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6

A YOUNG WOMAN enters, in elegant but filthy clothing. She stares at the spectacle. Her mouth moves in an uncontrolled way.

SISI: I’m visiting /

(She puts a hand to her mouth.)

Visiting /

(SISI’s voice wounds BIBLE like the stroke of a knife. He ceases suckling. His body rigidifies.)

Oh yes /

(She controls the nerves of her face.)

VISITING /

(Recognizing BIBLE, SISI extends a mocking finger and laughs hysterically. THRASH merely observes her. WARDROBE climbs off the canvas bed, wide-eyed and ghastly. He goes to her. He takes her hands in his own. He places his forehead to hers. The wind blows. At last he separates his face from hers.)

WARDROBE: Sisi / you stink /

SISI: Filthy train /

(ENGINE enters discreetly, carrying a small suitcase, which he deposits on the floor.)

Filthy train / Wardrobe / for seven days / and seven nights / when I got down I asked this man for water / you may have water / he said / but only to drink / is water scarce / I asked / no / he said / not scarce /

(She observes BIBLE’s agony.)

Bible / it’s me /

WARDROBE: The Captain does not lie / nor is he cruel / he is instrumental /

SISI: Sisi /

WARDROBE: And in this sense / trustworthy / as a tool is trustworthy /

SISI: SISI / BIBLE /

WARDROBE: At least / until it snaps /

SISI: (Sweetly, to BIBLE.) Sisi /

WARDROBE: And a snapped tool /

BIBLE: I can’t look / Sisi / I can’t look at you /

WARDROBE: I’m not sure we would welcome that /

(BIBLE wails. SISI looks at THRASH, then at WARDROBE, who is gazing at ENGINE. He discovers some remnant of frivolity.)

I know why you are here / or more precisely /

(He claps his hands.)

How are you here /

SISI: Bible / give me a tiny / tiny hug /

(With a sudden shift of his body, BIBLE at last looks at SISI. The effect is to double his misery.)

WARDROBE: The how being / as always with regard to the imperial dispensation / more important than the why / after all /

ENGINE: Mr Wardrobe /

WARDROBE: The substantive / and interrogative / why / by definition /

ENGINE: You may not speak contempt /

WARDROBE: Is an invocation / is it not / to reason? / and reason /

ENGINE: Contempt / Mr Wardrobe /

WARDROBE: Reason we have /

(He plays with his fingers.)

How shall we say? / learned to forego / rather as if / adopting a strenuous diet / one succeeded in persuading oneself that this particular ingredient of one’s intellectual life was / in any case / of limited value in maintaining health / yes /

(He is satisfied with himself.)

Yes / just like that / so / abolishing the why / and concentrating solely on the how /

SISI: Bible has ceased to love me /

WARDROBE: Not at all /

SISI: (Without grief.) He has / he has ceased to love me / possibly because I stink /

BIBLE: Sisi /

WARDROBE: Stinking is of supreme irrelevance / I promise you /

SISI: (Wounded now.) HE’S LOOKING AT ME / WITH SUCH A / SUCH A HORRID LOOK /

BIBLE: (Wretchedly.) Sisi /

SISI: HORRID / HORRID THAT LOOK / AND I CAME TO VISIT YOU /

(WARDROBE shrugs. ENGINE, embarrassed by the atmosphere, turns to go. SISI commands him.)

I’m not staying /

(ENGINE stops, gazing at the floor.)

Silly / possibly / seven days one way / seven days the other /

(She hurtles towards BIBLE.)

WHEN SOMEONE COMES TO VISIT YOU / YOU SHOULD BE NICE /

(BIBLE is pained. SISI’s clenched fist seems to ripple the air. SISI alters, kneels, and strokes the face of BIBLE.)

It’s because you are a poet / isn’t it? / and poets are not like anybody else /

(BIBLE nods earnestly and weeps.)

It’s overwhelming / yes / to see me in a place like this / your heart is / oh / exploding in your chest / quiet / heart / quiet / heart /

(Now she blinks back tears. BIBLE laughs in a pitiful way.)

Heart / lie down / now / turn off the light / and climb into bed /

(They both laugh.)

