East of Suez: A Play in Seven Scenes

Daisy. I tell you I don't know. Why do you cross-examine me? Good God, I'm harassed enough without that! What do you mean?

George. [He seizes her wrists and draws her violently to him.] Daisy, did you send those letters to Harry yourself?

Daisy. Never! Do you think I'm crazy?

George. Did you give them to Lee Tai to send?

Daisy. No.

George. God damn you, speak the truth! I will have the truth for once in your life.

[They stare at one another. He is stern and angry. She pulls herself together. She is fierce and defiant. She shakes herself free of him.

Daisy. I gave them to Lee Tai.

George. [Hiding his face with his hands.] My God!

Daisy. He told me you were engaged to Sylvia. For a moment I believed it and I gave him the letters. I hardly knew what I was doing. And now, even though I know it wasn't true, I'm glad. I wish I'd done it long before.

George. You fiend!

Daisy. [Violently.] Do you think I'm going to let you go so easily? Do you think I've done all I have to let you marry that silly little English girl?

George. [With anguish.] Oh, Daisy, how could you?

Daisy. Has it never struck you how you came to be wounded that night? It wasn't you they wanted. It was Harry.

George. I know. [Suddenly understanding.] Daisy!

Daisy. Yes, I could do that. I only wish it had succeeded.

George. I can't believe it.

Daisy. You're mine, mine, mine, and I'll never let you go.

George. [With increasing violence.] Do you think I can ever look at you again without horror? In my heart I've known always that you were evil. Ten years ago when I first loved you there was a deep instinct within that warned me. Even though my heart was breaking for love of you I knew that you were ruthless and cruel. I've loved you, yes, but all the time I've hated you. I've loved you, but with the baser part of me. All that was in me that was honest and decent and upright revolted against you. Always, always. This love has been a loathsome cancer in my heart. I couldn't rid me of it without killing myself, but I abhorred it. I felt that I was degraded by the love that burned me.

Daisy. What do I care so long as you love? You can think anything you like of me. The fact remains that you love me.

George. If you had no pity for Harry, who raised you from the gutter and gave you everything he had to give, oh, if you'd loved me you'd have had mercy on me. What do you think our life can be together? Don't you know what I shall be? Ruined and abject and hopeless. Oh, not only in the eyes of everyone who knows me shall I be degraded, but in my own. Do you think there's much happiness for you there?

Daisy. I shall have you. That's all the happiness I want. I'd rather be wretched with you – oh, a thousand times – than happy with anyone else.

George. [Wrathfully, trying to wound her.] You were tormenting me just now because you were jealous of Sylvia. Do you know what I felt for her? It wasn't love – at least not what you mean by love. I can never love anyone as I've loved you and God knows I'm thankful. But I had such a respect for her. I've been so wretched and she offered me peace. And I did think that some day when all this horror was over, if I could do something to make myself feel clean again, I should go to her and, all unworthy, ask her if she would take me. And now the bitterest pang of all is to think that she must know what an unspeakable cad I've always been.

[He has flung himself into a chair. He is in despair. Daisy goes up to him and going down on her knees beside him puts her arm round him. She is very tender.

Daisy. Oh, George, I can make you forget her so easily. You don't know what my love can do. I know I've been horrible, but it's only been because I loved you. Ten years ago I was all that she is. I'm like clay in your hands and you can make me what you will. Oh, George, say you forgive me!

[In the caressing gestures of her hands as she tries to move him one of them rests by chance on his coat pocket. She feels something hard. He moves slightly away.

George. Take care.

Daisy. What's that in your pocket?

George. It's my revolver. Since my accident I've always carried it about with me. It's rather silly, but the Minister asked me to. He said he'd feel safer.

Daisy. Oh, George, if you only knew the agony I suffered when you were brought in! The remorse, the fear! I thought I should go mad.

George. [With a bitter chuckle.] It must have been rather a sell for you.

