Ridgely Torrence

“ Let’s play at worlds for Simon. Who are you?
Battus
I am Battus.
[97]
Acte
And who is Battus? Battus
Son of Cyrenian kings and kings of Egypt,
Son of all Africa. Acte
Who shall be your army? Battus
The slaves of Rome. Acte
Who shall lead them up to victory? Battus
Simon and I. Acte
And then? Battus
They shall be free. All wrongs shall be righted.
The great shall be brought low, the lowly raised. Acte
How shall we reach our own? Battus
Through blood and fire.
[98]
Acte
Who shall be our own? Battus
All those who suffer wrongs, the poor, the captives. ”

“ Sapphie
How’ll she take hit?
Pearl
Take hit! Does you spose we can take’n tell her? Thank my Makeh she’s blind. It’s the mussy of Gawd her eyes was swiveled in w’ite man’s fire before she see the w’ite man mix with her blood. You—
Sapphie
Oh, I don’t care what you calls me if you’ll only help me and keep Granny Maumee off’n me and baby.
Pearl
It’s only helpin’ to keep us all from ’struction that I’ll keep it from her. ”

“ Granny
Sistehs, kin yo’ heah me speak? Answeh, Sapphie.
Sapphie
[In a dull tone.] Yes.
Granny
Answeh, Puhl. Does yo’ heah me?
Pearl
[Also dully.] Yes.
Granny
Does yo’ see?
Both Girls
Yes.
Granny
Den watch me mek my w’ite man Lightfoot outer Lightfoot money.
[She seizes the bunch of bills from the table and plucking strands of hair from her head she begins tying the money together; taking the candle from the table she holds it over the tripod [27] until it is soft and then kneads it with the money until the whole grows into the rude semblance of a human figure. ”

“ Come, my seedin’ Jimson, come, ole Rattlesnake-Marsteh, come, my Black-Ball, w’ut Pap Jack han’ me up.
[Sapphie reënters the room and stands watching Granny in terror, Granny closes all the doors to the room, then going to the red-covered chest on the right and opening it she drags forth several coils of blackened iron chain which she casts upon the table. She sprinkles a few of her handful of herbs on the fire in the brazier. A dense smoke arises.] ”

“ Don’t fuss, Sapphie, she won’t do no harm. What the chains for, Granny?
[24]
Granny
Dem’s de chains w’ut bine Sam w’en dey tuk’n bu’n ’im.
Pearl
What you worry yourself by gittin’ um out for?
Granny
I ain’ worried no mo’. [She throws more herbs on the fire in the brazier.] Dem chains fer de w’ite man.
Pearl
What you mean?
Granny
[Pointing to the door at left back.] W’en de w’ite man knock de do’ shill be open an’ dat shill be de beginnin’ er his trials. ”

“ Yassuh, dat’s hit, no mo’ ner no less. I’m goin’ give you dat guitar—but—dere’s suhtinly goin’ to be a string tied to it. You kin take dat guitar but you got to make somethin’ outer yourself wif her or back she’ll come to me. You kin give lessons an’ learn folks music or you kin write down de music you make, but you got to do somethin’ wif it fer Lucy. You got to wake up or I’ll take de guitar. Which’ll it be? Make youah choice. ”

“ Granny
De gran’pap er dat man tetch off de fieh w’ut bu’n up my Sam.
Sapphie
But this’n ain’t that away, Granny Maumee. He’s always kind.
Granny
W’en’s de man comin’?
Sapphie
He’ll be here soon and if you’ll only listen he’ll sure talk you round.
Granny
[Pointing to the baby.] Hit wants out. Take it out an’ come yer.
[Sapphie obeys, going through doorway at left. Granny suddenly turns to the flower-basin mounted on a tripod. Seizing it she empties both flowers and earth in the fireplace, where she refills the basin with live coals. Then bringing it forward she replaces it upon its tripod.] ”

“ You fuhgits what Sapphie’s fetchin’ you.
Granny
Dat I don’t, but not twell I sees ’im will Sam be cool off in my heaht.
Pearl
Granny, you can nurse the child but course you cain’t espect to see him.
[8]
Granny
Deze eyes shill yit behole—
Pearl
No, Granny Maumee, your eyes they’re scorched and swiveled with the fire. But your arms ain’t burnt, is they? An’ they shall hold the baby! Tain’t often old person live to heft a great-great-gran’baby.
Granny
Befo’ my las’ houah deze eyes shill look an’ see ergin. [She rises.] ”

“ Go back, w’ite man. Roll back, w’ite wave er de fiery lek. Once you lit de fieh an’ bu’n me. Once you po’ de blood an’ pizen me, but dis time Sam an’ me we’s de stronges’ an’ we leaves you go, we leaves you live tuh mek yore peace wif Gawd. We’re puore bloods heah, royal black—all but one an’ we’ll do de bes’ we kin erbout ’im. He shill be name Sam. Go back, w’ite man, an’ sin no mo’.
[She pauses and listens. There is no further sound from without. Granny staggers over to the sisters and shakes them, saying in a faint voice:]
Wake up, Sapphie ”

