The earth.
Merrick:
The earth?
Sollers:
The earth"s afire.
Huff:
The earth blazing already?
[Shouts again.]
O, not so soon as this?
Vine:
What sort of a fire?
Sollers:
The earth has caught the heat of the star, you fool.
Merrick:
I know: there"s come some dazzle in your eyes From facing to the star; a lamp would do it.
Huff:
It will be that. Your sight, being so strained, Is flashing of itself.
Sollers:
Say what you like.
There"s a red flare out of the land beyond Looking over the hills into our valley.
The thing"s begun, "tis certain. Go and see.
Vine:
I won"t see that. I will stay here.
Sollers:
Ay, creep Into your oven. You"ll be cooler there.-- O my G.o.d, we"ll all be coals in an hour!
[Shouts again.]
Huff:
And I have naught to stand in my heart upright, And vow it made my living time worth more Than if my time had been death in a grave!
[Several persons run in.]
The Crowd:
1. The river"s the place!
2. The only safe place now!
3. Best all charge down to the river!
4. For there"s a blaze, A travelling blaze comes racing along the earth.
Sollers:
"Tis true. The air"s red-hot above the hills.
The Crowd:
1. Ay, but the burning now crests the hill-tops In quiver of yellow flame.
2. And a great smoke Waving and tumbling upward.
3. The river now!
4. The only place we have, not to be roasted!
Merrick:
And what will make us water-rats or otters, To keep our breath still living through a dive That lasts until the earth"s burnt out? Or how Would that trick serve, when we stand up to gasp, And find the star waiting for our plunged heads To knock them into pummy?
Vine: