□ The Princes Pigeon □ A Japanese Pla^ in One Act BY FRANCIS WALKER C^ll stage, platform, and moving picture rights, reserved. For use o{ this play address the pubhsher, Francis Walker, 4715 Edgeware Road, San Diego, California. ^g^ * ^ * ^ * PRICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS PER COPY COPYRIGHT 1916 BY FRANCIS WALKER TMP92-007571 CHARACTERS DATE MATSAMUNE (Dah-tay) PRINCE OF SENDAI PRINCE KOJIMA, HIS SON, a boy of eight years MASAOKA, Kinswoman of DATE jUIdA, Her Son, a boy of fourteen years TATSUTA, also a Kinswoman of DATE TIME, MIDDLE OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY PLACE, THE ANCIENT AND RUINED CASTLE OF SENDAI, IN THE PROVINCE OF KARAZAN SCENE : A Large Room in the lower of the Castle or Sendai. The entrance door, communicating with an outside stairway, is m the right ■w^all. Near the door is a windoAv from which anyone approach- ing may he seen. In the left •wa.U. is a smaller door, ■w^ich, -when opened, shows the first steps of a stair- case leading to the floor ahove. A. single \vindow m the rear left -wall gives what sunlight it can -svith the sun loAv in the ^vest. 1 he furniture of the room is meagre, indicating poverty and privation. In the foreground K.o]ima and Shiha are playing battledore and shuttlecock. Xhey make brisk strikes and run s^viftly about the room, keeping the shuttle- cock with its gay feathers aWays flying back and forth m the air. 1 he boys talk as they play. X here IS a balcony in the rear wall at the right. A screen conceals the opening to it. The chirping of birds is heard without. ICojima. I like playing "witn you, Snioa : there w^as a boy in the school who always let me w^m — so I never felt I really beat bim. Sbiba. Xbat is a way for children, ICojima; 1 you are older now and must play to win, like a man and a prince. K.. You never give me tke game, do you, Skiba? So I aWays do my best. S. And you often w^in, for your eye is sure and your liand is quick. (Xkey make several plays without speaking. ) K.. That was a good one; tnat makes you run, Sniba. S. Yes, and now^ (striking) I send it back to you and you bave to run almost to tbe balcony. K.. Xbe balcony! Yes, it is tbe bour w^ben tbe birds come to supper, I am tired witb run- ning and leaping. Masaoka vi^ill give us rice for tbe birds and we sball feed tbem. (Enter Masaoka from tbe staircase, left; sbe car- ries a biDacbi ana is preparing tne evening meal.) S. We may bave some rice, motber ? Masaoka. But a little, son of mine; tbe birds are free and can find food, but we must stay always in tbe tower and tbere is little given us to eat. (Sbe gives bim a tiny cup or rice. Xbe boys go out upon tbe balcony. Xbeir voices and tbe cries of birds are beard.) K.. See bow^ tbey scramble for tbe rice — greedy little tbings ! S. Xbey are very bungry; would not you do so? K.. If I -were a bird I migbt, but you and I could not do tbat way. ^^e are of tbe Samu- rai; w^e are al-ways bungry but it is not for us to complain or ever sbow bunger. S. You are rigbt, ICojima: it would be too 2 J^L -3 1916 1^^^ 'CI,D 44292 much like the greedy birds that do not know- any hetter. K.. Take the cup m, Shiba, it is empty. (Shiba returns to the room xvith the cup.) S. Look mother, the cup is empty and the hirds are red; shall we soon he red ? M. Yes son, hut there is little. S. Give most to him, mother, I can do w^ith- out and it is for me to give everything to him. M. That is my true son. i es, we 'would give all to him. He may soon he our lord. But wickedness sets traps for him. Tell me again, son, that you will always do every- thing you can for him. S. (Proudly.) Are we not of the Samurai, mother? M. (As proudly.) We are. S. Then our w^ord is sacred, and I tell you there is nothing 1 would not do for my prince. Besides, at the school and from you I have heard so many words dropped that now they piece together in my mind and I know why we are here. M. And do you know^ that the Shogun's Council meets m two days and that then our little prince will he set in his place as a great nohle of Japan? S, Yes mother, unless — what is hetter — our lord Date Matsamune, K.o]ima s honorahle father, is again made prince of Sendai. M. And how can that he, son? S. What if Hyohu or his daughter, Tat~ suta, should come here seeking to kill K.O]ima — and should fail? 3 Mi . (Amazed at his understanding and intent up- on learning kow mucn more he knows) Jjut even if tLey did fail ? S. Xken tne great Snogun, the Ruler of all Japan (Botk to-w^ lo-w) -would kno-w tnem for traitors and we know tne sure punisnment for treason. M. It would be (For reply Snioa dra^vs nis nand signmcantly across nis tnroat.) M. You are rignt. And tnen our lord ■would come into nis o-wn and be reinstated as prince of Sendai. S. Yes