SCENE 5 - Afternoon, the next day on the WHARTON home piazza
(CAESAR had established a system of espionage to catch any information
with a view to the safety of his young master and reported that he heard
voices the evening before in low tones from the room of Mr.HARPER, located
in an end wing of the house.)
(Mr. HARPER had joined the family as it assembled around AUNT JEANETTE's
tea table, when the weather changed. The rain had been beating against the
east windows with fury; sky was dark and gloomy in that direction when suddenly
the rushing winds ceased, the pelting of the storm was over. In the west
the sun broke forth and shed its radiance on the landscape. The air was
balmy and refreshing in the fullest richness of the clear atmosphere and
as still as the softest mornings in June.)
(Mr. HARPER and FRANCES had exited to the piazza and stand absorbing
the beauty of the landscape.)
HARPER: What a magnificent scene! How grand; how awfully sublime! May
such a quiet speedily await the struggle in which my country is engaged,
and such a glorious evening follow the day of her adversity.
(FRANCES alone hears his voice. She looks at him, standing there bare-headed
with his eyes lifted to heaven, lighted with a glow like enthusiasm and
a slight flush passed over his features.)
FRANCES (to herself): There can be no danger apprehended from such a
man; such feelings belong only to the virtuous.
(Joining them, the family welcomes this scene of sunlight on the Sound,
the body of water between the mainland and Long
Island, as HARVEY comes dashing across the grounds in long strides
and up to the piazza.)
HARVEY: Fine evening; warm and agreeable for the season.
MR. WHARTON: How is your father?
HARVEY: He fails fast; old age and hardship will do their work.
(FRANCES notices his quivering lip, moistened eyes and tremor in his
voice, and for the second time HARVEY rose in her estimation. He seats himself
on the piazza, intently watching the water, when suddenly he jumps up.)
HARVEY: The rig'lars must be out from below.
HENRY: Why do you think so. God send it may be true; I want their escort
again.
HARVEY: Them ten whaleboats would not move so fast unless they were
better manned than common.
HENRY: Look. There is nothing but spots to be seen.
HARVEY: They came out before the gale, laid on the island for two days;
horse are on the road; there will soon be fighting near us.
(BIRCH glances at HARPER with uneasiness several times during those words,
and HARPER appears unnoticing, but then tells his host that he will depart
now that the weather has cleared, to gain a few miles on his way yet that
evening, thanking him for his gracious hospitality.)
(When CAESAR appears with the noble beast to carry the traveler, BIRCH
assists in tightening the girths and fastening the blue cloak and valise
to the mail straps. HARPER pays his compliments with kindness to SARAH and
her AUNT JEANETTE, but with FRANCES, he pauses, his face assumes an expression
of fatherly affection, as though his eyes repeat the blessing he had spoken
earlier. The girl feels her cheeks glow and heart beat quicker as he spoke
his goodbyes. As he offers his hand to HENRY, his manner becomes solemn.)
HARPER: The step you have undertaken is one of much danger, and disagreeable
results can come of it; in such a case, I may have it in my power to prove
the gratitude I owe your family for its kindness.
MR. WHARTON: Surely, sir, you will keep secret the discovery which your
being in my house enabled you to make.
HARPER: (his face softens) I have learned nothing in your family, sir,
of which I was ignorant before; but your son is safer from my knowledge
of his visit, than he would be without it.
(He bows to the party gathered, mounts his horse and rides off to the
north, leaving BIRCH watching closely until the pair are lost behind the
hill, then, he draws a long and heavy sigh. Turning his attention to CAPT.
WHARTON, )
HARVEY: CAPT. WHARTON, Do you go in tonight?
HENRY: MR. BIRCH, would you have me leave such pleasant company so soon,
when I may never enjoy it again.?
HARVEY: I rather guess, now the storm is over, the Skinners will be
moving; you had better shorten your visit, CAPT. WHARTON.
HENRY: A few guineas will buy off those rascals any time, should I meet
them. No, MR. BIRCH, I'll stay until morning.
HARVEY (warns): Money could not liberate Major Andre.
SARAH: You had better take the advice of HARVEY; his opinion in such
matters ought not to be disregarded.
FRANCES: Yes, if as I suspect, he assisted you in coming here, your
safety requires that you listen to him now.
HENRY: I bought myself out, and I can take myself in. Our bargain went
no further than to procure my disguise and to let me know when the coast
was clear; and in the latter particular, you were mistaken, MR. BIRCH.
HARVEY: I was, and the greater the reason you should get back tonight.
The pass I gave you will serve but once.
HENRY: Can you not forge another? Here I stay this night - come what
will.
