Delphi Collected Works of W. Somerset Maugham (Illustrated)

by William Somerset Maugham

  Daisy. What do you mean? [She suddenly guesses the truth and gives a cry.] Oh!

  Amah. [Hurriedly putting her hand over Daisy’s mouth.] Sh, you no make noise. [Holding out the revolver.] Lee Tai say, more better you do it.

  Daisy. Take it away. No, no, I won’t, I won’t.

  Amah. Sh, sh. I do it. I sabe.

  [She takes the cartridges out of the revolver and hides them about her. Daisy looks at her with horror.

  Daisy. It’s not for to-night?

  Amah. I no sabe.

  Daisy. I won’t have it. Do you hear? Oh, I shall go mad!

  Amah. Then Harry shut you up. Hi, hi. All same Chung-king.

  [She puts the revolver back into the drawer and shuts it just as Harry and Harold Knox come in. They wear dinner jackets.

  Knox. Hulloa, there’s the little ray of sunshine. I missed your bonny face before dinner.

  Amah. You velly funny man.

  Knox. No wonder I dote upon you, dearie. You’re the only attractive woman I’ve ever been able to persuade that I was a humourist.

  Harry. [Catching sight of the Amah’s water-pipe.] I told you I wouldn’t have your disgusting pipe in here, amah.

  Amah. Belong velly nice pipe.

  Harry. I swore I’d throw the damned thing out myself if I found it lying about.

  Amah. [Snatching it away.] You no touch my pipe. You velly bad man. Velly bad temper. You no Christian.

  Harry. A fat lot you know about Christianity.

  Amah. I know plentything about Christianity. My father velly poor man. He say, you go and be Christian. I go Catholic mission and they baptize me. English Church missionary, he come along and say, Catholic mission no good, you go to hell, I baptize you. All right I say, you baptize me. By and by Baptist missionary come along and say, English Church mission no good, you go to hell, I baptize you. All right, I say, you baptize me. By and by Presbyterian missionary come along and say, Baptist mission no good, you go to hell, I baptize you. All right, I say, you baptize me. [To Knox.] You know Seventh Day Adventists?

  Knox. I’ve heard of them.

  Amah. By and by Seventh Day Adventist he come along and say, Presbyterian mission no good.

  Knox. You go to hell.

  Amah. How fashion you sabe what he said?

  Knox. I guessed it.

  Amah. You go to hell, he say. I baptize you. I been baptized one, two, three, four, five times. I velly Christian woman.

  Harry. [Smiling.] I apologize.

  Amah. They all say to poor Chinese, love one another. I no think missionaries love one another velly much. Hi, hi.

  Knox. [Taking out his watch.] D’you mind if I look at the time? I don’t want to get to the station late.

  Harry. Of course not. I say, won’t you have a cigar? [He goes to his desk.] I have to keep them locked up. I think the boys find them very much to their taste. [He puts the key into the lock.] Hulloa, the drawer’s open. I could have sworn I locked it. [He takes out a box of cigars and hands it to Knox.]

  Knox. [Helping himself.] Thanks very much.

  Daisy. You know, you mustn’t let me keep you if you want to be off.

  Knox. I’ve got two or three minutes.

  Harry. Oh, Daisy, before Harold goes I wish you’d show him that Manchu dress I bought you.

  Daisy. I’ll go and fetch it. [To the Amah.] Is it hanging up in the cupboard?

  Amah. No, I have puttee in paper. I velly careful woman.

  [They both go out.

  Knox. I say, old man, I hope you don’t think I’m an awful swine to rush off like this the moment I’ve swallowed my dinner.

  Harry. Rather not. As a matter of fact it’s not exactly inconvenient, because I’m expecting George. I want him to have a heart to heart talk with Daisy.

  Knox. Oh.

  Harry. She’s grousing rather about going to Chung-king and I want him to tell her it’s a very decent place. He was vice-consul up there once. He’s dining at the Carmichael’s, but he said he’d come along here as soon as he could get away.

  Knox. Then it’s all for the best in the best of all possible worlds.

  [Daisy comes in with the dress.

  Daisy. Here it is.

  Knox. By George, isn’t it stunning? I must try to get one for my sister. She’d simply go off her head if she saw that.

  Daisy. Harry spoils me, doesn’t he?

  Knox. Harry’s a very lucky young fellow to have you to spoil.

