THE SAXONS A DRAMA OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE NORTH

BY EDWIN DAVIES SCHOONMAKER

THE HAMMERSMARK PUBLISHING COMPANY, CHICAGO. ILL., 1905

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COPYRIGHT, FEBRUARY, 1905, BY The Hammersmark Publishing Co. CHICAGO

JOHN F. HIGGINS PRINT 279-251 EAST MONROE ST

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TO MY MOTHER

PERSONS OF THE DRAMA. ACT ONE. ACT TWO. ACT THREE. ACT FOUR. ACT FIVE. Transcriber's Notes:

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PERSONS OF THE DRAMA.

THE SAXON UNIT.

THE ROMAN UNIT.

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THE GREEK UNIT.

THE SUPERNATURAL.

Other foresters, monks and villagers, men and women.

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THE SAXONS

ACT ONE.

SCENE ONE—A road through a forest. On either side trees stand thick and dark. Immediately in front the light sifts down upon a rude bridge spanning a narrow stream. At the roadside, to the right, a large crucifix, apparently new, stands upon a post some ten feet in height. It is elaborately carved and is set in a deep frame to protect it from the weather. At the foot of the post, cut into the mossy bank which slopes toward the road, is a kneeling place with a white sheep's pelt lying upon it.

A sound of voices is heard. Fritz and Rudolph enter from the left and pause where a path leads off through the wood. The latter has an ax upon his shoulder. Far in the forest a faint sound of chopping is heard.

TIME—Mid-day in summer, in the early part of the thirteenth century.

(Dropping his voice and pointing to the bridge.)

(As though drawing back a bow-string and letting spring the arrow.)

(A crash is heard in the forest.)

(Pointing up.)

(He goes off through the wood, leaving Fritz silent upon the bridge.)

(With bowed head he walks on across the bridge. As he passes into the deeper shadows the white sheep's pelt lying in the bank at the roadside catches his eye. He goes curiously toward it, when, seeing the post, he glances up and stops suddenly. For a time he stands as one appalled.)

(Rudolph reappears and joins Fritz, and the two stand in silence, Rudolph with his eyes fixed upon the crucifix, and Fritz with his eyes on Rudolph.)

(Fritz points to the crucifix.)

(Fritz goes toward the crucifix.)

(Coming back to the road.)

(Rudolph goes closer and scrutinizes the crucifix.)

(A pause.)

(Rudolph comes toward the road, then turns and looks back at the Christ.)

(They walk together along the road.)

(He goes out.)

(He goes off through the forest.)

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SCENE TWO—Under an old beech in the edge of the forest. A knoll, like the toe of a large boot shoved in from the rear, butts squarely against the trunk. Up under the boughs, left, lies a decaying log with here and there a tuft of rank grass growing from the cores of old knots. Beside it is a small basket filled with berries. At the foot of the beech, bubbles a spring partly walled in with dark mossy rocks, on top of which lies a brown gourd dipper. Two worn foot-paths, one winding up the slope into the forest, the other entering from the left, meet at the spring. The ground is checkered with flakes of sunlight that fall through the leaves, and over all is the silence of the summer noon.

A crackle is heard as of a dry twig breaking under foot. The branches on the left swing apart and Selma pushes through backwards. She is a fairy-like creature dressed in green. Her hair falls loose about her shoulders and upon her head she wears a coronet of wild-flowers. Holding the boughs slightly apart, she stands peering intently to the left, then, turning quickly, she snatches up the basket and hides it behind the log, and after picking a few green burrs from the branches above her, darts to the right and conceals herself behind the trunk. For a time she stands motionless. Then, as if upon second thought, she stoops and removes the dipper from the rocks.

Along the foot-path, leading in from the left, Oswald enters. He stops and looks back and for a time stands thus, as one undecided, a forlorn expression upon his face. He then turns and proceeds to the spring. Not finding the dipper, he lays aside his staff and hat, and stretches himself out upon the flat stone at the entrance of the spring. While he is drinking, Selma leans cautiously from behind the trunk and raises her arm as if to drop something. Having evidently seen her shadow in the water, Oswald glances up, but seeing no one, lies down again and drinks. From behind the hole Selma tosses a burr into the spring. Oswald continues to drink. Finally he rises, and, taking up his hat and staff, goes up the slope and sits down upon the log. The girl moves stealthily around the trunk.

(She comes round the side of the trunk opposite the log and, stooping over, looks down into the spring.)

(She points to a mass of hair that has fallen past her cheek.)