HARVEY: CAPT. WHARTON, beware a tall Virginian, with huge whiskers;
he is below you to my knowledge. The devil can't deceive him; I never could
but once.
HENRY: Let him beware of me, but, MR. BIRCH, I exonerate you from further
responsibility.
HARVEY: Will you give me that in writing?
HENRY: Oh, cheerfully, CAESAR, pen, ink, and paper that I may write
a discharge for my trusty attendant, HARVEY BIRCH, peddler, etc, etc.
(CAESAR brings the requested items, and a discharge is flippantly written
out by HENRY and given to HARVEY, who carefully deposits it inside his shirt
beside the image of his Catholic Majesty. He bows to the group and hurries
back to his cottage.)
(Shortly thereafter HENRY reconsiders his precarious situation and sends
CAESAR to the BIRCH' cottage to ask HARVEY for another interview on assistance
in HENRY's leaving, but CAESAR returns saying KATY told him HARVEY had already
left and set out for the north with his pack.)
AUNT JEANETTE: How is it Mr. BIRCH is able to travel to and fro in these
difficult times, without molestation?
MR. WHARTON: Do you think, my son, there is no danger of his betraying
you?
FRANCES: I think HARVEY BIRCH is not without good feelings; at least
he has the appearance of them at times.
HENRY sings PEDDLER:
"Those knowing looks ... and ominous warnings he chose
... give me more uneasiness ... than I care to know ... Why the rebels suffer
... a peddler ... to escape so easily ... is more than I can se-ee ...
(repeat tune) ... " He seems to be ... quite faithful in all of
his work ... so he must return again ... for goods in New York ...If he
should betray me ... he would see ...that the fate awaiting him ... could
be the same as for me;"
"but Sir Henry would not ... permit a hair of his
head ... to meet with a catastrophy."
MR. WHARTON: Then you cannot be safe while in his power, for no love
will withstand the temptation of money - when offered to avarice.
SARAH: Oh, but he has loyalty. That with me is a cardinal virtue.
HENRY: Surely there must be one love that can resist anything - is there
not, FRANCES? (teasing her.)
FRANCES: Here take your candle. You keep your father up beyond his usual
hour.
SCENE 6 - Daylight, next morning at the breakfast table
(All are seated except HENRY who arrives happily.)
HENRY: I think I did much better having a good bed and now a plentiful
breakfast, instead of trusting to the hospitality of the Refugees.
SARAH: If you could sleep, you were more fortunate than FRANCES and
myself, every murmur of the night air sounded like the approach of the rebel
army.
HENRY: (turning to FRANCES) And how was it with you? Did you see banners
in the clouds?
FRANCES: Nay, HENRY, much as I love my country, the approach of her
troops just now would give me great pain.
(CAESAR had been keeping watch out the window for any signs of moving
objects, suddenly half shouts)
CAESAR: Run, masta HENRY, run, if you love old CAESAR, run, here come
a rebel horse.
(Gathering his military pride,)
HENRY: Run? no, CAESAR, running is not my trade.
(The family collects at the windows and sees about a half mile away about
fifty dragoons moving down one lateral entrance of the valley. In advance
with an officer is a man in countryman attire who points in the direction
of the BIRCH cottage; a dozen sentinels move rapidly toward it and quickly
surround it. Two disappeared into the house, but were soon outside in verbal
exchange with the loquacious housekeeper, KATY; they remounted, moving with
great speed toward THE LOCUSTS.)
(Being too late to retreat to the woods, the sisters quickly put HENRY's
disguise articles back on him, which CAESAR had kept close at his side should
an emergency such as this occur. THE LOCUSTS was quickly surrounded, and
the leader of the horseman was reluctantly admitted by CAESAR.)
(The man's colossal stature exhibited the possession of vast strength,
yet he saluted the family with a mildness his appearance did not indicate.
His dark hair hung around his brow in profusion with his face nearly hidden
by whiskers that almost disfigured it. His voice, deep and powerful, was
not unpleasant.)
THE OFFICER: You have no cause for alarm, ladies, my business is but
a few questions, which if answered, will instantly remove us from your dwelling.
MR. WHARTON: And what may that be, sir?
THE OFFICER: Has there been a strange gentleman staying with you during
the storm?
MR. WHARTON: This gentleman here - favored us with his company during
the rain, and has not yet departed.
THE OFFICER: This gentleman ?
(He approaches HENRY closely and with comic humor:)
THE OFFICER: I am sorry for the severe cold you have in your head, sir.
HENRY: I have no cold in my head.
THE OFFICER: I fancied that, since you covered those handsome black
locks with that ugly old wig; it was my mistake, you will pardon it.
(MR. WHARTON groans aloud, the sisters stand in frigid silence as they
notice they had left some of HENRY's black hair exposed.)
