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A C T O N E
Scene 1.
At curtain time the preliminary music abruptly ends -- perhaps in the middle of a measure.
House lights down instantly.
Three heavy THUMPS.
A GONG strikes shimmeringly . . . as at the beginning of the Rank Organisation motion pictures.
Fifteen seconds of storm music from Beethoven's Symphony #6, "Pastorale", third movement.
But after some seconds of the storm music distant SOUNDS come up through and over it. First, GUSTING GALE WINDS. Then WAR DRUMS. Then alarming SHIP WHISTLES. Then the CRACKLE OF A FIRE, and the sound of TIMBERS SPLINTERING AND FALLING.
Finally, low, distant male SCREAMS. Distant shouts of "Help! Help!"
These sound effects take only a few seconds to happen.
All hell is occurring, but not too loudly. The drums, whistles, etc., are a bit less than three kilometers miles away.
If a curtain, quickly up. Lights up --
to a dim night scene . . . .
Distant fire and perhaps some smoke are rising into the sky above the wall at the back of the set. Red and yellow wavering lights in the distance eventually go out.
Loud alarms -- perhaps heavy, tolling BELLS -- immediately begin nearby.
Heavily armed soldiers, some with torches, on guard on the wall and below the balcony, are already moving in alarm. Distant shouts, screams, and keenings.
Enter HEKTOR naked on balcony, with cloak, sword and torch.
HEKTOR. You men within my hearing, cancel those alarms!
LIEUTENANT. Cancel alarms!
OTHER SOLDIERS. Cancel all alarms! Cancel them! Silence!
Nearby women's screams. Two seconds of distant shouts.
HEKTOR. --Guard, what are these sounds I heard above the gale? What, is that fire? Ships? Are ships on fire? --Guards!
1 GUARD. Yes, sir!
HEKTOR. What are these alarms that woke me? What are these shouts
Above the gale? Is it these ships that seem to be on fire in the bay?
SERGEANT. Sire, I sent to find out.
Enter a guard, a messenger.
MESSENGER. My lord, my lord Hektor!
LIEUTENANT. Report. What are these shouts beyond our walls?
MESSENGER. Sir! The Trojan grain fleet! from Larissa! has, it has unexpectedly arrived. It's suffered! -- heavy damage -- heavy, heavy damage -- damage from the storm.
LIEUTENANT. The grain fleet? Damaged? Our barley fleet?
MESSENGER. Yes, sir . . . The besieging Akhaians,
Seizing the hand of fate then offered them,
Attacked the floundering ships with fire and men;
And 's if they were gamblers, with daring armed,
Sank most our vessels.
SERGEANT. Akhaians -- sank them? Our barley ships? Damn Zeus's eyes!
HEKTOR. Lieutenant of the Guards, report.
LIEUTENANT. Lord Hektor! our barley ships from Larissa have arrived! It's suffered heavy, heavy damage from the furious gale. The besieging Akhaians attacked our struggling ships with men and fire. The Akhaians sank or captured most our vessels.
HEKTOR. The Akhaians? The besieging Akhaians attacked our supply fleet? Our grain fleet's damaged?
SERGEANT. Yes, Defender. The grain fleet's damaged . . . and most the vessels sunk.
HEKTOR. A heavy blow!
LIEUTENANT. The crews are still under attack. A few men reached the shore.
HEKTOR. Then we will rescue them. We'll rescue them off the strand.
We need those crews . . . and whatever oats and barley we can save. Lieutenant, full alert.
Re'nforce all walls and gates. Summon to me Aeneas,
Deiph'bus, Hel'nus, the Sacred Band.
Send messengers to the king my father.
LIEUTENANT. Hail, Champion! --You, sergeant; Lord Aeneas, Lord Deiph'bus, the Sacred Band. --You, you; his Majesty. Hurry! Go!
SERGEANT and 4 GUARD. Hail Hektor!
They exit.
HEKTOR. Now all will tumble out. It must be dealt with.
Enter ELLA with Hektor's garments.
HEKTOR. See that messenger is carried in my house, Wrapped in warmest robes, his needs provided!
MESSENGER. Thanks, my liege.
ELLA. My lord, you're almost naked!
HEKTOR. Ella, don't fuss.
ELLA. Lambie, wrap yourself in this. It's cold.
Enter ANDROMAKE.
HEKTOR. And you waked too, Andromake? Here to my arms.
ANDROMAKE. My lord --
More screams far off.
ANDROMAKE. What . . . what's that sound?
HEKTOR. Androm'ke, men screaming . . . as they fight and drown.
ANDROMAKE. Screaming? Men? Drown?
HEKTOR. There.
The winter gale begins to die. The fleet I sent to Larissa, Androm'ke. The ships we lean on for our bread. There! They sink beyond the harbor.
ANDROMAKE. Sink? Sink? Our grain ships sunk?
HEKTOR. The only hope of Troy. Brave lads, do you see them, Androm'ke? Sinking, and they're still try'ng to fight . . . Ram them, brave boys, ram them . . . There, behind th'Akhaian camps. Those shadows are their men. Still, our only, only hope. Unless . . . Unless . . . --ARMOURER!
