Home is the Hunter (16 page)

(To the others)

He was the best god-damned sergeant I ever had.

(He thumps
PHILETIUS
on the back, but he can’t go on speaking.)

TELEMACHUS

Philetius?...
And what’s a night raid?

ULYSSES

Just an idea I worked out—and the opposition I got at first from the high brass! Roughly, a night raid was this: we blackened our faces, crawled on our bellies, silenced the sentries, took a couple of prisoners for information. And then, we got the hell out.

(Laughing)

Don’t look so shocked, Telemachus. Isn’t it heroic enough for you? But it’s the way to win a war. All that old-fashioned business of having duels between opposing generals—bah! Nothing was ever decided that way. As soon as a general got killed in a duel, then another officer was promoted to be a general. And of course he wanted to have a duel, too. Big stuff, you know—both armies watching, publicity, applause. It goes to a man’s head, that sort of thing. And the war just never got finished. Now, my idea was to win, to win as thoroughly and quickly as possible, and let the men get home.

(At the last word, he glances quickly over at
PENELOPE
.
He looks embarrassed and rubs his head.)

Yes, yes. Go on! Say it!

PENELOPE

(Smiling a little)

We were out on a night raid, weren’t we?

ULYSSES

(Grinning)

So we were... Actually, we were coming back from a raid. Philetius was covering our withdrawal. He was a good man with a knife—eh, Philetius?

(
PHILETIUS
smiles.)

But, that night, he was captured. The Trojans questioned him.

(
PHILETIUS
nods.)

He told them nothing, except his name, rank, and number.

(
PHILETIUS
shakes his head in agreement.)

So after a week of various persuasions, they lost their temper and tore out his tongue. They made him a slave in a mill, but when Troy went up in flames, he escaped. Right, Philetius?

(
PHILETIUS
nods.)

TELEMACHUS

(Looking at
PHILETIUS
with awe)

But, Father, how did you find out all that?

ULYSSES

Some of our best spies were Trojans... Now, let’s get back to our own little war. Eumaeus, Philetius, Telemachus, myself. Against eleven men.

PENELOPE

But darling—you won’t have to do
any
fighting! You are going to win the contest.

ULYSSES

I’d just as soon have some friends to back me up, when I do. Eumaeus—keep your eyes on that hillside, will you? I’d like some warning before these men do get back.

(
EUMAEUS
moves out into the yard.)

PENELOPE

Let’s have no extra trouble, darling. Please! All you have to do is to win. Those men are cowards—that’s why they are so bold. When they see how strong you are, they’ll melt into the night like shadows on a hillside.

ULYSSES

They may need a little help in melting. Now, an arrow through each throat might do it. But that’s a long job.

(He walks over to the door as he talks and looks up at the bow.)

Can you manage it, old friend? Or shall we settle for one clean swift arrow through Melas, and another one through Eryx? The rest of them might argue less, after that.

(He reaches up his hand and strokes the bow.)

I’d like just to have the feel of you again. It’s been a long time.

(He lifts the bow down and raises it into holding position, the unstrung bow at arm’s full length in front of him, his arm straight and rigid.)

When I was a boy, Telemachus, I had to stand like this for an hour each day. That’s the way my father taught me to strengthen my arm.

TELEMACHUS

(Glumly)

You mean I’ve got to stand like that for an hour, every day?

ULYSSES

If you want to master this bow. It’s more powerful than you think.

(He relaxes his arm, rubs its muscles, and then unwinds the bow’s string. He kneels on his right knee, holding the bow in a scissor-grip between his legs—one horn resting over his right thigh, the other clamped under his left thigh. Now he sits back on his right heel as he presses the horns up toward him, recurving them. It is a mighty effort. But not enough: the string, attached to the tip of the right horn, refuses to meet the tip of the left horn. He pulls and forces. His arm trembles with the strain.)

In Athena’s name! What’s gone wrong? This damned bow—

(
ATHENA
,
who has been inconspicuous in the background, comes quietly forward.
ULYSSES
is still trying to string the bow. His hand slips and he almost falls with the bow’s spring.)

Hell and—

ATHENA

Blood pressure, blood pressure! Don’t take it so hard, Ulysses. After all, you haven’t handled a bow like that for seventeen years.

ULYSSES

This old bow is stiff with age!

PENELOPE

Try again, darling! You must, you
must
! Try again!

ULYSSES

(Wrestling with the bow)

All I need is practice. Give me time.

PENELOPE

(Frantic, now)

But we haven’t
got
time—

ATHENA

Keep out of this, my sweet! Didn’t I try to stop you from announcing the contest until we saw how Ulysses could handle this bow? You and your bright ideas!

PENELOPE

—oh, oh, what have I done?