THE OFFICER: Then, sir, I am to understand there has not been a Mr.
HARPER here within the week.
MR. WHARTON: Mr. HARPER, yes, I'd forgotten, but he is gone. If there
be any thing wrong in his character, we are in entire ignorance of it -
to me he was a total stranger.
THE OFFICER: You have little to apprehend from his character, but he
is gone - how - when -and whither?
MR WHARTON: He departed as he arrived, on horseback, last evening, and
he took the northern road.
(The officer appears pleased, abruptly turns and leaves the house, converses
with other dragoons on the lawn; orders are obviously given as groups of
horsemen leave the valley by different routes at full speed. The heavy tread
of footsteps again announce the officer's approach. He bows politely as
he enters the room, walks up to HENRY and with comic gravity, says)
THE OFFICER: My principle business being done, may I beg to examine
the quality of that wig?
HENRY: I hope, sir, it is to your liking.
THE OFFICER: I cannot, without violating the truth, say it is, but that
must have been a sad hurt you received under this enormous black patch.
HENRY: You appear so close an observer. I should like your opinion of
it, sir.
(HENRY removes the silk patch covering one eye area.)
THE OFFICER: Upon my word, you improve most rapidly in externals. Now
if I could but persuade you to exchange that old surcoat for the handsome
blue coat at your side, I think I could never witness a more agreeable metamorphosis,
since I changed myself from a lieutenant to a captain. As a newcomer to
the scene, it is usual for strangers to be introduced. I am Captain LAWTON,
of the Virginia Horse.
HENRY: And I am Captain WHARTON, of His Majesty's 60th regiment of foot.
(Capt. LAWTON's attitude changed - )
LAWTON: Capt. WHARTON, from my soul, I pity you.
MR WHARTON: If you pity him, dear sir, why molest him? He is not a spy;
nothing but a desire to see his family prompted him to venture so far from
the regular army in disguise. Leave him with us; there is no reward, no
sum, which I will not cheerfully pay.
Capt. LAWTON: Sir, your anxiety for your friend excuses your language,
but you forget - I am a Virginian, and a gentleman. Were you ignorant, Capt.
WHARTON, that our pickets have been below you for several days?
HENRY: I did not know until I reached them, and then it was too late
to retreat. I came out, as my father mentioned, to see my family, understanding
your parties to be at Peekskill, near the Highlands, or I would surely not
have ventured this far.
Capt. LAWTON: All this may be true, but the affair of Andre has made
us on the alert. When treason reaches the grade of general officers it behooves
the friends of liberty to be vigilant.
( SARAH begins a protest, but LAWTON answers her mildly.)
LAWTON: I am not the commander of the party, madam; Major DUNWOODIE
will decide what must be done with your brother.
FRANCES: DUNWOODIE? Thank, God, then HENRY is safe.
LAWTON: I hope so; we will leave the matter for his decision.
FRANCES: Then may we expect his company shortly?
LAWTON: Immediately, madam.
FRANCES: We shall always be happy to see Major DUNWOODIE.
LAWTON: Oh, doubtless, he is a general favorite. (to Mr. WHARTON) May
I presume to ask to refresh my men, who compose part of his squadron?
(Mr. WHARTON can hardly refuse under the circumstances and gives orders
to prepare breakfast for additional guests. Chairs are found to accommodate
all, with the ladies leaving theirs for the unexpected officers. After many
buckwheat cakes, )
LAWTON: Does there live a fellow by the name of BIRCH here in the valley
at times?
Mr. WHARTON: At times only, I believe, sir, he is seldom here; I may
say I never see him.
LAWTON: That is strange, considering he is your next neighbor. He must
be quite domestic, and to the ladies it must be somewhat inconvenient. I
doubt not that the muslin in the window-seat cost twice as much as he would
have asked them for it.
(Mr. WHARTON turns in consternation to see fabrics the ladies purchased
still laying around. Several officers struggle to conceal smiles, as LAWTON
returns to his breakfast as though it was his last.)
LAWTON: I had wished to break Mr. BIRCH of his unsocial habits, and
give him a call this morning. Had I found him within, I would have placed
him where he would enjoy life in the midst of society - for a short time
at least.
Mr. WHARTON: And where might that be, sir?
LAWTON: The guard room.
Mr. WHARTON: What is the offense of poor BIRCH?
LAWTON: Poor! If he is poor, King George is a bad paymaster.
AN OFFICER: Yes, indeed, his Majesty owes him a dukedom.
LAWTON: And congress a halter.
Mr WHARTON: I am sorry that any neighbor of mine should incur the displeasure
of our rulers.