  Daisy. [Smiling.] Go away or you’ll never arrive in time.

  Knox. I’m off. Goodby and thanks very much. Dinner was top-hole.

  Daisy. Goodby.

  [He goes out. Harry accompanies him into the courtyard and for a moment is lost to view. The gaiety on Daisy’s face vanishes and a look of anxiety takes its place.

  Daisy. [Calling hurriedly.] Amah, amah.

  Amah. [Coming in.] What thing?

  Daisy. What have you done? Have you...? [She stops, unable to complete the agonised question.]

  Amah. What you talk about? I done nothing. I only have joke with you. Hi, hi.

  Daisy. Will you swear that’s true?

  Amah. Never tell a lie. Velly good Christian.

  [Daisy looks at her searchingly. She does not know whether to believe or not. Harry returns.

  Harry. I say, Daisy, I wish you’d put on the dress. I’d love to see how you look in it.

  Daisy. [With a smile.] Shall I?

  Harry. Amah will help you. It’ll suit you right down to the ground.

  Daisy. Wait a minute. Bring the dress along, amah.

  Amah. All right.

  [Daisy goes out, followed by the Amah with the Manchu dress. Harry goes to his desk and opens the drawer. He examines the lock and looks at the keyhole.

  Harry. [To himself.] I wonder if that old devil’s got a key.

  [He shuts the drawer, but does not lock it. He strolls back to the middle of the room.

  Daisy. [In the adjoining room.] Are you getting impatient?

  Harry. Not a bit.

  Daisy. I’m just ready.

  Harry. I’m holding my breath. [Daisy comes in. She is in full Manchu dress. She is strangely changed. There is nothing European about her any more. She is mysterious and enigmatical.] Daisy! [She gives him a little smile but does not answer. She stands quite still for him to look at her.] By George, how Chinese you look!

  Daisy. Don’t you like it?

  Harry. I don’t know. You’ve just knocked me off my feet. Like it? You’re wonderful. In my wildest dreams I never saw you like that. You’ve brought all the East into the room with you. My head reels as though I were drunk.

  Daisy. It’s strange that I feel as if these things were made for me. They make me feel so different.

  Harry. I thought that no one in the world was more normal than I. I’m ashamed of myself. You’re almost a stranger to me and by God, I feel as though the marrow of my bones were melting. I hear the East a-calling. I have such a pain in my heart. Oh, my pretty, my precious, I love you.

  [He falls down on his knees before her and clasps both his arms round her.

  Daisy. [In a low voice, hardly her own.] Why, Harry, what are you talking about?

  [She caresses his hair with her long, delicate Chinese hand.

  Harry. I’m such a fool. My heart is full of wonderful thoughts and I can only say that — that I worship the very ground you walk on.

  Daisy. Don’t kneel, Harry; that isn’t the way a woman wants to be loved.

  [She raises him to his feet and as he rises he takes her in his arms.

  Harry. [Passionately.] I’d do anything in the world for you.

  Daisy. You could make me so happy if you chose.

  Harry. I do choose.

  Daisy. Won’t you give up this idea of leaving Peking?

  Harry. But, my darling, it’s for your happiness I’m doing it.

  Daisy. Don’t you think that everyone is the best judge of his own happiness?

  Harry. Not always.

&
nbsp; Daisy. [Disengaging herself from his arms.] Ah, that’s the English way. You want to make people happy in your way and not in theirs. You’ll never be satisfied till the Chinese wear Norfolk jackets and eat roast beef and plum pudding.

  Harry. Oh, my dear, don’t let’s argue now.

  Daisy. You say you’ll give me everything in the world and you won’t give me the one thing I want. What’s the good of offering me the moon if I have a nail in my shoe and you won’t take it out?

  Harry. Well, you can smile, so it’s not very serious, is it?

  Daisy. [Putting her arms round his neck.] Oh, Harry, I’ll love you so much if you’ll only do what I ask. You don’t know me yet. Oh, Harry!

  Harry. My darling, I love you with all my heart and soul, but when I’ve once made up my mind nothing on earth is going to make me change it. We can only be happy and natural if we go. You must submit to my judgment.

  Daisy. How can you be so obstinate?

  Harry. My dear, look at yourself in the glass now.

  [She looks down on her Manchu dress. She understands what he means. She is a Chinese woman.

