Tales


1 PILOT OFTHE CROOKED
Play
In Four Acte
Maurice Rowdon.


CHARAGTERS
IN THE ORDER OF THEIR APPEARAI NCE. e
HARRY BEINUL.
JAGK MEADOWS.
NELL RAYNER.
JULIA MEADOWS.
The action is at present,


AGT ONÉ
SCENE: A roon crowded with objects, few of which
are pieces of coufortable furniture. There are doors to
the left and right, and the wall facing us has a great
wandow, whioh is both tall and wide. This looks out on to
a brick wall only a few yarda awayi it is the wall of a
factory, and quite blank.
Nothing else can be seen through
the.w window, only briak wall; no sky and no roof.
On the right there is a long deek with telephones,
adjustable lampe and files. Under the window there 1e an
operating table and above it a lamp which can be raieed and
lowered.
On the wall to the right of the window there are
graphs with steadily undulating lines in red ink. Near
the dosk is a amall table on which is set a recording
machine. To the left there is an armchair and a settle.
2x2 As the curtain rises we hear a man's voico shouting
from a loudspeaker. The voice is distraught and uneven,
and there are iong pauses between each Gutburst.


HARRY BEINUH and JACK MEADOWS are l1etening to this
voice from the rec ord ing machine. BEINUM is standing
batween the machine and hie desk, Watching the other man
alosely. Ho is tall, heavy in appearanco, ungainly in his
step.
He ie eal refully* though not formallys dressed.
MEADOWS is a younger man, and slighter; he is dressed now
in overalls. He avoide BEINUM's gaze and stares down at the
floor, frowning and shifting about in his soat.
THE VOICE: Oh, yes, I've heard all about Carson*s job, and
that Godfrey! They alwaye nake trouble for me,
you can see them all talking about mes everybody
from Godfrey down!
I want to go.
Stgtd-woadnt S
somer I want to get away from all that noise,
and those eyes just as if they were ineide the
hoise.
It isn't right! I don't get the sleep,
you Bee, and nobody here has any pityl... They'd
put a dog out of its misery. Listen, Mr Beinum -:
BEINUM goes to the recording machine and switches
it off. He stands over MEADOWS, who still has his head
bowed.
BEINUM:
NOw 19 that the way to behave?
HEADOWS: You forced me.
BEINUM:
Did I really force you?
MEADOWS:
I'm ashamed of nyself.
BEINUM:
But I'm not try ing to mako you feèl ashamed . No,
look at me. Look up. (MEADONS looks upat him,
and geems terrified) I don't want you to feel any
shame. But it sometimes doos us good to hear
ourselves.
MEADOWS: f Thet snd--


quietly.
BEINUM:
Carson's face is in plaster. There was nothing
quiet about that.
MEADOWS:
Where is the microphone?
BEINUM:
Close to your cha ir.
MEADONS: Where is it?
BEINUM:
I ghan't use it againi
MEADOWS:
To think that wae my voicd...
BEINUII walks across to a small table at MEADOWS'
side.
BEINUME (bending down and putting hie hand under the lodgo
of the table) There. You can feel it. (MEADOWS does 80)
(BEINUM returne to the machine) Come over here.. Aren't
you interested?
MEADOWS risee slowly from his ehair and goes towards
BEINUM. He walke wearily.
BEINUH: This Le the switoh.
Whenover you come here 1 want
you to have a look at this switch.
MEADOWS: It doesn't helps that sort of thing.
BEINUME - Yesterday, Mead OwB, I called you hysterical, and
today I am giving you the proof. Whny did you hit
Carson?
MEADOWS: Because he was tormenting mes
BEINUM: Listen, I'm not a doctor. My job is to keep you
working hard. You're one of our best engineers.
No one else in this place could hit a foreman in the
jaw and get away with it..
MEADONS (vawning)
I'mso tired these days. xykingers
tremble at the instruments.
(Turning to him)


Don't you éver feel uncomf ortable, wat tohing people
like this?
BEINUH:
Why should I?
MEADOWS: We're all alone. We're all children in one way
or another. I mean, don't you ever shout at
people?
BEINUMA
I think a man should never give way, Meadows.
MEADONS: Am I weak in your eyes?
BEINUM:
Not weak.
HEADOWS: I don't mina B fight, you see, if -
BEINUM:
Your job is enginéering. Mine is to Bee that
there aren't any fighte,
MEADOWS: All right, it won't happen again.
BEINUM :
And suppose the blood rushee to your head the
noment you get downstaire?
MEADONS: Fire me.
BE INUM: :
That isn't my job, My job is to keep your
because your work is excellent. - (Going to the
deek) Listen. This is written under your name *
(Opening a file) John Frederick Headows. Aged
34. Marriedi No oriminal recerd, Health,
good. A loyal and energetic worker.' -
Godfrey bas added in red ink, 'Koep this mans'
(Staring at him) Mr Godfrey... What do you
think of him?
HEADOWS: On, dome off the pedestal.
BEINUM:
No, tell me. I really want to knows between
ourselves.
MEADOWS: ihy ask?


BEINUM:
Oh, peoplo talk.
There is silence.
MEADOWS: I'm here because I hit Carson in tho face.
BEI INUM:
That was just a burst of anger. You're an
unhappy mant why?
MEADONS: We all suffer.
BEINUM:
Oha some, Meadome. This talk is all very well,
but you work here and you live here, and there
pomes a time when your problems are our problems.
MEADOWS: How do people talk?
BEINUN:
Like this: Jack Moadows' wife aleepe with
Godfroy. That's how it runs. That's the tune
we héar every day.
MEADOWS remains quite still.
BBINUM goes to the sideboard and pours a brandy.
He bringe it to NRADONS.
HEADOWS: No.
BEINUH:
You don't mind a fight. Well, eone out and
fight with me, Don't be proud, Get drunk if
you like. The doors are looked.
HRADOWS takes the drink and sips it.
MEADONS: This place is a prison. And ve're all here
because of monoy.
BEINUM:
You could get another job, couldn't you?
(HRADOWS does not reply) It taa nothing to do
with money. You're here because your wife
refuses to leavea
MEADOWS: No. She doesn't refuse. But sbe might, so
I'daren't ask her. I


MEADOWS: Then you believe what poople say.
BEINUH:
Ah, but, Meadowds I thought zou were accepting
the story. No, all I have is people's talk.
No proof.
MEADOWS: I'm suspiclous, then I blame myself for thinking
badly about her. I'm abeolutely tormented.
She denies it.
BEINGM:
You acoused hers then.
HEADOWS: We fight, I tear at ber dress. I omashed hor
dressing table. What do you think of that, you
who like to keep s0 calm?
BEINUM:
I've never had the experience.
MEADOWS: No, well, you can pray. (Drinke)
She ian't a
whore. She's clean and dignified. I think of
her as a courteean.. But thens sonetimes, I
stop and think, Suppose all this is untrus?
Suppose I'm wearing her down, wearing down her
beauty, you see. Becauso she ories, à oh, my
God, how she criest Evening after evening,
bitterly and hopelessly, like a child, until I
know she was nevér unfaithfuls and than I want
to oonsole hers and that foeling of tears on my
shoulder where she has put her head is so
familiar to me How.
BEINGI:
Does Godfrey come to your house?
MEADOWS: No.
BEINUM:
Ehere does she type his reports, then?
MEADOWS: At hie house. But of coursel Isn't it.obvious?
She 8oes there dressed as she never dresses for


How could they spend two hours together in
a silent room every day, without him putting hie
hand on her arm and bending down perhaps, and
movins towards her, and she leaning baok her head,
and :
BEINUM (rising) Poor areature, you torment yourself.
(Walking away, then turning smiftiphn his tracks)
But that's what bappens when you don't love calm!
That's what happene whèn you give way to the ghoets
and the nightmares! All the loohery in the
world, all the horror and pain, rise up in front of
you and draw you on. And the further you go, the
more you are lost. Is Bhe true to me? Yes!
No! Yest Whiah is it to be? You will nover
know, my friend. Only a calm man would know.
MEADOWS: of aourse Godfrey wante to keep me. Hewants to
keap his lover,
BEINUM:
And suppose your suspicions are wrong?
HEADOWS: Yes, Suppose! (Falkich tovards
the window)
You say you're not a dootor. But bere's an
operating table. And this lamp. e
BEINUM:
I need them sometimes.
MEADOWS: Why?
BEINUM:
People get hysterical. They faint. The
machines make them nervous *
MEADOWS: Hysterical like me?
BEINUN (after a pau use) No.
MEADOWS: I'm different, then?
BEINUM:
Yes.


