Major Barbara · Act II (2/2) (5/5)

| Mrs. Baines | Mr. Undershaft: have you ever seen a thousand people fall on their knees with one impulse and pray? Come with us to the meeting. Barbara shall tell them that the Army is saved, and saved through you. | | Cusins | Returning impetuously from the shelter with a flag and a trombone, and coming between Mrs. Baines and Undershaft. You shall carry the flag down the first street, Mrs. Baines He gives her the flag. Mr. Undershaft is a gifted trombonist: he shall intone an Olympian diapason to the West Ham Salvation March. Aside to Undershaft, as he forces the trombone on him. Blow, Machiavelli, blow. | | Undershaft | Aside to him, as he takes the trombone. The trumpet in Zion! Cusins* rushes to the drum, which he takes up and puts on. Undershaft continues, aloud. I will do my best. I could vamp a bass if I knew the tune. | | Cusins | It is a wedding chorus from one of Donizetti’s operas; but we have converted it. We convert everything to good here, including Bodger. You remember the chorus. “For thee immense rejoicing⁠—immenso giubilo⁠—immenso giubilo.” With drum obbligato. Rum tum ti tum tum, tum tum ti ta⁠— | | Barbara | Dolly: you are breaking my heart. | | Cusins | What is a broken heart more or less here? Dionysos Undershaft has descended. I am possessed. | | Mrs. Baines | Come, Barbara: I must have my dear Major to carry the flag with me. | | Jenny | Yes, yes, Major darling. | | Cusins | Snatches the tambourine out of Jenny’s hand and mutely offers it to Barbara. | | Barbara | Coming forward a little as she puts the offer behind her with a shudder, whilst Cusins recklessly tosses the tambourine back to Jenny and goes to the gate. I can’t come. | | Jenny | Not come! | | Mrs. Baines | With tears in her eyes. Barbara: do you think I am wrong to take the money? | | Barbara | Impulsively going to her and kissing her. No, no: God help you, dear, you must: you are saving the Army. Go; and may you have a great meeting! | | Jenny | But arn’t you coming? | | Barbara | No. She begins taking off the silver brooch from her collar. | | Mrs. Baines | Barbara: what are you doing? | | Jenny | Why are you taking your badge off? You can’t be going to leave us, Major. | | Barbara | Quietly. Father: come here. | | Undershaft | Coming to her. My dear! Seeing that she is going to pin the badge on his collar, he retreats to the penthouse in some alarm. | | Barbara | Following him. Don’t be frightened. She pins the badge on and steps back towards the table, showing him to the others. There! It’s not much for 5,000 pounds is it? | | Mrs. Baines | Barbara: if you won’t come and pray with us, promise me you will pray for us. | | Barbara | I can’t pray now. Perhaps I shall never pray again. | | Mrs. Baines | Barbara! | | Jenny | Major! | | Barbara | Almost delirious. I can’t bear any more. Quick march! | | Cusins | Calling to the procession in the street outside. Off we go. Play up, there! Immenso giubilo. He gives the time with his drum; and the band strikes up the march, which rapidly becomes more distant as the procession moves briskly away. | | Mrs. Baines | I must go, dear. You’re overworked: you will be all right tomorrow. We’ll never lose you. Now Jenny: step out with the old flag. Blood and Fire! She marches out through the gate with her flag. | | Jenny | Glory Hallelujah! Flourishing her tambourine and marching. | | Undershaft | To Cusins, as he marches out past him easing the slide of his trombone. “My ducats and my daughter!” | | Cusins | Following him out. Money and gunpowder! | | Barbara | Drunkenness and Murder! My God: why hast thou forsaken me? | | | She sinks on the form with her face buried in her hands. The march passes away into silence. Bill Walker steals across to her. | | Bill | Taunting. Wot prawce Selvytion nah? | | Shirley | Don’t you hit her when she’s down. | | Bill | She ’it me wen aw wiz dahn. Waw shouldn’t I git a bit o’ me own back? | | Barbara | Raising her head. I didn’t take your money, Bill. She crosses the yard to the gate and turns her back on the two men to hide her face from them. | | Bill | Sneering after her. Naow, it warn’t enough for you. Turning to the drum, he misses the money. Ellow! If you ain’t took it summun else az. Were’s it gorn? Blame me if Jenny Ill didn’t take it arter all! | | Rummy | Screaming at him from the loft. You lie, you dirty blackguard! Snobby Price pinched it off the drum wen ’e took ap iz cap. I was ap ’ere all the time an’ see ’im do it. | | Bill | Wot! Stowl maw money! Waw didn’t you call thief on him, you silly old mucker you? | | Rummy | To serve you aht for ’ittin me acrost the face. It’s cost y’pahnd, that az. Raising a paean of squalid triumph. I done you. I’m even with you. I’ve ad it aht o’ y⁠—. Bill snatches up Shirley’s mug and hurls it at her. She slams the loft door and vanishes. The mug smashes against the door and falls in fragments. | | Bill | Beginning to chuckle. Tell us, ole man, wot o’clock this morrun was it wen ’im as they call Snobby Prawce was sived? | | Barbara | Turning to him more composedly, and with unspoiled sweetness. About half past twelve, Bill. And he pinched your pound at a quarter to two. I know. Well, you can’t afford to lose it. I’ll send it to you. | | Bill | His voice and accent suddenly improving. Not if I was to starve for it. I ain’t to be bought. | | Shirley | Ain’t you? You’d sell yourself to the devil for a pint o’ beer; ony there ain’t no devil to make the offer. | | Bill | Unshamed. So I would, mate, and often ’av, cheerful. But she cawn’t buy me. Approaching Barbara. You wanted my soul, did you? Well, you ain’t got it. | | Barbara | I nearly got it, Bill. But we’ve sold it back to you for ten thousand pounds. | | Shirley | And dear at the money! | | Barbara | No, Peter: it was worth more than money. | | Bill | Salvationproof. It’s no good: you cawn’t get rahnd me nah. I don’t blieve in it; and I’ve seen today that I was right. Going. So long, old soupkitchener! Ta, ta, Major Earl’s Grendorter! Turning at the gate. Wot prawce Selvytion nah? Snobby Prawce! Ha! ha! | | Barbara | Offering her hand. Goodbye, Bill. | | Bill | Taken aback, half plucks his cap off then shoves it on again defiantly. Git aht. Barbara* drops her hand, discouraged. He has a twinge of remorse. But thet’s aw rawt, you knaow. Nathink pasnl. Naow mellice. So long, Judy. He goes. | | Barbara | No malice. So long, Bill. | | Shirley | Shaking his head. You make too much of him, miss, in your innocence. | | Barbara | Going to him. Peter: I’m like you now. Cleaned out, and lost my job. | | Shirley | You’ve youth an hope. That’s two better than me. That’s hope for you. | | Barbara | I’ll get you a job, Peter, the youth will have to be enough for me. She counts her money. I have just enough left for two teas at Lockharts, a Rowton doss for you, and my tram and bus home. He frowns and rises with offended pride. She takes his arm. Don’t be proud, Peter: it’s sharing between friends. And promise me you’ll talk to me and not let me cry. She draws him towards the gate. | | Shirley | Well, I’m not accustomed to talk to the like of you⁠— | | Barbara | Urgently. Yes, yes: you must talk to me. Tell me about Tom Paine’s books and Bradlaugh’s lectures. Come along. | | Shirley | Ah, if you would only read Tom Paine in the proper spirit, miss! They go out through the gate together. |