THE
HIGHWAYMAN
By
Julia Jarcho
(EXCERPT)
www.juliajarcho.com
[BESS is alone onstage.]
BESS
Here in here it's the right
heat. I cover the window with
earth. People bring in the earth
with their shoes. They don't talk
to me. It's too dark for them to
see me.
[BEAT]
Here in here it's the right
heat. I cover the window with
fire. The fire lies flat against
the pane. It lights up the room and I see my own hands. They don't look old. I know time is over. No one else knows. They can't get
it. No one can get in.
[BEAT]
Here's the story. There was a girl. She kicked everyone. She said it was so they wouldn't miss
her. But it was because they wouldn't miss her. It's a stupid—it's a stupid story. She could never kick anyone. Or do
anything or want or think anything.
[BEAT]
I know what to tell you. It's only the truth. No questions. Of course this is where I am.
[BEAT]
-You could come—
[BEAT]
—out...
Why?
-I'd like to remind you that the
moor is habitable.
Habitabitable.
Habitabitabitable.
Hospitababitle. With life
forms. Who savage. Someday something will come in and
you'll have to go out there.
[BEAT]
So I build up my strength.
Emergency measures. I smell my
skin. I compare it with my other
skin. Things like this'll be
helpful. Because I know I've been
in here since I was born and no one else.
And if someone else was here he didn't see me. And if he saw me he's coming back to get me.
[BEAT]
Because he would like me.
[BEAT]
Would he want me to go, I think
he might want me to go with him. I
think that's what he would want.
There's no way I can do that.
Look at me. I've been here
my whole life. A quiet life. I used to bring sugar lumps out to the
stable. There's a cellar somewhere
here, no, a tunnel through, not the cellar, I think there are stairs and
there's a, stairs through a room where they keep... beets? Is that possible?
Through there, a passage to the stable.
I go through there with my hand full of sugar. My hand is dry.
Or both. That's how I carry
it through the passage, wedged out of the wet land. So I don't set foot out of the inn.
[BEAT]
I get there, I get to the
stable. There are so many of
them. I'm saying this, it's like a
pillar of my childhood. I'm not
just any one of those little girls.
Because these were not a fantasy.
They're, they shit and they take a piss, they have spit foaming up, big
sour spit, they're covered with scars and their coats, you can't even say
coats, they're covered in their skins, is the most you can say. They'll bite, I have the rents some
still on me.
[BEAT]
I get to the stable, still
inside, I have sugar in my hand, that I took from the kitchen. There are so many of them. Everyone put an animal there and went
in to drink. When it's the busy
season there's fullness of them.
And I'm coming down, there's a push-bell the people do when they need
something, but then I disappear, I go get the sugar and I go down the stairs
into the place and into the place, to see them, to give them the sugar. I don't know how to describe. I said. Filthy. Some
are about to die. Some are on
their first trip. Whips. They all have four and some have five
and some are daughters.
Grown-up. I'm here with the
sugar. Just here. I put out my hand... a tongue comes
down, no, teeth. You have to put
your hand flat and not get bit.
Big teeth. You can tell the
work. Eyes like my dumb eyes. You know what they want, it makes them
want it more, they want, they would say—they can't, but—no, they
wouldn't—it makes them want, they want the saddle blanket and the saddle,
the saddle bags and the rein, they want, and the spurs, reins and spurs and
hands high, but even done like that they want to go, they want me to take them
and go, and they would be better off to go, says their faces, go!
[BEAT]
And I say I can't. Just because it's not. What about wind and stripes? But it's
not.
[BEAT. HIGHWAYMAN enters.]
Anyway he might not come.
HIGHWAYMAN
Go on.
BESS
He might not... he has a
dangerous life. His life is
dangerous and violent. He really
doesn't think about things like this.
[PAUSE]
HIGHWAYMAN
Bess...
BESS
Yeah?
HIGHWAYMAN
I'm back.
BESS
Hi.
HIGHWAYMAN
How're things?
BESS
Things are OK. Yeah, they're OK.
HIGHWAYMAN
Can I ask whether you thought
about me?
BESS
I don't know.
HIGHWAYMAN
Did you?
BESS
Yes.
HIGHWAYMAN
That makes me happy.
BESS
Good.
HIGHWAYMAN
I thought of you too.
BESS
You did?
HIGHWAYMAN
You understand why I couldn't
come back sooner.
BESS
Yes.
HIGHWAYMAN
They're making it harder for
me. There are more soldiers now. I
have to be careful about where I go.
I do a lot of hiding out.
BESS
I understand.
HIGHWAYMAN
But I've definitely thought
about you. Know what I think?
BESS
No.
HIGHWAYMAN
I think often that you're the
most beautiful girl I've ever seen.
Do you believe me?
BESS
No.
HIGHWAYMAN
It's true though. It's true that I often think that.
That's what I meant, do you believe that I often think that. Not do you believe that you are. Do you?
BESS
I don't know.
HIGHWAYMAN
I wish I could convince you. It would be good for your self-esteem.
BESS
Thanks.
HIGHWAYMAN
You're sad, aren't you.
BESS
Oh...
HIGHWAYMAN
Your eyes look sad. Is that possible? Don't take it as a
criticism.
BESS
OK.
HIGHWAYMAN
I think it's beautiful.
BESS
Thanks.
HIGHWAYMAN
But I wish you weren't.
BESS
Thanks.
HIGHWAYMAN
Sad.
BESS
I know.
HIGHWAYMAN
Unless—well—it's
awkward to say...
[BEAT]
BESS
What?
HIGHWAYMAN
I wouldn't mind it so much if it
were because of me. Because of
missing me. It isn't, is it?
BESS
No.
HIGHWAYMAN
Oh. I mean I didn't really think it would be.
BESS
It's not.
HIGHWAYMAN
No. Not even a little?
[PAUSE]
BESS
I don't know.
HIGHWAYMAN
The thing is, I was a little bit
sad thinking of you. Because of
wanting to visit you again.
BESS
Oh. Well I wanted... I felt like that a little.
HIGHWAYMAN
Really? I hoped so. That's great!
BESS
I didn't mind about—about
Matilda. I didn't care about that.
HIGHWAYMAN
She's not here now, is she? I
mean, because I don't want to see her tonight. I want to make that clear.
BESS
I don't think she's here.
HIGHWAYMAN
Good.
BESS
I didn't care about that.
HIGHWAYMAN
That's very nice of you.
BESS
And I can...
[BEAT]
HIGHWAYMAN
Sorry?
BESS
I don't, it doesn't bother me to
do that.
HIGHWAYMAN
What?
BESS
Whatever Matilda... what you do,
I just, I don't have an objection, for me, for you and me to do that.
HIGHWAYMAN
Really?
BESS
Yeah. It's OK.
HIGHWAYMAN
Oh, Bess.
BESS
Because, it's not a big deal to
me.
HIGHWAYMAN
You don't have to impress me,
pretty one. I know you're very
young.
BESS
I'm not that young.
HIGHWAYMAN
Let's not talk about this.
BESS
OK.
HIGHWAYMAN
Because it'll begin to ache.
BESS
I'm saying—
HIGHWAYMAN
I have to warn you.
BESS
You don't have to warn me.
HIGHWAYMAN
I warn you.
BESS
No.
[HIGHWAYMAN dashes over to BESS
and bites her very hard on the shoulder.
He holds his grip for a moment.
Then he straightens up and looks at her.]
It's all right.
HIGHWAYMAN
[turning
away from her]
You see, I was overcome.
BESS
Don't worry.
HIGHWAYMAN
What an angel you are.
BESS
Thank you.
HIGHWAYMAN
[turning
back to her]
It's part and parcel of my way
of life.
BESS
I know.
HIGHWAYMAN
It's because you're so
beautiful.
BESS
Thank you.
HIGHWAYMAN
I wish you would say something.
BESS
Are you going to stay with me?
HIGHWAYMAN
Darling.
BESS
It's the wrong thing to say.
HIGHWAYMAN
No, no, it's not wrong. It's not wrong, it's very sweet.
BESS
Because you're not. It would be stupid to think you would.
HIGHWAYMAN
Not stupid.
BESS
But you're not.
HIGHWAYMAN
They're hunting me, Bess. I'm harried and I'm pressed. I can't stay anywhere. My defense is in moving. Because I know the moor better than
they do. That's my chance of
survival.
BESS
I know.
HIGHWAYMAN
I'll just have to ride around
and think of you.