MEADOWS:
Who comes here? We ne vér hear about this
downstairs.
BEINUK:
I can't tell you.
day
MEADOWS: But how many. a W
BEINUN:
Five or six parhape+
MEADOWS: Engineers?
BEINUM:
Engineers and operatives, Mostly operatives.
MEADOWS: And the engineers are more sophisticated, are
they?
BEINUM:
Well, they're better educated of course.
MEODOWSE And mors difficult...
They como and tell you
their secrets, I suppose?
BE INUM:
Sometimee.
MEADONS:
People like Barnes and Turner* Jook Murphy and
Burbidge?
BEINUM:
People like that.
MEADOWS: What ara their secrets?
BEINUHI
A grudge; or they complain-about something,
the food, the loudspeakers in the aséembly room;
or the foremen.
MEADONS: But secrets?
BEINUM:
Can't you imagine for yourself?
MEADOWS: Secrets like mine, I mean: are thair wives
unfasnprul?
BEINUMX (turning Haway) Perhaps most wives are unfaiftrul,
Meadowa. Why oan't you be sophisticated about
these things?
MEADOW: :
Calm, you mean?
BEINUM:
Calmy if you liko. Your wife takes another ma ny
nhe aants
bara m In . u


MEADOWS: But another wonan would not be ny Julia.
He walks ovar to the recording nachine and looks at
the ewitehe He touches it, making sure that 1t ie turned
off.
MEADOWS: Have you used this on ot ber people?
BEINUM:
Once or twiae.
MEADOWS: Are the secrets about love?
BEINUM:
Yod.
MEADOWS: Love is the only problem.
BEINUM: :
For pec ople without work!
MEADOWS: No, it euts in on the work:
BEINUM:
Yes, it attacks like a fevery Meadows.
HEADOWS (looking straight at him) Whet's your wifo's name?
BEINUM:
Nell.
MEADOWS:
Suppose Nell * (he nauses, watching BEINUM)-
wagt with another man and didn't love him?
BEINUM (smiling)
I've let you go far anougha
HEADOWS: No. I. just wanted to try and break that calme
BEINUH:
Scream the word Nell at me all day. Suggest the
vilest lecheries in her name, if you like.
MEADOWB: I feel horrible, telling you my séerets.
BEINUM:
Look at all this paraphernalia: an operating
table, brandy for the weak, amelling salts, soft
lights. I'm your nursé, man A hundred years
ago you would have beat tef your wife blaok and
blue, or you wouldn't have cared. But in either
case you would, have refused to whine.
MEADOWS:
Have I whined?
BEINUM:
But, Christ, I've never heard so much whining,


MEADOWS: six years.
BEINUN:
Yau can't love a person for six years.
MEADORS: I love Julia,
BEINUM:
Hou love her in Godfrey's arne, Mead ows a
You must break that idéa. Look, we need new
people to flatter us. - A new lover is 11ke
a mirror held up to our faces* We grow big in
flattery. We see ourselves new aga ine But
six yearese. Eyes grow old after six yéars.
MEADOWS: It feels like a tomb here.
BEINUH:
Yes, Meadows, (going to his desk)we baptise a:
place with dur wounds. For a lot of people
this room 1s like a tomb.
He opens a file and unelipe a card. - This he takes
across to MEADOWS and throwe it down on the table in front of
him.
BEINUM: :
There is your card.
MEADONS begins to rise.
But BEINUM stops him.
BEINUM:
You know Burbidge of course?
MEADONS: Yes.
BEINUME
Do you know anything about his donestio life?
MEADONS: No*
BEINUN:
Walls I'm gaing to tell y ou one of those seorets
you wanted to hear.
MEADOWS: You give yourself these calm airs. But you're
in it, like everybody else. You're working for
Godfray, working to keep him in women. Is that
a man'a work?
BEINUNE
My. idea, Meedows, is to make those lines


So I ba ve to choose between the heart and a good
production rate.
WEADONS: And you work for Godfrey'e hearte
BEINUH:
I'm trying t0 get you at work again. Nothing elso.
MEADOWS:
He could geta dozen batter engineers than mee
What use am I here? I hit Carson in the face.
I'm lazy. I'n rude to people. I've been absent
five times in a week,
BEINUL:
I'm not in love with Godfrey, you know. But 1ike
you I na ve to keep body and soul together* Ee'e
my boss as well a3 yours.
MEADOWS: So toll me about Burbidge.
BEINUM:
If I tiatened to the heart all the tiwe we should
be bankrupt in a waek and paople like you would be
without a job.
I want yous to realise tha t bafore
I aay auything about Burbidge. I'm onyour Bide,
Hcadows.
MRADOWS: YeB, go on: BurDadge is enslaved to a wonan, and
this ie what he did..
BEINUM:
No. The very reverse.
MEADONS: A woman can enslave me just by turning ker head.
So it seeme.
BEINUH: :
Burbudge and his wife are virtually soparated.
He has a lover,"outside the grounds. Have you
seen hie wife?
MEADOWS: I've spoken to ier
BEINUM:
She bas no lover, Bead OWS. She is living with
a man she deptesta. (There 1sa silence, during
which they watok eaoh other) Treat it like a


halp,
MEADOWS: She coass hera too?
BEINUM:
Sla has her troubles, yes.
MEADOWS: And downstairs one bas no idea, no idea at all,
There are machines whioh work, everything has its
place, the workshops are bright and airy.
BEINUM:
I'n only showing you how to be wise, But 1f you
want to g0 on tormenting yourself...
MEADONS: Do you never feel jealousy, then?
BEINUM:
MEADOWS:
Never?
BEINUM:
I want to be free, Mead OWB Periaps freedon ie a
higher value for ie than love.
MEADOWS: But if you found her with another mans lying in a
bed at dawn, amilins into his eyes, her faces still
sleepy, pala with the morning
BEINUN:
No. How astonishing, that two bodies rubbing
together should cause BO much agony in a man.
MEADONS: But if one of those bodies happene to be the placa
whore you worship, your only temple d
BEINUNL
Then you destroy that temple*
MEADONS: And betray Burbidge.
BEINUH:
Betray, man? uhat kina of word ie that? It'e
too big for the petty incidents of every day a
MEADONS rises.
MEADONS:
I6 it too big for what I go through? too big for
sleepless nighte, and E pain at the pit of the
sto osach, and one neme in your nead from one end of
the day to the other? No*