  Daisy. [With a change of tone.] Amah, bring me a tea-gown.

  [She begins to undo the long Manchu coat. The Amah comes in with a tea-gown.

  Harry. [Dryly.] It’s very convenient that you should always be within earshot when you’re wanted, amah.

  Amah. I velly good amah. Velly Christian woman.

  [Daisy slips off the Manchu clothes and is helped by the Amah into the tea-gown. She wraps it round her. She is once more a white woman.

  Daisy. [Pointing to the Manchu dress.] Take those things away. [To Harry.] Would you like to have a game of chess?

  Harry. Very much. I’ll get the men.

  [Daisy goes to the gramophone and turns on a Chinese tune. It is strange and exotic. Its monotony exacerbates the nerves. Harry gets the chessboard and sets up the pieces. They sit down opposite one another. The Amah has disappeared with the discarded dress.

  Harry. Will you take white?

  Daisy. If you like. [She moves a piece.]

  Harry. I hate your queen opening. It always flummoxes me. I don’t know where you learned to play so well. I never have a chance against you.

  Daisy. I was taught by a Chinaman. It’s a game they take to naturally.

  [They make two or three moves without a word. Suddenly, breaking across the silence, stridently, there is a shriek outside in the street. Daisy gives a little gasp.

  Harry. Hulloa, what’s that?

  Daisy. Oh, it’s nothing. It’s only some Chinese quarrelling.

  [Two or three shouts are heard and then an agonised cry of “Help, help.” Harry springs to his feet.

  Harry. By God, that’s English.

  [He is just going to rush out when Daisy seizes his arm.]

  Daisy. What are you going to do? No, no, don’t leave me, Harry.

  [She clings to him. He pushes her away violently.

  Harry. Shut up. Don’t be a fool.

  [He runs to the drawer of his desk. The cry is repeated: “For God’s sake, help, help, oh!”

  Harry. My God, they’re killing someone. It can’t be ... [He remembers that George is coming that evening.]

  Daisy. [Throwing herself on him.] No, Harry, don’t go, don’t go, I won’t let you.

  Harry. Get out of my way.

  [He pushes her violently aside and runs out. Daisy sinks to the floor and buries her face in her hands.

  Daisy. Oh, my God!

  [The Amah has been waiting just outside one of the doors, in the courtyard, and now she slips in.

  Amah. Harry velly blave man. He hear white man being murdered. He run and help. Hi, hi.

  Daisy. Oh, I can’t. Harry, Harry.

  [She springs to her feet and runs towards the courtyard, with some instinctive idea of going to her husband’s help. The Amah stops her.

  Amah. What side you go?

  Daisy. I can’t stand here and let Harry be murdered.

  Amah. You stop here.

  Daisy. Let me go. For God’s sake let me go. Wu, Wu.

  [The Amah puts her hand over Daisy’s mouth.

  Amah. You be quiet. You wanchee go prison?

  Daisy. [Snatching away her hand.] I’ll give you anything in the world if you’ll only let me go.

  Amah. You silly little fool, Daisy.

  [Daisy struggles to release herself, but she is helpless in the Amah’s grasp.

  Daisy. [In an agony.] It’ll be too late.

  Amah. Too late now. You no can help him.

  [She releases Daisy. Daisy staggers forward and covers her face with her hands.

  Daisy. Oh, what have I done?

  Amah. [With a snigger.] You no done nothing, you know nothing.

  Daisy. [Violently.] Curse you! It’s you, you, you!

  Amah. I velly wicked woman. Curse me. Do me no harm.

  Daisy. I told you I wouldn’t have anything done to Harry.

  Amah. You say no with your lips but in your belly you say yes.

  Daisy. No, no, no!

  Amah. You just big damned fool, Daisy. You no love Harry. Him not velly rich. Not velly big man. No good. You velly glad you finish with him.

  Daisy. But not that way. He never did me any harm. He was always good to me and kind to me.

  Amah. That velly good way. Velly safe way.

  Daisy. You devil! I hate the sight of you.

  Amah. What for you hate me? I do what you want. Your father velly clever man. He say: no break eggs, no can eat omelette.

  Daisy. I wish I’d never been born.

  Amah. [Impatiently.] What for you tell me lies? You want Harry dead. Well, I kill him for you. [With a sudden gust of anger.] You no curse me or I beat you. You velly bad girl.

