Alfred Noyes

“ THE SCENE is in the Balkans, in a village which has just been taken by the enemy, on Christmas Eve.
RADA SCENE—_A guest-chamber, the typical living-room of a prosperous village doctor in the Balkans. On the left, a small window and an entrance door. On the right, a door leading into a bedroom. At the back, an open fire of logs is burning brightly. Over the fireplace is the eikonostasis, with three richly coloured and gilded eikons, the central one of the Madonna. The light, which is never allowed to go out, is burning before it. ”

“ We've got women and children at home snivelling and saying, "O my God, O my God," just like you. Don't you trouble about God. What can He do when both sides go down on their marrow-bones? He can't make both sides win, can He? ”

“ ARRAM You ought to think yourself damned lucky to be alive, and have two men quartered on you instead of one. If your husband and the rest of the villagers hadn't made such a disturbance, they might have been alive, too. ”

“ Here is the tune for Christmas Eve.
ARRAM
[While he speaks he looks to outer door, and draws a curtain over the
window.]
Don't do it!
Don't start it playing if you want to keep
This Christmas party to ourselves, my boy.
The men are mad with drink and—other things.
Look here, Michael, what are we going to do
About this youngster, eh?
MICHAEL
Better keep quiet
Till morning. When the men have slept it off
They'll stand a better chance of slipping away. ”

“ O, this will be a merry Christmas Eve.
There now—just see how this kind gentleman
Has opened the package for us. Doesn't it show
The value of training, military training?
That's what we want. It benefits the health.
Sets a man up. ”

“ Rows of porcelain plates round the walls gleam fitfully. On either side of the eikonostasis is a large chibouk, with inlaid bowl and amber mouth-piece. There is a divan with scarlet rugs flung across it to the right of the fire; and there are several skins and rugs on the floor. Two Roumanian soldiers_, ARRAM_ and MICHAEL, are seated at the table, drinking.
RADA, a dark handsome woman, sits weeping with her head bowed in her hands, on the divan.
NANKO, the idiot, sits on the floor, rubbing his hands, snapping his fingers, chuckling to himself, and staring into the fire. ”