“ The newcomer is old, with white hair and beard. He is probably of Moorish descent. He is so small and weazened as to be almost a dwarf, but his whole demeanor indicates great latent power. A strong personality, dominating the two others from the first instant. ”

“ I done tuhn oveh a [41] new leaf. I goin’ to be a business man. I goin’ to let de otheh man wuk.
Lucy
’Sposin’ everybody was to do dat away.
Madison
Let ’em do hit. I don’ ask nothin’ of nobody. I goin’ to have every toof in my haid covehed wif gol’. I’ll get youah’n an’ Book’s fix dat way too. I goin’ to have plenty society grub in me all de time. I ain’ goin’ to let my fam’ly suffeh. I got too sweet a disposishun fo’ dat. I’ll git ’em whateveh I want.
Booker
[Lingering in doorway.] When you get rich will you get you the guitar, Daddy?
[Lucy waves Booker through doorway. He vanishes.] ”

“ De babe’ll wan’ tuh see hit. Red’s de fus’ coloh er baby notice an’ red allers goes wif black. Red neveh go wif w’ite. Looks ghas’ly. I use allers tuh wrop my Sam in red— [She pauses and her voice grows shriller.] an’ red’s de las’ way I seen ’im.
Pearl
Now, Granny—
Granny
Dat’s right, I mus’ tek my mine off er dat sight now. But I’ll tek’n’ wrop dis noo black babe in my red ap’un dat hilt my Sam. In red he shill be wrop an’ black he shill shine. Royal black we is an’ royal black we shill stay. Praise my Makeh, dey ain’ no drop er any yutheh coloh in ’im. ”

“ My Sam, my man babe-um.
Pearl
Hit git you all wuk up an’ wore out. You won’t look good to company.
[7]
Granny
Look! Has I looked fo’ fifty yeah sence I rush in de fieh fo’ my Sam, which hit de las’ sight deze eyes seen? Oh, whuffo’ dee drag me out an’ hilt me back? I bo’ one man an’ him dee tuk’n bu’nt. An’ ’e slep’ right’n dis room w’en de man wuz shot w’ich dee ’cuze ’im er! Whuffo’ dee drag me back f’um de fieh?
Pearl
I sees the wisdom of Gawd in hit, Granny Maumee. Fifty yeahs ergo me and Sapphie’s granpap been burnt and yet you was to live to git a new Sam. ”

“ Oh, take it back dis minute an’ snatch youah soul from de bu’nin’.
Madison
Who, me? What you tak me fo’, gal? Take back a guitar to de rich man, de man what own de very house we live in!
Lucy
Well, we soon will buy hit.
Madison
Dat’s right. We will. But dat ain’ de question. I didn’ git dis guitar fo’ to return it, I git [45] it fo’ to play it. I boun’ to play it cause I’m goin’ to be er rich man soon an’ I got to have a plenty music in me.
Lucy
You goin’ to git rich playin’ guitar?
Madison
[Laughing comfortably.] Eh, yah, yah. Whoopee! No indeedy. I flies higher dan music flies. ”

“ Good evenin’, Lucy.
[He seems to be unaware of the presence of Madison. He comes forward with little mincing steps and an old man’s gesture, then takes off his hat and sees about him. The others stand watching him, transfixed.]
Ain’ you goin’ shut de do’, Lucy? I feels draf’s. [59] I’m gittin’ old an’ catches cold easy. Ain’ you goin’ take my hat? [She reaches for it mechanically, watching him apprehensively.] No, de hat—not de stick—ol’ pu’son like me always need good stout stick er club case er havin’ faintin’ spell—sumpin’ to lean on. ”

“ An’ I kin’ er think hit’ll save him yit. Well’m, I must be er goin’ now. Hit’s late an’ I mus’ git my res’ fer I got to do a lot er bossin’ termorrer an dat’s allers ha’d fer me. Lucy, I’ll fetch you de deeds ter de house befo’ nine termorrer an’, Madison, you kin repo’t to me at eight o’clock sha’p an’ give my little boy a lesson on de guitar. You’ll be dah, won’t you? ”

“ Babe, man babe-um, er noo man, er puore-blood man raise’ up atter all dem gals. Sam kin res’ now. ’Caze w’y— [She begins to chant.] ’caze er noo man bin raise up an’ he shill lay hol’ er de stahs an’ th’ow um down fer vingince. He shill be er ’stroyin’ fieh er heavum tuh roll ergin de hell fieh w’ut dey lit fer Sam an’ quinch hit out fuheveh. De wrath er Gawd shill be wif ’im an’ de w’ite blood shill puhvail no more ergin ’im. De sun an’ moon shill rise no mo’ on my house an’ fin’ on’y gals, ’caze we got er puore-blood man fer to gyard an’ carry us on. ”