I’ll tell you a story / little heart /

ENGINE: Ten minutes /

SISI: About another heart / a heart that somehow / we don’t know how / got out of a body / possibly by squeezing itself between the ribs /

(BIBLE laughs childishly.)

ENGINE: Ten / miss /

WARDROBE: (To ENGINE.) She loves him /

ENGINE: Ten /

WARDROBE: (A brief rage.) SHE LOVES HIM /

(He suffocates the sensation. The CAPTAIN merely lifts his gaze.)

Ten / ten minutes / yes /

(ENGINE departs. SISI’s narrative falters. The wind creaks the boards.)

The how was this / and I shall be mortified if this is incorrect / the how was this /

(He walks a little.)

You said / in an unguarded moment / and precisely why the moment was unguarded / we can easily guess / you said you missed us /

(He stops marching.)

You missed my playing / and Bible’s verse / a loving sigh escaped your lips / whereupon / with that inexorable frivolity we grew to dread / the Emperor declared / I see it now / I see his face / or if not his face / the mischievous illumination flickering over it / your nostalgia would be gratified / and instantly / oh / instantly I suspect / your blood ran cold to contemplate this disastrous slip /

SISI: (Anticipating the logic.) I’m visiting / Wardrobe /

WARDROBE: He had no intention / none whatsoever / of recalling us from this hideous place / it was Sisi who had to make the trip /

SISI: (A desperate affirmation.) VISITING / I SAID /

WARDROBE: (Cruelly.) And the duration of the visit / Sisi / what is it? /

(SISI regards WARDROBE fiercely. Then she falters. Her lip trembles. She looks at the floor.)

Sisi / oh / Sisi / if I’m spiteful it’s because you / oh /

(He waves a hand wildly.)

You are so / proud / and vain / and /

(He shakes his head.)

Whoever comes here is obliterated / Sisi / you should have wiped us from your memory / as a skivvy wipes stains from a café table with a stinking cloth /

(SISI shakes her head now. BIBLE climbs off the lap of the OLD WOMAN and goes to her, tentatively laying one hand on her, but unable to lift his eyes to her.)

BIBLE: (To WARDROBE.) You say stinking all the time now / have you noticed that? /

WARDROBE: Yes /

BIBLE: Stinking this / and stinking that /

WARDROBE: I do / I do describe most things as stinking /

BIBLE: There are other words / filthy / for example / you could say / a filthy cloth /

WARDROBE: (Resolutely.) No / the cloth stinks /

BIBLE: But the cloth is hypothetical /

WARDROBE: (Throbbing.) IT STINKS / IT STINKS /

BIBLE: (Equalling his rage.) A HYPOTHESIS CAN’T STINK / WARDROBE /

WARDROBE: (Relapsing.) DID YOU FRIG MY MOTHER? / DID YOU? / DID YOU? / DID YOU FRIG MY MOTHER? /

(SISI seems enchanted by WARDROBE’s swift decay. She claps her hands.)

SISI / WARDROBE: (In unison.) YOUR FINGERS SHONE / YOUR SHINING FINGERS /

(WARDROBE ceases, but SISI completes the article.)

SISI: HE SAYS YOU FRIGGED MY MOTHER /

(SISI collapses in a spontaneous and delighted laugh.)

He still / oh blessed / blessed / boy /

WARDROBE: I still /

SISI: You still /

WARDROBE: (Sharing her pleasure.) I do like still /

SISI: When everything stinks /

WARDROBE: Including you /

SISI: When all things stink / including me / how wonderful is still / still / still /

(The SOLDIER enters, discreetly.)

BIBLE: (Feeling his exclusion.) Finish the story / Sisi /

SOLDIER: The Captain says /

SISI: Does he? /

BIBLE: The story of the little hearts /

(WARDROBE fetches SISI’s bag, the sight of which fills BIBLE with despair.)

DON’T GO / SISI /

(SISI accepts her bag from WARDROBE. BIBLE transforms himself, adopting a tone of casual indifference.)

Thanks for the picture of your arse /

(Feigning indifference, BIBLE strolls over to the canvas bed and flings himself onto it. He smothers himself in his arms and wails.)