(She bursts into tears.
TELEMACHUS
is horrified.
CLIA
is as upset as
PENELOPE
.
PHILETIUS
stands, helpless.)

ULYSSES

(Holds the bow away from him. He wipes his brow and stares at it. He speaks very quietly.)

What the hell has happened to me?

ATHENA

We don’t get any younger.

(Her voice becomes stronger as
ULYSSES
covers his eyes with his hands. The others stare at
ULYSSES
as if transfixed.)

Now, keep cool, Ulysses. We’ve been in some bad spots before this. In the last seventeen years, you and I have thought our way out of many a tight corner.

(
ULYSSES
drops his hand, lifts the bow, and places it back on the wall. Then he turns and looks at
PENELOPE
.)

ULYSSES

Well, old girl? There’s your Hero of the Trojan War.

(He begins to laugh, not altogether with amusement.)

PENELOPE

(Running to him)

I don’t want any hero. I just want Ulysses.

(She kisses him.)

I’m less afraid of you, just as you are. Oh darling... All you need is some practice with the bow. If you just could get an hour alone with it...

ULYSSES

(Nodding)

An hour would do it. I hope.

(
EUMAEUS
whistles a warning from the yard.)

But we don’t even get that...

EUMAEUS

(Appearing at the door)

One man, coming down the mountainside.

(He looks back at the mountain.)

ULYSSES

(Puzzled)

Only one?

EUMAEUS

(Standing at one side of the door, his eyes still watching)

No one is following him, as yet... He’s alone. Hurrying, too. But he’s still some distance from the road.

PENELOPE

Then we still have some time before he reaches here.

(Quickly, as the men look at each other, their hands now on their daggers)

I’ve an idea—

(
ATHENA
covers her eyes.)

ULYSSES

(In mock alarm)

Another one?

PENELOPE

Quick, Clia—pack some food. Telemachus, get the water skins. Carry them down to the Bay. I’ll get some blankets.

(She is moving toward the steps to her room, as
ULYSSES
speaks to her.)

ULYSSES

Are we going camping or something?

PENELOPE

Darling, have you forgotten? We have our boat in the Bay.

TELEMACHUS

But we can’t! We can’t sail—

PENELOPE

Of course we can. It takes five men to sail that boat, but now that Ulysses is home we can easily manage it.

TELEMACHUS

But we—

ULYSSES

Let me handle this, old boy.

(To
PENELOPE
,
gently)

Darling, we aren’t going to run away.

PENELOPE

We aren’t running. We are sailing. That’s quite different.

ULYSSES

(Gently)

We aren’t doing either. Because we can’t. I gave orders for a little persuasion to be used on our boat—with a hammer and chisel.

PENELOPE

On
our
boat?

TELEMACHUS

That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. It will split wide open as soon as it’s out of the Bay. It will never last in open waters.

(Grins for
ULYSSES
)

We did a good job, all right. You wouldn’t notice the damage unless you went looking for it.

ULYSSES

The boat was just too tempting, Penelope. I saw it, as I came here today. And I found myself thinking about it—
and
the mainland. When a man starts thinking about retreat, he is already beaten.

EUMAEUS

(Reporting from the door, where he stands, watching vigilantly)

He has reached the road now. Running his horse pretty hard. It’s Eryx. I can see his hair glint in the sun, as hot as a beacon. Ah, ah!—Some more are beginning to move down the mountainside!

ULYSSES

(Catching
PENELOPE
by the arm, urging her up the steps to her doorway)

Into your room. Stay there. Keep out of sight.

PENELOPE

But—

ULYSSES

Keep
out
of sight! Stay away from this Hall!

PENELOPE

(Resisting, unwilling, worried)

But darling—what will you do?

ULYSSES

Practise.

PENELOPE

With the bow?

(From the distance comes the sound of a galloping horse)

There isn’t time—

ULYSSES

(Gives her a quick hug)

Leave that to me.

(He adds a smack on her bottom and sends her running up the steps.)

And lock the door to your room!

(
PENELOPE
leaves obediently.)

ATHENA

That’s right, master. Let her know who is the boss around here. You’ve won your first battle, Ulysses. And what about the next one?

(
ULYSSES
has swung round to face the door, his hand ready on his dagger.
TELEMACHUS
and
PHILETIUS
have come to stand beside him.
EUMAEUS
,
still watching the yard, pulls his body out of sight from anyone who may be arriving there. The beat of hoofs is strong, then silenced as if someone were dismounting.)

Shall we play it easy—wait until we see why Eryx is in such a hurry?

(
ULYSSES
relaxes a little.)

TELEMACHUS

But when can you practise with the bow?

ULYSSES

We’ll practise a little deception, first.

(He picks up the cloak, draws it around him, and retreats to the fireplace bench.)