mother — if if ne were also re- stored to nealtn, M. What mean you? S. Mother, tnrice I saw Hyobu drinking the strong sake -with our lord of Sendai, out many times he filled the prince s cup while only pretending to drink and fill his own. M. (Nods her head in corroboration.) It is true son; I too have seen it. S, And mother, a dozen times nave I ^vatched from behind the snoji and seen Xat- suta fill the little opium-pipe and urge it upon our lord. One does not take so much sake and opium and keep health. M. Son, you know all, and I am pleased to find it IS so, since now^ you can nelp in this hour of peril. Yes, (With great impressiveness) those two fiends have sought to debauch our great prince and get the government of Sendai for themselves. S. They failed in part w^hen the Sbogun 4 made ICojima nis father s successor and ne was sent here with us for safety. M. But they w^ill try desperate measures — and very soon. S. We can fight them, my mother. M. They have hut two days now^, and may come or send upon some pretext at any mo- ment. They w^ould want time to try again should they fail in a first attempt to murder K.ojima. S. No mother, they must stake all upon one throw of the dice; one failure and our great Date Matsamune can go to the Shogun s council and expose them. We shall save K.O- ]ima, mother. (Exit Shioa to balcony.) M. And at what cost? It w^ould not be strange if this very night Ivojima. (His voice is heard on the balcony.) My pigeon ! my white pigeon ! It has come hack as it always does at evening. (The boys enter. ) See ! it is at home now^ in its cage and I shut the little door to keep it safe. Masao- ka, a little rice for my pigeon. It w^as the last thing my father gave me, just before he sent us here, and he would not like it to ^o hungry. S. Yes mother, some rice. (Aside to her) I shall not want much, mother; I am not very hungry. (Masaoka gives him rice, which he gives to K-ojima.) K.. Thanks, Masaoka. Oh! Shiha, I am so fond of my >vhite pigeon! When it comes home in the early dusk with its w^ings moving so softly it IS like one I read about in a story — one that w^as said to be a spirit coming and goin^. Do you tkink my pigeon can be a spirit, SKiba? (Humoring him.) PerKaps. Suppose yve let it be my spirit tnat goes out every day to see that notking can come ana harm you, K.o]ima ? K.. But you would always come back at nigkt, Skiba ? And you w^ould fly aw^ay only in tke morning ? I could not let you go out in- to tke dark and leave me alone. If I sa-w your wkite wings going out into tke nigkt I skould be lonely, and I skould say: "He will never come back. ' ' S. I skould never be far from you, K-Oji- ma, and to skield you from karm I migkt even kave to fly out into tke nigkt. It w^ould be rigkt for me to ^o at any time, m ligkt or darkness, if I could serve you. K.. And I w^ould do anytking for you, Skiba. I would give you all my playtkmgs — all my bo-ws and arrows and my pretty tops— my ivory bouse and my carved boxes — every- tking but my w^kite pigeon. I COUld not give tkat away, bkiba. (Exit Kojima to balcony.) (Masaoka nas crossed to tke window near tke entrance door. She gazes intently do'wn'wara.) S. Wkat IS it motker? M. Come kere son. (Skiba approackes tke •windo-w and both look out.) S. It is a man coming tkis w^ay. M. How^ skakby kis dress! S. And see ko'w ke staggers. M. Wkat is tkat ke carries before kim ? S. It looks like — yes, it is a kougk kroken from some tree. M. Skiba ! I know^ kim. S. (Excitedly.) Motker ! mother! it is the prince, our lora. M. It is he. S. 6ut he has heen hiding in the mountains for many weeks now. M. I know^; he comes secretly — and for some strong reason. S. He IS coming up the stairs of the tower. M. Go son, and leave me to meet him first. (Exit Snioa to Dalcony.) (Enter Date Matsamune, Prince or Sendai. But thirty years or age, his race is seamed -witn the rav- aging marks or dissipation. Drink and opium nave aged nim. His gait is snamDung and he is evidently hair stupefied. He carries upright berore him a bough, thinking it a sword. Dead leaves cling to it. He marches unsteadily, apparently believing he is leading his soldiers. Crossing the front or the stage, he passes Masaoka -without seeing her. She has knelt and put her forehead to the floor. After he has passed her sbe raises her head and regards him mournfully. Date has novv^ crossed the rear of the stage. Kojima enters from the balcony and, seeing him, drops to his knees.) K. My father! (Date stops suddenly and looks at the boy with almost unseeing eyes. The bough falls from his hands. He shows signs of recovering from bis trance. Koji- ma runs across the stage.) K.. Masaoka! What is the matter w^ith my father? Is he ill? MVhy does he look at me so wildly ? I do not think he knows me. M. He IS ill and he does not know^ you yet, hut he w^iU very soon. Go up the stairw^ay and w^ait a little for him. K.. I w^iU get my pigeon and take it with me. When he comes up he will know me as soon as he sees my pigeon. 