by Unknown
OPHIR. For, listen, soldiers. With that first blow Saul is absolved of his vow! Then will he straightway give battle.
ALL. The battle! The battle!
FIRST SLINGER. Saul will be absolved of his vow!
SECOND SLINGER. The forty days are over!
ALL. The forty days are over!
OPHIR. See him again this day, Israel, as you have been wont to see him in your front, Saul our King, as he bends backward, astride your enemies, his javelin in his hand. He calls to you once more to smite the Philistines.
ALL. Smite the Philistines!
OPHIR. Then shall their cattle be thine, and their wines and their horses and their camels shall be thine, and their chariots shall be thine, and at last there will be workers of iron in this land to forge us swords and spears. Are you ready to be magnified, O Israel? Is it to be the battle?
(His outburst is gradually received with clamorous cries of ‘The battle, the battle — the forty days are over. Let the boy perish — Hail the King,’ ending with ‘But where is the boy?’ DAVID, who has been neglected and lost to sight, is now discovered in a parting of the crowd, quite regardless of them, testing pebbles in the water. They regard him wonderingly.)
ABNER. What ARE YOU DOING, BOY?
DAVID (looking up). I am gathering pebbles for my sling.
A SLINGER. Truly this one is not as others are.
DAVID (to JONATHAN). Who are you, boy?
JONATHAN. My name is Jonathan.
DAVID. My name is David. (More secretively) Hearken, Jonathan. They say that he who kills Goliath acquires his tent and his spear.
JONATHAN. It is so, but woe unto you.
DAVID (very worried). I fear not to sleep in his tent if there is a lamp. But his spear! Jonathan, if his spear is like unto a weaver’s beam, as they say, how shall I be able to carry it on my shoulder?
JONATHAN (astounded). Is that all that in this dire moment afflicts your mind?
DAVID. It is chiefly that.
JONATHAN. Thou pitiful!
A SLINGER. Ophir, are we men that we can give him to the spear of the Philistines?
OPHIR. It is not we who give him. It is Samuel.
A SLINGER. Ay, true, it is not Saul who sends this one to the man of Gath. Samuel’s the blame.
ALL. Ay, Samuel’s the blame.
OPHIR. The boy’s own be the decision.
A SLINGER. Death awaits him.
ANOTHER. Let the boy do as he will.
(OPHIR takes horn from abner.)
OPHIR (who sees that he must act quickly before a fickle crowd). This is his horn. Let him sound it if he dares.
(He casts the horn on to the glade where DAVID is alone.)
ABNER. Know, boy, there is none in Israel who will face this monster.
A SLINGER. None.
ALL. None of us.
ABNER. For he is as one left over from the giants who were drowned in a deluge and now mourn and groan in Hell beneath the waters. Such is this Goliath, crying mockingly that Israel is without a God.
DAVID. Who is the God of Israel?
ABNER. Our Maker, the Lord of Hosts, Whom this Goliath defies.
DAVID. Can IT be? (He looks up, shuts his eyes, then crosses to where the horn lies.)
JONATHAN (coming to DAVID). Touch not the horn, David.
A SLINGER. Touch not the horn.
JONATHAN. Surely now, you are afraid.
(DAVID shivers, and for the moment his courage is gone.)
OPHIR (jeering). Ah, see how Samuel’s champion trembles! In vain do we await the blast that was to be great in the history of Israel.
A SLINGER. He fears!
DAVID (though still in a quiver and rather childlike). Perhaps I am afraid — but thus does David.
(He lifts the horn and blows a clear challenging blast. The answer comes from the Philistine camp. All cringe and work around to the left of stage.)
armour-bearer (offstage). Goliath awaits the champion of Israel. Here in the Vale of Elah.
ALL. He is doomed.
(The scene becomes darker.)
A SLINGER. A darkness comes upon the land.
ALL. A darkness comes upon the land.
A SLINGER. Who sends it?
ANOTHER. The Lord deserts us.
ABNER. Or has the boy a friend we know not of?
OPHIR. He has no friend.
(The stage is now quite dark.)
armour-bearer (off). Goliath awaits.
(Challenging trumpets are heard from Philistine camp. All the Israelites creep away, leaving only DAVID and Jonathan DAVID hesitates, then slowly walks up centre and goes toward the Philistine camp. He backs, appalled by what he has seen. Jonathan creeps up to him.)
Jonathan (in whisper). David! David, did YOU see him?
DAVID. I saw him.
JONATHAN. What think you?
DAVID. He is of a size even more huge than they said. Jonathan, I am not quite sure now that I shall win.
JONATHAN. Fly with me quickly, David. I can save you still.
DAVID. No.
GOLIATH (off). Now shall Israel be shamed for mocking me with such a champion. Look, insect, upon Goliath of Gath.
DAVID. Lo, I have looked and you are smaller than they said.
GOLIATH. HOW many pebbles, little one, are in your wallet?
DAVID. There are five, but I think I shall not need them all.
