New York (N.Y.) -- Drama; Social classes -- Drama; Unskilled labor -- Drama
VOICE--No chance, Yank. You scared her out of a year's growth.
YANK--I scared her? Why de hell should I scare her? Who de hell is she?
Ain't she de same as me? Hairy ape, huh? [_With his old confident
bravado._] I'll show her I'm better'n her, if she on'y knew it. I
belong and she don't, see! I move and she's dead! Twenty-five knots a
hour, dats me! Dat carries her but I make dat. She's on'y baggage.
Sure! [_Again bewilderedly._] But, Christ, she was funny lookin'! Did
yuh pipe her hands? White and skinny. Yuh could see de bones trough
'em. And her mush, dat was dead white, too. And her eyes, dey was like
dey'd seen a ghost. Me, dat was! Sure! Hairy ape! Ghost, huh? Look at
dat arm! [_He extends his right arm, swelling out the great muscles._]
I coulda took her wit dat, wit' just my little finger even, and broke
her in two. [_Again bewilderedly._] Say, who is dat skoit, huh? What is
she? What's she come from? Who made her? Who give her de noive to look
at me like dat? Dis ting's got my goat right. I don't get her. She's
new to me. What does a skoit like her mean, huh? She don't belong, get
me! I can't see her. [_With growing anger._] But one ting I'm wise to,
aw right, aw right! Youse all kin bet your shoits I'll git even wit
her. I'll show her if she tinks she--She grinds de organ and I'm on de
string, huh? I'll fix her! Let her come down again and I'll fling her
in de furnace! She'll move den! She won't shiver at nothin', den!
Speed, dat'll be her! She'll belong den! [_He grins horribly._]
PADDY--She'll never come. She's had her belly-full, I'm telling you.
She'll be in bed now, I'm thinking, wid ten doctors and nurses feedin'
her salts to clean the fear out of her.
YANK--[_Enraged._] Yuh tink I made her sick, too, do yuh? Just lookin'
at me, huh? Hairy ape, huh? [_In a frenzy of rage._] I'll fix her! I'll
tell her where to git off! She'll git down on her knees and take it
back or I'll bust de face offen her! [_Shaking one fist upward and
beating on his chest with the other._] I'll find yuh! I'm comin', d'yuh
hear? I'll fix yuh, God damn yuh! [_He makes a rush for the door._]
VOICES--Stop him!
He'll get shot!
He'll murder her!
Trip him up!
Hold him!
He's gone crazy!
Gott, he's strong!
Hold him down!
Look out for a kick!
Pin his arms!
[_They have all piled on him and, after a fierce struggle, by sheer
weight of numbers have borne him to the floor just inside the door._]
PADDY--[_Who has remained detached._] Kape him down till he's cooled
off. [_Scornfully._] Yerra, Yank, you're a great fool. Is it payin'
attention at all you are to the like of that skinny sow widout one drop
of rale blood in her?
YANK--[_Frenziedly, from the bottom of the heap._] She done me doit!
She done me doit, didn't she? I'll git square wit her! I'll get her
some way! Git offen me, youse guys! Lemme up! I'll show her who's a ape!
[_Curtain_]
SCENE V
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account