Rada - A Drama of War in One Act | Page 4

"Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you: ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
[_There is silence for a moment, then the sound of a pistol shot, a scream, and a roar of drunken laughter without, followed by a furious pounding on the outer door._]
ARRAM Here, Michael, what the devil are we to do About this child? [He calls through the door.] Clear out of this! The house Is full! We want to sleep. [There is a louder shout outside, and the pounding is resumed.] Bundle the child Into that room, woman, at once!
[RADA snatches the revolver from the Christmas tree and hurries SUBKA _into the room on the right, just as the outer door bursts open and a troop of drunken soldiers appear on the threshold, shouting and furious with drink._]
FIRST SOLDIER Come on! They're in that room. I saw them! The only skirts Left in the village. Come, it's Christmas Eve, Comrades. You've had your fun.
ARRAM Clear out of this, We want to sleep.
SECOND SOLDIER Well, hand the women over.
MICHAEL There are no women here.
FIRST SOLDIER You bloody wolf, I saw them!
NANKO Come! Come! Come! It's Christmas Eve.
SECOND SOLDIER Well--if there are no women--where's the harm In letting us poor soldiers take a squint Thro' yonder door. My God, we'll do it, too. Come on, my boys! [They make a rush towards the room.]
NANKO Be careful! Or you'll smash The Christmas tree! You'll smash the gramophone!
[_A soldier tries the door on the right. Suddenly it is opened from within and RADA appears on the threshold with the revolver in her hand._]
FIRST SOLDIER Liars! Liars!
RADA There is one woman here, One woman and a child---- And war they tell me is a noble thing; It is the mother of heroic deeds, The nurse of honour, manhood.
SECOND SOLDIER Christ, a speech!
RADA Yes, and your training benefits your health.
NANKO [Who is crouching over the fire again.] Certainly, Rada! Military training! Life is a battle.
RADA You hear, drunk as you are, Up to your necks in blood, you hear this fool, This poor old fool, piping his dreary cry; And through his lips, and through his softening brain, You and the men that buy you, statesmen, kings, Teach the poor sheep of the world that war is good. Go! Take your manhood out of this. Or else---- [She threatens to shoot.] I have one bullet for the child, and five To share between you and myself!
FIRST SOLDIER O, Christ, A speech! [They fall back before the revolver as she raises it.]
RADA If you have children of your own, Listen to me ... The child is twelve years old. She has never had one hard word spoken to her In all her life.
FIRST SOLDIER Nor shall she now, by God! Where is she? Bring her out!
SECOND SOLDIER Twelve years of age! That's ripe enough for marriage to a soldier. [They laugh.]
FIRST SOLDIER She can't shoot! Look at the way she's holding it! Duck down and make a rush for it! Come on! [Several of them make a rush, RADA _steps back and shuts the door in their faces._]
SECOND SOLDIER Locked out, by God! We'll have to break it down.
MICHAEL She'll keep her word. You'll never get 'em alive.
ARRAM Never. I know that kind. You'd better clear out!
FIRST SOLDIER Come on! We'll burst the door. [They put their shoulders to the door and it begins to give. ARRAM makes a sign to MICHAEL, _urging him to interfere. A revolver shot is heard within. The men pause, and there is another shot._]
ARRAM By God, she's done it! [There is a booming of distant artillery.]
MICHAEL Hear that! The enemy! Making a night attack! [There is a loud bugle call without.]
ARRAM There goes the bugle! [They all rush out, except NANKO, _who looks out into the night after them, then closes the outer door, takes a crystallized plum from the table, crosses the room and stares at the floor, near the door on the right._]
NANKO [Calls aloud.] Rada, these plums are excellent. Don't you see Life is a battle! Survival of the fittest! Something red again. Trickling under the door? Blood, I suppose. Well, I don't think it's right To spoil a person's pleasure on Christmas Eve. I wonder how the gramophone does work? He said the tune that he was putting in Was just the thing for Christmas Eve. I wonder, I wonder what it was.
[_He