Daisy. Oh, you can laugh! I knew you'd forgive me. My darling.

George. I'm sorry for all the rough things I said to you, Daisy. I don't blame you for anything. You only acted according to your lights. The only person I can blame is myself. It's only reasonable that I should suffer the punishment.

Daisy. My sweetheart!

George. I suppose you know that I shall be quite ruined.

Daisy. You'll have to leave the service. Does that really matter to you very much?

George. It was my whole life.

Daisy. You'll get a job in the post office. With your knowledge of the language they'll simply jump at you. It's a Chinese service. It has nothing to do with Europeans.

George. Do you think the postmaster in a small Chinese city is a very lucrative position?

Daisy. What does money matter? If I'd wanted money I could have got all I wanted from Lee Tai. We can do with very little. You don't know what a clever housekeeper I am.

George. [In a level, dead voice.] I'm sure you're wonderful.

Daisy. We'll go to some city where there are no foreigners. And we shall be together always. We'll have a house high up on the bank and below us the river will flow, flow endlessly.

George. You seem to have got it all mapped out.

Daisy. If you only knew how often I've dreamed of it. Oh, George, I want rest and peace too! I'm so tired. I want endless days to rest in. [With a puzzled look at him.] What is the matter? You look so strange.

George. [With a weary sigh.] I was thinking of all the things you've been saying to me.

Daisy. If you think it'll be easier for you if you don't marry me, you need not. I don't care anything about that. I'll be your mistress and I'll lie hidden in your house so that no one shall know I'm there. I'll live like a Chinese woman. I'll be your slave and your plaything. I want to get away from all these Europeans. After all, China is the land of my birth and the land of my mother. China is crowding in upon me; I'm sick of these foreign clothes. I have a strange hankering for the ease of the Chinese dress. You've never seen me in it?

George. Never.

Daisy. [With a smile.] You'd hardly know me. I'll be a little Chinese girl living in the foreigner's house. Have you ever smoked opium?

George. No. [Daisy takes the Amah's long pipe in her hands.] Who does that belong to?

Daisy. It's amah's. One day you shall try and I'll make your pipes for you. Lee Tai used to say that no one could make them better than I.

George. However low down the ladder you go there's apparently always a rung lower.

Daisy. After you've smoked a pipe or two your mind grows extraordinarily clear. You have a strange facility of speech and yet no desire to speak. All the puzzles of this puzzling world grow plain to you. You are tranquil and free. Your soul is gently released from the bondage of your body, and it plays, happy and careless, like a child with flowers. Death cannot frighten you, and want and misery are like blue mountains far away. You feel a heavenly power possess you and you can venture all things because suffering cannot touch you. Your spirit has wings and you fly like a bird through the starry wastes of the night. You hold space and time in the hollow of your hand. Then you come upon the dawn, all pearly and gray and silent, and there in the distance, like a dreamless sleep, is the sea.

George. You are showing me a side of you I never knew.

Daisy. Do you think you know me yet? I don't know myself. In my heart there are secrets that are strange even to me, and spells to bind you to me, and enchantments so that you will never weary.

[A pause.

George. [Standing up.] I'll go and get myself a drink. After all these alarums and excursions I really think I deserve it.

Daisy. Amah will bring it to you.

George. Oh, it doesn't matter! I can easily fetch it myself. The whisky's in the dining-room, isn't it?

Daisy. I expect so.

[He goes out. Daisy goes over to a chest which stands in the room and throws it open. She takes out the Manchu dress which Harry once gave her and handles it smilingly. She holds up in both her hands the sumptuous headdress. There is the sound of a door being locked. Daisy puts down the headdress and looks at the door enquiringly.

Daisy. [With a little smile.] What are you locking the door for, George? [The words are hardly out of her mouth before there is the report of a pistol shot. Daisy gives a shriek and rushes towards the door.] George! George! What have you done? [She beats frantically on the door.] Let me in! Let me in! George!

