Brecht Collected Plays: 1: Baal; Drums in the Night; In the Jungle of Cities; Life of Edward II of England; & 5 One Act Plays: "Baal", "Drums in the Night", "In the Jungle of Ci (World Classics) (21 page)

BABOON:
That’s smart. Have another drink and you’ll be even smarter.

GARGA:
Whisky’s rotting your brain. Can you hear what I’m saying? Let’s go away! Together! To Frisco! Anywhere you want. I don’t know if a man can love for ever, but I can tell you this much: I’ll stick by you.

JANE
: You can’t, Georgie.

GARGA:
I can do anything. I can even make money if that’s it. I’ve got a special feeling for you. There are no words for it! But we’ll get together again. I’ll come tonight. This very evening!

JANE:
I hear every word; you don’t need to shout and you don’t need to tell these gentlemen here you didn’t love me. You’re only saying the bitterest things you know, and naturally I’ve got to listen. You know it as well as I do.

WORM:
Cut the comedy! Just tell him you were in bed with this gentleman from nine to ten-thirty.

JANE
: That might not be so good. But now at least you know, George, it’s not the whisky or the heat!

SHLINK:
Sell! I’ll double the price again. This is so unpleasant.

GARGA:
That doesn’t count. What’s nine to eleven against two years?

SHLINK:
I assure you two hundred dollars means nothing to me. I hardly dare make such an offer.

GARGA
: Would you be kind enough to send your friends away.

SHLINK:
As you wish. Consider the ways of this planet and sell.

MAYNES:
You’re a fool and a dishrag and a lazy coolie; just think of …

SKINNY:
Your innocent careworn parents!

WORM:
Your sister!

BABOON:
Your sweetheart! This lovely young girl.

GARGA
: No, no, no!

SHLINK
: Tahiti!

GARGA
: I refuse.

MAYNES:
You’re fired!

SHLINK:
Your economic existence! The ground you stand on! It’s shaking!

GARGA
: This is freedom! Here, take my coat!
Takes it off
. Give it away!
Takes a book from the shelf and reads
: ‘Idolatry! Lies! Lechery! I’m a beast, a black. But I can be saved. You’re phony niggers, maniacs, savages, misers! Merchant, you are a black and, Judge, you are a black, Emperor, you old leper, you’re a nigger, you drink untaxed liquor from Satan’s still. This people inspired by fever and cancer!’
Drinks
. ‘I’m unversed in metaphysics. I understand no laws. I have no moral sense, I’m a brute; you are mistaken!’
²
Shlink
,
Skinny
,
Worm, and Baboon have gathered round Garga and applaud as at a theatrical performance
.

SHLINK
smoking
: Why get so excited? Nobody’s doing anything to you.

JANE
her arms round his neck
: Is it that bad, George?

GARGA
: Here are my shoes! Are you smoking your little black cigar, sir? It might make you dribble. Here, my handkerchief. Yes, yes, I’ll auction off this woman! I’m throwing these papers in your face. I want the tobacco fields of Virginia and a ticket to the Islands. I want, I want my freedom.
He runs out in his trousers and shirt
.

SHLINK
calls after him
: My name’s Shlink, Shlink the lumber-dealer ! Six Mulberry Street!

SKINNY
: He’ll toe the line …What’s all this paper cost?

WORM
: You’re really going to pay?

MAYNES
: The books are worth ten dollars.

SKINNY
: Here’s twenty.

BABOON
to Jane
,
who is crying
: Aha, now comes the awakening! Go weep in the gutter.

WORM
: You’ve got to look life straight in the eye.

SHLINK
: How much is this stuff?

MAYNES
: The clothes? Jacket? Tie? Shoes? They’re not really for sale. Ten dollars.

SKINNY
: We finally drove him out of his skin. Let’s take it with us.

Shlink goes out slowly towards the back, Skinny follows him with the bundle of clothes
.

Chicago. The Office of C. Shlink, lumber dealer

22 August, shortly before 7 p.m
.
Shlink at his little table
.

SKINNY
voice from left rear
: Seven carloads of Kentucky.

WORM
in the rear
: Right.

SKINNY
: Two carloads of stripped logs.

WORM:
There’s a man asking to see Mr Shlink.

SHLINK:
Send him in.

WORM:
Here’s Mr Shlink!

Garga enters
.

SHLINK
please
: So here you are! Here are your clothes. Put them on.

GARGA:
You’ve been waiting for me? You’ve brought my clothes here? Filthy rags.
Kicks the bundle of clothes away
.

Shlink strikes a small gong
.

MARY
enters
: George!

GARGA:
You here, Mary?

MARY:
Where’ve you been, George? They were worried about you. And the way you look!

GARGA:
Just what are you doing here?

MARY:
I take care of the linen. We can live on that. Why are you looking at me like that? You look as if you’d been having a hard time. I’m doing fine here. They said they’d fired you.

GARGA:
Mary, pack your things and go home.
Pacing around
. I don’t know what they want of me. They’ve harpooned me and pulled me in. I can feel the ropes. I’ll have to depend on you, sir. But leave my sister out of it!

SHLINK
: As you wish.
To Mary
: But first get him a clean shirt, and a suit. If you don’t mind.

MARY
: I can’t understand my brother. He wants me to leave you.

K

SHLINK
: And when you’ve finished, please go home too. I don’t know anything about linen.

Mary leaves
.

SHLINK
: Have you been drinking?

GARGA:
Kindly tell me if that doesn’t fit in with your plans.

SHLINK:
I only have saki. But I’ll get you anything you like. You prefer cocktails?

GARGA:
I do everything in one fell swoop. I’m in the habit of doing nothing for weeks but drink, make love, and smoke, all at the same time.

