Washington Square Plays

								

mutters an oath. Finding nothing on the table, he moves toward the
cupboard. Suddenly the galloping of horses is heard in the distance. The
NORTHERNER starts; then rushes to the window nearer the audience. For a
moment the sound ceases, then it begins again, growing gradually louder
and louder. The NORTHERNER hurries through the door left. Horses and
voices are heard, in the yard, and almost immediately heavy thundering
knocks sound on the door back. A racket is heard above stairs. The
knockers on the door grow impatient, and push the door open. A large,
powerful SOUTHERN SERGEANT and a smaller, more youthful TROOPER of
the same army enter. At the same time, THADDEUS appears on the stairs,
carrying a candle.]
SERGEANT [to THADDEUS; not unkindly]. Sorry, my friend, but you were so
darn slow 'bout openin' the door, that we had to walk in. Has there been
a Northern soldier round here to-day?
THADDEUS [timidly]. I ain't seed one.
SERGEANT. Have you been here all day?
THADDEUS. I ain't stirred from the place.
SERGEANT. Call the rest of your family down.
THADDEUS. My wife's all there is. [Goes to foot of stairs, and calls
loudly and excitedly.] Mary! Mary! Come down right off.
SERGEANT. You better not lie to me or it'll go tough with you.
THADDEUS. I swear I ain't seed no one.
[MARY comes downstairs slowly. She is all atremble.]
THADDEUS. Say, Mary, you was h----
SERGEANT. You keep still, man. I'll question her myself. [To MARY.] You
were here at the house all day?
[MARY is very fearful and embarrassed, but after a moment manages to nod
her head slowly.] You didn't take a trip down to the store? [MARY shakes
her head slowly.] Haven't you got a tongue?
MARY [with difficulty]. Y-e-s.
SERGEANT. Then use it. The Northern soldier who came here a while ago
was pretty badly wounded, wasn't he?
MARY. I--I--no one's been here.
SERGEANT. Come, come, woman, don't lie. [MARY shows a slight sign of
anger.] He had a bad cut in his forehead, and you felt sorry for him,
and gave him a bite to eat.
MARY [haltingly]. No one's been near the house to-day.
SERGEANT [trying a different tone]. We're not going to hurt him, woman.
He's a friend of ours. We want to find him, and put him in a hospital,
don't we, Dick? [Turning to his companion.]
DICK. He's sick and needs to go to bed for a while.
MARY. He ain't here.
SERGEANT. What do you want to lie for?
MARY [quickly]. I ain't lyin'. I ain't seed no soldier.
THADDEUS. No one could 'a' come without her seein' 'em.
SERGEANT. I suppose you know what'll happen to you if you are hidin'
the man? [MARY stands rooted to the spot where she stopped when she came
downstairs. Her eyes are fixed on the SERGEANT.]
THADDEUS. There ain't no one here. We both been here all day, an' there
couldn't no one come without our knowin' it. What would they want round
here anyway?
SERGEANT. We'll search the place.