[The Amah comes in running from the courtyard.

Amah. What's the matter? I hear shot.

Daisy. Send the boys, quick. We must break down this door.

Amah. I send the boys away. I no want them here when Harry come.

Daisy. George! George! Speak to me. [She beats violently on the door.] Oh, what shall I do?

Amah. Daisy, what's the matter?

Daisy. He's killed himself sooner – sooner than…

Amah. [Aghast.] Oh!

[Daisy staggers back into the room.

Daisy. Oh, my God!

[She sinks down on the floor. She beats it with her fist. The Amah looks at her for an instant, then with quick determination seizes her shoulder.

Amah. Daisy, Harry come soon.

Daisy. [With a violent gesture.] Leave me alone. What do I care if Harry comes?

Amah. You no can stay here. Come with me quick.

Daisy. Go away. Damn you!

Amah. [Stern and decided.] Don't you talk foolish now. You come. Lee Tai waiting for you.

Daisy. [With a sudden suspicion.] Did you know this was going to happen? George! George!

Amah. Harry will kill you if he find you here. Come with me. [There is a knocking at the outer gate.] There he is. Daisy! Daisy!

Daisy. Don't torture me.

Amah. I bolt that door. He no get in that way. He must come round through temple. You come quick and I hide you. We slip out when he safe.

Daisy. [With scornful rage.] Do you think I'm frightened of Harry?

Amah. He come velly soon now.

[Daisy raises herself to her feet. A strange look comes over her face.

Daisy. Lee Tai has made a mistake again. Bolt that door.

[The Amah runs to it and slips the bolt. While she does this Daisy takes the tin of opium and quickly swallows some of the contents. The Amah turns round and sees her. She gives a gasp. She runs forward and snatches the tin from Daisy's hand.

Amah. What you do, Daisy? Daisy, you die!

Daisy. Yes, I die. The day has come. The jungle takes back its own.

Amah. [Distraught.] Oh, Daisy! Daisy! My little flower.

Daisy. How long will it take? [The Amah sobs desperately. Daisy goes to the Manchu clothes and takes them up.] Help me to put these on.

Amah. [Dumbfounded.] What you mean, Daisy?

Daisy. Curse you, do as I tell you!

Amah. I think you crazy. [Daisy slips into the long skirt and the Amah with trembling hands helps her into the coat. In the middle of her dressing Daisy staggers.] Daisy.

Daisy. [Recovering herself.] Don't be a fool. I'm all right.

Amah. [In a terrified whisper.] There's Harry.

Daisy. Give me the headdress.

Harry. [Outside.] Open the door.

Daisy. Be quick.

Amah. I no understand. You die, Daisy. You die.

[The knocking is repeated more violently.

Harry. [Shouting.] Daisy! Amah! Open the door. If you don't open I'll break it down.

[Daisy is ready. She steps on to the pallet and sits in the Chinese fashion.

Daisy. Go to the door. Open when I tell you.

[There is by Daisy's side a box in which are the paints and pencils the Chinese lady uses to make up her face. Daisy opens it. She takes out a hand mirror.

Harry. Who's there? Open, I tell you! Open!

[Daisy puts rouge on her cheeks. She takes a black pencil and touches her eyebrows. She gives them a slight slant so that she looks on a sudden absolutely Chinese.

Daisy. Open!

[The Amah draws the bolt and Harry bursts in.

Harry. Daisy! [He comes forward impetuously and then on a sudden stops. He is taken aback. Something, he knows not what, comes over him and he feels helpless and strangely weak.] Daisy, what does it mean? These letters. [He takes them out of his pocket and thrusts them towards her. She takes no notice of him.] Daisy, speak to me. I don't understand. [He staggers towards her with outstretched hands.] For God's sake, say it isn't true.

[Motionless she contemplates in the mirror the Chinese woman of the reflection.

THE END