7 M. (Giving liim tLe cage.) Here it is; run up tke stairs and wait for nim above. iC (Reacking the aoor and calling loudly to Masaoka.) Xell my father no^v glad I am to see mm; tell nim — tell nim, Masaoka ! Date. (Looking about kim. ) Masaoka? ^Vbo spoke Masaoka s name ? M. Here, lord, am I — Masaoka, tby kins- woman. And this IS tne tower of tne ancient castle of Dendai, whitner you sent us for safe- ty. My lord nas just seen his son, prince K.O]ima. He is safe and well. (As sne speaks Date s mind clears somewhat and he nods his head. ) D. 1 es, I know^. I have been dreaming, but I am bere m tbe old castle and I bave seen my son. He is w^ell, you say? No barm bas come to bim ? I came because m my dreams I bave seen danger close about bim. Dreams ! yes, I bave been lost m a sea of dreams, and at times tbe waters closed over me. 1 ben, like gold-leaf, bammered long, I floated on tbe surface of tbat sea in a ligbt tbat confused me. bo it is witb me now; tbe deptbs are under me and my vision clears a little. One tbing I al-ways know^, and tbe bigb gods will some day pile tbeir curses upon tbose traitors wbo sunk me m tbe bitter floods. M. Wbence do you come, my lord? D. I come from my biding place in tbe mountains— tbree days of bard journeying from bere. M. Has my lord seen Hyobu or Tatsuta ? D. Neitber. Not for all tbese montbs you bave d-welt m tbe tow^er. Wben I see tbem 8 how can I koltl my Kands from killing tliem ? It w^as they who drugged and destroyed me and then poisoned tne mind or the Shogun to make him depose and exile me, M. But my lord w^iU be Kimself again— for his son s sake. (Sne seems to plead witn nim.) D. Listen Masaoka. In the >vorst of all my dreams I see them taking my son s life M. (Interrupting nim witn venemence.) JNever, my lord ! never -while I and my son live to protect Kim. D. Xny son ? he is only a boy. M. (Proudly.) He bas understanding and courage. Our lives are betvi^een Hyobu and prince K.ojima. Xbe great council meets m two days and tben all peril -will be over. Brighter times will come, and you, my lord— (Sbe pleads upon Ker knees.) You w^iU free yourself from tbis — tbis illness. You w^ill be yourself again, and m triumph ■will D. Masaoka, there is one hope, and it rests with you and your son. I see it now, but at any moment I may sink again into the w^aters of forgetfulness; you can look for no help from me, Hyobu can do nothing in his evil plans unless he compasses the death of my boy with- in the next tw^o days. He w^iU surely try, and if he fails he and his Tatsuta go to certain death, and then the favor of the gods may rest once more upon me and may even cure me. (Im- pressively.) Masaoka, none but you can save my son, and in saving him free me from this evil spell. They think me dead or dying, and for a little I must continue to seem so to them. When they try to kill my son I can justly denounce tKem to tlie Sliogun. Yet Ko-vv can I wisli suck an attempt will be made when I know^ it may cost me tlie lives or my faitnful Masaoka and ner son. M. (Drawing Lerself up to full heigkt.) May all tKe gfods of life and death bear witness ! It is I, my lord, -wno speak— I, Masaoka. I am Masaoka of tke Samurai, and my son is of the Samurai. We count it nothing to give our lives for tKy son. No narm snail reacn nim w^kile w^e have lives and cunning, Xne hign gods hear me and will aid us. The test is near and -we shall welcome it. (A knocking is heard.) Percnance it comes now. (She goes to look from the windo^v near the door.) L/Ord, even nO"W it IS 1 atsuta. She must not find you here. D. I know. I will hide ahove. (Goes to stairway and turns.) Deal "With her then, mas- aoka. I can do notning tut trust you. (The knocking is repeated.) I shall return to you only if I hear violence and a struggle, or if you call me. Save my boy, and then perhaps I too may (Continued knocking and he disappears.) (Masaoka unbars the door and Xatsuta enters. She carries a small basket. She and Masaoka greet each other with much ceremony. During it and while they speak the day is fast going and sort twit- terings or birds are heard from the balcony that is hidden from the room by a tall screen. As the t'wo •women make the usual complex genuflexions and finally seat themselves in Japanese fashion, the fol- lowing conversation occurs.) 