I’m dying / I’m dying of my love for you /

(SISI frowns, gazing at the wretched spectacle which is BIBLE.)

SOLDIER: The Captain says /

WARDROBE: Quite / and if she stays a minute longer /

SOLDIER: I’ll be thrashed /

WARDROBE: It’s true / he will be /

BIBLE: (Ranting now.) DYING / DYING /

(SISI gazes on WARDROBE, who smothering a rising dread, places his forehead to hers before propelling her with a mild shove towards the SOLDIER. SISI departs to the accompaniment of BIBLE’s ranting as he shreds the photographs in his fists. At last his rage subsides.)

THRASH: Men die for arse / for arse like that / they die /

WARDROBE: You should know /

THRASH: I do know / some died for mine / so I don’t disparage Mr Bible /

WARDROBE: (Going to the wrapped violin.) Me neither /

(Instantly he repudiates.)

I do / I do disparage it /

(He starts to tear off the wrapping.)

I disparage it / whilst simultaneously conceding the possibility of some greater design concealed in it / admitting therefore its status / if not as a paradox / as a conundrum / notwithstanding which /

(He flings the paper aside.)

I deplore the fact that arse has / does / and always will / humiliate intelligence / there is nothing in this case /

(He is briefly still.)

Possibly intelligence requires to be humiliated / it’s empty / on a regular basis / humiliated / ridiculed / even annihilated / the animal and the spiritual conducting a mutual discipline without which /

(He is silent. Then he lifts the case between extended fingers.)

Or if there is something inside it’s /

(He barely shakes it.)

It’s not a violin /

(BIBLE sits up.)

BIBLE: Don’t open it / Wardrobe /

(WARDROBE remains kneeling with the violin case held aloft.)

Don’t open it because /

(WARDROBE looks at BIBLE.)

Because the Emperor has a sense of humour /

WARDROBE: We have established that /

BIBLE: We have / and this sense of humour is not / I think we also have agreed / of a sort that might be described as innocuous /

WARDROBE: Not innocuous / no /

BIBLE: No / and could not be satisfied with / to take an idea more or less random / leaving the case empty /

WARDROBE: That certainly would be innocuous /

BIBLE: It’s worse than that /

WARDROBE: Worse / yes / or if not worse /

BIBLE: Different /

WARDROBE: Different / yes / for example /

BIBLE: (Inspired.) It might explode /

WARDROBE: Explode? / that’s different / certainly /

(He scrutinizes the violin case.)

BIBLE: (Developing his thesis.) As you undid the catches / the catches would detonate the charge / not a massive charge / perhaps / but adequate to / say / tear off your hand /

WARDROBE: That’s scarcely innocuous /

BIBLE: Not in the least innocuous / no /

WARDROBE: To spoil the hand of a violinist / neither innocuous / nor subtle /

BIBLE: Not subtle / no / is the Emperor subtle? /

WARDROBE: Yes /

BIBLE: (Incredulous.) Subtle? /

WARDROBE: Yes / oh yes /

BIBLE: Is he? / are we talking about the same man? /

WARDROBE: (Crossly.) SUBTLE IS THE EMPEROR / YES /

BIBLE: Notwithstanding he sends me photographs / grotesquely enlarged / of Sisi’s cunt / and Sisi’s arse / still you say he’s subtle /

WARDROBE: (Patiently.) The subtlety of the gesture you are referring to lies /

BIBLE: (Fuming.) And when my darling happens to say / I miss my poet / my very own poet /

WARDROBE: Not in the scale / or the indecency / of these photographs /

BIBLE: Thrusts her on a filthy train / with neither water / nor a change of clothes / that’s subtlety / is it? /

WARDROBE: But in revealing the ambiguity of the tenderness you / and all men / possibly / entertain with regard to the object of your passions /

BIBLE: SISI IS NOT AN OBJECT /

WARDROBE: (Throwing up his hands.) Oh /

BIBLE: NOT AN OBJECT / NO / AND THERE IS NOTHING WHATSOEVER AMBIGUOUS IN THE FEELINGS / ANY OF THE FEELINGS / I ENTERTAIN FOR HER /

WARDROBE: You are lurid /

BIBLE: Am I? / am I lurid? /

WARDROBE: Lurid and / I hate to say it /

BIBLE: What? / What do you hate to say? /

(WARDROBE hesitates.)

SAY WHAT YOU HATE TO SAY / WARDROBE /

WARDROBE: Doomed /

(BIBLE opens his mouth to retaliate but cannot. He stares. WARDROBE senses the extent of the damage but does not have the resources to repair it. THRASH goes towards him.)

THRASH: Give us it /

(WARDROBE seems oblivious of the fact he is holding the violin case.)

The violin / darling / I’ll open it outside / if it blows my hand off / never mind /

WARDROBE: (Gazing at her.) You are neither young / nor talented /

THRASH: Neither /

WARDROBE: And you don’t say live /

THRASH: I don’t / do I? /

WARDROBE: So if you die /

THRASH: That’s neither more nor less than I expected /

WARDROBE: Like sunset / like sunrise /

(He still holds the violin case. THRASH relieves him of it and goes out. Neither WARDROBE nor BIBLE moves. At last BIBLE sits on the canvas bed. WARDROBE studies him. He thinks to speak, but refrains.)

She won’t /

(He ponders.)

Come to grief / if there had been the slightest danger of bad consequences I /

(He frowns.)

No / no / that’s a lie /

(He bites his lip.)

That’s a lie / and surely / if there are mitigating aspects / or even one / one aspect / which might be identified in the inventory of squalor that defines the frontier / it is this / really / there is no need to lie /

(BIBLE is consumed in introversion.)

Wouldn’t you say? /

(He does not distract BIBLE.)

So / no / no need to posture / or pretend / I was perfectly happy for her to /

(He stops. He listens.)

No explosion / and frankly /

(He listens again.)

Frankly / your proposition was absurd / if the Emperor wished to put an end to my vocation / or / strictly speaking / to annihilate any possibility of my practising this vocation / he would / I think / have elaborated a stratagem more / devastating / than simply tearing my hand to shreds /

(He peers. BIBLE, profoundly tired, lies back.)

She’s all right / she’s coming / she is perfectly all right / in fact / she’s smiling / smiling and shaking her head / something amuses her / waving a paper / no violin / I said so / didn’t I? / no violin / a sheet of paper / instead /

(He is briefly irritable.)

DON’T WAVE IT / BRING IT /

(BIBLE is untouched by this account.)

She thinks it’s funny / waving and waving it / the woman has a sense of humour / I suppose if you expected to be dead / a certain infantile relief is only to be expected /

(He urges her with his arms.)

BRING IT / BRING IT /

(He turns away.)

A sheet of paper / Bible / not a bomb /

(WARDROBE is darkened by a thought.)

Not a bomb / though it must be said / sheets of paper / they also might be lethal /

(THRASH enters, the violin case hanging open in one hand, a sheet of paper clutched in the other.)

You don’t say live /

(WARDROBE grins at THRASH.)

You don’t say live / do you? / and the consequence is / you will never die /

(They both laugh.)

Give it to me / give me whatever you /

(THRASH extends it. WARDROBE sees without moving.)

It’s music / music / Bible / he’s sent me /

(He is simultaneously delighted and appalled, gratified and wary.)

Music /

(WARDROBE advances on THRASH and receives the pages from her. He looks at the title. THRASH goes to discard the empty violin case but WARDROBE’s cry inhibits her.)

SUBTLE / SUBTLE / SUBTLE IS THE EMPEROR / SUBTLE / OH GOD / HE IS /

(He howls, a sound made of ecstasy and despair in equal measure.)

Have we not arrived / is it not / blindingly obvious we have arrived / at a cross-roads of human history and experience / when the persecutor / in the euphoria of his instincts / in the discipline of his mind / at the zenith of his cruelty / never more savage / never more refined / is barely one heart-beat ahead / in the design of his appalling punishment / than his victim in perceiving it / we are / we are /

(He shakes his head.)