BEINUM:
I don't deny you suffer, Headows. That'e why
you come here,
MEADOWS: I coné here beesuse I'n weak,
BEINUM:
What shall I tell Godfrey, then? That you*1l
go back to work?
MHADOWS: Oh, I shall behave, Itts no uee, all thie
sbouting.
They stand et the door.
BEINUN:
Then I was wise to play that record overs
MEADONS (witha sbrug) You can afford to be wise.
BEINUM :
Good bye, Meadowe, and good luck.
They shake bands and MEADOUS goes out. BEINUM
closee the door again. He walks across to the door leading
out right and unlooke it. He puts. a. handkerchief up to his
brow and sighs.
He returns to bis deak and presses an
eleotric bell.
He waite, ataring down at one of the files,
The door on the right opens and NELL RAYNER enters.
She is a well-built, ereat young wouan.' But wG notics
sonething nervous about her.
NELL:
Did you Gall?
BEINUM (turning) Yes. Come and talk to me. I'm exhausted.
NELL:
Who was it?
BEINUM:
Mead ows.
NELL:
Have I seen him?
BEINUM:
1 don't think so.
NELL:
You work too hard. You're so pale.
BEINUM:
What have you been doing?
NELL:
Keading. (Coming to the desk) Let me see the
file. (He shows her) An, this is Meadows.
Miaan


BEINUM:
Hé overstayed hia weld ome, as usdal, babhling
and babbling. If only he were a fool: But
he's clever, decent and quite brave really.
(He picks up the telephone)
Hallo, get me Mr.
Carsone
(Turning to Nell) What do you say to
sone coffee?
(Sie nods and starta to BO: But
he catohes her arm and drawe her baok) No, stay
and talk to me. Ineed your talk.
(Into the
mouthpiece) Hullo, Carson. Thia is Beinum
here.
I've juat sent Meadows downstairs. He
should be all right now. Listen, I want you to
put Burbidge on another belt.,. Burbidge.**
He works opposite Headows. Do that today... Oh,
give any exeuse.
Production ratee. Good bye.
He puts the raceiver down and goes to the recording
machine. He glances at his watch, than rune the record ing
tape back a little.
BEINUM:
This is whatt've bad to listen to. I feel so
tired, Nell, so absolutely done up.
He begins the reoord.
THE VOIGE: Oh, yee, I've heard all about Carson's job, and
that Godfrey! They always ma ke trouble for me,
you can see them all talking tagsthaf about mex
everybody from Godfrey down! Iwant to go.
I want to get smay fron all that noise, and those
eyes Just as if they were inside the noise!
ientt right! I don't gst
He eute the machine off.
NELL:
What poor creatures they all are a


NELL:
It's funny. I think I'm mora like all these
oreatures downstairs. I'm soft, 11ke them.
I could lose my head just like this Meadows.
I'm not like you. All your 1ife seems 80 well
planned, Harry. And the rest of ue are 60 untidy.
BEINUNE
But when you're 111 or worried, who de you come to'
To me, or to one of those other creatures?
NELL:
To you.
BEINUH:
And do I make you feel more secure?
NELL:
Yes.
BEINUM:
For the last hour he has been dragging me further
and further into his petty orbit. With the ot hers
it's 8o easy. They have no will, no thoughts, and
no feelings to speak of. I simply put their faces
together again and sond them back to work. But
thie fellow's differont.
What he says is absolute -
true: I've no right to give him advice, because we - E
equals. So we have a struggle. I feel I'm baing
sucked down. I don't know Where I'm going.
want the light and the air, not all these dark
feelinge, which proliferate and writhe and mix
together like dreadful tunours!
He goes to the sideboard and pours himself a brandy.
NELL:
That's unusual for youi
BEINUM:
Ho sayss 'This place ie like a tomb'. And it's
quite true, Nell. It has lost that clinical adr,
the air of belonging nowhere. Ho turned it into
a tomb.
NELL:
Perhaps you both did.


BEINUM:
But I shall win. The hyeterical person alwaya
loses.. How do you feel this morning?
NELL:
The semo.
BEINUM:
Have you been sick?
NELL:
A little, yes.
BEINUM:
It's simply ho good worry ing. Wagao you look at
me like that?
NELL:
Do you ever feel you're tired of me?
BEINUM:
Tired?
NELL:
Tired of my voice, the way I walk, the way I piok
up thinge, the way I look at you, (almost in tears)
the way & eit reading, waiting for you to talk to
BEINUH $
My poor
A bell rings. BEINUM glandes at the door going
out left, then at Nell, She turns her head away from him and
hurriee acrose the roon to the other door.
NELL:
of course you don't want Bomeone alse like me!
BEINUM walke after her, waite for her to leave, then
locks the door. He is troubled by her tears. He
goea
the mirror and looks at himseif, drawing hinself up. He then
goes to the door leading out left and opens it.
JULIA MEADOWS enters, Our firet impression is of
the utmost gentleness.
JULIA *
Am I late?
BEINUM:
Not at all, Mrs Meadows. o
She stande looking about the room as he oloses and
locks the door.
JULIA :
I never knew these roome were here. Are you a
doator?


BEINUM:
No. Will you sit down?
She site at the armoha ir.
JULIA: :
Did we meet onoe?
BEINUH:
Yes, at the jubllee célébrations.
(Watching her)
Iwas with Godfrey.
JULIA:
Ah, yes.
BEINUM:
You know your husband hit Carson in the faee?
JULIA:
Yes,
BEINUM:
I wanted to talk to you about that.
JULIA:
His behaviour is staange.
BEINUM:
Do you mind talking about him?
JULIA :
BEINUM:
He wa 8 here just now. He's very unhappys as you
know.
JULIA :
What did he tell you?
BEINUM*
Nothing roal, nothing real at all.
JULIA :
But why did he set on Garson?
BEINUNE
Oh, he has nothing against Carson. (He turns. to
take up his drink again) I'm sorry. Will you
drink?
JULIA :
Thank you.
BEINUH: :
Brandy?
JULIA :
Yes. It seeme strange in the morning,
BE INUM (at the sideboard) A Drinking?
Yes.
geve
BEINUM:
It isn't usual for me* But your husband Ga EISTEAR
me a bad time.
JULIA :
Then y ou know what I suffer,
BEINUN:
Do you suffer?


JULIA:
The real suffering's on his side. But it weare
one out.
BEINUM:
Just for. an hour e ven, d yes. The sufferers draw
us inte their agony * And we have to fight them,
which is unpleasant. It seens cowardly.
He gives her the drink
JULIA :
Why is it 80 dark here ?
BEINUMX (indicating the window) It's the wall. We are only
eight feet away.
JULIA:
Do you live up here?
BEINUM:
Yes.
31 ULIA: :
There are other roons through there, I suppose.
She indicates the door leading out right.
BEINUM:
Yes, there are three other rooms.
JULIA :
Is your wife there now?
BEINUM:
Yes. Then you knew I was married.
JULIA :
I assumed it. One can tell sonatimes. What does
she do while you're here?.
lot,
BEINUM:
She reads a E EE
Bhe cooks, She rarely
goes out, you know.
AULIA: :
Doss she like it here?
BEINUM:
She feels eut off, perhaps.
JULIA:
No one talke about this room downs ta irs. Your
name is never heard.
BEINUM:
Well, it means that péople have not hing to lose
when they tell me their saorets, I suppose.
JULIA :
Did he mention me?
BE: INUM: :
Yes.
JULIA :
What did he say?
BETI AIIM:
Wha t. noanla Aptan anw lo A *


