Les Blancs (11 page)

(
MARTA
joins him in the doorway. They are not aware of the old lady
)

MARTA
(
Tongue-in-cheek
) Well, Mr. Morris, I shall tell you: Since they serve no useful purpose at the Mission—we have eliminated them entirely!

CHARLIE
Shall we stroll by the river, Doctor?

MADAME
Excellent, Mr. Morris! Marta is romanced so seldom!

(
They start and then laugh
)

CHARLIE
(
Extending his arm
) Doctor—shall we?

MARTA
(
Not unpleased
) No, I think not.

CHARLIE
(
With a courtly turn toward
MME. NEILSEN
) Madame?

MADAME
(
Delighted
) No, I think not!

CHARLIE
Won’t change your mind, Doctor? I’ve always wanted once in my lifetime to stroll through the African jungle in the moonlight, arm in arm with a lovely lady.

MARTA
Have you really?

CHARLIE
No, but I thought it sounded good.

MARTA
(
Not moving
) It could be dangerous.

CHARLIE
Doctor, I’m not that dangerous!

MARTA
Really, Mr. Morris, it’s not wise to go wandering at this hour. The terror isn’t a joke—as much as we all wish it were.

CHARLIE
It’s almost … impossible … to associate terror with that incredible moonlight.

MARTA
(
Tightly
) They found the Hokinson family murdered in the very same incredible moonlight. (
A beat
) They had three children.

CHARLIE
And is there no way—?

MARTA
This country is almost a quarter the size of the United States, Mr. Morris. The patrols have to come from wherever they are when the alarms go off. And sometimes they don’t go off at all. Sometimes the first thing they do is cut the flare signal wires. Sometimes the servants are in on it. But then—(
With sudden bitterness, scanning the darkness
)—they
all
are.

MADAME
Marta! You know better than that, my dear … Ah, how I should like a bit of music! Do you perhaps play an instrument, Mr. Morris?

CHARLIE
(
Stirring from preoccupation
) Oh? Ah—no, I’m afraid that I don’t.

MADAME
What a pity that Torvald did not get back in time to play for us this evening. You will love the austerity of the cello in this lush, tropical atmosphere.

MARTA
(
Rather blurting
) I think it’s maddening of him to stay away like this.

MADAME
Torvald has been trampling around these villages for forty years, my dear. When he has done whatever he has to do, he will come home.

(
A jeep slams to a stop offstage, followed by the rushed steps of men
)

CHARLIE
Now what—?

MADAME
(
Coolly, dryly
) It is the sound of the nerve ends of frightened men, Mr. Morris.

(
RICE
enters with two
SOLDIERS—
rifles borne at the ready—who patrol slowly back and forth as the scene continues
)

MARTA
Major Rice.

RICE
There’s been another attack.

(
DEKOVEN
comes out of the parlor
)

MARTA
Dear God.

RICE
The Duchesne family. Wiped out.

MARTA
Why? Why?

RICE
All of them.

MADAME
No, no.

RICE
Including the servants. Where is the Reverend?

DEKOVEN
He hasn’t returned.

RICE
What has to happen before you people finally understand security measures!

MADAME
(
Quietly, reflectively
) The Duchesnes … the Duchesnes … they were decent people …

RICE
And these are the savages they want us to sit and “talk” with—

CHARLIE
Major Rice, I’d hardly call Kumalo a savage.

RICE
N
O
. Of course not. The blacks are always “civilized” in the next man’s country, aren’t they, Mr. Morris? I would like to speak to you alone, DeKoven.

(
He moves briskly up the steps and exits into the parlor
.
DEKOVEN
follows
)

CHARLIE
(
To
MARTA
) I didn’t mean to seem unsympathetic.

MARTA
I’m afraid that’s rather the way it sounded.

