by R C Sherriff
STANHOPE: I was looking across at the Boche trenches and right beyond – not a sound or a soul; just an enormous plain, all churned up like a sea that's got muddier and muddier till it's so stiff that it can't move. You could have heard a pin drop in the quiet; yet you knew thousands of guns were hidden there, all ready cleaned and oiled – millions of bullets lying in pouches – thousands of Germans, waiting and thinking. Then, gradually, that feeling came –
OSBORNE: I never knew the sun could rise in so many ways till I came out here. Green, and pink, and red, and blue, and grey. Extraordinary, isn't it?
STANHOPE: Yes. Hi! Mason!
MASON [outside]: Yessir!
STANHOPE: Bring some mugs and a bottle of whisky.
MASON: Yessir.
OSBORNE [smiling]: So early in the morning?
STANHOPE: Just a spot. It's damn cold in here.
OSBORNE [turning over the pages of a magazine]: This show at the Hippodrome has been running a long time.
STANHOPE: What? Zig-zag?
OSBORNE: Yes. George Robey's in it.
STANHOPE: Harper saw it on leave. Says it's damn good. Robey's pricelessly funny.
[MASON brings whisky and mugs and water. ]
OSBORNE: Wish I'd seen a show on leave.
STANHOPE: D'you mean to say you didn't go to any shows?
OSBORNE [laughing]: No. I spent all the time in the garden, making a rockery. In the evenings I used to sit and smoke and read – and my wife used to knit socks and play the piano a bit. We pretended there wasn't any war at all – till my two youngsters made me help in a tin-soldier battle on the floor.
STANHOPE: Poor old Uncle! You can't get away from it, can you?
OSBORNE: I wish I knew how to fight a battle like those boys of mine. You ought to have seen the way they lured my men under the sofa and mowed them down.
STANHOPE [laughing and helping himself to a drink]: You going to have one?
OSBORNE: Not now, thanks.
STANHOPE: You go on duty at eleven, don't you?
OSBORNE: Yes. I relieve Trotter.
STANHOPE: Raleigh better go on at one o'clock and stay with you for an hour. Then he can stay on alone till four. Hibbert relieves him at four.
OSBORNE: Righto.
STANHOPE: What's Raleigh doing now?
OSBORNE: Finishing a letter.
STANHOPE: Did you tell him?
OSBORNE: About what?
STANHOPE: Censorship.
OSBORNE: You don't mean that seriously?
STANHOPE: Mean it? Of course I mean it.
OSBORNE: You can't do that.
STANHOPE: Officially I'm supposed to read all your letters. Damn it all, Uncle! Imagine yourself in my place – a letter going away from here – from that boy –
OSBORNE: He'll say nothing – rotten – about you.
STANHOPE: You think so? [There is a pause. ] I heard you go on duty last night. After you'd gone, I got up. I was feeling bad. I forgot Raleigh was out there with Trotter. I'd forgotten all about him. I was sleepy. I just knew something beastly had happened. Then he came in with Trotter – and looked at me. After coming in out of the night air, this place must have reeked of candle-grease, and rats – and whisky. One thing a boy like that can't stand is a smell that isn't fresh. He looked at me as if I'd hit him between the eyes – as if I'd spat on him –
OSBORNE: You imagine things.
STANHOPE [laughing]: Imagine things! No need to imagine!
OSBORNE: Why can't you treat him like any other youngster?
[RALEIGH comes in from his dugout with a letter in his hand. He stops short as he notices the abrupt silence that follows his entry. ]
RALEIGH: I'm sorry.
OSBORNE: It's all right, Raleigh. Going to inspect rifles?
RALEIGH: Yes.
OSBORNE: You needn't bother if the wood's a bit dirty – just the barrels and magazines and all the metal parts.
RALEIGH: Righto.
OSBORNE: See there's plenty of oil on it. And look at the ammunition in the men's pouches.
RALEIGH: Right. [He crosses towards the door and turns.] Where do we put the letters to be collected?
OSBORNE: Oh, just on the table.
RALEIGH: Thanks. [He begins to lick the flap of the envelope.]
STANHOPE [in a quiet voice]: You leave it open.
RALEIGH [surprised]: Open?
STANHOPE: Yes. I have to censor all letters.
RALEIGH [stammering]: Oh, but — I haven't said anything about – where we are –
STANHOPE: It's the rule that letters must be read.
RALEIGH [nervously]: Oh, I – I didn't realize that. [He stands embarrassed; then gives a short laugh.] I – I think – I'll just leave it, then.
[He unbuttons his tunic pocket to put the letter away. STANHOPE, rises, slowly crosses and faces RALEIGH.]
STANHOPE: Give me that letter!
RALEIGH [astonished]: But – Dennis –
STANHOPE [trembling]: Give me that letter!
RALEIGH: But it's – it's private. I didn't know –
STANHOPE: D'you understand an order? Give me that letter!
RALEIGH: But I tell you – there's nothing –
[STANHOPE clutches RALEIGH'S wrist and tears the letter from his hand. ]
Dennis – I'm –
STANHOPE: Don't ‘Dennis’ me! Stanhope's my name! You're not at school! Go and inspect your rifles!