SHLINK
: And leaf through the Britannica …

GARGA
: You know everything.

SHLINK
: When I heard about your habits, I thought to myself: There’s a good fighter.

GARGA:
What’s the hold-up with those clothes?

SHLINK
: Excuse me
… He stands up and strikes the little gong
.

MARY
enters
: Here’s your linen, George, and your suit.

GARGA:
Wait and we’ll leave together.
He changes clothes behind a screen
.

MARY:
I have to say good-bye, Mr Shlink. I couldn’t quite finish the linen. Thanks for letting me stay at your house.

GARGA
from behind the screen
: This suit has no pockets.

Shlink whistles
.

GARGA
coming out
: Who are you whistling for? In the last few weeks you’ve got left, I want you to stop whistling for people.

SHLINK
: I accept your orders.

GARGA
: You opened up this western. I’ll accept the challenge. You skinned me alive for the fun of it. You won’t make amends by giving me a new skin. I’m going to wipe you out.
Pulls a gun
. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

SHLINK
: Then the fight’s on?

GARGA:
Yes! Without obligation, of course.

SHLINK
: And no question why?

GARGA
: No question why. I don’t want to know why you need a fight. If you’ve got a reason, I’m sure it’s rotten. For me it’s enough that you think you’re the better man.

SHLINK:
Well, let’s think it over. Owning a house and a lumber business, for instance, puts me in a position to sick the dogs on you. Money is everything. Right? But my house is yours now, and so is the lumber business. From now on, Mr Garga, my fate’s in your hands. I don’t know you! From now on I’m going to be your slave. Every look that comes into your eyes will trouble me. Every one of your wishes, known or unknown, will find me willing. Your cares will be my cares, my strength will be yours. My feelings will be dedicated to you alone, and you will be an evil master.

GARGA:
I accept your challenge. I hope you’ll have nothing to laugh about.

Baboon
,
Skinny
,
and Worm enter silently
.
Garga notices with a grin that their suits are the same as his
.

SHLINK:
This house and this lumber business, carried on the Chicago Register of Deeds as the property of Shlink, are being transferred this day to Mr George Garga of Chicago.

GARGA
to Shlink
: That’s me. All right. How many stripped logs have you in stock?

SHLINK:
Maybe four hundred. I don’t know exactly.

SKINNY:
They belong to Broost and Company of Virginia.

GARGA:
Who sold them?

WORM:
I, known as Worm, owner of the Chinese Hotel in the coal district.

GARGA:
Sell them again.

WORM:
Sell them twice! That’s fraud.

GARGA:
Right.

WORM:
And who’ll be responsible for this order?

GARGA:
Sell those logs in Frisco under the name of Shlink. Turn the money over to Mr Shlink, who’ll hold it for me until I ask him for it. Any objections, Mr Shlink?

Shlink shakes his head
.

WORM:
That’s barefaced fraud. We’ll have the law on us in no time.

GARGA
: How soon?

SHLINK:
Six months at the most.
He brings Garga the ledger
.

BABOON:
This is a bog.

GARGA:
Storks thrive on bogs.

BABOON:
It’s better to work with a switchblade than with phony papers. Can you forget that Chicago is cold?

GARGA
: You meant your actual lumber business, didn’t you, Shlink? The house, the logs, the whole inventory?

SHLINK:
Of course. Here’s the ledger.

GARGA:
Pour ink over the ledger. You!

SKINNY:
Me?

Shlink hands him a bottle of ink
.

SKINNY
over the ledger
: All these entries! All our transactions!

GARGA
: Go ahead, pour!

Skinny pours carefully
.

BABOON:
That’s that.

WORM:
What an ending after twenty years! Some joke! I don’t get it. This used to be a lumber business.

GARGA:
And now turn off the saws and that will be the end of this lumber business.

BABOON:
Anything you say, boss!
Goes out
.

The sound of the saws outside stops. Shlink’s cronies put on their coats and stand against the wall. Garga laughs loudly
.

MARY
: What are you doing, George?

GARGA
: Shut up! Fire that man, Mr Shlink!

SHLINK
: You may leave.

SKINNY:
Leave? After working in this place for twenty years come April?

SHLINK
: You’re fired.

MARY:
I don’t think you’re doing right, George.

GARGA:
I want you to go home, Mary.

MARY:
And I want you to come with me. You’ll only come to grief around here. Let him go, Mr Shlink.

SHLINK
: Give me your orders, Garga.

GARGA:
Certainly. As long as there’s nothing left for you to do around here, my orders are to set up a little poker game with your former staff.

Shlink and his cronies sit down to play poker
.

MARY:
You’re coming home with me, George. This whole thing is a joke, can’t you see that?

GARGA:
We grew up on the prairies, Mary. Here we’re being sold out.

MARY:
We? What do they want of us?

GARGA:
You’re of no consequence in all this. They’re only trying to rope you in. Two weeks ago a man spat a small cherry pit into my eye. I come to see him. With a gun in my pocket. And he only bows and scrapes and offers me his lumber business. I don’t understand a thing, but I accept. I’m alone on the prairie, and, Mary, I can’t help you.

WORM
addressing Garga and Mary from behind
: He plays like a paper god. I swear he cheats.

GARGA
to Shlink
: I don’t understand a thing, sir, I’m like a nigger in all this. I came with a white flag, but now I’m attacking. Give me the papers that are your fortune and hand over your personal assets. I’ll put them in my pocket.

SHLINK:
Paltry things, I beg you not to despise them.

Shlink and Garga go out
.

SKINNY:
Things were bad around here and the rain came in on us, but being fired is always an injustice.