(
At exactly this moment
TSHEMBE
appears out of the darkness, dressed in African garb
.
CHARLIE
starts violently and moves forward
instinctively to interpose himself before
MARTA
.
At the same time the
SOLDIERS
whirl and cock their rifles
)

MARTA
No, wait! (
TSHEMBE
halts. She peers at him. To the
SOLDIERS
) It’s all right.

(
They resume their pacing
.
TSHEMBE
moves forward, looks
CHARLIE
in the eye and—very deliberately—curtsies in mock deference to the American’s courage, then comes calmly past him
)

MADAME
Who
IS
it?

TSHEMBE
(
Softly
) Good evening, Madame.

(
He squats before her
)

MADAME
Tshembe! Why, you’ve come home, you rogue! … Let me touch your face!

(
He leans forward and she feels his features eagerly
)

TSHEMBE
(
Playfully, familiarly
) I am come fully to manhood since last you saw me.

MADAME
Yes, yes! These are a man’s features. Are you handsome as the devil?

TSHEMBE
Some women around the world have thought so, Madame.

MADAME
But where is your hair? That marvelous bush—

TSHEMBE
I wear it short now—in the way of city men.

MADAME
(
Laughing
) And with one of those dreadful parts!

TSHEMBE
Some women around the world have voiced no complaints!

MADAME
Oh, Tshembe! Well, did you have time to get yourself a decent education at least?

TSHEMBE
I am fashionably well spoken, I think, Madame.

MADAME
(
Delighted with him
) And fresh as the wind still! Where have you been, you incorrigible?

TSHEMBE
Waltzing around the world, Madame.

MADAME
Not the waltzes I taught you!

TSHEMBE
I found the town where you were born. I saw your beautiful mountains …

MADAME
Ah, so you saw my mountains … my beautiful mountains.

TSHEMBE
They were as you told me. I brought you a gift from there.

(
He pulls out a thing in flimsy tissue. She tears the paper away and accidentally trips the spring which sends a “cuckoo” bird out of its clock house. They both laugh
)

MADAME
(
Sobering
) Tell me. Have you seen Eric?

TSHEMBE
(
Understanding
) I have seen Eric.

MADAME
It is good you have come. And where is your brother Abioseh? Ah, he was such a good student. So stiff-faced and serious. Not like you, constantly raising your impudent eyes to me and saying, “But, Madame, you have not told me
why
it is so.”

(
She boxes his head and they laugh as
RICE
and
DEKOVEN
reemerge
)

RICE
(
Continuing, to
DEKOVEN
) I repeat: we shall require coooperation for the duration. Your personal attitudes—(
Noticing
TSHEMBE
) Who’s the kaffir?

MADAME
We do not have “kaffirs” here, Major Rice. We have friends who are Africans.

(
TSHEMBE
turns
)

RICE
Tshembe!

DEKOVEN
Welcome home!

TSHEMBE
(
Rising and nodding to
DEKOVEN
) Doctor.

RICE
(
Routinely
) Your papers …

TSHEMBLE
I don’t have them with me.

(
He starts to walk away—the
SOLDIERS
cock their rifles in warning. He halts
)

RICE
(
Crossing towards him
) Why not?

MADAME
(
With restrained outrage
) Major Rice, Tshembe was born here—as
you
well know! Why should he have to carry those ridiculous papers?

MARTA
Madame, it is the emergency …

(
TSHEMBE
looks at her swiftly; she averts her eyes
)

RICE
Why has he suddenly reappeared?

TSHEMBE
I have come home—

RICE
Yes. That much is clear. Now up with your sleeves!

(
He gets out his flashlight
.
TSHEMBE
stiffens and at last obeys
.
MADAME
sits rigid and
DEKOVEN
turns away as the
MAJOR
runs the light over
TSHEMBE’
s arms
)

MARTA
(
To
CHARLIE
) They take a blood oath. Sometimes there are marks …

RICE
(
To
TSHEMBE
) All right. That will do.

