miss civilization(文明小姐)-第4章
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to HARRY。 To ALICE） Thank you for reminding me。
ALICE： Oh； not at all。 You've nothing to thank me for。 （HARRY
goes to telephone。 To HARRY） Don't make a noise doing that。 Don't
wake my mother。 （To HATCH） She's nervous； and she's ill； and if you
wake her； or frighten her； I'll keep the police after you until every one of
you is in jail。
HATCH： You won't keep after us very far when I've tied you up。
Bring me those curtain cords； Harry。
ALICE： Oh； really； that's too ridiculous。 （Listens apprehensively）
HATCH： Sorry I had to bust up your still alarm； but after we go； we
can't have you chatting with the police。 If you hadn't so kindly given me
a tip about the telephone； I might have gone off and clean forgot that。
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（HARRY takes curtain cords from window curtains。）
REDDY： I'm afraid pretty polly talked too much that time。 We ain't
all stupid。
ALICE： No； so I see； so I see。 It was careless of me。 But
everybody you call upon may not be so careless。
HATCH： Well； I've won out for twenty years。 I've never been in jail。
ALICE： Don't worry。 You're young。 I told you you looked young。
Your time is coming。 In these days there's no room for burglars。 You
belong to the days of stage…coaches。 You're old…fashioned now。 You're
trying to fight civilization； that's what you're trying to do。 You may keep
ahead for a time； but in a long race I'll back civilization to win。
HATCH： Is that so？ Well； Miss Civilization； you've had your say；
and I hope you feel better。 （To HARRY） Give me that silk muffler of yours。
（To ALICE） If civilization is going to help you； it's got to hurry。
ALICE： You don't mean to say you really are going to gag me？
HATCH： I am。
ALICE： My！ But I shall look silly。 （With her face turned right she
listens apprehensively。）
HARRY： （Coming down with curtain cords； and taking muffler from
his pocket） I've got the stuff in this muffler。
HATCH： Well； give me that； too。 （Shows inside coat pocket） I'll put it
in the safe。
（HARRY places muffler on table； exposing jewelry。）
HATCH： （begins placing the ornaments one at a time in his pocket。
To ALICE。） What is it？ What did you hear？
ALICE： II thought I heard my mother moving about。
HATCH： Well； she'd better not move about。
ALICE： （Fiercely） You'd better not wake her。 （Sees the jewels。） Oh！
Look at the 〃graft；〃 or is it 〃swag？〃 Which is it？
HATCH： （To HARRY） Cover em up； cover it up。
（HARRY tries to hide the jewels with one hand； while he passes a
lady's watch to HATCH。）
HARRY： （to ALICE） That's YOUR watch。 I'm sorry it has to go。
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ALICE： I'm not。 It's the first time it ever did go。 And； oh； thank
you for taking that big brooch。 It's a gift of father's； so I had to wear it；
but it's so unbecoming。 （She listens covertly。）
HATCH： Put your hat on them。 Cover them up。 （HARRY partly
covers jewels with his hat。
HATCH lifts a diamond necklace。）
ALICE： I suppose you know your own businessbut THAT IS
PASTE。
HATCH： Do you want to be gagged NOW？
ALICE： Pardon me； of course you know what you want。 （Notices
another necklace。） Oh； that Mrs。 Warren's necklace！ So you called on her；
too； did you？ Isn't she attractive！
REDDY： We didn't ask for the lady of the house。 They ain't always
as sociable as you are。
ALICE： Well； that's her necklace。 You got that at the house on the
hill with the red roofthe house has the red roof； not the hill。 （She
recognizes； with an exclamation； a gold locket and chain which HATCH is
about to place in his pocket。） Oh！ That's Mrs。 Lowell's locket！ How
could you！ （She snatches locket from HATCH； and clasps it in both hands。
She rises indignantly。） How dared you take that！
HATCH： Put that down！
ALICE： （wildly and rapidly） No； I will not。 Do you know what that