Bubstant ial.
JULIA :
No, tell me.
BEINUM:
People come here with their secrets. I can't .
betray them.
JULIA:
Did he tell you whether ne quarrelled with me?
BE INUM: :
Yes.
JULIA:
And why he quarrelled with me?
BEINUM:
Look, Mrs Meadows. We ought to be honest with
each other. You know véry well what paople Bay
here.
She drinks B. lowly, then iooks up at him.
Juliat
What do they say ?
BEINUM: :
That you and Godfrey are lovers. (A pause)
I don't care whether that's true or not. I'm
not interested.
JULIA:
Why not?
BEINUM:
I don'twant your secrets, Mrs Meadows. The
point
is that your husband has suspicions about
you,
and I've got to oure him of those suspicions.
JULIA :
But I'm goingto tell you the truth.
BEINUM:
Then you do 8o freely. I've asked you for nothing.
JULIA: :
As you say, one has nothing to lose here. In
any case, you know the truth. You know quite
well that I sleep with Godfrey... Don't you?
(BHINUM does not reply) le agreed to be honest.
BEINUM:
I do know, yes.
JULIA: :
Who told you?
BEINUM:
Godfrey himself.
JULIA :
Id don't respect him at all, you know.


BEINUH:
But you have. to sée him.
JULIA:
Yes.
BEINUM:
Why?
JULIA:
Because I feel stifled with my husband -
BEINUM: :
And you need flattery now *
person
JULIA:
Before, we were like one creattre. I became
heavy and dull.
We were eut off from the world,
the two of us in our house. near the generator.
Do you know what I mean? We seemed to 8e0 with
the same eyes, think with the same mind.
BEINUM:
And now Godfrey has renewed you. I can understand
all that.
JULIA:
Not Godfrey. Any ore could have done it.
BEINUM (staring at her for a moment) A nyone?
JULIA :
I only needed to touch another huma n being.
BEINUM: :
But when I saw you at the celebrations, * you
remember when we shook hands? You B6emed Bo
very happy to be with Godfrey then, a I can't
desaribe it, but I envied him, you know. I
wondered, - such a beautiful woman.*.
JULIA:
I was happy. I was so excited at those
celebrations, knowing that there were other eyes
in the world vesides my husband's, eyes which
could admire me, I mean.
BEI INUM:
So you don't love Godfrey?
JULIA:
BEINUM walks about the room in silence, pondering.
JULIA:
Do you tell him all our secrets? Poor fishes
wa ara. coming hera with our saerata.


BEINUM:
It6ll Godfrey nothing. I had to explain to
your buebanda * I'mnot exadtly in love with tho
man But hots my boss.
JULIAS
You eeen toknow all about us before we eome here.
Rue st
BEINGH:
Do I soem to bave know_you?
JULIA :
Yedx
BEINUN:
Ways a'you think? Because there'a no one 1ike
you in this oamp.. I héar you spoekn about by
so many people, Godfrey talke to me about you,
sonetimes even an angineer you may nevor have seen,
but who has scen yous passing the assombly hall,
porhaps. Even when your husband shoute about
yous he never breaks that single image of your
strange I don't know, a kind of wisa gentleness
you hayes you sée what I mean, wise isn't the
right word, but you seem so very gracious, and
therefore quite different from every other woman
in the camp. Every day I hoar something new
about you, and it's always said in that awed
way* and eametimes, you know, they nearly use
the very Bame worde.
JULIA:
We say thinge hora we would never say downstaire.
so you must B08 right into UB.
BEINUH:
Do you knows Mrs Keadowe, that in all my work
Itve never seen an unhappier man than your


hunband? Ho's going to kiil you, Or Godfreys
or himeoif, if you don't behave a littze more
oautiously.
JULIA:
What oEM I do?
SCINUM
Listen to mos Krai Moadoros I want you to giva up
morking tor Godfroy
JULIA:
I aon't nork for ain.
BRINUH:
what do you moan?
JULIAS
Ig0 thoro to be0 hina The work was only an
Caits,
axcuses
BEINULI
But he payo you?
JULIAE
HO Bivon me money to show my hupband, * yes.
BEINCES
Whora did you oee bim firot?
JULIA:
At ong of the dandes. Ho called my huoband over
and tola him hom - much he liked hie rork. Phon
we apoko to eaoh othor, Then he danced with ne.
BEINUE:
Whon dia you make this arrangoment about work?
JULIA:
A sack later,
BEINUE:
But evoryono in the damp knowe about 1t! Wbat
made you ao caroloss?
JULIAI
I don't knona I seem to have boen aploop during
those fivo goars. I wag. so happy to be avake
egains I atan't think of anything else.
BEINUNE
That was druel tor your husband. You can soe
how ho surrors.
JULIA:
Godtrey vab as. Garolosos
BEINUM:
Goafrey dosontt card, HO loatos'all the caring
to me, Thatie what he paye mo for. But to go
and nork for him, togo there every day drgssoa
AAS
as you navor drace - for
C - Da
DORA


you think thatlanyone here would fail to see what
you werenup to? And your husband o:
JULIA:
Yes, I'm wretehed, it's wrong, I know.
BEINUM (Stopping and looking at her)
Mrong? I'm not bere
to decide between right and wrong. You can tOrE
talk that out downstairs.
Here we deal only in
plans of eampaign, Nrs Mead owB. And you were too
excited with your Godfrey to think of a plan of
campaign, weren't you? so tearg and scandal
everywhere...
JULIA:
If I stay in that house all alone again, just
waiting for Jack, I shall lose my looks, I shall
die,you see.
BEINUH:
You shall have all your ple easures, Mrs Meadows,
and without any scandal, if only you're patient.
Why were you so surprised to find you needed a
lover? Did you really expect to be able to live
with the same man for Bix years without getting
dull? Did you really expect that?
JULIA :
I think so, "ell, I accepted it.
BEINUM:
You thought you could be loyel to your husband for
ever and ever. And when you found it. was only
possible at the expense of y our beauty, indeed,
your whole life, when in other words you found
that we are not gods, mtmhncy - omEa MEE
EXMCEE
you were surprised.
Sc you gave way to Godfrey
like a prisoner the moment he nade his first advance.
Prisonera come up here every day, prisoners who build
their own prison walls. Life caught you nepping.


You fell in its alutches (making a suiden clutcaing
movement) )- like thati No tine for a plan of
campaigne 30 you gave way to a man for whom y ou
have no reepeot, muoa less any love, a man for. whose
body you have aven a little disguet.
JULIA: Perhaps*
BEINUM: : You're the most distinotive woman in the camp, Mrs
Mendows. A md what is Godfrey? He'e rici, ke bas
a fast ear, te knows one wine froa another, but there'e
sonething unpleasant about the grip of his hand, ien't
there?
He'e a little too well-kept. They say the
women find him irresistible, perhaps they find his
money irreelstible, but just tell me, as your.friend
now, irs Meadows, not as your husband's male nurses
whether going to him waen't just a frantie act of
rebellion from your ausband?
JULIA: I don't love him.
I told y ou that.
BEINUM: But len't it better to be prepared for life? to
wait for these attacking pfevers with a certain plan
of oampaign? Suppose you had never felt that
surprise: then you could have chosen a lover quite
calmly, a lover specially situsted, Mrs Meadows,
one who would cause your husband no suspicions, and
above all a lover worthy of your intelligence, a.
lover who when he walked st y our side would not look
dambed
like
You would have
Jital
Mp00ale. GPRR
been loved by two mena
and neither of them would ha ve been suffering as your
husband is suffering. That's the value of a plan
of campa 1gn.


