by Unknown
DAVID. Five minutes, father?
JESSE. No.
DAVID. Two minutes, father!
JESSE. No.
DAVID. One minute and a turn-round?
JESSE. Belt!
DAVID (looking up after a pause). Is father asleep, Aminadab?
AMINADAB. He is — and so am I.
DAVID. Eliab, was there more talk at the well about a boy having killed Goliath?
AMNON (yawning). Eliab sleeps. But that story is a foolishness, David — it is more like the sort of thing you do make up yourself.
DAVID (at once full of misgivings). Did I make it up, Amnon?
(Even AMNON is now asleep.)
Amnon! (He is frightened at the stillness and pulls the blanket over his face.)
(A brief pause. Then the mother is seen for a second pulling-to the door, and all is now black darkness. Other things unseen by audience have been happening since the darkness came. The back wall of the room has gone. It is really a change of scene without the curtain falling. There is perhaps low music, apparently to introduce the visions, but really to give DAVID time to change into a man. There is no other music throughout the visions. These visions begin with mysterious clouds and lights passing across the stage and gradually resolving themselves into the first vision. These visions can occupy all the stage from front to back. There are in all six of these visions, but as far as possible there should be no pause between them; they should pass, slowly and dreamily, and without any jerks, the one into the other so that we are, as it were, looking upon one continuous picture. This can best be done, probably, by having no genuine scenery and the whole affair being a matter of curtains whose positions can be got by lighting, etc., as a vague scenic alteration has to be got from time to time. A sort of ghostly greyness is perhaps the best colour, and it should show grey not only in the curtains but in the clothing, and even to an extent in the faces of the characters, for it is a suggestion of ghost figures of the future that we should get. If necessary, there can be the drifting clouds, etc., after each vision. Except the words they speak, no sound should come from these visions — for instance, we hear no footsteps. There is no furniture of any kind, unless specifically stated. In interiors there are no doors, or windows, or ‘wings’; the characters are just there or not there. They come and go by the help of curtains insubstantially, as if vanishing or appearing from a mist. All this calls for adroitness from stage experts that is beyond the author’s skill, who knows what he wants but not how to get it and has now given them enough to ponder over for one day. With a big stage, some of the scenes should attain a grandeur of effect. The first vision shows the Cave of Adullam. It is a vague place with an opening at the back and rocks in it, made no doubt of velvet. The general effect of it should be wild, and here and elsewhere in the visions when they are out of doors, they should be reproductions of ancient places. Several Israelite soldiers, armed, appear among the rocks, evidently in search of DAVID. They come without a sound, tracking him. They see indications that there has been a fire and draw their swords. The scene should be dim OPHIR and abner are in command of these men.)
OPHIR. Search the glade beyond. Tell them to put a ring of searchers round this and every cave.
ABNER. If you would be live men in the morning. For so Saul swears.
(Only OPHIR and abner are now left. They crouch down by the fire.)
ABNER. Truly there are evil shadows flitting through these caves tonight.
OPHIR. We seek but one of them — the son of Jesse.
ABNER. But again and again he avoids out of our presence. He is as one protected against such as Ophir and Abner.
OPHIR. But not against such a one as Saul.
ABNER. Saul has made the mountains drunk with the blood of his enemies. But still David escapes him. So seems it to be again tonight.
(In the opening at the back SAUL suddenly appears.)
SAUL (fiercely). You have not found mine enemy?
OPHIR. Every cave on the mountain is being searched. We know by this fire that he was hiding here within the hour.
SAUL. Ever within the hour! What is this place called?
OPHIR. It is known as the Cave of Adullam.
ABNER. We had hoped that the priests of the place called Nob would guide you to him.
SAUL (savagely). There is now no place called Nob.
OPHIR. But the priests of Nob.
SAUL. There are no longer priests in Nob.
ABNER (aghast). You cannot mean that —
SAUL. When they refused to lead me to him I ordered my servants to smite them to the wall.
ABNER. My King! Priests!
SAUL. Ay, so my servants cried and would not put forth their hands, but Doeg the Edomite was faithful and fell upon the priests, and four score and five who wore the linen ephod did he slay.
ABNER (horrified). Sacrilege!
SAUL. To that have I come.
OPHIR. It was but excess of zeal.
SAUL. The same zeal shall be apportioned to you — and you — if David is not delivered into my hands. If again we fail I shall do as I have spoken of to you, Ophir! I will make him my son-in-law so that my daughter may snare him.
OPHIR. Not that, O King!
(The second vision, which requires a much larger space of stage, shows saul and his troop asleep on a hillside. His head is on a sort of kit-bag called a ‘bolster,’ and his javelin stands erect by him, stuck in the ground. Near him lies OPHIR, and both are prominent downstage. The other sleeping figures are more vague. It is a bright clear night.