Him / and me / we are /

THRASH: No violin / Wardrobe /

WARDROBE: (His most terrible rendering yet.) DID YOU FRIG MY MOTHER? / DID YOU? / DID YOU? / DID YOU FRIG MY MOTHER? /

THRASH: What’s the use of music /

WARDROBE: YOUR FINGERS SHONE / YOUR SHINING FINGERS /

THRASH: When there’s nothing to play it on? /

WARDROBE: HE SAYS YOU FRIGGED MY MOTHER /

(His article ends in laughter that folds him at the waist. Slowly, he regains an upright posture. He realizes he has crushed the sheets of music in his fist. In the silence, he pulls and straightens them.)

And this / this music /

THRASH: I’ll speak to the Captain /

WARDROBE: This music / Bible /

(He sniffs. He is quite calm.)

Is / ha / is /

(He sniffs again, a self-conscious gesture.)

Not any old music /

(BIBLE barely heeds WARDROBE.)

No /

(He lifts it high in the air, squinting.)

It’s dedicated to me /

(His eyes fill with tears as he reads.)

‘To Thomas Wardrobe / the greatest performer of his generation / I humbly dedicate this rhapsody’ /

(He casts a glance at BIBLE.)

It’s a rhapsody /

(He reads again.)

‘For solo violin’ / that’s wise / no chance of a piano accompaniment out here /

(He stares at the page.)

And a signature /

(He stiffens. The wind blows leaves over the floor.)

‘Froben Backus’ /

(He sways faintly.)

Froben / Anda / Backus / humbly dedicates a rhapsody to me /

(He screws up his face.)

HUMBLY / HUMBLY / BIBLE / HUMBLY HE DEDICATES TO ME /

(He cannot control the wave of tears that breaks over him.)

THRASH: He’s got lots of violins / the Captain / I’ll say / we need a violin / urgently / urgently because /

(Some dread inhibits her intention.)

Because Froben has /

(She suffers.)

Froben has humbly /

(WARDROBE ceases. He sniffs. He remains very taut and still.)

BIBLE: (At last.) How good is it? /

(WARDROBE ignores BIBLE’s remark.)

He might humbly dedicate it / all the same it might be /

WARDROBE: It’s Backus /

BIBLE: Less brilliant than he /

WARDROBE: Backus / Bible /

BIBLE: Expected it to be / we have good and bad days / look at me / I /

WARDROBE: BACKUS / BACKUS / BIBLE / BACKUS /

BIBLE: I USED TO HAVE BAD DAYS / SO MIGHT HE HAVE / EVEN HE /

(WARDROBE declines to pursue the argument. BIBLE concludes it for him.)

A bad day / in the life of genius / that’s worth several good days / in the life of mediocrity /

(He sniffs with contempt.)

So the argument goes / personally I /

(He cannot finish his sentence. He turns onto his back. He stares at the ceiling. All three are as if suspended.)

THRASH: (At last.) Burn it / burn it / Wardrobe /

WARDROBE: Burn it? /

THRASH: Burn it / darling /

(He turns his face to her.)

Or let me /

WARDROBE: (A wan smile.) You don’t say live / but you have a way with death /

(He is suddenly impelled to movement.)

Doesn’t she? / She knows my death is in this rhapsody /

(He stops striding.)

It’s good advice / and certainly the Emperor knew this solution to his beautifully-contrived dilemma would / at some point / recommend itself to me /

(He half-smiles.)

Burn it / yes / before examining it / preferably / before its beauty / like some slow poison / worked its way through me / yes / but look /

(He extends the sheets before him.)

It’s hand-written / the only copy / that much the Emperor insisted on / and Backus / what could he do / but comply? /

(He looks to THRASH.)

How could I destroy it? / it’s worth more than my whole life / and yours / and his /

(He nods towards BIBLE.)

And fifty eighteenth-century violins / bad day or not / it’s Backus /

(He digests the idea.)

Backus / ‘The Frontier Rhapsody’ / as it will come to be called / surely? / dedicated to / but never played / by me /

(He looks at THRASH, who is frowning.)

I’m glad you don’t say live / really / I’m so glad /

(He goes with the music as if to squat in a corner, then instantly changes his mind and goes to the canvas bed.)

Get out of there / get out /

(BIBLE just moans.)