BEINUM:
Oh, I can teack people, sl owly. Can. you spare
me some time each week?
JULIA :
I think 60.
BEINUN:
Come whenever you like at first, I méan, just
give me an hour's warning. You'll find 1t a
rest from downstairs.
JULIA :
How many péople come aeren
BEINUM:
Well, in the last two years about eighty-nine
peroent of the personnel.
JULIA:
Yet we never hear your name..
BEINUM A $ Are oyou 1ikely to go downstairs now and tell
Murphy's wife or Carson's wife about your visit
here? They've all been here, you dee, and they've
all some with a terrible secret, Mrs Headows.
Look - (gotng to the window) a oome over here.
(Sho rises and gods to his side at the window)
Look at thém. Calm enough, from here. And
nou've no idea what horror comes so them in the
night, what oruelties they heap on each other,
you've no idea wha t very dreamy substances their
lives réally area
JULIA :
Isn't it terrible, knowing 8o much?
BEINUM:
Look at that heavily-built chap. The one in
overalls. There. Have you seen him before?
JULIA :
BEINUM:
Well, I'm choosing one of all that crowd down
there. He's itritable and fussy like an old
woma n, nothing pioturesque, you see, but
think what his wife goee through, evening after
P i


Muoh the same as all the others.
It's got the
same muteness, d'you 8e0; the same nervous anxiety
round here (pointing to his own brow) -
JULIA:
Jack hasn't got that look.
BEINUM:
Ah, that'ewhy we fight each other!... And those
people down there are mothers and fathers, Mrs
Meadows, It's a dirty world, down there. When
they come up here they ean shake off a little of
that dirt. I wish you oould see the way they ait
in that armohair, the way thoy stretch out their
loge, with their heade back, and talk as 18 they
were half-asleep.
MJLIA
BEINUMF
I feel like that.
BEINUM:
Now this is intereating. They alwaye believe
that other peopleare different; they think
other people ars as strong as they. look.
JULIA :
They behave so cal lmly
BEINUM:
Look at those faces d ONn there, who are
they? They're operativos and enginéers going
from the assembly hall to the welding furnaoes.
But for me they're ali men with the same broken,
weeping souls.
JULIA:
Aren't they afraid of you?
BEINUM: :
You might call it fear.They answer my questiona
in husl bed voices.
JULIA:
But you can't have been here long. Not even
Godfrey talke about youi
BEINUM:
I've been here two years. I oame with Godfrey,
you know.
JULIA:
When this new wing was built?


BEINUM:
Yea. We planned it toge ther. Oh, Godfrey
knows quite well that my name must never be
mentioned downstairs, just as my face must never
be seen.
JULIA:
When you came to the jubilee célebrations, who did
they think you were, an engineer?
BEIN. M:
I came as an outsider, a really as Godfrey's friend -
That's how I met you. I thought to myself when I
saw you,"she'll never need to visit me."
JULIA:
Why?
BEINUM:
You hadn't quite that helpless look of the others.
But Godfrey wasn't careful, so here you are.
JULIA:
Doee he know I'm here?
BEINUM:
No. You need never be afraid, wha tever you say
here goes back into the silence.
(Jocularly)
Unless I record it. Then I sorap it after a wesk.
You notice how silent it is,. of course?
JULIA:
Yes, all muffled.
BEINUM:
You sée, what I did was to plan every detail of
this new wing. I sound-proofed this room. I
put it on the third floor, out of the way. And
through there - (pointing to the door leading out
right)- I put another staircase. I'll show you.
He strides acrose to the door and opens it.. She
Btares through, fascinated.
BEINUM:
There. Can you see that swing-door? Behind it
there's a sort of fire-esoapa, That leads
straight out into the towno I oan be right away
from this camp in two minutes. I need never go
aorose that quadrangle, you 8ee. Now when I


planned this wing with Godfrey I made sure that
not one single window overlooked that fire escape,
just to shield nyself from. the eyes of suffering
men and women.
JULIA: :
Are those your privateroons, to the left?
BEINUM:
Yes. (Hecloses the door asain and goes towards
the window) Now this window. I can see nearly
the whole of the quadrangle from here. Yet coming
from the welding furnaces $ou hardly Bee this room.
That'e because of the wall, you see. It means less
11ght, but there...
JULIA:
One feels quite different up herea
BEINUM:
I have to make a place which nobody ean connect with
the maohines downstairs, wita the a the love downstair:
the mess. Oh, my God, you've no idea, but r'va been
here
upl so long now I fear downetairs: I think of it as
a weird and groaning place where men are wounded aB
they pass their hande across their brows. So I
never walk downstaira, eve n at night, when they lay
their sufferings to aleep.
JULIA:
Do you ever tell the others about how you planned
these rooms?
BEINUM: :
The other patients, you mean?
JULIA:
Yes.
BEINUM:
No. The others don't even realise I've sound-
proofed these walls. For them, I suppose, I'm
surrounded by a Bilence 1ike a god.
JULIA:
And why am I the first?
BEINUM 1ooks at her for a moment.


BEINUM:
I don't think I could deceive you, Mrs Meadows.
You aren't like the other foole.
CURTA IN o
CP 3161 Aalmp


ACT TWO
The sane, a few daye later.
This time the aun is
shining into the room, aoross the operating table and past I
BEINUN's desk.
KEADOWS is strolling about the room. He passes the
door leading out right, then stope and looks back at it. He
triee the handle.
But the door is locked, and he oentinues
strolling about the room. A pause.
The doorbell rings. At first he does nothing. But
when it rings again he goes and opens it. JULIA enters the
room. He is itonished to see her, and stands quite still,
staring at her as she cones in: neither bas she expaoted to 8€
hin.
MEADONS:
Did he want to 80e you, then?
JULIA:
Won't you ev en say 'hullo' first?
MEADONS: Iwas anazed -
JULIA:
You said you were going to work. What happened?
KEADOWS: i Oh, he called ae. Ho does that. He suddenly
sends a nessage down.
She puts her bag on BEINUM's desk.
JULIA:
It's io noisy downstairs today. The new generator
are being connected. About fifty new handa haye
signed on, and the canteen's been crowded all
morning. Thay asked me to help with the tea.
P.3 3a follaws


(Looking at hin) Do you know anything about these
things? Did you even see then working at the
generators?
MEADONS: No.
JULIA:
You're in * drean. You're young, good-1doking,
you're strong, - and yet you won't cone out into
the world.
MEADOWS: You'vebeen here before..
JULIA:
Yes.
HEADOWS: - How many times?
JULIA:
Thrae or four. More, perhaps.
MEADOWS (ina sudden burst of anger) But you didn't tall mel
JULIA (quietly) Ah, you're going to shout again.
MEADOWS(coming close to her, trembling with rage, as he
mimicks her oalm) Ah, you're going to shout
again. You're going to feel sonething. Why
can't you be calm 11ke me? (Shs hides her face)
We are :o caln, we superior pe ople.
JULIA:
I - shan't listen!
MEADOWB (turning away) They're like rook. You can't look
into their eyes any more. There are only children
left.
JULIA:
Well, I'll go.
HEADOWS turna abruptly as she says this; sbe takes up her
bag from the deak.
MEADOWS:
Put that down. -
She slowly and deliberately lafts the bag up from
the desk, opens it, leans back againet the desk and takes out
her powder coapact.
She begins porp-fing her face.
MEADOWS (hardly able to bear the sight of her doing this)
All right. You can 60.


