whole world knew this was the reddest village in the whole country—none redder—but, when those blue cowards ran through here, where were the courageous red forces? How could we defend ourselves when all our young men were away with the armies of red? Every woman of the village would gladly entertain a dozen brave red soldiers but, after the horrors inflicted by the diseased blue scum, that would be a dangerous and unpatriotic act. And all us girls howled and hid our faces in our shawls.
“The Captain was very impressed. He says how sorry he is and he extends a thousand sympathies for our suffering which is as great as anything endured by his men and all of it will count as part of the great national liberation effort and did we have anything to drink? And then, when they have drunk all the wine on show and all the wine we hid for them to find, the Captain says he is very sorry but there must be one more small sacrifice. He saysthey must repair the bridge and, a thousand apologies, that means they must blow up somebody’s house and throw it in the gorge.
“The whole town is holding its breath but we know what he’s going to say and, sure enough, the Captain says that the best house for blowing up, a thousand, thousand apologies, if you don’t mind, is the house of Cara’s father.”
Agathe gave a little gasp of delight which she quickly transformed to horror behind a hand at her face. “No! She must have been distraught. Did she scream? Did she faint?”
“Oh, you never knew Cara. She is like ice. She walks up to the Captain and sits on his knee with her arms round his neck and she says, ‘Oh, Captain, I know a much better house, much bigger, made with real good stones, much closer to the river and it belongs to the only lousy blue in this whole village. We chased him out of town. Now you can make sure he’s never coming back. We don’t need that sort round here.’ That’s what she said. I remember like yesterday. I see her face like I see yours.”
Mamma Cesare was still for a moment and then she said, “You know whose house it was, don’t you?”
Agathe’s heart was pounding inside her chest. Yes, she knew. “It was Cesare’s house.”
“Cesare’s house.” Mamma Cesare nodded gravely. “Sure enough, that afternoon, we heard the explosions.”
Agathe saw it all now. The beautiful but faithless Aimee Verkig laughing as she kisses the drunken red Captain (dramatically portrayed by Jacob Maurer) full on his cruel mouth. Outraged villagers look on in disbelief. They refuse to speak to her on the street. They turn their backs as she approaches. Labouring in the fields under a pitiless sun, no one will share a drink of water with her. Walking home in the dark, she hears her own curse whispered from the shadows. Terrified, she goes to the only house where she can be sure of safety. There, framed in the doorway, is the beautiful Agathe Stopak. Inside her humble cottage, the fire blazes warmly, a table is laid with fresh bread and summer fruits.
Aimee Verkig, portraying the faithless Cara, runs to her. “You must help me,” she sobs. “I was wrong. I made a mistake. Hide me.Take me in.” The beautiful Agathe Stopak looks at her with contempt. She steps back, blocking the door. Her face is a cruel mask as she says, “We don’t need that sort round here.” She slams the door. Aimee Verkig collapses against it, weeping. Fade to black aaaaaaand CUT!
“How you must have hated her,” said Agathe. “I bet the whole village wanted her dead.”
“Not really. I hated her of course, but then I was her best friend and I was entitled to loathe her but nobody else had the right. I suppose they understood. Anybody would have done the same. My house, Cesare’s house, let’s blow up Cesare’s house—who knows if Cesare’s even coming home. But he did come home.”
It is dawn. A little band of travellers is picking its way up the rocky valley. From the opposite hillside there is a loud
“The Captain was very impressed. He says how sorry he is and he extends a thousand sympathies for our suffering which is as great as anything endured by his men and all of it will count as part of the great national liberation effort and did we have anything to drink? And then, when they have drunk all the wine on show and all the wine we hid for them to find, the Captain says he is very sorry but there must be one more small sacrifice. He saysthey must repair the bridge and, a thousand apologies, that means they must blow up somebody’s house and throw it in the gorge.
“The whole town is holding its breath but we know what he’s going to say and, sure enough, the Captain says that the best house for blowing up, a thousand, thousand apologies, if you don’t mind, is the house of Cara’s father.”
Agathe gave a little gasp of delight which she quickly transformed to horror behind a hand at her face. “No! She must have been distraught. Did she scream? Did she faint?”
“Oh, you never knew Cara. She is like ice. She walks up to the Captain and sits on his knee with her arms round his neck and she says, ‘Oh, Captain, I know a much better house, much bigger, made with real good stones, much closer to the river and it belongs to the only lousy blue in this whole village. We chased him out of town. Now you can make sure he’s never coming back. We don’t need that sort round here.’ That’s what she said. I remember like yesterday. I see her face like I see yours.”
Mamma Cesare was still for a moment and then she said, “You know whose house it was, don’t you?”
Agathe’s heart was pounding inside her chest. Yes, she knew. “It was Cesare’s house.”
“Cesare’s house.” Mamma Cesare nodded gravely. “Sure enough, that afternoon, we heard the explosions.”
Agathe saw it all now. The beautiful but faithless Aimee Verkig laughing as she kisses the drunken red Captain (dramatically portrayed by Jacob Maurer) full on his cruel mouth. Outraged villagers look on in disbelief. They refuse to speak to her on the street. They turn their backs as she approaches. Labouring in the fields under a pitiless sun, no one will share a drink of water with her. Walking home in the dark, she hears her own curse whispered from the shadows. Terrified, she goes to the only house where she can be sure of safety. There, framed in the doorway, is the beautiful Agathe Stopak. Inside her humble cottage, the fire blazes warmly, a table is laid with fresh bread and summer fruits.
Aimee Verkig, portraying the faithless Cara, runs to her. “You must help me,” she sobs. “I was wrong. I made a mistake. Hide me.Take me in.” The beautiful Agathe Stopak looks at her with contempt. She steps back, blocking the door. Her face is a cruel mask as she says, “We don’t need that sort round here.” She slams the door. Aimee Verkig collapses against it, weeping. Fade to black aaaaaaand CUT!
“How you must have hated her,” said Agathe. “I bet the whole village wanted her dead.”
“Not really. I hated her of course, but then I was her best friend and I was entitled to loathe her but nobody else had the right. I suppose they understood. Anybody would have done the same. My house, Cesare’s house, let’s blow up Cesare’s house—who knows if Cesare’s even coming home. But he did come home.”
It is dawn. A little band of travellers is picking its way up the rocky valley. From the opposite hillside there is a loud
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