The Haitian Trilogy: Plays: Henri Christophe, Drums and Colours, and The Haytian Earth (12 page)

(
PACO
descends,
GARCÍA
holds him.
)

GARCÍA

There’s gold on you which I need,
grometto,

So pass it to a Christian who can use it.

PACO

Help, help, my officer.

BARTOLOME

                                         What is it, García? Who cried out?

GARCÍA

Shut your mouth, fool! Look in his shirt for the gold.

He kicks like an animal.

BARTOLOME

                                         Drag him here.

FERNANDO

García, for God’s sake, you’ll get us all in trouble.

BARTOLOME

Where’s the bright coin, little Indian? He bit me.

FERNANDO

That’s enough for tonight, in the name of peace. Let go the Indian, you drunken fool. Look, here’s the officer.

QUADRADO
(
Enters.
)

What is this, why has the admiral been kept in darkness?

PACO

They tried to kill me for the coin, my officer.

(
He runs over to
QUADRADO
,
who draws his sword.
)

GARCÍA

Put up thy trembling sword,
cabrón,

You can kill nothing but defenceless Indians.

What wilt thou do, kill a good Spaniard?

A normal product of the times, Quadrado?

There, here’s new blood for thee.

(
He squirts wineskin in his eyes.
)

BARTOLOME

Well, sure as Christ, we’ll all be hanged now.

GARCÍA

There’s no difference in me and this officer.

This is the one the Indians called Carnicero—the butcher.

PACO

Kill him, kill him, my officer.

GARCÍA

Before the affliction of his conscience, this one

Spent all his energies subjugating Indians,

Some by torture, some by terror, some in the mines.

He did some service for the Tainos, too. Quadrado,

You were not called that then, were you,
Teniente?

PACO

My officer, is this true?

QUADRADO

                                          Give the boy his coin, García.

PACO
(
Drawing back from
QUADRADO
.)

I want nothing from thee. I know of thee.

FERNANDO

Take it,
niño,
the officer was right.

QUADRADO

I have paid for it, I still pay for it now.

I was called the butcher, but I resign that office.

Others will follow who can learn evil better.

These gestures of affection which I attempt,

The evils I endure from all sorts of men,

This hollow armour of my office, all,
niño,

I bear because I sought a change of heart.

If this were blood that streamed now from my eyes,

It would not have shook my pity five years ago.

He knows this, and mocks it. I gave the coin

Because I felt I owed thee some affection.

It may be too late.

PACO
(
Between
QUADRADO
and
GARCÍA
.)

                                     Oh, all of you, all of you,

What must I believe? What must I believe?

QUADRADO

Grometto,
do not judge any country by some persons,

Or what its members have done thee; there is only

One race,
grometto.
Man. Go now, observe the glass.

FERNANDO
(
To
GARCÍA
)

Give the boy the coin,
borracho,
it is his.

GARCÍA

There,
niño,
I return thy wealth to thee,

Come, it is nothing, just a little incident.

What glass is it? There’s nothing like some sport

To liven up a long and boring voyage, come.

Recite the glass,
grometto,
the watch is up.

(
All but
PACO
go out.
)

PACO
(
Kneeling.
)

One glass is gone, and now the eighth floweth.

More shall run down, as my God willeth.

Good night, my admiral, my captain,
y marineros.

Buenos noches, Señor Admiral, y maestre, y marineros.

And in the name of Our Father and His son Jesus,

May God grant us a safe passage back to Cádiz.

(
Weeps.
)

(
Blackout.
)

Scene 2

1510. A wharf in Cádiz. Sign:
CASA DE LA CONTRACTION. SAILORS
loading barrels, etc.
WHORES, IDLERS, PACO
,
a few years older, pimping. A
BROKER
and his
NEPHEW
setting up a desk and stool.
BARTOLOME
,
now a beggar on crutches, sings:

BARTOLOME

You generous burghers, Spanish, Portuguese,

Who warm fat, jewelled hands, with winter near,

Here’s a poor soldier who sailed the green Indies,

That broke his hulk, that two poor shanks must bear.

He found you empires on seaworthy legs,

But now the winter’s coming and he begs.

(
To a
MERCHANT
)

A coin, a coin, sir, for an old sailor who sailed with the great, dead admiral Columbus; who fought, swore, and regrets the holy wars he fought for an empire.

Ten winters gone he sailed from Cádiz bay.

The admiral cried, “It’s young bucks I desire.”

India is rich, but not Bartolome.

Now I break wood to fill my winter fire,

For a wise tropic shark removed my legs.

Columbus died, and now his hero begs.

(
To a
BROKER
,
as he enters.
)

Oh, sir, sir, it’s going to be a biting avengeful autumn, and I’d hate to use these sticks to keep a tropic fever down. (
SAILOR
rolls barrel near.
) Watch where you roll that keg, you greed-blinded young bastard! It’s Bartolome, the beggar, señores, once a sailor for her dead majesty Isabella. (
He goes up to the
BROKER
.)

BROKER

There’s nothing today, man; besides, you’d drink it.

