MARY. I didn"t do nothin".
SERGEANT. You lazy female. Now get a move on, and give us something fit to eat. Don"t try to get rid of any left-overs on us. If you do, you"ll suffer for it.
[MARY stands looking at him.] Don"t you know anything, you brainless farm-drudge? Hurry, I said.
[MARY turns to the stove. THADDEUS sits in chair at left of smaller table.]
d.i.c.k. What a night. My stomach"s as hollow as these people"s heads.
[Takes towel which hangs above the bench and wipes the barrel of his gun with it.]
MARY [sees d.i.c.k]. That"s one of my best towels.
d.i.c.k. Can"t help it.
SERGEANT. "Tend to the breakfast. That"s enough for you to do at one time.
[d.i.c.k puts his gun on the smaller table, and sits at right of centre table.]
SERGEANT [quietly to d.i.c.k]. I don"t see how he gave us the slip.
d.i.c.k. He knew we were after him, and drove his horse in here, and went on afoot. Clever scheme, I must admit.
THADDEUS [endeavoring to get them into conversation]. Have ye rid far to-night, misters?
d.i.c.k [shortly]. Far enough.
THADDEUS. Twenty miles or so?
d.i.c.k. Perhaps.
THADDEUS. How long ye been chasin" the critter?
SERGEANT. Shut up, man! Don"t you see we don"t want to talk to you. Take hold and hurry, woman. My patience"s at an end.
[MARY puts a loaf of bread, some fried eggs, and a coffee pot on the table.]
MARY. There! I hope ye"re satisfied.
[The SERGEANT and d.i.c.k pull their chairs to the table, and begin to eat.]
SERGEANT. Is this all we get? Come, it won"t do you any good to be stingy. [Obviously, from now on, everything the SERGEANT says drives MARY nearer madness.]
MARY. It"s all I got.
SERGEANT. It isn"t a mouthful for a chickadee! Give us some b.u.t.ter.
MARY. There ain"t none.
SERGEANT. No b.u.t.ter on a farm? G.o.d, the way you lie!
MARY. I--
SERGEANT. Shut up!
d.i.c.k. Have you got any cider?
SERGEANT. Don"t ask. She and the man probably drank themselves stupid on it. [Throws fork on floor.] I never struck such a place in my life. Get me another fork. How do you expect me to eat with that bent thing?
[MARY stoops with difficulty and picks up the fork. Gets another from the cupboard and gives it to the SERGEANT.]
SERGEANT. Now give us some salt. Don"t you know that folks eat it on eggs?
[MARY crosses to the cupboard; mistakes the pepper for the salt, and puts it on the table.]
SERGEANT [sprinkles pepper on his food]. I said salt, woman! [Spelling.]
S-A-L-T. Salt! Salt!
[MARY goes to the cupboard; returns to the table with the salt. Almost ready to drop, she drags herself to the window nearer back, and leans against it, watching the SOUTHERNERS like a hunted animal. THADDEUS sits nodding in the corner. The SERGEANT and d.i.c.k go on devouring the food.
The SERGEANT pours the coffee. Puts his cup to his lips, takes one swallow; then, jumping to his feet and upsetting his chair as he does so, he hurls his cup to the floor. The crash of china stirs THADDEUS.
MARY shakes in terror.]
SERGEANT [bellowing and pointing to the fluid trickling on the floor].
Have you tried to poison us, you G.o.d d.a.m.n hag?
[MARY screams, and the faces of the men turn white. It is like the cry of the animal goaded beyond endurance.]
MARY [screeching]. Call my coffee poison, will ye? Call me a hag? I"ll learn ye! I"m a woman, and ye"re drivin" me crazy. [s.n.a.t.c.hes the gun from the wall, points it at the SERGEANT, and fires. Keeps on screeching. The SERGEANT falls to the floor. d.i.c.k rushes for his gun.]
THADDEUS. Mary! Mary!
MARY [aiming at d.i.c.k, and firing]. I ain"t a hag, I"m a woman, but ye"re killin" me.
[d.i.c.k falls just as he reaches his gun. THADDEUS is in the corner with his hands over his ears. The NORTHERNER stands on the stairs. MARY continues to pull the trigger of the empty gun. The NORTHERNER is motionless for a moment; then he goes to THADDEUS, and shakes him.]
NORTHERNER. Go get my horse, quick!
[THADDEUS obeys. The NORTHERNER turns to MARY. She gazes at him, but does not understand a word he says.]
NORTHERNER [with great fervor]. I"m ashamed of what I said. The whole country will hear of this, and you. [Takes her hand, and presses it to his lips; then turns and hurries out of the house. MARY still holds the gun in her hand. She pushes a strand of gray hair back from her face, and begins to pick up the fragments of the broken coffee cup.]
MARY [in dead, flat tone]. I"ll have to drink out the tin cup now.
[The hoof-beats of the NORTHERNER"S horse are heard.]
Curtain.