means to that woman？ She cares more for that than for anything in this
world。 Her husband used to wear this。 （Points。） That's a lock of their
child's hair。 The child's dead； and the husband's dead； and that's all she
has left of either of them。 And you TOOK it； YOU BRUTES！
REDDY： Of course we took it。 Why does she wear it where
everybody can see it？
HATCH： （savagely） Keep quiet； you fool。
ALICE： She WORE it？ You took itFROM HER？
HATCH： We didn't hurt her。 We only frightened her a bit。 （Angrily。）
And we'll frighten you before we're done with you； Miss Civilization！
ALICE： （defiantly； her voice rising） Frighten me！ Youyou with
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your faces covered！ You're not men enough。 You're afraid to even steal
from men。 You rob WOMEN when they're aloneat night。 （Holds up
locket。） Try to take that from me！
VOICE： （calling） AliceAlice！
ALICE： Mother！ Oh； I forgot； I forgot。 （The burglars rise and move
toward her menacingly。） Please； please keep quiet。 For God's sake； don't…
…letherknow！
VOICE： Alice； what's wrong？ Who are you talking to？
（ALICE runs to the curtains； with one hand held out to the burglars；
entreating silence。）
ALICE： I'mI'm talking to James； the coachman。 One of the horses
is ill。 Don't come down； mother。 Don't come down。 Go back to bed。
He's going now； right away。 He came for some medicine。 It's all right。
Good night； mother。
VOICE： Can't I help？
ALICE： （Vehemently） No； no。 Good night； mother。
VOICE： Good night。
HATCH： （fiercely； to HARRY） That's enough of this！ We can't leave
here with the whole house awake。 And there's a coachman； too。 She'll
wake him next。 He'll have the whole damned village after us。 （To ALICE）
That woman upstairs and you have got to have your tongues stopped。
ALICE： （standing in front of curtains） You try to go near that woman！
She's ill； she's feeble； she's my mother！ You dare to touch her。
HATCH： Get out of my way。
ALICE： She's ill； you cowards。 It will kill her。 You'll have to kill
me before you get through this door。
HATCH： （savagely） Well； then； if it comes to that
（Three locomotive whistles are heard from just outside the house。
ALICE throws up her hands hysterically。）
ALICE： Ah！ At last！ They've come。 They've come！
HATCH： （fiercely） They've come！ What is it？ What does that
mean？
（REDDY runs to window and opens the shutters。）
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ALICE： （jubilantly） It meansit means that twenty men are crossing
that lawn。 It means that while you sat drinking there； Civilization was
racing toward you at seventy miles an hour！
HATCH： Damnation！ We're trapped。 Get to the wagonquick！
No。 Leave the girl alone。 We've no time for that。 Drop that stuff。
That way。 That way。
REDDY： （at window） No。 Get back！ Get back！ It's too late。
There's hundreds of them out there。
HATCH： （running to centre door） Out here！ This way！ Quick！
ALICE： （mockingly） Yes； come！ You don't dare come this way
NOW！
（She drags open the curtains； disclosing CAPTAIN LUCAS and two
other policemen。 For an instant they stand； covering the burglars with
revolvers。 REDDY runs to window。 He is seized by an entering crowd
of men in the oil…stained blue jeans of engineers and brakemen。）
CAPTAIN LUCAS： Hold up your hands； all of you！ I guess I know
you。 （With his left hand he tears off HATCH'S mask。） 〃Joe〃 Hatchat last。
（Pulls off HARRY'S mask。） And Harry Hayes。 I thought so。 And that's…
…the 〃Kid。〃 The whole gang。 （To the police。） Good work； boys。 （To
ALICE） My congratulations； Miss Gardner。 They're the worst lot in the
country。 You're a brave young lady。 You ought
ALICE： （speaking with an effort and swaying slightly） Hush； please。
Don'tdon't alarm my mother。 Mother's not as strong asas I am。
（Her eyes close； and she faints across the arm of the Chief of Police as
the CURTAIN FALLS。）
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