GOLIATH. I curse thee by my Gods. Come to me and I will give thy flesh to the fowls of the air and to the beasts of the field, thou Israelite who art without a God.
DAVID. Thou comest to me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield, but I come to thee in the Name of Him Whom thou hast defied. This day will He deliver thee into mine hands and I will smite thee, that all the earth will know there is a God in Israel.
(Poised on the rock, DAVID discharges his sling at the unseen goliath. The stone whistles through the air. There is a moment of intense silence, followed by the echoing sound of goliath’s fall, DAVID runs offstage in the direction from which the sound comes. The darkness gradually lifts, and one by one, very slowly and anxiously, Israelites come on, bewildered and unable to understand what has happened. They do not speak, but stare in the direction of the Philistines, abner is amongst them. This situation lasts a full minute. Suddenly an Israelite comes on from the side of the Philistines, crying breathlessly and hoarsely: ‘David has slain Goliath! David has slain Goliath! David has slain Goliath!’ Repeating the same words again and again like a madman, he crosses the stage until he disappears from sight. Behind the scene you still hear him repeating this incredible news — spreading the miracle through the tents, his voice growing louder. The few men on the stage are awestruck, whisperingly asking one another, ‘David has slain Goliath?’ as though unable to believe their own words. Then there comes a long-drawn cry from the Philistines, ‘David has slain Goliath!!!’ With barbaric dancing and wild shouts Israelites pour on to the scene until the stage is quite full. Throughout all the clamour the words ‘David has slain Goliath!’ are continuously heard, taken up by more and more of the thronging Israelites until at last the sentence rises to a jubilant roar. Finally DAVID comes on with goliath’s great spear Being unable to raise it, he is dragging it along the ground with both hands. The Israelites dance wildly around him until one cries out: ‘The battle! The battle!’ This idea is taken up by more and more, until with one accord they all rush off in the direction of the Philistines, their voices mingling in one unanimous cry: ‘The battle! The battle!’)
SCENE III
DAVID PLAYS BEFORE SAUL
IT is the night of the same day, and it is the same scene, except that the tent of Goliath now occupies a conspicuous place in it; and as much of the action is to occur inside this tent, all other matters must be subservient to a complete view of not all but most of the inside of the tent to everybody in the house. This will require much stage-craft and practical consideration. The tents of those days were not white, they were indeed mostly black, ma
de of the skins of black goats, etc., but we can suppose that Goliath’s tent was of a barbaric and bizarre appearance, such as had appealed to his crude imagination, and it is of skins of various animals sewn together. It has a centre pole and, when open, the inside should follow, as far as may be, the picture already referred to by Rembrandt of David playing before Saul. It must be downstage, not in centre, but nearer to left than to right, and the opening, which is sometimes closed, must be to the footlights. It must be of considerable size, and will cut off the view of a large part of the scene, but this does not matter.
A general effect will be got, in glimpses, of the former scene, with the army tents now lit up here and there and moving lights, and where there is talk or important business outside the tent, it is to take place downstage right where the tent will not obscure the actors. The lighting of the scene can vary for stage effect, but on the whole it is a dark night, and no moon is visible.
(The effect to he got when the curtain rises is as if it had risen prematurely on stage-hands putting the finishing touches to the erection of the tent, hut the workmen are Philistine prisoners, and overseer to them is abner, who is doing it with a whip, which, after the manner of the times, he does not hesitate to use. There is quite a suggestion of savage cruelty. Some of them are in chains, all are sullen and crouching figures and one of them is goliath’s armour-bearer. This opening of the scene is to convey its meaning without words, and is to include the carrying to the tent of goliath’s helmet and armour and rich rugs. When abner thinks it is finished he relinquishes his whip to an Israelite guard, who drives the captives away in front of him amid the jeers of the conquerors. The tent has been closed so far, and a light shows through interstices in the covering.
DAVID and Jonathan are inside but unseen, and the tent is already lit up before rise of curtain. Simultaneously there is revelling going on upon the rocks on both sides as well as suggested in the distance. There is music and singing in barbaric joy and leaping over an Israelite victory. The whole thing is of the briefest, as all the appearances of crowds in this play are, but it is furiously wild while it lasts. It is ended abruptly about the same time as the departure of the captives by loud blasts from offstage, which signify the recall of the revellers to camp. They go quickly but still revelling.
abner is now alone and troubled. He surveys the tent.
OPHIR comes from back, rather furtively, and they meet downstage.)
ABNER. Ophir!
OPHIR. Ay, he has let me live but I am no more a captain. Heard you not the recall to camp sounded, Abner? (As one dismissing him) We are no longer needed here.
ABNER (looking at tent). Yet would I linger — ay, till the morning light.
OPHIR. Is the boy within his tent?
ABNER (ill at ease). Yea, and Prince Jonathan with him. Ophir, why has the tent of Goliath that is now David’s been pitched in this lonely place?