FULIA:
I wanted to stays but you shout 8O. You sneer.
Other people are so nice with ae.
MEADONS:
When a child oones out of your womb you don't
expeot it to shake hands with you. It's just
you. (He sighs and begins walking about the
roon. She puts her bag baok on the desk)
It feels funny hare without hin. The whole
rooa seèns to be waiting. - (Looking at her)
Why did you cone here, of"your' own accord,
I mean?.
JULIA:
It's so qubet here.
MEADONS: Quiet? It's dumb. € I think that's what he
wants to do to people, he wants to strike them
dumb.
JULIA:
No. He really makes Godfrey seem grotesque,
He stares at her and 1s silotp.
MEADONS: Beinun does that...
JULIA: :
By talking to me here, where it feels a0 safe.
MEADOWS: Hé makes all of us look grotesque.
JULIA:
Yes, you as well, in a way.
MEADOWS: Are you still. seeing Godfrey?
JULIA:
I saw him this morning.
MEADOWS: But why?
JULIA à
Because he'a in love with ne and I don't like to
see him suffer, because he ien't the pink-faced
ninny you think he i8.
MEADOWS: And ay suffering?
JULIA:
Our children suffer 4 in us; Just as you said.
MEADOWS (nodding, with sudden syapathy) Yas. I auffer
in you.
JULIA:
Where's Beinum now?


MEADOWS:
He went. dway with the doctor.
JULIA:
Why?
NEADOWS: God alone knows. He just said to mo, 'I've been
called away, stay here'. He said he'r phone
jutz before he cane back. (He walka to the
operating table. There is a blanket lying
untidily on itt. He pioks it up) See this?
(He drops 1t again) Can you anell the ether?
JULIA:
Ether? No.
MEADOWS:
When I camé in there wad strong smell of ether.
JULIA:
What do you think happened, then?
MEADOWSt
Ohs another secret. This furniture won't tell
k alr
us. It 's on his side. (Pointing at the skY)
That thing up there-doesn't belong to this room.
It's a ball.of flane. It's yellow nothing."
It's hanging up there without a nane. Only
downstaire is the sun shining.
JULIA:
Idon't underetand your talk?.
MEADONS: You 1ike coning up here?
JULIA:
Well (stopping). Are you going to understand
wbat I xant say. or do you want to start shouting
again?
MEADONS:
No. I reallyeant to know.
JULIA:
Well, downssairs r'n just #. woman, just a wonan.
HEADOWS:
Isn't that enough?
JULIA:
I'm always în a meat downstairs, healing other
people's wounds, yours or Godfrey's. I want a
rest sometimes.
There's no danger of love up here.
MEADOWS (looking at her with admiration) You bome hore to be.
olean again.
JULIA (running her finger along the tops of the files on the


desk) Look. All our livés are in those boxes.
He knows all about us. But he dossn't come near
usi - he doeen't touob us.
KEADOWS:
He touches ae. I go near hin. * I won't be
almns.
treated as a patient. Wefre all Neneu
JULIA:
What do you mean?
MEADOWS: - Oh, I can't explain. Sometimes I think
you're
a complete bloody fool. Yet you're the wisest
woman in the world.
(Pointing to the files)
There are just brief reports in there, age,
health, all that.
JULIA:
No. There ars pages.and pages about all of us o
He lives in us. He sits over these reports for
days on end. And for hinself he asks absolutely
nothing.
MEADOWS: He wants to be God.
JULIA:
You mean that's wrong?
HEADOWS:
Idpossible.
JULIA:
So it's better to be Godfrey. He'e terrified if
he's alone fer an hour. He needs brandy all the
tine. You prefer han to grovel.
MEADOWS: No.
JULIA:
Let Beinim try to be God.. Yes, iike God, you
sed, he's. in us ali the time, and he blames us
for nothing. You cand see by the way he walks.
Those long strides, with the head down. Taller
than all the others. Quite alone. Like a
great thinking rouk. Really, 11ke a
visitor
on the earth. He comds to us like a visitor,
and we stare at hin.
MEADOWS: Yet he has the look of a monster.


JULIA:
If God walked on the earth, He'd look 1ike a monster.
This room, feels like a tomplo.
HEADOWS: Pual >
He turng away, scoffing.
JULIA:
You said it felt dumb. It's secluded and Bilent,
because it belongs to God; not to any men. But our
room, you can feel our quarrela sticking to the walls
and armchairs, it's all hot and noisy I
MEADOWS: No. Keep quite.
JULIA:
It's true.
MEADOWS: I love our room.
JULIA:
But
MEADOWS (shrieking)
Shut your mouth!
(Paoing about, and
apeaking nore quietly) I love our roome You keep.
your temples and I'll keep nine. Xy temple is where
I've loved somebody. And yours... A place whare
you oan keep your' hands olean! (He goes slowly to
the window and stande there. He runs his fingers
lightly over the glass, then pushes his hand against
it two or three tines. He looks up at the top of
thé window, where it joins the mall) Can't. you open
this thing?
JULIA :
No. There are special ventilators.
KEADOWS (turning towards ber again)
Special ventilators, the
doors locked, how can you bear it?
(Pointing
througti the window) They all look 11ke ghosts down
there, not the people we know. (Asf 1t suddenly
oceurred to hin) He aan never hear the ohurch-bells!
He's deaf. And he's blind, too. He Just staggers
abilut inside hie own thoughts.
JULIA:
You say he staggera? Ky God!


MEADONS: He can talk, though.
JULIA:
And you really stagger. You shout and hit
people in the fabe. Ie woman supposed to
adaire that?
MEADOWS (touching the window again) I want to go away from
hera.
JULIA:.
Where to?
MEADOWS: You wouldn(t cone. (He pauses, watahing ber)
Would you?
JULIA:
MEADOWS: Why not?
JULIA:
I'm just learning how to run my 11fe.
MEADOWS: Who's the teacher?
JULIA:
Beinua.
MEADONS: Stay. then. Have you noticed how auch calner
I-am these dayis, downataira, I nean?
JULIA:
YeB.
MEADOWS! I looked at you last night and I thought to myself,
'Her body is only a landacape of memories for ne
now.' Memories of what I used to feel, you see.
But I réally don't care any longer. Habit, I
suppose: habit makes ne want you to come away with
ne, instead of going away by myself. Habit nakes
ne ahout at you.
She looks at hit for sone tine, disturbed by wha t he
has said.
JULIA:
will the feelings aone back?
KEADOWS: Perhaps. Two weeks ago you could hive.turned my
stomach over just by nentioning the nane Godfrey.
But now I don't care.
JULIA:
Why the char ange?


MEADOWS (with a emile) Beinum.
JULIA:
So you should atay heré, too.
MEADOWS: I want my feelinge back! So I want to get away.
JULIA:
I can't -
MEADOWS (holding up his hand calmly) I knew, I know. I was
only telling you what I wanted.
JULIA (looking about her) -You were right. It seems to be
waiting for hin. (Glaneing at HRADOWS) Done he
frighten- you sometines?
MEADONS: No.
JULIA:. "The monent I walk into this room I feel a kind of
terrer. Ket I know this is the safest place for ne.
MEA DOWS: I understand him. too wellen :
JULIA (without maliee) Ies, you come here like the devil,
getting right inside hin, apoiling his work.
MEADOWS:
Who told you that? (She does not answer) He did.
JULIA:
Yes.
KEADOWS (with pride) So hetola you thatt And who knows, I
may bring him down! Or ahall I leave 1t to time?
Tine has a slow kind of justice.
The telephone ringe.
AULIA:
That may be hin.
MEADOWS picks up the receiver. She watches him after
he says, - 'Hulio', and goes nearer the desk, waiting to hear
BEINUM's voice at' the other end.
KEADOWS: Yes, it's Keadows... You
JULIA:
It's him!
MEADOWS: You'll be here when? e : Ah... I'll wait.
(He puts the receiver down) He'e coning over in. a
few minutes.
JULIA:
I'11.go, then. (She goes quickly to the desk and
takes her bag) Did you tell him I was here?


