my mountains … my beautiful mountains.
TSHEMBE They were as you told me. I brought you a gift from there.
(
He pulls out a thing in flimsy tissue. She tears the paper away and accidentally trips the spring which sends a “cuckoo” bird out of its clock house. They both laugh
)
MADAME (
Sobering
) Tell me. Have you seen Eric?
TSHEMBE (
Understanding
) I have seen Eric.
MADAME It is good you have come. And where is your brother Abioseh? Ah, he was such a good student. So stiff-faced and serious. Not like you, constantly raising your impudent eyes to me and saying, “But, Madame, you have not told me
why
it is so.”
(
She boxes his head and they laugh as
RICE
and
DEKOVEN
reemerge
)
RICE (
Continuing, to
DEKOVEN ) I repeat: we shall require coooperation for the duration. Your personal attitudes—(
Noticing
TSHEMBE ) Who’s the kaffir?
MADAME We do not have “kaffirs” here, Major Rice. We have friends who are Africans.
( TSHEMBE
turns
)
RICE Tshembe!
DEKOVEN Welcome home!
TSHEMBE (
Rising and nodding to
DEKOVEN ) Doctor.
RICE (
Routinely
) Your papers …
TSHEMBLE I don’t have them with me.
(
He starts to walk away—the
SOLDIERS
cock their rifles in warning. He halts
)
RICE (
Crossing towards him
) Why not?
MADAME (
With restrained outrage
) Major Rice, Tshembe was born here—as
you
well know! Why should he have to carry those ridiculous papers?
MARTA Madame, it is the emergency …
( TSHEMBE
looks at her swiftly; she averts her eyes
)
RICE Why has he suddenly reappeared?
TSHEMBE I have come home—
RICE Yes. That much is clear. Now up with your sleeves!
(
He gets out his flashlight
. TSHEMBE
stiffens and at last obeys
. MADAME
sits rigid and
DEKOVEN
turns away as the
MAJOR
runs the light over
TSHEMBE’
s arms
)
MARTA (
To
CHARLIE ) They take a blood oath. Sometimes there are marks …
RICE (
To
TSHEMBE ) All right. That will do.
MADAME I shall report you to someone, Major! I shall find someone in this country gone mad to whom it is possible to report you!
RICE (
Ignoring her
) Why are you in the regalia?
TSHEMBE I came home … (
Turning to the old woman
) … to my father’s funeral, Madame.
MADAME (
A deep gasp of hurt
) Ahhhh … The drums! The drums … Abioseh, dear stubborn old man … he has left us.
(
It is the last straw: completely beside himself
, DEKOVEN
advances
)
DEKOVEN Well, it would appear that you may now go protect civilization someplace else, Major! This particular “terrorist” has turned out to be a son in mourning!
RICE (
Wheeling in fury
) I will hope, Doctor, that had you seen those little children lying in their own blood tonight, you might finally be able to get your sympathies in order. Whatever the nature of your attachments—
elsewhere!
My condolences, Tshembe. (
Then, to all of them
) As of tonight, this entire area is under martialjurisdiction. I must order everyone, male and female, to wear side-arms. I am sorry, Dr. Gotterling, but at this point—
MARTA I understand, Major.
RICE Mr. Morris?
CHARLIE Are you “ordering”
me
, Major?
RICE I am making a suggestion that well might save your life.
CHARLIE (
Drawing up his sleeve
) Major, would you like to check
my
arm?
RICE Mr. Morris, this is Africa—
CHARLIE Yes, I know. Where Stanley met Livingstone!
RICE Precisely. And where one does not conduct an enquiry on the ethics of resisting cannibalism while being seasoned for the pot! (
To
DEKOVEN ) Doctor—?
DEKOVEN Who will order me to
fire
it, Major?
(
He throws down his cigarette and strides out
)
RICE If this Mission persists—
MADAME (
Interrupting wryly
) I trust, Major Rice, you don’t expect
me
to wear one. After all—(
Peering at him
)—I might hit
you
.
( RICE
turns to
TSHEMBE )
RICE Why don’t some of you educated chaps talk sense into these murderers? What do they think they are going to accomplish? Murdering people who never did them a moment’s harm—and their own people to boot? We
TSHEMBE They were as you told me. I brought you a gift from there.
