Les Blancs (15 page)

(
CHARLIE
is about to pursue the point but stiffens with sudden apprehension as he notices that
PETER
and
NGAGO—
spear in hand——have approached the hut
)

PETER
Bwana.

CHARLIE
Peter.

(
CHARLIE
exits quickly, and
PETER
and
NGAGO
step into the hut. The air is charged as
TSHEMBE
,
still on his knees, and
NGAGO
regard each other—until, at a sign from
PETER
,
the latter withdraws and sits, within earshot, outside
.
PETER
smiles at
TSHEMBE
with great warmth—this is their first meeting since his return—and they embrace
.
TSHEMBE
invites
PETER
to sit on the box, and sits on the floor—opposite him. Even at his most “relaxed,” however, he is acutely aware of
NGAGO
)

PETER
Y
OU
did not answer the summons yesterday, cousin.

TSHEMBE
Summons?

PETER
From the Council.

TSHEMBE
What do
you
know about that?

PETER
(
Takes out a strip of bark
) I know about it.

(
He hands it to him
)

TSHEMBE
(
Grinning at the realization
) You, too—!

PETER
Why did you not come?

TSHEMBE
What would I have done there?

PETER
You would have heard what is happening to our people.

TSHEMBE
(
With a great sigh
) I know what is happening to our people, Peter.

PETER
Then why did you not come? And in your father’s house I am not “Peter”—I am Ntali, the name our people gave me.

TSHEMBE
Well, Ntali, the truth is, I can no longer think of myself as a Kwi. (
NGAGO
sits forward, listening
) Only as a man.

PETER
(
Dubiously
) You took part in the funeral service as one who knows who he is.

TSHEMBE
It was a way of saying—“goodbye.”

PETER
Tshembe, I speak for the Council. There is a need for leaders.

TSHEMBE
I thank the Council but I am going back. I have a family in Europe.

PETER
Your father was a great Kwi—

TSHEMBE
And I am not. Ntali, there are men in this world—I don’t know how to say this so you will understand—who
see
too much to take sides.

(
NGAGO
grips his spear and rises
.
PETER
motions him back
)

PETER
(
Gently
) I “understand,” cousin—that such men have forgotten the tale of Modingo, the wise hyena who lived between the lands of the elephants and the hyenas. Tshembe, hear me. (
What follows is not merely told but acted out vividly in the tradition of oral folk art
) A friend to both, Modingo understood each side of their quarrel. The elephants said they needed more space because of their size, and the hyenas because they had been
first
in that part of the jungle and were accustomed to running free. And so, when the hyenas came to him, Modingo counseled (
PETER
rises to become the “wise hyena”
): “Yes, brothers. True. We were first in this land. But they
do
need space—any fool can see that elephants are very
large!
And because I was born with the mark of reason on my brow—on which account I am called Modingo, ‘One Who Thinks Carefully Before He Acts’—I cannot join you on our side while there is also justice on the other. But let me think on it.” (
He sits, brow furrowed, chin in hand
) And thereupon Modingo thought. And thought. And thought. And the hyenas sat and waited. And seeing this, the elephants gathered their herds and moved at once—and drove them from the jungle altogether! (
Turning to
TSHEMBE
) That is why the hyena laughs until this day and why it is such terrible laughter: because it was such a bitter joke that was played upon them while they “reasoned.” (
There is silence for a moment, and then he leans forward to place his hand upon
TSHEMBE
’s
) Tshembe Matoseh, we have waited a thousand seasons for these “guests” to leave us. Your people need you.

TSHEMBE
(
Sadly
) Ntali, the Europeans have a similar tale which concerns a prince …

PETER
(
Rising in anger
) You are full of what the Europeans have. It is a good thing to discover the elephant has a point of view, but it
is a
crime
to forget that the hyena most has justice on his side! Your people need you.

TSHEMBE
If they need a Modingo to study the tides while the sea engulfs them—I am their man! But a leader I am not.

PETER
Then become one! (
As
TSHEMBE
turns away
) Tshembe, your father—was my commander in the Freedom of the Land Army.

TSHEMBE
(
Staring at him, incredulous
) My father? … You mean my father approved—?

PETER
(
Smiling
)
—conceived
, Tshembe.

TSHEMBE
My … father …!

PETER
We meet in the forest within the hour.

(
He turns to go, followed by
NGAGO
.
Abruptly
,
TSHEMBE
throws the bark back
)

TSHEMBE
I am not interested in killing. Anyone. Especially harmless old missionaries and their wives.

PETER
(
Nodding
) Nor I. But they are a part of it.

TSHEMBE
They sing hymns and run a hospital!

PETER
An outpost. Within the hour, Tshembe.

(
He starts off
)

TSHEMBE
Ntali, wait! You know Kumalo is coming home? (
PETER
halts, nods
) For talks—

PETER
There has been enough talk. The Council speaks for the people. Not Kumalo.

(
He turns to go
)

TSHEMBE
But this is what the people have been fighting for—to force the settlers to negotiate …

PETER
There is only contempt in their “negotiations.”

TSHEMBE
(
Crossing to him
) Ah, but also
fear
, cousin … 
fear!
These are new times, man. All Africa turns against them—the world
turns against them! Your great spears have pushed them to the table. Now keep them poised—but steady!

PETER
(
Abruptly, to end it
) Too late. Too many have died.

TSHEMBE
But for a
reason!
Perhaps now no more need die. Think, Ntali: you have only some rifles and the great spears of our fathers … Give Kumalo his chance.

PETER
(
Bitterly
) His chance—for what? To trade white overseers for black!