MEADOWS (with a laugh). You heard what I said to him. You
had your dar glued to the *phone. Look at you!
All of a shiver! That dignity you're ao fanous
for, it'a all gone now: (He runs to her and
takes her hands) Come away with me!
JULIA ( seeming dazed, unable to concentrate on what he says)
What?
HEADOWS: Let's go away together.
JULIA:
Yes, but later.
HEADONS: Decide when.
JULIA:
How can ?
MEA DOWS: I know we've got to get away. This, sunlight
reminded ne of - : And when I talked to you about
those church-bells... We could get back to all
that; you- seel We used to walk in the dountry
JULIA (bowing har head) Yos.
MEAT DOWS: : Well, we did, didn't we? What's the mattert
JULIA:
I don't know.
MEADOWS: Weren't we happy then?
JULIA:
Yess.. I oan't renember.
MEADOWS (lowering her hands) It's this place. I can't
remember either. I forced myself to talk about it.
But this room is so powerful. (Turning away)
All right. You'd better go.
She turns to go but before she reaches the door leading
out left he speaks to her again.
MEADOWS: Lot's leave. I'm sorry.
JULIA:
We'll talk about it tonight.
MEADONS: Then we won't.. Beinum has a hold ever you.
JULIA:
That'a better than Godfrey, isn't 1t?
MEADONS:
Ia it?


Sho opens the door and leaves without. 1hohing at him
again. He oontinues to stand staring after her. Thers is a
pau use. He fecollects hinself and looks about the room. He
goes to the recording nachiné and looka down at it. Then lie
walks to the table where the microphone is hidden. He pats his
hand under the ladge and feels it there. He raturnak to the
machine and puta, on tha switch, then he goes to the seat again.
He bends down and speaks very quietly into the microphone. We
do not hear what he saps. Ne only see his 1ips nove. He raises
himself and stares at the table. He goes to the nachine, runs
back the tape, switohes up the volume: we hoar a scratohing noise,
then a hushed voice says BEINUM IS GOD. He looks about the room
when the voice speaks, as if wa tohing for something to bappen.
He- seema a little frigatened. Then again, hia nouth open, he
runs the tape back and we hear the same words, louder now, and
thus hoarser in tone, BEINUH IS GOD.. He switches the machine
off. He walks to the window and waits for BBINUK'S return.
Wé hear the lock turn in the right-hand door. There
is - pause, and the door alowly opens. BEINUMA enters.
He is
haggard and bowad. He stands in the doorway for a moment,
looking about hin without interest. Ho seas HEADONS, who has
been watching him, and noda silently.
MEADOWS: Are you 111?
BEINUK frowns for a nonent as if hs bas not caught what
MEADONS said.
BEINU:
Ill? Ho. (He cones into the reon and- closed the
doar. He walke slowly to the centre of the roon,
his bands in his pockets. He peers at MEADONST
You're not going to shout?.
MEADOWS: No.
BEINUM:
Don't wear ne out. (Hewalks to
the desk and


and ploks up several papers, though he doesnot
séen to 800 any of then) Why are you heret
MEADOWS: You.asked me to come.
BEINUM:
Yes, but what was the trouble?
MEADOWS: The trouble...
BEINUH:
You've not been absent thase daye, the reports are
good. (He puts hia hand up to nis oyes and bows
his hend, trying to redollects. Then he looka up)
Bon't stand there wa tohing me like that.
HEADORS: I WaB waiting.
BEINUM:
Yest always waiting...
MEADOWS: Iou aaked ma - :
BEINUM:
Yes, yes. sit down. (MEADOWS staya where he 1e)
won't you sit-down?
HEADONS sits at one of the arachairs.
MEAI DOWS:
I - could come anotner tine.
BEIN Hi
I nust think. (He pauses and sits down at the
desk) Who else waa herd?
MEADONS: Whan?
BEINUM:
Just now.
MEA DOWS: Hy wife.
BEINUH:
Wby?
MEADONS:
How aid you know she was bere?
BEINK:
I didn't.i I just knew soneone was bere. By
your voice on the telephone, perhaps..
HEADOWS: Ah, clairvoyant...
BEINUM:
I Glain no poners, Keadows, only befdre fools,
not before you, in all your intelligence.
MEADOWS:
Thank you.
BEINUK:
But it's a styfasanssins lackey'a intelligence.
Something sly about 1t.


MEADOMS(leaning forward) Did ?
BEINUM (quietlyt his eyés down) Fo won't quarrel.
pause) y
Why was she bere?
NEADOWS:
She wanted to see you.
BEINUM:,
we had no appointment.
MEADOWS: But she wanted to se6 you. To 86e you.
BEINUH (1ooking at him shrendly) Aren't you jéalous?
NEADONS: No.
BEINUI:
Good. I'm glad you realise what sort of man
you're dealing with.
MEADONS:
Not quite a mans you mean?
BEINUN:
If you 1ike. (Pushing his fade forward) But
out of the running, Kead owd
MEADOWE: You've had:a shock of some kind.
BEINUN:
I have a shcck every day. Do you think they
bring ma their wounda and leave no mark at all?
They leave a fresh nark every day, and there's
no time for healing. The stigmata, you knows
they never leave a man.
MEADOWS: You. suffert too, then a like the otbers.
BEINUM:
Not 1ike the others.
MEADOWS: Why. not?
BEINUME
I put up. a fight. And I win.
MEADOWS: You sad, you can't predict anything! You'rd
blind and du umb like the rest of us. You're
plodding through the dark, and your words are
just a lot of jumbled aqueaks and roars addressed
to the sky.. You fall in love; nobody warned
you. You suffer; nobody can héal you. You
can't explain us, you can't explain (pointing
out or the window) the silence of that sky,


'and like me and all tne others you know damn-all,
abgolutely damn-all.
BEINH (apathstically) I coula try. to learn. I won't give
up like you. That's the difference batween ne
and you: I won't siva up.
MEADONS:
We*re frightened by the sky. We're helpless like
ahildren.. But we balong. And where we belong
is God.
BEINUM looks at hin for some time with eyes that
neither analyse nor teach.
BEINUN:
Do you think about such things? This word God...
MEADOWS: : If you have nights when you don't sleep I suppose
you begin to feol Him. He draws quietly to your
alde. All the silenos brings Hin.
BEINUM (staring at him) Draws quietly to your side, man...
MEADOWS fwith a shrug) They're only warde, - noises, I can't
tell you.
BEINUK, (rising and begiming to pace the room) Here I've
eliminated God. (HEADONS sniles rithout any
bitternesa) Amusing?
MEADONS: Mrmn.
BEINUM (otanding over hin) You've got a religious faoe,
Headows. o
(Pointing to his cheeks) Flushed,
excitable, you' ses. And look at those eyes,
so fallihhe and young.. (HEADONS does not nove
or look up). Éh? (MEADOWS is still ailent, his
ohin in his hands) You're right about the sky.
It never givea uB any anewers back. It only
wat tohés as, in that tarrible silonoe. (NOw
altogether drawn into the disoussion. - and paoing
about) Look. We're all here far the first tine.