[RALEIGH stands in amazement at the foot of the steps. ]
STANHOPE [shouting]: D'you understand an order?
[For a moment RALEIGH stares wide-eyed at STANHOPE, who is trembling and breathing heavily, then almost in a whisper he says: ‘Right’, and goes quietly up the narrow steps. STANHOPE turns towards the table.]
OSBORNE: Good heavens, Stanhope!
STANHOPE [wheeling furiously on OSBORNE]: Look here, Osborne, I'm commanding this company. I ask for advice when I want it!
OSBORNE: Very well.
[STANHOPE sinks down at the table with the letter in his hand. There is silence for a moment. Then he throws the letter on the table and rests his head between his hands. ]
STANHOPE: Oh, God! I don't want to read the blasted thing!
OSBORNE: You'll let it go, then?
STANHOPE: I don't care.
[There is a pause. ]
OSBORNE: Shall I glance through it – for you?
STANHOPE: If you like.
OSBORNE: I don't want to.
STANHOPE: You better. I can't.
[OSBORNE takes the letter from the table and opens it. STANHOPE sits with his head in his hand, digging a magazine with a pencil. After a while, OSBORNE glances up at STANHOPE.]
OSBORNE: D'you want to hear?
STANHOPE: I suppose I better know.
OSBORNE: He begins with a description of his getting here – he doesn't mention the names of any places.
STANHOPE: What does he say then?
OSBORNE: The last piece is about you.
STANHOPE: Go on.
OSBORNE [reading]: He says: ‘And now I come to the great news. I reported at Battalion Headquarters, and the colonel looked in a little book, and said, “You report to C Company – Captain Stanhope.” Can't you imagine what I felt? I was taken along some trenches and shown a dugout. There was an awfully nice officer there – quite old – with grey hair' – [OSBORNE clears his throat] – and then later Dennis came in. He looked tired, but that's because he works so frightfully hard, and because of the responsibility. Then I went on duty in the front line, and a sergeant told me all about Dennis. He said that Dennis is the finest officer in the battalion, and the men simply love him. He hardly ever sleeps in the dugout; he's always up in the front line with the men, cheering them on with jokes, and making them keen about things, like he did the kids at school. I'm awfully proud to think he's my friend.’
[There is silence. STANHOPE has not moved while OSBORNE has read. ]
That's all. [Pause. ] Shall I stick it down?
[STANHOPE sits wit
h lowered head. He murmurs something that sounds like ‘Yes, please.’ He rises heavily and crosses to the shadows by OSBORNE'S bed. The sun is shining quite brightly in the trench outside. ]
THE CURTAIN FALLS
SCENE 2
Afternoon on the same day. The sunlight has gone from the dugout floor, but still shines brightly in the trench.
STANHOPE is lying on his bed reading by the light of a candle on the table beside him. A burly figure comes groping down the steps and stands blinking in the shadows of the dugout. A huge man, with a heavy black moustache, a fat red face, and massive chin.
STANHOPE puts the magazine down, rises, and sits up to the table.
STANHOPE: I want to talk with you, sergeant-major.
S-M [standing stolidly by the steps]: Yes, sir?
STANHOPE: Sit down. Have a whisky?
S-M [a suspicion of brightness in his voice ]: Thank you, sir. [He diffidently takes a small tot. ]
STANHOPE: I say. You won't taste that. Take a proper one.
S-M: Well – sir –
[STANHOPE reaches over, helps the SERGEANT-MAJOR to a large tot, and takes one himself. ]
Turning chilly again, sir. Quite warm this morning.
STANHOPE: Yes.
S-M: Well, here's your very good health, sir. [He raises his glass and drinks. ]
STANHOPE: Cheero. [He puts down his glass and abruptly changes his tone. ] Now, look here, sergeant-major. We must expect this attack on Thursday morning, at dawn. That's the second dawn from now.
[The SERGEANT-MAJOR takes a dirty little notebook from his pocket and jots down notes with a very small stub of pencil.]
S-M: Thursday morning. Very good, sir.
STANHOPE: We're to hold these trenches, and no man's to move from here.
S-M: Very good, sir.
STANHOPE: It may happen that companies on our sides will give way, leaving our flanks exposed; so I want a screen of wire put down both flanks till it meets the wire in the support line.
S-M [writing hurriedly ]: Both flanks – yes, sir.
STANHOPE: When the attack begins, I shall take charge of the left, and Mr Osborne the right. You will be with Mr Osborne, and Sergeant Baker with me; 9 and 10 Platoons will move over here
[he points out the position on the trench map]; 11 and 12 Platoons to the left.
S-M: I see, sir.
STANHOPE: Is there anything you're not clear about?
S-M [looking at his notes]: Seems all clear, sir.
STANHOPE: Anything you want to know?
S-M: Well, sir [clears his throat] – when the attack comes, of course, we beat 'em off – but what if they keep on attacking?
STANHOPE: Then we keep on beating them off.