“ Lucy
Bettah lose youah wishes an’ youah ahms an’ laigs an’ everything youah body’s fix wif an’ keep youah immortal soul. Who sanctify you?
Booker
The Holy Ghost. I don’t want nothing but mush.
Lucy
Well, you ain’ goin’ to git hit twell you luhns de questions. What de chief en’ of man?
Booker
Chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy himself for ever.
Lucy
[Coming swiftly forward and confronting him with a threatening look:] Enjoy hisself! I ain’ neveh teach you dat. You know betteh’n dat. Man got no right to enjoy hisself. He got to enjoy Gawd. You knows dat as well as you knows eatin’. ”

“ Lucy
De Devil’s wrastlin’ wif you, Madison, an’ you’s perishin’ fas’. Ef you keeps on in dis paf you’ll lan’ mongs’ de rocks er mournin’. You’s let somebody tu’n you roun’.
[48]
Madison
Not me. Nobody can’t tu’n me roun’. I dreamed it an’ I dreamed it right, face fo’mos’ an’ on de run.
Lucy
How dream?
Madison
Las’ night an’ day befo’ yistiddy night an’ night befo’ dat. I wuz layin’ groanin’, “O Lawd, how long,” an’ I heah a voice say, “Git up an’ come a-runnin’.” Looks up an’ sees a fine w’ite saddle hoss. Hoss say,
“Ride me right an’ I’ll guide you right.” ”

“ I bless de man an’ wish ’im well, he’s su’ved his puhpose, but he ain’ none er ouah blood. De boy babe’s de chief un. [Sapphie enters with the baby.] Give ’im heah, be swif’.
[Sapphie hesitatingly lays the child in Granny’s outstretched arms. As she does so a strange reaction, like an electrical shock, seems to overtake the old woman. She holds out the child as though she would give it back. After a moment, however, she presses it to her breast, rocking back and forth and crooning to it.] ”

“ As he searches he grows more frantic.]
Oh, my Lawd, Oh, wheah is it? I got to have it. Oh, I couldn’ lose it, hit ain’ mine ter lose. Stay by me, Lucy, an’ he’p me fin’ it, git down on youah knees, Lucy. Oh, wheah did I drop it? I’m gittin’ old an’ needs it. Ef I lose dis I lose all my push. I was jes’ goin’ into business an’ we all wuz goin’ to fly high. I got to fin’ it. I ain’ give up. Lemme think. Oh, I hopes some hones’ puhson foun’ it. Lemme come on down—Know I put it on dat side ’cause dat de side Mistah Long he wuz on—Oh, I’ll go crazy— [He strikes his forehead groaning.] ”

“ Granny
[Seating herself and growing suddenly very still as though listening.] Yo’re right. Time’s up, de houah is heah an’ de chile is neah. I feels hit. Run an’ open de do’. Sapphie mus’ be comin’ up de paf. Mek ready. I feel my noo man chile neah me.
[Pearl goes out doorway at left. After a moment she and Sapphie enter without the baby. Granny stands up.] ”

“ Fly an’ call an’ open de do’.
De chains is ready, de man is neah, an’ almos’ heah an’ de chahm shill hol’.
Spile ’im as I spile ’im.
[She casts the mannikin and the sticks with ferocity into the fire on the tripod and then bends down staring intently into the fire. [29] There is a moment’s silence and then she gives a cry, as she looks into the fire.]
Sam! Is dat you in da? You instid er he? W’ut dis? Is we bin trick? ’Tain’t you—’tis you—Sam! Ah-h! ”

“ Eight o’clock, Madison. Good night.
[He goes, closing the door after him. The pair stand silent for a moment, Madison with hanging head and in deep dejection.]
Lucy
[Throwing her arms around him.] Oh, my husban’, I’ll pray fer you. Don’ sorrer now. Git youah res’ tonight. We kin be hones’ now. We’ve got de house at las’ an heah’s de guitar.
Madison
Yassuh, heah’s de guitar. [He plays it and fondles it. Then his face assumes again its melancholy look.]
Lucy
What’s de trouble?
Madison
I don’ undehstan’ dis worl’. If I wants to make music why cain’t folks lemme alone to make music? ”

“ I’m a king in my own right. I got ways an’ [69] means er pertecktin’ myse’f dat you don’ even dream on an’ I don’ need to lay a fingeh on you to do hit. Furdermo’ I could brain you wif dis stick but ef you cross me I won’ be dat easy on you. Ef you don’ wan’ wuss’n dat don’ cross me no furder er youah troubles’ll begin fer fa’r.
Lucy
Oh, please don’ lay nothin’ on him.
Williams
You po’ sufferin’ gal, I won’ lay nothin’ onto ’im but I’m a-goin’ to tek sumpin’ off’n you. I’m goin’ tek de burding er dish yere pack er laziness off’n you. An’ fus’ I wants ter show you dish yere piece er papeh. ”