MADAME
I shall report you to someone, Major! I shall find someone in this country gone mad to whom it is possible to report you!

RICE
(
Ignoring her
) Why are you in the regalia?

TSHEMBE
I came home … (
Turning to the old woman
) … to my father’s funeral, Madame.

MADAME
(
A deep gasp of hurt
) Ahhhh … The drums! The drums … Abioseh, dear stubborn old man … he has left us.

(
It is the last straw: completely beside himself
,
DEKOVEN
advances
)

DEKOVEN
Well, it would appear that you may now go protect civilization someplace else, Major! This particular “terrorist” has turned out to be a son in mourning!

RICE
(
Wheeling in fury
) I will hope, Doctor, that had you seen those little children lying in their own blood tonight, you might finally be able to get your sympathies in order. Whatever the nature of your attachments—
elsewhere!
My condolences, Tshembe. (
Then, to all of them
) As of tonight, this entire area is under martial
jurisdiction. I must order everyone, male and female, to wear side-arms. I am sorry, Dr. Gotterling, but at this point—

MARTA
I understand, Major.

RICE
Mr. Morris?

CHARLIE
Are you “ordering”
me
, Major?

RICE
I am making a suggestion that well might save your life.

CHARLIE
(
Drawing up his sleeve
) Major, would you like to check
my
arm?

RICE
Mr. Morris, this is Africa—

CHARLIE
Yes, I know. Where Stanley met Livingstone!

RICE
Precisely. And where one does not conduct an enquiry on the ethics of resisting cannibalism while being seasoned for the pot! (
To
DEKOVEN
) Doctor—?

DEKOVEN
Who will order me to
fire
it, Major?

(
He throws down his cigarette and strides out
)

RICE
If this Mission persists—

MADAME
(
Interrupting wryly
) I trust, Major Rice, you don’t expect
me
to wear one. After all—(
Peering at him
)—I might hit
you
.

(
RICE
turns to
TSHEMBE
)

RICE
Why don’t some of you educated chaps talk sense into these murderers? What do they think they are going to accomplish? Murdering people who never did them a moment’s harm—and their own people to boot? We don’t pretend that it’s been all jolly on our side—but this business—what’s the good of it, boy? ’Tisn’t going to solve a bloody thing! And they can’t win, you know. Why don’t the fellows like you
do
something … 
talk
to them? (
They gaze at one another—the European with almost plaintive urgency; the African without expression. At last
RICE
turns—a man perplexed and embarrassed, who desires, like all of us, sympathy
) There—you see, Mr. Morris: the response to reason. And it will be no different with Kumalo. It may surprise you, sir, but I do not enjoy my present role. I am not by temperament an adventurous
sort. Or a harsh one. I have become a military man only because the times demand it. (
A curious, urgent and almost sad defensiveness
) This is my country, you see. I came here when I was a boy. I worked hard. I married here. I have two lovely daughters and, if I may presume an immodesty, a most charming and devoted wife. At some other time I should have liked to have had you out to our farm. This is our
home
, Mr. Morris. Men like myself had the ambition, the energy and the ability to come here and make this country into something … (
He turns ever so slightly from time to time to catch
TSHEMBE
’s expression
)
They
had it for centuries and did nothing with it. It isn’t a question of empire, you see. It is our home: the right to bring up our children with culture and grace, a bit of music after dinner and a glass of decent wine; the right to watch the sun go down over our beautiful hills—(
Looking off with a surge of appreciation
) And they
are
beautiful hills, aren’t they? We wish the blacks no ill. But—(
Simply, matter-of-factly, a man confirmed
)—it is our home, Mr. Morris. (
A beat. He looks up, a little embarrassed
) I should be grateful if, whatever other impression you may have received, you would try to remember that when you write of this place.

MADAME
Marta, I must go to bed. (
Pointedly
) Do you know, in some ways I think I am quite glad to be going blind? The less one sees of this world, I am convinced, the better …