Night Must Fall : a Play in Three ActsWilliams, Emlyn
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Night Must Fall : a Play in Three Acts
Williams, Emlyn
English drama -- 20th century; Murder -- Drama
_She takes up the newspaper, sees a headline, and puts it down
hastily. She sees the Bible on the table, opens it, and turns over
pages.
(After a pause, suddenly_) I've got the jitters. I've got the
jitters. I've got the jitters.... (_Calling loudly_) Danny!
_She waits; there is complete silence. She rises, walks over to the
kitchen door, and flings it wide open.
(Shouting_) Danny! (_No reply._) He's gone ... They've all gone
... They've left me ... (_Losing control, beating her hands wildly on
her Bible_) Oh, Lord, help a poor old woman ... They've left me!
(_Tottering to the sun-room_) Danny ... where are you?... Danny
... I'm going to be murdered ... I'm going to be murdered!... Danny ...
(_Her voice rising, until she is shrieking hysterically_) Danny!
Danny! Danny!
_She stops suddenly. Footsteps on the gravel outside the front door.
(In a strangled whisper_) There's something outside ... something
outside ... Oh, heavens ...
(_Staggering across to the sofa_) Danny, where are you? Where are
you? There's something outs--
_The front door bangs. She collapses on the sofa, terrified, her
enormous Bible clasped to her breast._
Oh, Lord, help me ... help me ... Oh, Lord, help me ... (_Muttering,
her eyes closed_) ... Forgive us our trespasses ...
_The curtains are suddenly parted. It is_ DAN, _a cigarette
between his lips. He stands motionless, his feet planted apart, holding
the curtains. There is murder in his face. She is afraid to look, but
is forced to at last._
Danny ... Oh ... Oh ...
DAN (_smiling, suddenly normal and reassuring_): That's all right
... It's only Danny ...
MRS. BRAMSON: Thank God ... (_Going off into laughing hysterics_)
Ah ... ah ... ah ...
DAN _throws his cigarette away, lays his hat on the occasional table,
throws his mackintosh on the left window-seat, and sits beside her,
patting her, looking round to see no one has heard her cries._
I'll never forgive you, never. Oh, my heart ... Oh--oh--oh--
_He runs across to the medicine cupboard and brings back a brandy
bottle and two glasses._
DAN: Now have a drop of this ... (_As she winces at the taste_) Go
on, do you good ... (_As she drinks_) I am sorry, I am really ...
You see, they wanted me to see them to the main path, past the
rubbish-heap, see, in case they was frightened. ... Now that's
better, isn't it?
_They are seated side by side on the sofa._
MRS. BRAMSON: I don't know yet ... Give me some more....
_He pours one out for her, and for himself. They drink._
All alone, I was ... (_Her face puckering with self pity_) Just an
old woman calling for help ... (_her voice breaking_) ... and no
answer....
DAN (_putting the bottle on the floor beside him_): Poor old mum,
runnin' about lookin' for Danny----
MRS. BRAMSON (_sharply_): I wasn't running about as much as all
that ... Oh, the relief when I saw your face----
DAN: I bet you wasn't half glad, eh?
MRS. BRAMSON: You're the only one that understands me, Danny, that's
what you are----
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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