Contemporary One-Act Plays Part 87

[CHARLES _is smuggled into the clock, and_ BETTY _has barely enough time to make a dash for the hat and conceal it behind her before the door opens and in stalks_ ADONIJAH. _He looks about suspiciously._ BETTY _faces him with the hat held behind her. He removes his hat and tippet and lays them on the table._

ADONIJAH. Methought I heard a sound of many feet.

BETTY. [_Looking down._] Two feet have I; no more, no less.

ADONIJAH. [_Dryly._] Aye, two be quite sufficient.

BETTY. An thou sayest the word, they yet can beat as loud a retreat as an whole regiment.

ADONIJAH. Thou dost my meaning misconstrue.

BETTY. Construe it then, I prithee.

ADONIJAH. I came not here to vex----

BETTY. Then get thee hence. [_He steps forward._ BETTY _steps back_.]

But not behind me, Satan.

ADONIJAH. [_Coming closer._] And yet thou driv'st me to it.

BETTY. [_Backing off._] Indeed, thou hast a nature born to _drive_ and not be driven.

ADONIJAH. [_Highly complimented._] So be it, yet I scarce had hoped that thou would'st notice. [_Advancing._] Born to drive, thou sayest, not be driven.

BETTY. [_Retreating._] Thou hast said it, born to _drive_. But what to drive I have not said. That knowledge hath my father yet concealed.

ADONIJAH. [_Eagerly._] Thy father, then, hath told thee----

BETTY. [_Who is retreating steadily across the room._] Thou wert born to _drive_!

[_Strikes settee and goes down on the hat._ ADONIJAH _seats himself beside_ BETTY. BETTY _is of necessity forced to remain--on the hat_. ADONIJAH _slides arm along the back of the settee. The clock door strikes erratically. He jerks his arm back and gazes in the direction of the clock. The clock hands wigwag._ ADONIJAH _stares abstractedly and pa.s.ses his hand over his forehead in a dazed manner_.

BETTY. [_Solicitously._] What aileth thee?

ADONIJAH. [_Still staring._] The time!

BETTY. [_Stifles a yawn._] It doth grow late.

ADONIJAH. But not consistently; it changeth.

BETTY. 'Twas ever so with time.

ADONIJAH. [_Reminiscently._] Of a certainty they moved.

BETTY. Yea, verily, 'tis not uncommon.

ADONIJAH. But backwards!

BETTY. [_Joyfully._] Why, then, my prayers are answered. How often I have prayed them thus to move! Yet hath it never come to pa.s.s.

ADONIJAH. Nay, had'st thou seen----

BETTY. Prithee calm thyself. Thou'rt ill.

ADONIJAH. [_Steals his arm along the back of the settee and moves over closer._] Sweet Betty! [BETTY _looks away with a wry face_.] Thy indifference in no wise blinds me to thy conception of my true value.

[BETTY _sits up, round-eyed_.] There was a time when I despaired--[_The clock again strikes wildly. The hands drop and rise as before._ ADONIJAH _excitedly points at the clock_.] Again! Did'st mark it? Something doth ail the clock!

BETTY. Yea, truly thou art ill. The clock behaveth much more to the point than thou.

ADONIJAH. [_Tearing his gaze from the clock._] As I was on the point of saying--[_glances at the clock_] thy father hath given--[_another glance_] me to understand--[_with eye on the clock he hitches up closer_] that thou art not averse to mine affections----

[_As he attempts to put his arm around_ BETTY _the clock strikes a tattoo and startles him excitedly to his feet, as the hands travel all the way round_.

ADONIJAH. [_Pointing._] Now look! Mark the time!

[COTTON _enters_.

COTTON. Tarry yet awhile, my son, the time doth not prevent thee.

ADONIJAH. Tarry? Time doth not prevent? Little knowest thou! [_Gazes abstractedly about. Sights the ring on_ BETTY'S _finger, who in excitement has forgotten to keep her hands behind her back_.] Aye, there it is, the diabolical circle. It is a charm. It harms her not, while all about me is askew. Whence came she here? [_Points at_ BETTY.] She neither came nor went, and yet she was not there and now she is. A manly form did enter. Yet hath vanished into thin air. Yea, verily, it was none other than the devil himself in one of his divers forms, of which he hath aplenty. The very clock indulgeth in unseemly pranks. A strange influence hangs over me. I cannot now abide. I must depart from hence.

My conscience bids me go.

COTTON. [_Striving to detain him._] Hold! Thou'rt mad!

BETTY. Nay, father, he is ill.

ADONIJAH. [_Wildly._] Aye, if I be mad, thy daughter be to blame. The spell did come upon me. I have seen strange things.

COTTON. What meanest thou?

ADONIJAH. [_Pointing at_ BETTY, _who regards him wonderingly_.] Thy daughter is a witch!

BETTY. [_Runs to_ COTTON.] Oh, father!

COTTON. [_Consoles_ BETTY; _thunders at_ ADONIJAH.] What? Darest thou to being forth such an accusation?

ADONIJAH. Aye, while I yet have strength to order mine own will. We shall see what we shall see when the fires leap round the stake. All the diabolical circles the devil may invent or his helpmeets acquire will be of small avail when the leaping tongues of flame curl round you, false servant of the devil. I can delay no longer. I will repair to the council at once, and report what I have seen.

[BETTY _faints away_. COTTON _is at once all paternal solicitude_.

ADONIJAH _gazes in stupefaction. All un.o.bserved_ CHARLES _slips out of the clock. Finally_ ADONIJAH, _as_ BETTY _shows signs of reviving, turns himself away, only to find himself face to face with_ CHARLES. ADONIJAH _stops dead in his tracks, absolutely nonplussed_.

CHARLES. Thou goest to the council? Thou lackest evidence. Behold the devil an' thou wilt.

[ADONIJAH'S _jaw drops. He stares unbelievingly._ COTTON _looks up in surprise as_ CHARLES _continues_.

CHARLES. An' thou goest to the council with such a message, the devil will dog thy very footsteps. And match word of thine with word of truth in such a light that thine own words shall imprison thee in the stocks over Sunday.

[ADONIJAH _recovers from his temporary abstraction, and seizing his hat and tippet, tears out the door as if a whole legion of imps were in full pursuit_. CHARLES _contemptuously turns on his heel and goes over to_ BETTY, _who is now clinging to her father's arm_.