Patriotic Plays and Pageants for Young People Part 28

SCARLETT (pa.s.sionately).

All Merrymount to the rescue! Zounds! Shall a pack o' Puritans match their wits against ours? Who follows me?

ALL.

All of us! All!

LACKLEATHER.

There'll be a rescue!

FAUNCH (as he follows, fiddling gaily).

A rescue made to music!

[All disappear into the woods, right, just as Sarah Scarlett, with Goody Gleason leaning on her arm, comes out of the woods, left.

SARAH.

Faunch! Faunch! (Looks after the vanishing Merrymount folk.) He does not hear me! Where are they going that they do not hear me? Nay, then, dear Gran'am, rest on me. Step slowly. They've left off dancing at the maypole, and gone I know not whither. Will you not rest you, while I blow this flicker o' fire? (Leads Goody Gleason to bed of pine.) I'll make thee broth, and season it right pleasantly when the lads come back from their traps; for, now that I think on it, it may be to their traps they have gone. (Sees Goody Gleason placed in comfortable fashion on the bed of pine.) Rest, then, if you can, dear Gran'am. 'Twill strengthen you against your chills and fever. (Seats herself at fire.) Rest, if you can, and I will watch close by.

[Goody Gleason dozes off: Sarah sits by her and sings.

"Fortune, my foe, why dost thou frown on me, And will thy favors never better be?

Wilt thou, I say, forever breed me pain?

And wilt thou not restore my joys again?"

[A pause: then from distance comes tumult of voices: "_Ho! Steady there, Will Lackleather! Have a care, Robin Wakeless!_" (The voices are very faint but clear: the sound of them coming from a long distance.)

BESS (running ahead of the others, disheveled, breathless, excited, enters, and swinging about, halloos to those who are following her, her hands held clarion-wise).

Have a care, Simon! Look well to the Puritan!

SARAH (running to her).

Bess! What's here! What's happened?

BESS (still greatly excited).

I'll tell thee when I catch my breath! I've been in the stocks with the whole of Wollaston to gape at me. Puritan heads a-wagging! Puritan eyes a-staring! And after the stocks 'twas towards the whipping-post that they were leading me! But I've learned a trick or two from our lanes here at Merrymount. I gave a sudden twist--the constable loosened his hold--I ran and ran! There was not one could catch me. And for the shaming they've done me they are to pay full dear. I ran ahead to tell you. Listen!

VOICES (coming nearer).

Easy there, Kit! Have a care, Robin!

SARAH.

Heaven's mercy, Bess, what is it they're bringing?

BESS (with a blaze of excitement and triumph).

Can you not see? Our lads have stolen Resolute Endicott, spinning-wheel and all.

[It is soon seen that Bess speaks truly. Mistress Endicott makes her entrance seated on a pine board that is carried between Robin Wakeless and Kit Carmel. She is closely guarded by Jock, who marches behind.

Scarlett and Will Lackleather carry her spinning-wheel. Faunch brings up the rear, with the Merrymount maidens following. Joan carries a spinning-stool.

SCARLETT (as he and Lackleather set down spinning-wheel, left).

Look to your steps, Robin! Steady there, Kit Carmel! (As Resolute stands, center, he approaches her with elaborate mocking courtesy.) Mistress, we bid you welcome to Merrymount!

ROBIN.

What will you have, Mistress Endicott? A merry stave, a cup of cherry wine, or a maypole dance? Speak, and we do' your pleasure!

SCARLETT (to Sarah).

Rouse our gran'am, sister. Sure, such a sight as this will warm her bones! (To Resolute, indicating Bess.) See! There is one of our number who hath been royally entertained by your townsfolk. We are minded to do the same by you! (To the others.) Come, we'll spread a feast for Mistress Endicott. Empty your traps, Robin! Bring on your game, Will Lackleather! We'll show how Merrymount can sup when it has a mind!

JOAN (aside: outraged).

What! Waste our substance on a Puritan?

KIT CARMEL.

Why, la.s.s, do you not catch Simon's meaning? 'Tis a rare jest to make a Puritan dance, whether she will or no. Can you not see she would rather go straight to perdition than vouch us a word or a glance? 'Twas a shrewd trick of Simon's to seize her as she sat in her dooryard. We'll have more mirth to-day than hath been here a twelvemonth.

SCARLETT.

Come! Come! We must prepare to feast! (To Resolute.) Think not to stir from here, Mistress. Puritan feet can never outrun the heels of Merrymount! Come, lads, let's start, or the feast will not be ready.

Who goes with us?

ALL.

I! I! And I!

SARAH.

I'll bide with my gran'am.

[Exeunt all the others, save Resolute, Sarah, and Goody Gleason. There is a pause of a moment or so. Sarah, seated on the ground by Goody Gleason, looks curiously at Resolute. Resolute stares straight in front of her.

SARAH (rising, and bringing Resolute her spinning-stool).

Best to be seated, Mistress. You'll be a long time standing. What! Not even a word of thanks from a model of worshipful manners? It must be a sad thing not to be able to use one's tongue, Mistress Resolute.

Indeed, I pity you!

RESOLUTE.

Such words as I could speak would fall full strangely on Merrymount ears.

SARAH.

I doubt it not. We are not given to canting here at Merrymount.

RESOLUTE.

I might give you such answer as those words deserve, did I not know that they are the words of one who lives in sin and ignorance.

SARAH (crossing rapidly to left, her hands clenched, amazement and wrath in her voice).

Sin and ig----Zounds! A plague take you!

RESOLUTE (turning: her fingers in her ears).

Oh! Oh! Now you are swearing!

SARAH.

You little weazened, mincing, purse-mouthed Puritan!

RESOLUTE (her fingers still in her ears).

I do not hear a word that you are saying.

SARAH (starting to pull Resolute's fingers from her ears).

I'll _make_ you hear, I warrant!