1 atsuta. I he gods give you nealtK, O Ma- saoka San. M. Xneyare kind, Xatsuta San, w^hen they send you to w^ish that. 10 X. May ttey send you worthier favors, Masaoka San. M. Xne present one, lady, is honor enough. X. And your honorable son ? He grows and is well? M. My tnanks to you tor tne enquiry; he is always well. X. And tKe young prince iCojima — health IS his also ? M. Always, gracious one. X. It is his father wno condescends to make me nis messenger. (SKe kas left ter basket by tbe door ana now turns to get it. M. (Aside, and glancing toAvard the door by wbicb Date left tbe room.) Indeed! (Aloud.) He IS kinsman to us botn, Xatsuta San, and in sending you he honors me beyond my poor deserts. But w^hat is his will ? X. A small matter, but a kindly one. K.no-wing my intention of journeying this way, ne wished me to bring K-Ojima these pretty cakes. (As she speaks she bands tbe basket to Ma- saoka, ^vbo takes from it small, gaily ornamented cakes and lays tbem upon tbe low table. As sbe does so Sbiba enters unobserved from behind tbe screen and watches tbe two women.) X. His highness wished his son to eat them and say if they please him. M. (Shows her quick suspicion.) OO it should be, hut my young prince is unwell today. It would he better for him to wait until tomor- row to eat these honorable cakes. X. I asked for his health hut now, Masa- oka San, and you declared him well. M. I spoke, august lady, m the larger sense. His health is good hut just now a trifling ail- ment makes fasting best for him. 11 X. I almost fear, Masaoka, to return to nis Ki^kness and ^ive no word or the pleasure nis gift affords K-Ojima. M. It IS safe, lady, to say that ne -will en- joy tnem, and to return nis thanks to nis noble fatner. X. Ok, I beg of you, not merely that, Masaoka. Call the little prince and let me hut say I sav^ him taste the cakes. A mouth- ful can do no harm. M.. ( Growing a little embarrassea by her visitor s pertinacity.) Forgive my seeming discourtesy, Xatsuta San. I must still refuse; my respon- sibility IS so great. X. Mine also lady, and pardon me if I still insist so that my errand may be completed. I would not have his highness displeased with either of us — and he would blame you for — (Shiba, seeing his mothers perplexity, and sharing her suspicion, darts to the table, seizes one or the cakes ana crams it into his mouth, pretenaing uncon- trollable hunger, lie manages to drag all the remain- ing cakes to the floor, and as though by avv^k-wara- ness, steps upon them and destroys tnem. Tatsuta draws a knire, rushes upon him and stabs him. Mor- tally wounded, he falls to the floor.) X. Xhat for dishonoring thy prince* (Aside — infuriated.) He "Will tell no tales. If I could but kill her also ! M. (Aside, suppressing a cry.) 1 he cakes ! Dhiba knew ! 'Recovering her self sontrol. Aloud.) He is well punished, Xatsuta San. We have little food here, but hunger was no excuse for him. (She even manages to look w^ith contempt at his body.) He well earned death at your hands. Can I beg you to pardon the insult to your honorable self? X. It IS nothing, O Masaoka San, but I am glad you see the justice of his punishment. And now I must depart — with my errand but ill done. 12 M. It IS through no fault of yours, Tatsu- ta San. T. Sayonara tken. May the gods he friend- ly to you, Masaoka San. M. Sayonara, Tatsuta San - and may all your plans go well — to your life's end. ( 1 hey make the customary salutations with no omission or ceremony. ) 1 . Sayonara ! M. Sayonara ! (Exit Tatsuta. Masaoka turns to the window and watches her go down the outer stairway. Mas- aoka s face grows rigid as stone and her hands clench as she tries to tear the awful strain with Oriental fortitude. With stiff steps she turns to cross the room to her toy's tody. She falls ty the low tatle, overturning it with a crash of troken china. As she drags herself on hands and knees to the tody the two princes enter hurriedly from the stairway on the left. Kojima tas the white pigeon in his hands. See- ing Shita lying motionless, he runs to him.) Kojima. Shiba ! Shiba ! Oh ! Shiba is hurt ! Get up, Shiba ! See ! I will give you my white pigeon. (He places the pigeon on the dead toy s treast. It spreads its wings and flies out of the window into the darkening night. Kojima runs to the window to follow its flight. His father stands watching the scene. Masaoka had thrown herself across the tody. She now^ rises to a sitting posture, throw^ing her arms aloft. Her whole appearance is almost of madness. Date examines the tody and shakes his head upon finding no sign of life.) Date. Masaoka! Thy son! Masaoka. (Hoarsely and with difficulty.) Dead! Dead ! To save thine ! K.OJima. (At the window, stretching his arms out to the night.) My white pigeon ! It was Shiba ! ' 'He will never come back ! ' ' (As the curtain falls Masaoka utters one long, despairing cry.) THE END. COMMERCIALS SAN DIEGO 13 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 015 793 118 t