Major Barbara - George Bernard Shaw (best e book reader .TXT) 📗

epub:type="z3998:persona">Price Thievin swine! Wish I ad their job, Rummy, all the same. Wot does Rummy stand for? Pet name props? Rummy Short for Romola. Price For wot!? Rummy Romola. It was out of a new book. Somebody me mother wanted me to grow up like. Price We’re companions in misfortune, Rummy. Both on us got names that nobody cawnt pronounce. Consequently I’m Snobby and you’re Rummy because Bill and Sally wasn’t good enough for our parents. Such is life! Rummy Who saved you, Mr. Price? Was it Major Barbara? Price No: I come here on my own. I’m goin to be Bronterre O’Brien Price, the converted painter. I know wot they like. I’ll tell ’em how I blasphemed and gambled and wopped my poor old mother⁠— Rummy Shocked. Used you to beat your mother? Price Not likely. She used to beat me. No matter: you come and listen to the converted painter, and you’ll hear how she was a pious woman that taught me me prayers at ’er knee, an’ how I used to come home drunk and drag her out o’ bed be ’er snow white ’airs, an’ lam into ’er with the poker. Rummy That’s what’s so unfair to us women. Your confessions is just as big lies as ours: you don’t tell what you really done no more than us; but you men can tell your lies right out at the meetins and be made much of for it; while the sort o’ confessions we az to make az to be wispered to one lady at a time. It ain’t right, spite of all their piety. Price Right! Do you spose the Army’d be allowed if it went and did right? Not much. It combs our ’air and makes us good little blokes to be robbed and put upon. But I’ll play the game as good as any of ’em. I’ll see somebody struck by lightnin’, or hear a voice sayin “Snobby Price: where will you spend eternity?” I’ll ’ave a time of it, I tell you. Rummy You won’t be let drink, though. Price I’ll take it out in gorspellin’, then. I don’t want to drink if I can get fun enough any other way. Jenny Hill, a pale, overwrought, pretty Salvation lass of 18, comes in through the yard gate, leading Peter Shirley, a half hardened, half worn-out elderly man, weak with hunger. Jenny Supporting him. Come! pluck up. I’ll get you something to eat. You’ll be all right then. Price Rising and hurrying officiously to take the old man off Jenny’s hands. Poor old man! Cheer up, brother: you’ll find rest and peace and ’appiness ’ere. Hurry up with the food, miss: ’e’s fair done. Jenny hurries into the shelter. ’Ere, buck up, daddy! She’s fetchin y’a thick slice o’ bread ’n’ treacle, an’ a mug o’ skyblue. He seats him at the corner of the table. Rummy Gaily. Keep up your old art! Never say die! Shirley I’m not an old man. I’m ony 46. I’m as good as ever I was. The grey patch come in my hair before I was thirty. All it wants is three pennorth o’ hair dye: am I to be turned on the streets to starve for it? Holy God! I’ve worked ten to twelve hours a day since I was thirteen, and paid my way all through; and now am I to be thrown into the gutter and my job given to a young man that can do it no better than me because I’ve black hair that goes white at the first change? Price Cheerfully. No good jawrin’ about it. You’re ony a jumped-up, jerked-off, ’orspittle-turned-out incurable of an ole workin man: who cares about you? Eh? Make the thievin’ swine give you a meal: they’ve stole many a one from you. Get a bit o’ your own back. Jenny returns with the usual meal. There you are, brother. Awsk a blessin an tuck that into you. Shirley Looking at it ravenously but not touching it, and crying like a child. I never took anything before. Jenny Petting him. Come, come! the Lord sends it to you: he wasn’t above taking bread from his friends; and why should you be? Besides, when we find you a job you can pay us for it if you like. Shirley Eagerly. Yes, yes: that’s true. I can pay you back: it’s only a loan. Shivering. Oh Lord! oh Lord! He turns to the table and attacks the meal ravenously. Jenny Well, Rummy, are you more comfortable now? Rummy God bless you, lovey! You’ve fed my body and saved my soul, haven’t you? Jenny, touched, kisses her. Sit down and rest a bit: you must be ready to drop. Jenny I’ve been going hard since morning. But there’s more work than we can do. I mustn’t stop. Rummy Try a prayer for just two minutes. You’ll work all the better after. Jenny Her eyes lighting up. Oh isn’t it wonderful how a few minutes prayer revives you! I was quite lightheaded at twelve o’clock, I was so tired; but Major Barbara just sent me to pray for five minutes; and I was able to go on as if I had only just begun. To Price. Did you have a piece of bread? Paige With unction. Yes, miss; but I’ve got the piece that I value more; and that’s the peace that passeth hall hannerstennin. Rummy Fervently. Glory Hallelujah! Bill Walker, a rough customer of about 25, appears at the yard gate and looks malevolently at Jenny. Jenny That makes me so happy. When you say that, I feel wicked for loitering here. I must get to work again. She is hurrying to the shelter, when the newcomer moves quickly up to the door and intercepts her. His manner is so threatening that she retreats as he comes at her truculently, driving her down the yard. Bill I know you. You’re the one that took away my girl. You’re the one that set ’er agen