TSHEMBE
Amos Kumalo is no puppet—

PETER
No, of course not. But will he control the Army? The mines? His own ministers? (
Shaking his head
) A government office … a government car … a white government secretary to warm his bed—
“who fears the lion after his teeth are pulled?”
No, Tshembe. When we drive out the invader, we will have peace. Only then.

(
He and
NGAGO
start out
)

TSHEMBE
Ntali, hear me! (
He sighs and does not even look at them as—wearily, the words coming almost automatically—he assumes the burden in spite of himself
) I will go to Zatembe—to speak with Kumalo. I will tell him the mood of our people. I will tell him the settlers have
one
season to grant our demands … 
One
season, Ntali …

PETER
We have waited a thousand seasons—

TSHEMBE
Then what can it hurt to wait a thousand and one?

PETER
(
Conflicted
) You understand, we are determined to rule? (
TSHEMBE
nods
) By whatever means necessary …

TSHEMBE
(
Slyly reversing the emphasis
) By
whatever
means necessary …!

PETER
(
Studies him, then looks to
NGAGO
,
who nods almost imperceptively. With the slight edge of wonder and the faintest smile
) Tshembe Matoseh, the Wanderer—who has come home with the white man’s tongue … (
Searching his eyes
) I hope you do not have his heart
…
(
A beat
) I will speak to the Council.

(
Without warning
,
NGAGO
suddenly vanishes—as
ABIOSEH
approaches over the rise
.
TSHEMBE
draws
PETER
aside and indicates
ABIOSEH
)

TSHEMBE
Aren’t you going to try to recruit him?

PETER
We do not recruit—Europeans.

(
He exits
)

ABIOSEH
What did he want?

TSHEMBE
What did he “want”? He came to remind us that we are supposed to be our father’s sons.

(
They look at each other …
)

ABIOSEH
And what did you tell him?

TSHEMBE
(
With a great sigh
) That it is very difficult to sort cloth in this place!

Late that afternoon. The Mission
.

There is a sudden burst of voices offstage
.

RICE
(
Offstage
) We have adopted these measures for extremely good reasons—(
DEKOVEN
,
perspiring and winded, comes out of the jungle, a
BOY
in his arms
.
RICE
marches behind him shouting. Two
SOLDIERS
follow
)—and I will have them obeyed!

DEKOVEN
Marta!
Fever!

RICE
I am responsible for every life in this district including your own—

DEKOVEN
Thank you, Major. Marta! Peter! Someone! (
CHARLIE
enters downstage and stands absorbing the scene
.
DEKOVEN
kicks open the door and puts the boy down, while the
SOLDIERS
post themselves outside
.
MARTA, PETER
run on
) It’s little Modke, Fever.

(
He sits finally and mops his brow
)

RICE
(
An unbroken crest on deaf ears
) And if this Mission continues to disregard precautions I shall have to close down the hospital! HAVE I MADE MYSELF CLEAR, DEKOVEN?

MARTA
(
Turning, hypodermic needle in hand
) This is neither a gymnasium nor a military barracks, Major. Please
lower your voice
or leave.

(
She gives the boy a shot and signals to
PETER
to carry him out
)

RICE
(
An angry look—but lowered voice
) Have I made myself clear?

DEKOVEN
About what, dear man?

(
PETER
crosses between them, the boy in his arms
)

RICE
About the fact that alone out there you were a perfect target, and every time a white man is killed the whole idea—

CHARLIE
I’d have thought he couldn’t have been safer than with that boy in his arms, Major. But then I’m sure you know much more about it than I do.

RICE
(
Sharply
) Yes, I do. I know, for instance, that authority in this colony has always depended on the sacredness of a white life—(
PETER
exits
)—and once that authority is undermined—well, if four million blacks should ever take it into their heads to start killing white men …

(
MME. NEILSEN
enters with
ERIC
)

MADAME
Ah, George, I am glad to see you are your usual cheery self!

RICE
(
Shoots her a look
) In any event, it is my duty to inform you—(
Looking from one to the other
)—that as of this moment I am assuming full command here. Kumalo has been arrested.

DEKOVEN
Kumalo?!

CHARLIE
Jesus.

MADAME
Amos Kumalo?! Why?

RICE
(
Taking out a telegram
) I received this this morning. “At 0100 hours, 19 May, Zatembe Airport, Dr. Amos Kumalo was taken into custody by local authorities.”

CHARLIE
On what charge?

RICE
Conspiracy.

CHARLIE
Have you gone out of your mind? Your own government invited him here …

RICE
(
Reads
) “… plotting and promoting insurrection against the peace and well-being of the colony. Protective measures—including the detention of all disruptive elements—are to be instituted
—(
Pointedly looking from one to the other
)—at the discretion of the
local
command.”

MADAME
May God protect us.

RICE
I expect God will be in a better position to protect us now, Madame.

CHARLIE
No doubt. You have just put the one man in jail who offered a shred of hope that—

RICE
In jail, sir, which means that at last we can sleep in our beds without fear of murderers!

CHARLIE
Are you seriously suggesting that Amos Kumalo—

MARTA
I don’t think the Major is suggesting anything of the sort, Mr. Morris. We—

CHARLIE
I was talking to the Major.

RICE
What say we leave that for the trial, eh, Mr. Morris?

MARTA
(
Glaring at
CHARLIE
) Yes, we
do
have courts of law here …

CHARLIE
Oh, I’m sure you do!

MARTA
(
Crisply
) They are not ideal, if that is what you mean. But I expect
our
standards of jurisprudence in matters of race will compare favorably with America’s any day!