ANDROMAKE. My . . . My lord, you cry for your armourer. Are you, can you --
HEKTOR. I'll take it all in hand. How's our son Skamander?
ANDROMAKE. You always call him that. Astyanax woke screaming at the din, but I hushed him. He's with his special nurse.
HEKTOR. I must to the harbour. No, no, belovèd; no protest. Where's that ARMOURER?
ANDROMAKE. But my lord -- to the harbour? Through the besieging enemy??
HEKTOR. My sweet Androm'ke, order double guard about the house. Make certain aft'r I leave, the doors are double-bolted.
ANDROMAKE. Double-bolted?
HEKTOR. This night I learnt the en'my b'yond our gates,
Th'Akhaians, who these nine years besiege us from their camps,
Suborned some disaffected in the city.
The plan's to kill me, p'raps as I stroll abroad,
And all the ones I love and need.
ANDROMAKE. To kill -- you, my lord?
HEKTOR. To kill us all, but me in chief. They blame me,
Many in the city high 'n' low,
The war goes on, since I lead those who'll not surrender.
Love, pay heed. The streets at night are dark.
These disaffected traitors, in guise as soldiers, may break in
To houses or climb over walls.
ANDROMAKE. I understand.
HEKTOR. I fear not for myself, but you, Skamandr'us.
ANDROMAKE. I'll take it all in hand.
HEKTOR. I knew you would, brave heart. Give me your lips.
I'd not have --
Enter a Guard below.
GUARD. My lord, messages! from Lord Antenor!
HEKTOR. --Hold them!
ANDROMAKE. I will, my lord, in every way try to please you.
HEKTOR. The catastrophic time, which finds no pity for us, sucks me away.
Trust the lieute'nt of guards, the king my father;
None else, not ev'n Aeneas nor my brothers.
ANDROMAKE. Yes, my lord.
HEKTOR. O, "Hektor", if you please, my dear.
ANDROMAKE. Yes, my lord.
HEKTOR. I wish I had more time, fair love. We must take events by the handles. --WHERE IS THAT ARM'RER? Wake him!
ANDROMAKE. Do you require anything, my lord?
HEKTOR. No. The house secure, go back to bed. I'll take care of all.
ANDROMAKE. Yes, my lord.
HEKTOR. "Hektor".
ANDROMAKE. My lord. . . .
HEKTOR. Let me embrace you, fair one. We'll thrive yet, dearest.
A Sergeant runs on below.
--Officer, more news?
ANDROMAKE starts to exit inward. DAVIK the ARMORER runs onto the balcony.
SERGEANT. Lord Aeneas comes, sir!
DAVIK. My lord --
HEKTOR. Davik, arm me. --Androm'ke?
ANDROMAKE. Yes, my -- I mean my, um . . .?
HEKTOR. Nothing. A mountain-height of sweetness just to look at you.
ANDROMAKE. My lord.
Enter Aeneas, Deiphobus, and several officers below.
AENEAS. Hektor! Hektor!
HEKTOR. Aeneas? Cousin, I'm with you instantly.
--Ella, look after your lady and Skamandrios.
Arm yourself. --Davik, follow, and arm me as we go! Farewell!
Hektor exits inward in haste with Davik the armorer.
ANDROMAKE. Once again, I've not said what I wanted.
ELLA. My lamb?
ANDROMAKE. I wanted desp'rately to tell him how I love him.
ELLA. Do you not think he knows?
HEKTOR and Davik appear below.
HEKTOR. Hurry, good Davik. --Is that Aeneas? Sergeant, more light here! Aeneas, give me your hand. Deiph'bus, brother; off'cers, give me your hands. Zeus, but my memory's terrible, or I'd remember your name, sir; 's I seem to do your face.
1 OFFICER. Koroebus. Never mind, sir.
HEKTOR. Koroebus? New lieutenant, is it not? Help Davik.
Friends, you've heard the news? Then gather your men; run after me in silence.
AENEAS. My company's outside, and ready.
HEKTOR. Give me Antenor's message. Aeneas, this is our strategy. --Open the gate!
(SERGEANT. Open the gate!)
Men open the gate.
HEKTOR. The gods now save all foolish heroes, who love their cities and defend against besiegers. -- Remember, our city's life hangs on your silence now. Turn your hearts bronze, your lips to lead; and follow me.
HEKTOR exits, followed by AENEAS and the officers. The gate is immediately shut and heavily barred.
ELLA. Where do they hurry?
ANDROMAKE. The harbor. Our grain fleet from Larissa's drowning.
ELLA. Drowning? The grain fleet? But we depend...! Oh, oh, o Zeus!
She falls.
ANDROMAKE. Ella, the city's almost out of bread.
ELLA. Rumor is, lord Hektor will further cut the rations.
ANDROMAKE. My lord is doing all he can. His last gold piece paid for those sunk ships.
ELLA. O, if we lose the barley, we're done, done! What will we eat? O Zeus . . .
ANDROMAKE. My lord will never fail. Rise up, Ella, come!
ELLA. My lady?
ANDROMAKE. Come, Ella! We must double-bolt the doors.
They exit.[To Be Continued]
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