DAVID appears at top on the hillside and we realise that his object is to reach saul, a very dangerous venture. Dagger in hand, ready to stab anyone who wakes, he descends, stepping over bodies. He reaches the side of the King. He is conscious of his remarkable position beside his enemy. He raises his dagger threateningly and pauses, indicating how easy it would be to do the deed. Then he proceeds to mysterious, dangerous business, holding his dagger in his teeth. He pulls the bolster inch by inch from beneath saul’s head. Once saul moans a little and DAVID holds the dagger ready to strike. Having got the bolster, he takes out of it a leather cruse of water. He also wants saul’s javelin, but OPHIR’s hand is on it. Pulling a hair from his own head, he tickles OPHIR’s hand with it, ready to kill if he wakes, OPHIR does not wake, but merely removes his hand, scratches it, and sleeps on.
DAVID pulls the javelin out of the ground and, carrying it and the water cruse, he goes up the incline across the bodies. He stops and lays them down and, looking among the bodies for something, finds it. It is a horn. He pulls a hand across his brow, implying that now he has reached the riskiest moment of his schemes. Then he boldly sounds the horn — that is, though we hear no sound, the action implies this. Possibly this one sound should be heard. As if the sleepers had heard it, the horn wakens the soldiers and they answer with cries and grasp their weapons.
DAVID is now standing, a conspicuous figure, surrounded by soldiers ready to pounce on him, his arms folded, SAUL and OPHIR start up, and ABNER and others pointing at DAVID add to his prominence.)
OPHIR (pointing). My King, your enemy!
ABNER. Behold we deliver him into your hands.
DAVID (speaking for the first time in the visions). You deliver me, Abner, son of Ner! Asleep all of you, dastards, at your posts! What opportunity this night for men of evil intent to have crept over your vile bodies and slain the Lord’s anointed!
SAUL. He speaks true. Abner, Ophir, you are both worthy of death.
OPHIR. His words are false, O King. Never were guards more watchful. He knows he could not have come one step nearer you and lived.
DAVID. I have wandered through you and over you and stood by the side of the King.
SAUL. Nay, nay, that cannot have been, for I still live.
OPHIR. Not once did I close an eye, and my hand never failed to clutch thy javelin.
SAUL (to DAVID). Thou hearest i DAVID. Where, then, my Ophir, is the javelin that your hand never fai
led to clutch?
(Consternation when they find it has gone.)
DAVID. Where, O King, is the cruse of water that was in the bolster on which you thought the head of Saul lay safe?
(They find that it also has gone; increased astonishment.
DAVID holds up, one in each hand, the cruse and the javelin. There are cries of wonder.)
Now let one of the young men come up and fetch the King’s javelin and the cruse that was in his bolster.
(This is done.)
OPHIR (contrite). My King!
(His arms seek forgiveness, but saul strikes them down.)
SAUL. Unworthy!
DAVID. Behold, Saul, I have taught these slovens that they should be a wall unto you by night and by day. Yet you have driven me from your service and hunted me through all Judah, seeking my life, and you came hither to tear it out of me on this mountain of the he-goats. You have chased me into serving other Lords whom I loved less than thee but trusted more. Now am I in thy grasp. Slay me as I stand if such is still your wish. Your young men’s daggers are around me, and even Ophir and Abner are at last awake.
SAUL. Thou art bold of speech. Yet, my son David, I will no more do thee harm nor seek to pursue thee into the bowels of the earth or to snare thee like a pheasant on the mountains, but I will take thee back into my service because my soul was precious in thine eyes this night.
(DAVID prostrates himself and the scene changes into a vague interior in the palace of Saul. There are no doors or windows to it. It is only an empty space with curtains but it has one piece of furniture, namely, a throne raised on two steps, and on the throne is sitting saul in kingly garments and with the crown on his head, OPHIR appears out of the nothingness.)
SAUL. Well?
OPHIR. My King, he has made the mountains drunk with the blood of thine enemies.
SAUL (apprehensive). The son of Jesse?
OPHIR. The congregation of the people cry that we owe the day to him. They are singing and dancing to his glory in the streets to the music of flute, hackbut, cornet and dulcimer.
SAUL (dolefully). Ophir, it must be done — that of which I spoke to you.
(OPHIR is reluctant.)
It is the one way of breaking him that has not yet been tried. You spoke to him?
OPHIR (miserably). I gave him your words. I said: ‘Come you now, before the King, for Saul has delight in you.’ SAUL. Delight! How looked he at that?
OPHIR. He eyed me, O King.
SAUL. Summon me my daughters.
(OPHIR fades out, and in the same gradual way MERAB and MICHAL, two beautiful young women, daughters of SAUL, appear. They are finely attired, and MICHAL is apparently high-spirited.)
Merab —
(She makes a sweeping obeisance.)
Michal —
(She does so also.) I have called you before the throne because I have a design to make one of you a snare unto the son of Jesse.
MERAB. A snare. Which one of us?
SAUL (sternly). Gainsay me not.