  Daisy. [Giving way.] Oh, I feel so awfully faint!

  Amah. [Tenderly, as though Daisy were still a child.] You sit down. You take smelly salts. [She helps Daisy into a chair and holds smelling salts to her nostrils.] You feel better in a minute. Amah love her little Daisy flower. Harry him die and Daisy velly sorry. She cry and cry and cry. George velly sorry for Daisy. By and by Daisy no cry any more. She say, more better Harry dead. Good old amah, she do everything for little Daisy.

  [Daisy has been looking at her with terrified eyes.

  Daisy. What a brute I am! I’d give anything in the world to have Harry back, and yet in the bottom of my heart there’s a feeling — if I were free there’d be nothing to stand between George and me.

  Amah. I think George he marry you maybe.

  Daisy. Oh, not now! It’ll bring me bad joss.

  Amah. You no wanchee fear, my little flower. You sit still or you feel bad again.

  Daisy. [Jumping up.] How can I sit still? The suspense is awful. Oh, my God, what’s happened?

  Amah. [With a cunning smile.] I tell you what’s happened. Harry run outside and he see two, three men makee fighting. They a little way off. One man cry, “Help, help!” Harry give shout and run. He fall down and him not get up again.

  Daisy. He’s as strong as a horse. With his bare hands he’s a match for ten Chinamen.

  Amah. Lee Tai velly clever man. He no take risks. I think all finish now.

  Daisy. Then for God’s sake let me go.

  Amah. More better you stay here, Daisy. Perhaps you get into trouble if you go out. They ask you why you go out, — why you think something happen to your husband.

  Daisy. I can’t let him lie there.

  Amah. He no lie velly long. By and by night watchman come here, and he say white man in the street — him dead. I think his throat cut.

  Daisy. Oh, how horrible! Harry, Harry!

  [She buries her face in her hands.

  Amah. I light joss-stick. Make everything come all right.

  [She goes over to the household image and lights a joss-stick in front of it. She bows before it and going on her knees knocks her head on the ground.

  Daisy. How long is it going on? How long have I got to wait
? Oh, what have I done? The silence is awful. [There is a silence. Suddenly Daisy breaks out into a shriek.] No, no, no! I won’t have it. I can’t bear it. Oh, God help me! [In the distance of the next courtyard is heard the chanting of the monks at the evening service. The Amah, having finished her devotions, stands at the doorway looking out steadily. Daisy stares straight in front of her. Suddenly there is a loud booming of a gong. Daisy starts up.] What’s that?

  Amah. Be quiet, Daisy. Be careful.

  [The door of the courtyard is flung open. Harry comes in, through the courtyard, into the room, pushing before him a coolie whom he holds by the wrists and by the scruff of the neck.

  Daisy. Harry!

  Harry. I’ve got one of the blighters. [Shouting.] Here, bring me a rope.

  Daisy. What’s happened?

  Harry. Wait a minute. Thank God, I got there when I did. [Wu brings a rope and Harry ties the man’s wrists behind his back.] Keep quiet, you devil, or I’ll break your ruddy neck. [He slips the rope through the great iron ring of one of the doors and ties it so that the man cannot get away.] He’ll be all right there for the present. I’ll just go and telephone to the police station. Wu, you stand outside there. You watch him. Sabe?

  Wu. I sabe.

  [As Harry goes out a crowd of people surge through the great open doorway of the courtyard. They are monks of the temple, attracted to the street by the quick rumour of accident, coolies, and the night watchman with his rattle. Some of them bear Chinese lanterns, some hurricane lamps. The crowd separates out as they approach the room and then it is seen that three men are bearing what seems to be the body of a man.

  Daisy. What’s that?

  Amah. I think belong foreign man. [The men bring in the body and lay it on the sofa. The head and part of the chest are covered with a piece of blue cotton. Daisy and the Amah look at it with dismay. They dare not approach. The Abbot drives the crowd out of the room and shuts the doors, only leaving that side of one open at which the prisoner is attached. The Amah turns on the god in the niche.] You say can do. What for you make mistake?

  [She seizes a fan which is on the table under her hand and with angry violence hits the image on the face two or three times. Daisy has been staring at the body. She goes up to it softly and lifts the cloth slightly, she gives a start, and with a quick gesture snatches it away. She sees George Conway.

  Daisy. George. [She opens her mouth to shriek.]