Do you get the importance opthatt And we cone
oniy once. We're born, our eyes suddenly open
on this strange world, we had no ba nd in our
coming. Then we/ ena tcl hed away. Puff,
finished! No appeal, no explanation. Tha sky,
thia desk, the windows the sun outside, - they
don't speak to us. We 're orphans. We're
exilas fron.the world which gave birth to us.
(Suddenly confronting hin) You aocept all that?
You just resign yourself to 1t? F
MEADOWS: Yes.
BEINUK: I don't. No.. We've got to ahout out that ailence,
Headows, fill the air with our voicen, pinch ourselves
alive, make the universe seen- orowded with our selves,
s0 that ws ne longer belong to it, but it belongs to
us. And how to shout away the silence? How to
possess our world?
MRAI DOWS: It. can't be done.
BEINUM: Ohy 13 can be done. It can be done by refusing
the night. by keeping that. God you talk of away
during the sleepless hours, by turning our badks
on the aky, by behaving as if we were all the warld
ourselves and mors.
an Listen. Ke must never
do those things whidh plug us in to the eapty night,
to that huge brooding monster whioh doan't use our
language or underatand our signs, and. into whose
dreadful arme we fall so easily if once we give way,
as you and all the others like you downstire give
Rahl
way from minute to minute of every hour. L f (wrapped X :
in his argument, speaking a 1ittle bmenthlesely.
staring at MEADOWS, standing quite atill, bent
Saasaxx


formara) And therd is one irredistible siren
drawing us ovar to the fatal ialands where that
monster lives. Do you know what that one
siren
irresistible mmdur 1s?
HEADONS: No.
BEINJH: That siren is love. It's loye, the act of the dark,
ths aet of whispers, the aot of sighs, the act of
gazes whioh go deeper than the world, the act of
touch and brocaing silenee, the tender aot in which
swo people are gripped in the olaws of that nonater
on the roeky ieland, Keadows. Beeause whan we love
we're powerless, when we love we're surprised by life,
whan we love we're oraatures of the silence, we're
small, ws look ridifoulous, we surfer theworld instead
of having it by the throat.
We belenga but we don't
her
possess. witheut/ we're lonely. We yearn and drean.
Thé ravages of love are marvellous, the alaws bite
despar and deoper until WW bloed and cry out, and -i
MEADOWS: Have you suffered all that yourself?
BEINOM: The dawn usad to be a blessed. tine for me, certain
places where I walked ror almays enehanted... (why?
Beouase A
SHE filled all my sleep with a
holy gase,
I remember her shy half-smile, I remémber her baak
always so erect as she sat by one of my windows.
She went aiway. And the end of that paiissleep
of. love, 11ke alow and Aioh steady waves was agony
1 (bitterly his hands treabling as he gestioulates)
was tears in a roon ampty all and every day, was
walking through atreet after stresteeeing nothing,
wanting her, wenting her, for days and days, this
darkness, this weeping like a child, with the head


. buried in the pillow, in a kind of helpless whining
voice (for à monént serewing up hië face, then
whinins alightly, in a passionste effort to conver
to MEADOWS all he has Buffered) and that poring
oyer letters she had written nonths before, and
thena most terrible of all, that walking across the
room and by ghance coming on, a flower with the same
kind of sxell her hair had,- touching with my
fingers the - :
He turns away, making a gesture of refusal with his
hand, unable to 60 on.
HEAI DOWS: And you refuse all that again. Why?
BEINUM: Begause it dwindled us, Keadows. Beceuse it brings
the aky to our doorstep. I want to be the pilot.
I want to stand on the earth as if I were ita
engineer. I went to be great. And I refuse that
siren of love. I don't want to be your puny lover.
Lieten (striding acroes to the wall where thi
production oharts are) Godfrey is supposed to be ny
bossa but actually I'm hit. D'you think I'a here
to put up his production-rates? D'you think. I'n
here for a Job of work, as your nale nurse or
something? (He turns and tears down the three
oharts from the wall one br one. As he does so
he spaaks the following verr dellborately)) I'm
here to nake raee of masters, men who will khow
that because they ars spewed K into life from
the silenee and then swallowed up agnin. by the
silunee when thy die, the lives they live are an
herolo choice. en, there can be affection between
men and women, they can delight each other, they


can even prefer each other above all other people
in the world, but no more of this slow brooding
worships no more of this heiplessness, 11ke beasts.
And perhapa in the enday touch will be recognised,
first throughout tha land, then throughout ths world,
and then from generation to generation MANY
until a great race of men, following my example,
will - (Hs stares before hin, then looks about)
There, I'a giving you my dreams. They should be
anid to the stars, not nen.
(Giving KEADOWS a
penetrating glance) What I shall to here, Headows,
ia to turn the aot of darknesa into the act of light.
Then there could be a kind of paradise.
He watches MEADOWS tor sone time. The latter bas his
head in his handi.
BEINUM:
You saw Burbidge's wife, I understand.
(HEADOWS
does not answer or nove) One day you'll learn ny
strength.
There ia silence. MEADOWS puanes his knuckles against
his brow ai he begins to speak, still not looking up.
KEADOWS: - Everything we do here is watohed over, even our
kiases a This is our darkness, thie room. The
sun makes no oifference atall. I want to leave
the camp. I. want to exist again. I asked her
ismottwe witme.
to leave Just: now.
BEINUH:
Your wife? (MEAI DOWS nods) Did she agree?
HEA DOWS: No.
BEINUH:
Why not?
MEA DOWS looks up at hin.
MEADOWS: You ave a guess.
BEINUM (after apause) She still needs Godfrey, perhaps.


MEADOWS:
No. I told you at the beginning. She needs
you.
BEINUM staros at him.
BEINU(in quieter voiée) You mean she needs consultations.
KEADOWS rises and BEINUM goas to the desk to fetch
his oard.
MEADONS: - So I'm a prisoner to you, whichever way Iturn.
BEINUH (as he bands hin his oard) Well; fight your way out.
KEADOWS (gazing at. hin) rerhaps I shall,, you know.
MEADOWS opens thé, door and i8 about to walk out
whan be stops. He speake tesoneone outsidé.
HEADOWS:
Here you there all the tine?
JULIA onters.
JULIA:
I thought I'a wait.
BEINOH:
Good morning, Kre Keadows.
JULIA:
Good morning.
They stand uneanily together.
JULIA:
Did I interrupt? You both seen...
BEINUM:
No. You must come whe never you féel like 1t,
(To MEADOWS) will you come again?
MEADOWS: No. You cured me e Goodbys.
He goeo out and BEINUM shrugs. He closes the door
and goes acrose to his desk aga in.
BEINJM:
Your husband wants to loave the camp. I think
he asked you about it.
JULIA:
Xea.
BEINUI:
Don't you think it night be best to get away?
JULIA:
I oan't go.
BEINUM:
So Godfrey is still a power over your life.
JULIA:
BEINUN:
Why, then?


JULIA:
I need this room.
BEINUH:
This roon?
JULIA:
To find myself again. I need time. That's
reason enough to stay.
He stares at her, hie mouth half-open.
BEINUM:
You know I'm such a buey porson..
JULIA:
I shall try not to come every day -
BEINUH:
No. No, there is no neëd to try. (Staring
dcwn at the round) You nust came here and solve
your problems, in way your own time. Take your
tims.
He continues to atare down at tha floor. There 1s
silence between thom. The ourtain slowly falls.