Prince Lucifer By Alfred Austin |
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 | Prince Lucifer |  |
SCENE VIII
[The Village Street. Peasants standing in the rain.]1ST PEASANT.
There must be treasure somewhere; somewhere, I say.
2D PEASANT.
Aye, but where?
3D PEASANT.
He can tell us that.
4TH PEASANT.
But if he won't?
1ST PEASANT.
He can be made to tell.
5TH PEASANT.
Princes are not easily made to do anything they don't want to, I've heard say.
3D PEASANT.
That depends on how hard folks that are not princes try to make them.
2D PEASANT.
I don't believe he has got any treasure.
1ST PEASANT.
Listen to him! A nest without any feathers in it, when feathers are plenty!
6TH PEASANT.
He gave up the Crown, meaning to have it back again on his own terms. But meanwhile, think you he starves or lives lean?
1ST PEASANT.
His servitors are fat enough.
2D PEASANT.
Not too fat to stand by him, if the Castle's attacked.
5TH PEASANT.
He won't ask us to take it, that's pretty sure.
2D PEASANT.
Or give it up without a struggle.
1ST PEASANT.
People who climb must expect boulders. It's all a question who's strongest in this world; a world about which the other world,
2D PEASANT.
But isn't theft theft, whether you steal secretly or openly, with cunning or with violence?
1ST PEASANT.
Who stole first? And isn't it theft, whether you steal with your fingers or with your sword? I never heard of a king coming by a throne by working; and everything's theft save working; and working's no longer any good. Only let us steal back the wealth he or his stole from our sort, and then we shall be able to work again to some profit. See here, too! hasn't he taken the fairest of our flock, and what has he given us for her?
2D PEASANT.
He has made her happy, they say.
4TH PEASANT.
Then let us be made happy too. He doesn't believe in Heaven, and we don't believe in it either. Then let's have fair play on earth.
ALL.
Aye, that's it.
1ST PEASANT.
It's all very well to struggle and starve, to work harder than a mule and feed no better, if it's going to be put to rights in another life. But if there's only one life, it's poor work being miserable in it, when princes and fine folk lie soft and eat daintily. Let's have the treasure, I say; at any rate, let's try.
4TH PEASANT.
Then, we can take Eve from him, if that's all, and hold her as a ransom till he sees things as we do.
2D PEASANT.
But we mustn't hurt her, though.
1ST PEASANT.
Who wants to hurt her? Womenkind are not answerable for themselves, let alone for others. Never fear for her, nor for him either, if he'll only hear reason.
7TH PEASANT.
Yes, he who, from all I hear say, has such a lot of reason. He wanted to make his people free. Then let him begin with us. We've no objection to have the church doors shut, provided the granary doors are opened.
2D PEASANT.
Father Gabriel has shut the churchyard as well, and told Adam to dig no more graves there. He won't bury us, he says.
1ST PEASANT.
Not much odds whether he does or not, I warrant, so he doesn't prevent us from keeping ourselves alive.
4TH PEASANT.
And when we do die I reckon graves'll cost less, the less fuss one makes over them.
1ST PEASANT.
Are we of one mind then? To try soft words first; and, if soft words are no good, then strong action?
GROUP OF PEASANTS.
Yes, that's what we wish.
1ST PEASANT.
But mind! not a whisper to the women. They talk shrewishly enough; but when it comes to doing, then straight they begin limping. But when we give them comfort and fine clothes, they won't be so curious as to where these came from.
[They disperse.] | Prince Lucifer | |