BARTOLOME

The seed from a sick bull and the spittle from the devil blind both of you for a pair of furred robbers!

BROKER
(
To
NEPHEW
)

Now, let that be an example of my preaching.

Tighten your purse strings, invest judiciously.

Now pay attention to the loading sheet, Nephew.

(
Reads.
)

Embarked Cádiz, five sacks sugarcane cuttings,

For the estates in Hispaniola, of Señor Don Fuente,

A snail-cautious settler of accounts. Item:

Crate of Venetian glass, have we checked that?

I can’t make out this scholarly scrawl, what the hell is this?

NEPHEW
(
Peers.
)

It’s your handwriting, Uncle.

BROKER
(
Peers.
)

                                                    Slaves, Ashanti. It’s my eyes.

That’s right, cargo of slaves, Ashanti, thirty.

Transshipment from Cádiz, numbering thirty:

Twenty warriors, one chief, five female, four boys.

Listen, would you prefer to study for the priesthood?

Then pay attention. Paco! Where’s García?

PACO

Nowhere on damned wharf, looked inside out.

Went into the bodega, I don’t know where he is.

So maybe it’s time I get some money?

BROKER

Listen, you get paid when we finished, like the rest.

Where’s that García? This cargo is to set out with the tide.

PACO

I know you and your tongue. Damn promises.

Went up and down the wharfs, what you expect me,

Look in the gutters, too? No pay since breakfast.

BROKER

You can work somewhere else if you want, anytime.

PACO

All right, all right, look again.

(
Exit.
)

NEPHEW

What did he just tell you, Uncle? Who is he?

BROKER

He’s from the islands, half cannibal, half Christian,

A pimp and a thief, but otherwise a quick worker.

NEPHEW

How did he get to Spain? What does he do here?

BROKER

Mother of God, would you like me to call him back?

All I know is, he knows the value of cash.

(
Enter
JEW
with belongings.
)

NEPHEW

There’s no necessity to be sarcastic, Uncle.

BROKER

I’m sorry I offend you. What is it, señor?

JEW

Pardon me, gentlemen, I am going out to the Indies, and …

BROKER

And we, I presume, are directly in your path?

JEW

I was seeking information, but I see you are occupied.

Is it permissible to go aboard the ship?

BROKER
(
Brushing the
JEW
aside.
)

And at last, quite drenched, comes the reeking quartermaster.

(
Enter
GARCÍA
,
drunk, with
PACO
.)

PACO

Señor, before you forget, I bring Señor García.

JEW

I should like some direction, I have papers.

Is this the vessel, the
Cristóbal Colón?

BROKER

Paco, talk to this gentleman, he is going out to the Indies.

Señor, this one was born there, he will answer questions.

Now, Señor García, if you will sign this list.

JEW

What is that country like, my little friend?

PACO

I carry your bags to the ship right now, señor?

JEW

Is it a place a Jew can live in peace?

PACO

Sure! Las Indias? Fine, plenty sea, sun, green country.

Jew, Tainos, Lucayos, I come from there, beautiful.

Everything fine. You pay me first, señor?

(
The
JEW
pays.
)

GARCÍA

Who’s the funny gentleman, Señor Amadeo?

BROKER

Who cares? Are the loading sheets in order?

NEPHEW

He looks to be Jewish, fleeing the persecutions.

The Indian boy, he certainly loves money.

GARCÍA

I thought he was a kike.

JEW
(
Apart, praying.
)

O God, rib me with Thy strength

As I embark across the whale-threshed water,

Because my days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle

And are spent without hope.

NEPHEW

                                                   What’s he saying, Uncle?

BROKER

Remind me to ask him. Now bring them out, García.

PACO
(
Returns.
)

Señor Amadeo, I get something to eat now?

Work for you all up and down the damn wharf. Hey, señor.

BROKER

Can’t you wait, boy? Bring them out, García.

PACO
(
Draws knife.
)

I know you all the time, long tongue, no cash.

I cut your throat off with this.

(
The
BROKER
pushes him.
)

GARCÍA
(
Shouts.
)

Olé, olé,
there, Pablo, bring them on for checking.

JEW

My son, do not be vile, and put away the knife.

PACO

He liar, all the time, since before morning, señor.

BROKER

Oh shut up, and get out of the way if you can’t wait.

(
A cargo of
SLAVES
,
chained, brought on.
)

JEW

                                                                What are these people?

BROKER
(
Wryly
)

They will be travelling with you, Excellency.

JEW
(
Softly
)

The stranger that dwelleth with you, saith the prophet,

Shall be unto you as one born among you,

And thou shalt love him as thyself.

BROKER

                                                                Amen, amen, Abraham.

GARCÍA

Provided he splitteth not the profits too unfairly.

Come on now, line them up there, Amadeo.

Not a bad bunch, where did you get those from?

BROKER

You know they sell each other after their battles.

Look at this one, though, he is some sort of king.

Notice the excellent quality of his sweat, taste it.

And those sinews, I’ve put him down at three pieces.

GARCÍA

But this one, sickly, little. Look at those teeth.