S-M: Yes, sir. But what I mean is – they're bound to make a big thing of it.
STANHOPE [cheerily]: Oh, I think they will!
S-M: Well, then, sir. If they don't get through the first day, they'll attack the next day and the next –
STANHOPE: They're bound to.
S-M: Then oughtn't we to fix up something about, well [he gropes for the right words ] – er – falling back?
STANHOPE: There's no need to – you see, this company's a lot better than A and B Companies on either side of us.
S-M: Quite, sir.
STANHOPE: Well, then, if anyone breaks, A and B will break before we do. As long as we stick here when the other companies have given way, we can fire into the Boche as they try and get through the gaps on our sides – we'll make a hell of a mess of them. We might delay the advance a whole day.
S-M [diffidently]: Yes, sir, but what 'appens when the Boche 'as all got round the back of us?
STANHOPE: Then we advance and win the war.
S-M [pretending to make a note ]: Win the war. Very good, sir.
STANHOPE: But you understand exactly what I mean, sergeant-major. Our orders are to stick here. If you're told to stick where you are you don't make plans to retire.
S-M: Quite, sir.
[ OSBORNE' S voice is calling down the steps. SERGEANT-MAJOR rises. ]
OSBORNE: Are you there, Stanhope?
STANHOPE [rising quickly ]: Yes. What's the matter?
OSBORNE: The colonel's up here. Wants to see you –
STANHOPE: Oh, right, I'll come up.
COLONEL [from above]: All right, Stanhope – I'll come down.
S-M [who has risen]: Anything more, sir?
STANHOPE: I don't think so. I'll see you at stand-to this evening.
S-M: Very good, sir.
[He stands back a pace and salutes STANHOPE smartly. STANHOPE'S eye falls on the SERGEANT-MAJOR'S nearly finished drink on the table. He points to it.]
STANHOPE: Hoy! What about that?
S-M: Thank you, sir.
[He finishes the drink. The COLONEL comes down the steps.]
COLONEL: Good morning, sergeant-major.
S-M: Good morning, sir.
[The SERGEANT-MAJOR goes up the steps.]
STANHOPE: Hullo, sir!
COLONEL: Hullo, Stanhope! [He sniffs.] Strong smell of bacon.
STANHOPE: Yes, sir. We had some bacon for breakfast.
COLONEL: Hangs about, doesn't it?
STANHOPE: Yes, sir. Clings to the walls.
COLONEL: Lovely day.
STANHOPE: Splendid, sir.
COLONEL: Spring's coming. [There is a pause.] I'm glad you're alone. I've got some rather serious news.
STANHOPE: I'm sorry to hear that, sir. Will you have a drink?
COLONEL: Well, thanks – just a spot.
[STANHOPE mixes a drink for the COLONEL and himself.]
Here's luck.
STANHOPE: Cheero, sir. [Bringing forward a box] Sit down, sir.
COLONEL: Thanks.
STANHOPE: What's the news, sir?
COLONEL: The brigadier came to see me this morning. [He pauses. ] It seems almost certain the attack's to come on Thursday morning. They've got information from more than one source – but they don't know where it's going to fall the hardest. The Boche began relieving his front-line troops yesterday. They're bound to put in certain regiments where they intend to make the hardest push –
STANHOPE: Naturally –
COLONEL: And the general wants us to make a raid to find out who's come into the line opposite here.
[There is a pause.]
STANHOPE: I see. When?
COLONEL: As soon as possible. He said tonight.
STANHOPE: Oh, but that's absurd!
COLONEL: I told him so. I said the earliest would be tomorrow afternoon. A surprise daylight raid under a smoke screen from the trench-mortar people. I think daylight best. There's not much moon now, and it's vitally important to get hold of a Boche or two.
STANHOPE: Quite.
COLONEL: I suggest sending two officers and ten men. Quite enough for the purpose. Just opposite here there's only seventy yards of No Man's Land. Tonight the trench-mortars can blow a hole in the Boche wire and you can cut a hole in yours. Harrison of the trench-mortars is coming in to dinner with me this evening to discuss everything. I'd like you to come too. Eight o'clock suit you?
STANHOPE: Very good, sir.
COLONEL: I'll leave you to select the men.
STANHOPE: You want me to go with them, sir?
COLONEL: Oh, no, Stanhope. I – I can't let you go. No. I want one officer to direct the raid and one to make the dash in and collar some Boche.
STANHOPE: Who do you suggest, sir?
COLONEL: Well, I suggest Osborne, for one. He's a very level-headed chap. He can direct it.
STANHOPE: And who else?
COLONEL: Well, there's Trotter – but he's a bit fat, isn't he? Not much good at dashing in?
STANHOPE: No. D'you suggest Hibbert?
COLONEL: Well, what do you think of Hibbert?
STANHOPE: I don't think so.
COLONEL: No.
[There is a pause.]
STANHOPE: Why not send a good sergeant, sir?
C
OLONEL: No. I don't think a sergeant. The men expect officers to lead a raid.
STANHOPE: Yes. There is that.