GET OUT / THIS GIFT IS SACRED TO ME /

(WARDROBE, holding the music in one hand, drags BIBLE off the bed with the other. BIBLE stumbles away and is comforted by THRASH. WARDROBE, with exquisite delicacy, occupies his place. As his gaze travels over the music staves, he strokes his face with his fingers. The wind blows. BIBLE sighs long and deep.)

BIBLE: I’m doomed /

THRASH: If you say so /

BIBLE: I do say so / I’m doomed / there / I’ve said it / twice I’ve said it / you say it / now /

THRASH: I won’t say it /

BIBLE: SAY IT /

THRASH: I won’t say it / but if you say it / I won’t say no /

BIBLE: Sisi was here /

THRASH: Yes /

BIBLE: (Suddenly aroused.) WAS SHE? / WAS SISI HERE? /

THRASH: The woman in the white silk /

BIBLE: Sordid / stained / and filthy / white silk / her /

THRASH: If that was Sisi / she was here /

BIBLE: So I did not imagine it /

THRASH: You did not / Bible / no /

(BIBLE is thoughtful, perplexed. A silence falls but for the sound of WARDROBE’s fingers on the music score. BIBLE is suddenly illuminated.)

BIBLE: She’s with him /

(THRASH frowns.)

Backus /

(He is animated.)

THRASH: Backus? /

BIBLE: The genius / Froben / Anda / him / the appalling brevity of this visit / so brief I was scarcely able to register it / was due to him / you may visit / said the genius / but hurry back again / and slapped her / hard / across her cheek / ‘what’s that slap for?’ / said Sisi / indignant / briefly indignant / in case you stay one moment longer than is necessary / she kissed him / he slapped her / she kissed him / ‘what’s that for?’ / she liked it / it confirmed something / ‘what’s that for?’ / ‘what’s that for?’ /

(BIBLE suffers, then plunges on.)

They’re in a taxi / she’s flung one leg over his / the skirt / because of the tension / has raced up her thigh / showing her knee / he lets his fingers crawl / she gasps / darling / darling /

(He exclaims.)

THAT / OH THAT / THAT IS A RHAPSODY /

(WARDROBE is unprovoked, so deep is his concentration. BIBLE shakes his head.)

What I would not give / oh /

(He decays.)

For one ride in a taxi / five streets / three / alone / alone even /

(He looks pitifully at THRASH.)

And the driver need not be polite to me /

WARDROBE: This is entirely innovatory /

(He tightens his mouth. He throws down the score and places his hands on his cheeks.)

Innovatory but / like any innovation which is not arbitrary / contrived / or gimmickry / it is disciplined / it surges / it howls / but always /

(He grabs up the score again.)

Always strictly obedient to the geometry of the theme /

(He stands, radiant.)

It’s /

BIBLE: (Drily.) Inspired? /

WARDROBE: Obviously / obviously inspired / is he ever uninspired / Backus? / it is far / far beyond inspiration / in an altogether different category / for example /

(He paces.)

BIBLE: Sisi /

WARDROBE: The opening / no / not the opening / the opening is / actually / and possibly deliberately / for Backus / conventional / as if he wishes the performer to extend an invitation to his public / an invitation which is /

BIBLE: Sisi /

WARDROBE: Seductive because somewhat familiar /

BIBLE: Sisi /

WARDROBE: Whereupon / swiftly / he lowers the tempo / he lowers it dramatically / the first time I read it / I thought / an error / an error possibly / but / no / I’m certain this is the signature of /

BIBLE: Sisi /

(WARDROBE is at last distracted by BIBLE.)

The signature of Sisi / obviously /

(WARDROBE regards BIBLE critically, as if he caught sight of a passing shadow, and appears troubled by it.)

Sisi loves him / a love which could not fail to alter him / the alteration being / it goes without saying / strictly obedient to the geometry of /

(He looks up at last.)

The geometry of / what / did you say? /

(THRASH looks at WARDROBE. BIBLE plods wearily to the canvas bed.)

She came here / apparently / but briefly / her smacked cheek like a flag of love / I didn’t see her / unfortunately /

(He looks at the bed before mounting it.)

‘What’s that for?’ /

(He laughs, peculiarly. He lies down.)

‘What’s that for?’ /

(ENGINE enters, as if summoned but reluctant to attend.)