THE BISHOPS CANDLESTICKS

Characters: the Bishop, the Convict, Persome, the Bishops sister, a widow, Policeman.Scene: the Bishops kitchen. Winter outside. Marie stirring
some soup on the fire. Persome laying the cloth etc.Persome: its very cold tonight. The snow is falling all over the ground. Marie, isnt the soup
boiling yet?Marie: not yet madam.Persome: well it should have been ready already. You havent made a nice fire, have you?Marie: but madam
you yourself made the fire on.Persome: dont talk to me like that. You are rude.Marie: yes, madamPersome: then dont let me scold you
again.Marie: No, madamPwersome: I wonder where my brother is. It is after eleven o clock. (Looking at the clock) and no sign of him.
Marie.Marie: Yes, madam.Persome: did his lordship the Bishop leave any message for me?Marie: no, madamPersome: did he tell you where he
was going?Marie: yes, madam.Persome: yes madam (imitating). Then why havent you told me, stupid!Marie; madam didnt ask me.Persome:
but that is no reason for your not telling me is it?Marie: madam said only this morning I was not to chatter, so I thought Persome; Ah, my God,
you thought! Ah! You are hopeless.Marie: yes madam.Persome: dont keep saying yes madam, like parrot, brainless.Marei: no,
madam.Persome:well, where did the Bishop say he was going?Marie: to my mothers house madam.Persome: to your mothers house. Indeed!
Any why, may I ask?Marie: the bishop asked me how my mother was, and I told him my mother was feeling very sick.Persome:you told him she
was feeling very sick, did you? And so my brother is kept out of his bed, and go out without eating because you told him she was feeling poorly.
How nice you are, aren,t you?Marie: madam, the soup is boiling!Persome: then pour it out, fool, and stop chatting. (Marie about to do so) No, no,
not like that, here let me do it. Meanwhile, putthe saltcellars on the table the silver ones.Marie: the silver ones madam.Persome: yes, the silver
ones. Are you deaf as well as stupid?Marie: the silver ones are sold, madam.Persome: sold! (with horror) sold! Are you mad? Who sold them?
Why were they sold?Marie: His Lordship the Bishop told me this afternoon while you were out to take them to the ship-keeper who often
admiredthem, and sell them for as much money as I could get.Persome: but you had no right to do so without asking me.Marie; but, madam, his
lordship the bishop told me. (with awe)Persome: his Lordship the bishop is a ahem! But, what can he have wanted with the money?Marie:
pardon, madam, but I think it was for Mrs. Dias.Persome: Mrs. Dias indeed! Mrs. Dias! What, the old witch who lives at the top of the hill, and
who says she is always sick in bed because she is too lazy to do any work? Bad what did Mrs. Dias want with the money, may I ask?Marie:
madam, it was for the rent. The policeman would not wait any long longer and said he would put her out today if themoney was not paid, so she
sent little Jennie to the Bishop to ask for help and Persome: oh, my god, it is hopeless, hopeless. We shall have nothing left. His property is sold,
his money is all finished. Histables and cupboards gone, everything. Were it not for my little property, we should starve, and now my silver
silver (sob)containers gone. Oh, it is too much, too much. (she brakes down crying)Marie: madam, I am sorry, if I had known.Persome: sorry!
And why, may I ask? If his Lordship the Bishop chooses to sell his silver salt-containers he may do so Isuppose. Go and wash your hands, they
are really dirty.Marei: yes, madam (moving to wash)(Enter the Bishop)Bishop: ah, how nice and warm it is in here! It is worth going out in the
cold for the sake of the joy of coming in. (Persome hasquickly helped him to take of his coat etc. Marie has made a deep bow) thank you, dear
9looking at her) why? What is thematter? You have been crying. Has Marie been giving you trouble, oh? (shaking her finger at her) ah!Persome:
No, it wasnt Marie but ---Bishop: well, well, you shall tell me afterwards. Marie, my child run home now, your mother is better. I have prayed
with her,and the doctor has come and gone. Run home! (Marie putting on clock and going). And, Marie go in quietly in case your mother
sleeping.Marie: oh, thank you, thanks you, Lordship (she goes to the door)Bishop: here, Marie, take my shawl. It will keep you warm. It is very
cold tonight.Marie: oh, no lordship (shame facedly)Persome: what nonsense, brother, she is quite young she wont get sick.Bishop: Ah, Persome
you have not gone out, you dont know how cold it is. Here Marie, let me put it on for you. (does so)there! Run along little one! (Marie goes
out)Persome: Brother, I have no patience with you. Sit down there and take your soup. It has been waiting ever o long. And if it isspoilt, you
deserve it.Bishop; it smells delicious.Persome: Im sure Maries mother is not so sick that should have stayed out on a night like this. I believe
those people pretendto be sick so that the bishop comes to them. They have no car for the bishop.Bishop: it is nice of them to want to see me.