(Oswald points down into the spring.)

(She runs down to the outlet of the spring by which the minnow has passed out, and walks up and down, stooping occasionally to feel among the stones of the rill. Oswald goes back and sits down upon the log. After a while Selma rises and looks toward the spring. The trunk is between her and Oswald.)

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(In a low chant, abstractedly.)

(Staring vacantly into the forest, her back to Oswald, she unconsciously picks the green burrs from the branches above her.)

(As she saunters toward the log she reaches up in the air.)

(She takes a berry from her basket and holds it up between her fingers.)

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(She pulls down a bough and begins to pick the leaves off, one by one.)

(She removes her basket from the sun and lays the leaves upon her berries.)

(She goes about under the boughs selecting the largest of the leaves.)

(After a pause.)

(Selma sits down.)

(A pause.)

(Going up the slope to where the boughs hang low, she begins to gather the green burrs. While she gathers them, she sings:)

(He walks away.)

(He stops near the spring.)

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(Thoughtfully, looking down into the spring.)

(Circling round in a dance.)

[Pg 28]

(Advancing toward her, he reaches into his bosom and fetches forth a large silver crucifix fastened to a black string that encircles his neck.)

(Oswald stands as one who knows not what to do. Along the path leading in from the left, Father Paul, the friar, enters. For a time he stands contemplating the scene before him.)

SCENE THREE—In the depths of the forest. Back through the trees, to the right, is seen the home of Canzler, a small cottage built of logs, with antlers over the doorway. It sits in a space partially cleared, and the light falls golden about it. Among the trees in the foreground, where the shadows are thicker, is the stump of a large oak and a newly fallen trunk extending out left. Over to the right, at the foot of one of the trees, lies a small bundle fastened to the end of a stick. At intervals a bird is heard singing in the forest.

Near the stump several men are gathered. Canzler, facing right, stands beside the log with his hand resting upon his ax. He is bareheaded. His sleeves are rolled up above his elbows and his shirt, open in front, discloses his broad, hairy breast. Near the stump stands Hartzel, a man apparently seventy years of age. He wears a long, white beard and his hands are folded on top of a tall rustic staff. The others are Fritz and Rudolph and Wiglaf, the gleeman, in a fantastic garb faded and tattered. On the other side of the log, to the right of Canzler, is Max, another woodman, also in his shirt sleeves.

(Leaning forward and speaking in a loud voice in Hartzel's ear.)

(Hartzel puts his hand to his ear and looks at Fritz.)

(Back through the trees to the left, Selma is seen going toward the cottage.)

(Selma enters the cottage.)

(Wiglaf walks to and fro thoughtfully.)

(Fritz and Rudolph exchange glances.)

(Selma comes from the cottage and begins to gather dry leaves and chips about the doorway. She is singing to herself and her voice comes faintly through the trees.)

(Looking down.)

(Looking up at the trees.)

(Fritz bows his head and walks back among the trees.)

(He gets down and puts his ear to the earth.)

(He drops his ax against the log.)

(Stepping past the stump.)

(Smoke is seen curling above the roof of the cottage.)

(Fritz comes forward.)

(In Hartzel's ear.)

(Fritz and Rudolph exchange glances.)

(He looks about upon the trees.)

(Selma comes from the cottage with a bucket.)

(Selma goes out left.)

(He sits down on the log and takes his head between his hands.)

(Fritz and Rudolph, talking together, walk back among the trees.)

(Hartzel turns and, with his face to the ground, walks slowly left.)

(Unnoticed, Conrad appears coming through the trees on the right. Several young squirrels hang from the belt about his waist and in his right hand is a cross-bow. Upon his left shoulder he carries the crucifix which he has pulled up, post and all.)

(With a jolt Conrad sets the crucifix down and leans it against one of the large trees.)

(Canzler goes toward it. Fritz quickly says something to Rudolph. The latter walks lack in the rear.)

(With a motion.)

(Suddenly Canzler turns and looks Conrad full in the face.)

(After looking tip at the crucifix again, Canzler turns slowly and walks away left.)

(When near the stump, Canzler again glances back; then drops his head and walks on among the trees. Conrad turns to Fritz.)

(He goes out. The men stand looking after them. Rudolph comes forward.)

(The men assume an expression of unconcern.)

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(Canzler appears among the trees. He stops and looks off through the forest to the right, and his brow darkens.)

(Rudolph lifts up the squirrels at Conrad's belt.)

(Fritz glances off through the forest, right.)

(Rudolph glances right, and the three go out in silence. Canzler, who has stepped left, stands in the shadow of one of the trees. A little later Oswald appears coming through the trees to the right. He is looking about as if in search of something.)

(Oswald moves slowly to the tree, takes the crucifix upon his shoulder, and, with bowed head, goes off right.)

(The girl enters with her water. She stops, looks after Oswald until he has disappeared, then turns with a questioning look to her father.) O father!

(He turns and goes back toward the cottage.)

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ACT TWO.

SCENE ONE—A forest on the mountain tops, the great trees glooming with the shadows of nightfall. In the distance, between the dark boles, patches of sky with the fading light of evening. The scene slopes down into a clump of tangle-wood on the left. Up the slope, upon a stump that stands out from among the trees, Selma is sitting with her head bowed, her face almost hidden by her hair which has fallen forward across her shoulders. She is dressed in dappled fawn-skin. In her hand she has a spray of dog-wood blossoms from which she is thoughtlessly tearing the leaves. From the thicket below, three fairies steal in one after another, having in their hands wild-flowers and ferns.

TIME—Early spring, three years later.

(The first stoops down and looks up into Selma's face. The others whisper together. From the thicket below, two other fairies enter.)

(The fairies start and exchange glances.)

(She runs back a little way among the trees. The others follow her and they talk among themselves.)

(They all look up the slope.)

(They glance toward the stump. Seeing that they have not succeeded in attracting Selma's attention, they take hands and circle toward her singing.)

(After circling round the stump and seeking in every way to induce her to join them, one of them tries gently to take the spray of dog-wood blossoms from her hand.)

(Four of them run up the slope one after another and each in turn as she disappears among the trees glances back and calls to Selma.)

(The fifth fairy stands for a time looking after the others, then comes to the stump and sits down at Selma's feet.)

(The fairy starts up and skips down the slope.)

(The seventh starts up the slope toward Selma.)

(The two fairies hasten out through the thicket, the fifth disappears back among the trees, left. Singing is heard up the slope. A moment later, a number of fairies circle in with green boughs in their hands.)

(They hurry down the mountain. Selma, startled, gets off the stump and runs a little way back in the wood and, stopping, looks after them.)

(She stops and looks back.)

(They go out, Selma looking back.)

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SCENE TWO—A mountain cavern with jutting ledges of rock. From the bones that lie about, one would imagine it to be a den to which wild beasts drag and devour their prey. To the right, a vine, growing out of the crevice in the rear wall, shows by its leaves becoming a darker green as it spreads to the right that the entrance is in that direction and near by. Bowlders, evidently used for seats, lie here and there, and in the rear, center, a smouldering fire throws their shadows about the floor and walls. Several willow baskets freshly woven hang on pegs driven into seams in the rocks. To the left, an old spinning wheel with a thread trailing from it, and near it, upon the floor, a quantity of black wool. Farther over in the corner, a couch of rushes and forest grass. From the ledge that projects out over it hang bunches of dry herbs. In the left wall, extending to the ceiling and barely wide enough to admit of one's passing through, is a cleft whence are heard at intervals the muffled sound of hammers far down in the earth.

To the right of the fire, Sigurd, the dwarf, is peeling osiers. He is barefooted. About his neck he wears a string of buckeyes. Beside him, upon the floor, lies a pile of white osiers newly peeled. Occasionally he takes the withes in his mouth and tears the bark off with his teeth. On the other side of the fire, reclining upon his elbow, the gnome Kilo is poking the coals with a stick.

Despite the red glow of the fire, the cave is quite dark.

(From the left Zip enters. Under his arm he carries a great sword, the blade of which he is burnishing with a piece of sand-stone.)

(Zip hands the sword to Kilo and goes over and stands near the vine. Kilo examines the curiously wrought haft.)

(From the right, Zory enters. He crooks his back, screens his eyes with his hand, and walks feebly.)

(He takes up the sword from the floor, and using it as a cane, walks unsteadily.)

(He rushes out left, followed by the three other gnomes. From the right Gimel enters.)

(He follows the others through the narrow passage, left. A moment later, from the opposite side, a fairy appears and beckons to the dwarf. The latter, after a quick glance to the left, stealthily takes up the sword from the floor and follows the fairy from the cave.)

SCENE THREE—The monastery of St. Giles, in the mountains. An open court, with buildings dimly seen in the darkness. To the right, the dormitory, a large structure built of stone, with high, deep-set windows protected by heavy shutters which are closed. Across the court a high wall, starting in front, extends back some fifteen feet and abuts the side of the chapel before which in outline long stone steps may be discerned. In the center of the wall is an archway with a pair of ponderous iron gates. The night is dark and windy.

Along the side of the dormitory comes old Andrew with a staff and lighted taper. He is singing in a low voice.

(His candle threatening to go out, he draws back. For a while he stands as if perplexed. Then, rounding the corner, he again turns his shoulder to the wind and, shielding his taper thus, moves sidewise across the court toward the chapel.)

(He throws down his staff and shields his taper with his gown.) Blow! blow! blow!

(He feels about the ground for his staff, and, having found it, walks back and stands under one of the windows of the dormitory.) Soloman! Soloman!

(He waits a while, then beats upon the shutter with his staff. A low voice is heard within.)

(The shutter opens and the head of Soloman appears.)

(Soloman reappears with a lighted candle.)

[Pg 59]

(He holds his taper up toward Soloman's, when suddenly some one carrying a light appears at the farther corner of the dormitory. Soloman jerks back his candle.)

(The light passes behind the chapel. Andrew walks back in the court.)

(He stands looking in the direction whence the light disappeared.)

(Returning toward the window.)

(He starts toward the chapel, humming to himself.)

(He comes forward and looks round the corner of the dormitory, then returns to the window.)

(Suddenly around the farther corner of the chapel the light reappears. Soloman snatches-to the shutter. Old Andrew blows out his taper and gets down upon his knees by the wall. Macias, the hunter, carrying a pine torch, comes forward across the court.)

(Turning to the wall.)

(He walks back in the darkness.)

(He stands listening.)

(Andrew returns gloomily and lights his taper at the hunter's torch.)

(The hunter turns away mumbling to himself.) Eh? Mad? You're right.

(He walks back in the court and stands listening.)

(Macias walks back.)

[Pg 64]

(Andrew beats upon the shutter.)

(Farther back, a second shutter opens.)

(He pauses a moment, then proceeds with more and more animation.)

(Several shutters in the second story have opened and faces are seen white in the glare of the torch. Old Andrew, frightened, has drawn back in the shadow against the wall.)

Leo—"I say unto you that joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that returneth."

(The shutters are closed hurriedly.)

(He shields his flickering taper with his gown and makes his way across the court toward the chapel.)

SCENE FOUR—A desolate mountain road along the top of a cliff that plunges down from the edge of a pine-wood. Overhead the wind is heard moaning in the trees, and upon the ground patches of moonlight wave to and fro. From the left, past some bushes which almost hide the road from view, the dwarf, Sigurd, appears carrying the monk, Oswald, limp in his arms. The latter's face is so emaciated that one would never recognize him as the same person as was seen in the forest some three years ago. His feet, upon which are heavy wooden shoes, drag along the road. Suddenly from somewhere in his clothing the large silver crucifix falls to the ground. The dwarf stoops, and, resting the monk upon his knee, reaches down and secures the crucifix, which he puts between his teeth. Then, having gotten a new hold, he rises and, with difficulty, makes his way up the road.

[Pg 69]

ACT THREE.

SCENE ONE—A grassy ledge far up on the mountain side. Tall pine trunks rise here and there. Down the slope, to the left, are russet tops of small oaks newly leaved. To the right, a rocky acclivity of about thirty degrees elevation with scattered bushes and a sheep path winding back and up. In the distance, a blue range of mountains with their bases buried in the white mists of early morning.

Some distance back from where the path comes down upon the ledge, Conrad is broiling woodcocks on coals. Brown feathers are sprinkled about upon the turf. Upon a rock near by lies a well-filled hunting bag. Fritz, with his face to the fire, is reclining upon the grass with a shepherd's staff in his hands. From down the slope, comes a tinkle of bells as of sheep browsing on the mountain side.

TIME—Two days later.

(Indicating on his staff.)

(With the sword at his side and wearing a cap made of a wild-cat's skin, its head upon his head and the rest of the skin hanging down his back, Canzler comes down the sheep path, followed by Rudolph.)

(Fritz and Conrad come forward.)

(He tries to pierce with the sword a pine tree in the sunlight.)

[Pg 75]

(The sword passes deeply into the second trunk.)

(He receives the sword and goes left.)

(She turns and looks questioningly at Rudolph, who nods to her. Then, skipping forward, she takes hold of the hilt of her father's sword and steadies herself with it as they go down the slope.)

(Rudolph walks back.)

(Rudolph joins the others, and the three stand looking off left.)

[Pg 77]