(
He pulls out a thing in flimsy tissue. She tears the paper away and accidentally trips the spring which sends a “cuckoo” bird out of its clock house. They both laugh
)
MADAME (
Sobering
) Tell me. Have you seen Eric?
TSHEMBE (
Understanding
) I have seen Eric.
MADAME It is good you have come. And where is your brother Abioseh? Ah, he was such a good student. So stiff-faced and serious. Not like you, constantly raising your impudent eyes to me and saying, “But, Madame, you have not told me
why
it is so.”
(
She boxes his head and they laugh as
RICE
and
DEKOVEN
reemerge
)
RICE (
Continuing, to
DEKOVEN ) I repeat: we shall require coooperation for the duration. Your personal attitudes—(
Noticing
TSHEMBE ) Who’s the kaffir?
MADAME We do not have “kaffirs” here, Major Rice. We have friends who are Africans.
( TSHEMBE
turns
)
RICE Tshembe!
DEKOVEN Welcome home!
TSHEMBE (
Rising and nodding to
DEKOVEN ) Doctor.
RICE (
Routinely
) Your papers …
TSHEMBLE I don’t have them with me.
(
He starts to walk away—the
SOLDIERS
cock their rifles in warning. He halts
)
RICE (
Crossing towards him
) Why not?
MADAME (
With restrained outrage
) Major Rice, Tshembe was born here—as
you
well know! Why should he have to carry those ridiculous papers?
MARTA Madame, it is the emergency …
( TSHEMBE
looks at her swiftly; she averts her eyes
)
RICE Why has he suddenly reappeared?
TSHEMBE I have come home—
RICE Yes. That much is clear. Now up with your sleeves!
(
He gets out his flashlight
. TSHEMBE
stiffens and at last obeys
. MADAME
sits rigid and
DEKOVEN
turns away as the
MAJOR
runs the light over
TSHEMBE’
s arms
)
MARTA (
To
CHARLIE ) They take a blood oath. Sometimes there are marks …
RICE (
To
TSHEMBE ) All right. That will do.
MADAME I shall report you to someone, Major! I shall find someone in this country gone mad to whom it is possible to report you!
RICE (
Ignoring her
) Why are you in the regalia?
TSHEMBE I came home … (
Turning to the old woman
) … to my father’s funeral, Madame.
MADAME (
A deep gasp of hurt
) Ahhhh … The drums! The drums … Abioseh, dear stubborn old man … he has left us.
(
It is the last straw: completely beside himself
, DEKOVEN
advances
)
DEKOVEN Well, it would appear that you may now go protect civilization someplace else, Major! This particular “terrorist” has turned out to be a son in mourning!
RICE (
Wheeling in fury
) I will hope, Doctor, that had you seen those little children lying in their own blood tonight, you might finally be able to get your sympathies in order. Whatever the nature of your attachments—
elsewhere!
My condolences, Tshembe. (
Then, to all of them
) As of tonight, this entire area is under martialjurisdiction. I must order everyone, male and female, to wear side-arms. I am sorry, Dr. Gotterling, but at this point—
MARTA I understand, Major.
RICE Mr. Morris?
CHARLIE Are you “ordering”
me
, Major?
RICE I am making a suggestion that well might save your life.
CHARLIE (
Drawing up his sleeve
) Major, would you like to check
my
arm?
RICE Mr. Morris, this is Africa—
CHARLIE Yes, I know. Where Stanley met Livingstone!
RICE Precisely. And where one does not conduct an enquiry on the ethics of resisting cannibalism while being seasoned for the pot! (
To
DEKOVEN ) Doctor—?
DEKOVEN Who will order me to
fire
it, Major?
(
He throws down his cigarette and strides out
)
RICE If this Mission persists—
MADAME (
Interrupting wryly
) I trust, Major Rice, you don’t expect
me
to wear one. After all—(
Peering at him
)—I might hit
you
.
( RICE
turns to
TSHEMBE )
RICE Why don’t some of you educated chaps talk sense into these murderers? What do they think they are going to accomplish? Murdering people who never did them a moment’s harm—and their own people to boot? We
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