(DAVID appears. He is now handsomely attired as a captain, and is respectful but wary, and prepared for even an attempt upon his life. He makes obeisance.)
SAUL. Rise, my captain. The throne-room greets you.
DAVID. O King, I am dazed by it. Never have these eyes beheld the throne until this day.
SAUL. Great has been your victory and I would reward you in a kingly way.
(The two girls exchange puzzled glances.)
This day shall you be my son-in-law.
(DAVID bows but is still alert.)
MERAB. Father, which of us?
SAUL (to DAVID). Determine it between you.
(He moves away and is suddenly gone.)
MERAB (to DAVID, humbling herself before him). Noble captain, your fame grows apace. You will be too great for me. I am for the simple Adriel.
MICHAL (remaining erect). Never, captain, can you be great enough for me. I am for a King.
(They see DAVID is staring at the throne with such interest that he is oblivious of their presence. They look at each other bewildered and, moving away, they are gone.
DAVID is unconscious of their going, and, drawn by something within him, he slowly moves forward and mounts the throne, michal now returns softly and watches him from curtain, half in hiding. Perhaps we only see her face.
DAVID sits on the throne and we see that he likes it.)
MICHAL (in an intense murmur and holding out her arms). I am for a King!
(She withdraws into the background. She goes, DAVID, left alone, still sits upon the throne, no longer fearfully but quite complacently. Suddenly he claps his hand to his forehead as if hit by something. He leaves the throne quickly, bewildered and as one who has done sacrilege. The scene changes to saul’s tent on the night before the battle of Gilboa saul in armour is pacing the tent, raging at the shrinking OPHIR who is also armed. Evidently OPHIR has brought bad news. Though saul rages at first he is now less spirited than formerly; he is a more saddened man.)
SAUL (fiercely). Again he has escaped me! Sent I not you, with messengers, to compass his house and bring him up to me on his sick-bed that I may slay him?
OPHIR (at his heaviest, as one telling an astounding thing). Lo, when we were come in to where he lay there was an image on the bed, with a pillow of goat’s hair for his bolster! — and it was Michal his wife who did this thing, and let him down from the window in a basket!
SAUL (bitterly). Michal, the child of my bowels whom I had given to him to entice and to snare him! Even his wife is on the side of this man. What murmur my soldiers against me because I drove him forth from the army of Israel?
(OPHIR hesitates.)
The truth, Ophir.
OPHIR (reluctantly). Your Elders do proclaim that he was the wisest of your counsellors — and your Captains lament that you will not have him in tomorrow’s battle, speaking of him as one who breaks upon an enemy like the breach of waters.
SAUL. And what says Ophir?
OPHIR (violently). Ophir says he is the falsest in all Israel.
SAUL (firmly though sadly). So says not Saul. Mine enemy has ever fought me fair, and twice had he my life in his hands and returned it to me who slew four score and five of the priests of Nob because they would not deliver him unto me. I did wickedness that day. (He shudders at himself.) What say my people?
(OPHIR hesitates.)
(Harshly) Answer me.
OPHIR. The more ignorant among the people cry: ‘Saul has slain his thousands but David will slay his tens of thousands.’ SAUL. Ophir, I heard them! And they were the bitterest words of all to me! O fickle people! Will this man give every one of you vines and fig-trees to sit under when the day’s toil is done, as I have striven to do? (Honourably) Ay, Ophir, he will, for I have that within me which knows he too does love the people. This man will make the earth shake and tremble, for he is a greater one than Saul. And now there is none of you sorry for me, no, not one.
OPHIR. My King! (On his knees to saul.)
(SAUL, who has been seated, rises and speaks quietly but with resolution.)
SAUL. How long must I drag this chain of life — how long? Now shall I seek Samuel, and know how long.
OPHIR (startled). My King, you know that Samuel’s days are fulfilled and that he sleeps with his fathers at Ramah.
SAUL (firmly). I go to seek one who can bring him up.
OPHIR (horrified). Not the Woman of Endor! (Trembling)
King, it is impious to seek to bring up the dead.
SAUL. Leave me, Ophir, in the hour of my strait with the burden that is upon me. And hearken. Everyone now to his tent. I must be alone in this world tonight.
(OPHIR goes, saul is left alone. After shivering once, he is firm of purpose. He peers out of the tent. The scene is now the cavern of the witch of endor. It should be specially vague and indeterminate, little more than blackness through which the ancient witch flits and is gone.
saul appears in disguise. In the tent we have seen
him a broken sorrowful man, but now he is of a noble and kingly bearing. He and the witch meet, but in such darkness that we see only their shapes.)
SAUL (as she shrinks back). You know me not, I am not as you think. I am of this world. Divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring him up to me, the one whom I shall name unto thee.
(The voices of both are pitched in a key to go with the solemnity of the occasion.)
WITCH (trembling). Thou knowest what Saul has done. He has cut off those that have familiar spirits. Wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life to cause me to die?