OPHIR. Guards have been left him on the rocks. Does he complain?
ABNER. Nay, he is too ignorant to know fear so long as there is a light within. So was it with me, in the days when I was small. (Touched) The two of them are playing with the harness of Goliath. He is now more like a child than a conqueror.
OPHIR (grimly). Then all is well.
ABNER. I do not think that in this dark glade all is well.
(Looking round the dark glade) I think there is danger this night to David.
OPHIR (lowering). Who can be the enemy? Say to me his name, Abner!
(Obviously ABNER could say it but he shrinks, afraid. He listens suspiciously.)
For what do you listen?
ABNER. I seem to hear the beating of a heart that is privy to wickedness.
OPHIR. Come, come, thou troubled one, have not the Philistines been consumed; and their camels, ay, and their horses and even their chariots are now the servants of Israel. All shout this night to the glory of the King whose name you are afraid to speak.
ABNER. Ay, truly, they exult in the King. But they also cry — (He looks significantly at the tent)—’ There is no boy like this boy!’ and because of thee, Ophir, they whisper, ‘Great is Samuel who sent to us this champion.’ OPHIR (shuddering). Speak not of it! Does David know now who his shepherd is?
ABNER. I asked Prince Jonathan to say naught of that to him.
(Bugles are heard again.)
OPHIR. The second horn. Come, Abner, I shall go with you. All make revel tonight save I!
ABNER (shivering). Not all. I was here alone when the first of the darkness came. I was not alone. There was evil flitting through this glade.
OPHIR (similarly moved). Then let us avoid out of its presence, come. As my soul liveth, never again shall I say of him, whose name we both fear to speak, that he needs aid save from his own javelin.
(They go off with a last furtive look at the tent. As far as possible their exit should be visible from all parts of the house, saul comes on and picks up his javelin which is leaning against the tent. A sound from the tent arrests his attention. It is Jonathan, speaking as he emerges. He comes through the slit without opening it and calls in.
saul has moved upstage.)
JONATHAN. Truly, David, this time I must go. It was the second horn. (He comes out.)
(saul, coming back, meets him downstage.)
You, Father! (He is afraid of him.)
SAUL (lowering). Again with this boy! (Pouring it out) Yon son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that you have chosen this son of Jesse to your own confusion? Jonathan, for as long as this David liveth upon the ground, you shall not be established in this kingdom.
JONATHAN. If so it be, he knows nothing of it.
SAUL. That shall I now learn. (In another rush) My son, it is you shall follow after me over Israel — ay, though the Lord Himself say no! (Clutching his javelin — secretly) Jonathan, get you to your tent; it is not Saul you have seen here tonight; know that when you wake.
JONATHAN (alarmed). Father, send me not from you!
(DAVID puts his head through the slit in the tent.)
DAVID. Jonathan, DID you call? (He comes out and is bewildered.)
JONATHAN. It is the King!
(saul frowns but has to dissemble.)
DAVID (enraptured). No, it is not, Jonathan — IT is my Shepherd. (He bends with his hands on his knees, boylike, and gazes gloriously at saul.) Son of Kish!
SAUL (now a crafty man). Son of Jesse, we meet again.
DAVID. Let me encompass thee. (He clasps SAUL round the legs. In glee he calls out) Shepherd, know that I am the one who slew Goliath!
SAUL. I have known it for an hour. Hail to the conqueror!
DAVID. Jonathan, it was he gave me the token! (To SAUL) Lo, all the greatness of David has come to me from you.
SAUL (grimly). Ay, verily, so I have learned.
JONATHAN. Father —
DAVID. Why do you call him that?
JONATHAN. He is Saul, the King!
(DAVID gapes and looks at saul for corroboration.)
SAUL. Even so.
DAVID. Now if you will swear it to me by my sling, then will I do something.
(saul is for the moment captured by this.)
SAUL. By your sling, I am the King.
DAVID. Stand away, Jonathan, I know how to do it. (He makes space for himself, and then prostrates quite prettily before SAUL.)
(The third bugle sounds and saul points imperiously to Jonathan. Exit Jonathan with misgivings.)
(DAVID rises and speaks shyly) Was that right, O King?
SAUL. It was well done.
DAVID. Has Jonathan gone?
SAUL. Ay, it was the third horn. Shall we go into your tent, David, and talk — but on a different matter?
DAVID (gaily). Let us. (He stops SAUL.) Nay, first wait till I clap my hands. Next, do you pull the opening both ways — wide — and then — lo, you shall see what you shall see.
(saul nods, DAVID disappears into the tent, saul makes sure to his satisfaction that he is alone in the g
lade — he ponders darkly. The clapping of the hands is heard. He pulls the opening of the tent to its widest and then looks at the picture that has been prepared for him. It is DAVID standing majestically, posing as goliath, with the helmet on his head and his two hands grasping the hilt of the spear, which is otherwise trailing on the ground.)
DAVID (motionless). What think you?