that Santa Claus comes down the chimney. The doctor studied in Germany, you know.
MICHAEL O, ho! So that's the trouble! A little girl, Rada, a little girl? Well, Santa Claus Must wash his hands. We mustn't frighten her.
RADA It is my little girl. She's twelve years old. Don't wake her. She has slept all through this night. Help me to save her. I'll do anything for you, Anything! Only help me to get her away Safely. I'll pray for you every night of my life. I'll-----
[The door opens behind her, and SUBKA, _in her night-dress, steals into the room._]
SUBKA Ah, I knew it couldn't be Santa Claus.
ARRAM What? Don't you know me? I came down the chimney.
SUBKA I don't see any soot upon your face. [She goes nearer.] Nor