LAWTON sings AFTER HIM:
"His frequent escapes from our hands ... no less than imprisonments
... have been the talk of the country ... in too many instances ... of great
mystery ... ever to be forgotten ... what shrouds his secrecy ... And if
I catch him once again ... he'll dangle from his own tree."
"'Tis not twelve months ... since he was seen ... near
headquarters of ... our great commander-in-chief ... when movements were
expected ... to happen hourly ... Knowing passes of these hills ... I have
hunted him until ... I did apprehend ... this reprobate,"
"Though once again ... he maneuvered an escape ... with
help from a serving maid ... as we ate ... but I will keep after him ...
AFTER HIM ... you can wager ... and I'll have him ... before ... I have
... the rank of major."
(A trumpet sound is heard, LAWTON springs from his chair.)
LAWTON: Quick, gentlemen, to your horses. Here comes DUNWOODIE.
(The officers quickly leave the house, mount their steeds and hasten
to greet their Major and comrades.)
SCENE 7 - Same morning a few moments later in an empty parlor
in the house
(FRANCES, through the doorway into the front hall, sees the soldiers
leave, and watches from a window as they greet DUNWOODIE, a tall muscular
dragoon who sat in the saddle with a firmness and ease that showed him master
of himself and his horse. He converses with LAWTON, they ride to a short
distance from the house where DUNWOODIE throws himself from the horse and
hurriedly walks up to the house.)
(FRANCES, with heart pounding for several reasons, rushes out to greet
him and leads him silently into the vacant parlor, opposite to where the
family is gathered.)
FRANCES: Ah, DUNWOODIE , how happy I am on many accounts to see you,
but I have brought you in here to prepare you to meet an unexpected friend
in the opposite room.
DUNWOODIE sings WHATEVER THE REASON:
"Whatever the reason ... whatever the season ... to
spend a few moments with you ... will bring ... such joy to my heart ...
that passion will start ... I cannot restrain ... what my heart contains
... so my love for you must sing."
"This cruel probation ... against my elation ... will not
stop my thoughts to wed you ... ever ... A war takes its toll ... on young
men and old ... and battles ... could end ... my love for you forever.?"
FRANCES sings DON'T ASK ME NOW:
"Can't you realize ... I cannot choose sides ...
when this war is over ... I will be ... ecstatically ... happy ... if you
would marry me ... but ... don't ask me now ... how can I choose
... one side will win ... one side will lose ... You on one side .. against
my brother ... out there in battle ... killing each other."
(FRANCES tries holding back the tears, but they flow with her sobs.)
DUNWOODIE sings:
"That reason makes it more ... important to implore ...
that you will consent ... to become my bride ... Though you're cold to me
... my mind is still free ... to let every night ... your image delight
... every moment passing by."
FRANCES: I can never consent to tie myself to you by any closer union
than already exists, so long as you are arrayed in arms against my only
brother. Even now, that brother is awaiting your decision to restore him
to liberty, or conduct him to a probable death.
DUNWOODIE: Your brother! (turning pale) Your brother? Explain yourself!
What dreadful meaning is concealed in your words?
FRANCES: Has not Capt. LAWTON told you of his arrest of HENRY this very
morning?
DUNWOODIE: He told me of arresting a captain of the 60th in disguise,
but not where or whom.
(The Major drops his head in his hands to conceal his feelings. He slowly
raises his face which shows deep concern.)
FRANCES: DUNWOODIE! What means this distress? Surely you will not betray
your friend, my brother?
DUNWOODIE: FRANCES, what can I do?
FRANCES: Would Major DUNWOODIE yield his friend to his enemies - the
brother of his betrothed wife?
DUNWOODIE: Oh, speak not so unkindly toward me, my dearest FRANCES,
I would this moment die for you - for HENRY - but I cannot forget my duty
- cannot forfeit my honor. You would be the first to despise me if I did.
FRANCES: PEYTON DUNWOODIE, you have told me; you have sworn that you
loved me -"
DUNWOODIE: I do.
(He says with fervor, but she continues with her voice trembling)
FRANCES: Do you think I can throw myself into the arms of a man whose
hands are stained with the blood of my only brother!
DUNWOODIE: FRANCES, you wring my very heart, but we may be torturing
ourselves with unnecessary fears. HENRY, when I know the circumstances,
may be nothing more than a prisoner of war; in which case I can liberate
him on parole.
FRANCES: Oh, there can be no just grounds to doubt it. I knew, I knew,
DUNWOODIE, you would never desert us in the hour of our greatest need.
(She finds relief in a flood of tears against his shoulder, with his
arms around her in comfort, his face yet displays concern of the uncertain
prospects. She eagerly leads the way across the hall into the opposite parlor
to tell the family the welcome news, followed by DUNWOODIE, reluctantly.)
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