Persome: well for my part I believe that love begins at home.Bishop: and so you make me this tasty soup. You are very good to me,
sister.Persome: Good to you, yes! I should think so. I should like to know where you should be without me to look after you. You are being fooled
by so many people.Bishop; if people tell me lies, they are the loser, not I.Persome: but it is ridiculous, you will soon have nothing left. You give
away everything, everything!Bishop: there is so much suffering in the world, and I can do so little (sighs) so very little.Persome: suffering, yes,
but you never think of the suffering you cause to those who love you best, the suffering you cause tome.Bishop; (rising) you, sister dear? Have I
hurt you? Ah, I remember you had been crying. Was it my fault? I didnt mean to hurtyou. I am sorry.Persome; sorry, yes. Sorry wont mend it
humph! Oh, do go on eating your soup before it gets cold.Bishop: very well dear (sits) but tell me Persome: you are like a child. I cant trust
you out of my sight. No sooner is my back turned than you get that Marie to sell thesilver salt-cellars.Bishop: ah, yes, the silver saltcellars. It is a
pity. Were you proud of them?Persome: proud of them, why they have been in our family for years.Bishop; yes, it is a pity they were beautiful,
but still dear, one can eat salt out of ordinary cellars just as well.Persome; yes, or meat for the floor, I suppose. Oh its coming to that. And as for
that old lady Mrs. Dias I winder how she wasnot ashamed to ask again. The last time I saw her I gave her such a talking to that it ought to have
had some effect.Bishop: yes! I told her to come and stay with us for a day or two, but she thought she would trouble you.Persome: trouble me!
Bishop: Ah, the policeman, who is very just man, would not wait longer for the rent, so so you see I had to pay it.Persome: you had to pay it.
(gesture of comic despair)Bishop: yes, and you see I had no money so I had to sell the silver saltcellars. It was lucky I had them wasnt it?
(Smiling) butIm sorry I have troubled you.Persome: oh, no! you will never correct yourself. Youll sell your candlesticks next.Bishop: no, no
sister, not my candle-sticks.Persome: oh! Why not! The money could go to the poor, couldnt?Bishop: Ah, you are good, sister, to think of the
poor, but I dont want to sell my candle-sticks. You see, dear, my mother gavethem to me on on her death bed just after you were born, and
and she asked to me keep them in remembrance of her, so Iwould like to keep them, but may be it is a sin to keep always.Persome: brother,
brother, you will break my heart (with tears on her voice) here. Dont say anything more. I wish you goodnight. Im going to sleep. (Persome
turns to go)Persome: don,t sit up too long and tire your eyes.Bishop: no dear, Good night.Bishop; (comes to table and opens a books, then looks
up! At the candle sticks), those candlesticks should go to the poor. Imustnt keep them, when there are so many poor people.(he stirs the fire,
trims the lamp, arranges some books and papers, sits down, is restless, shivers slightly, clock outside strikestwelve, and he settles to read. Music
--- enter the convict stealthily, he has a long knife and seizes the Bishop from behind)Convict: if you are call out you are ahead man!Bishop: but,
my friend, as you see, I am reading, why should I call out? Can I help you in any way?Convict: (hoarsely) I want food. Im starving. I havent
eaten anything for three days. Give me food quickly, quickly, curseyou.Bishop: (eagerly) but certainly, my son, you shall have food. I will go and
call my sister.Convict: Sit down, (the bishop sits, smiling) dont try to make a fool of me! Im too clever for that! Going to call your sister
areyou? And then, youll call someone to catch me eh? A big joke. Now, give me food quickly! Im so hungry as a wolf! Quick,give me
food.Bishop: (aside) I dont know where my sister keeps all the food. (loud) come, my friend, dont be afraid. My sister and I are allalone
here.Convict: how do I know that?Bishop; dont you believe me? Dont you trust me?Convict: (looks long at the bishop) all right, I think I will
trust you. Go and call your sister. But if you play any trick on me, Iwill drive knife through your heart. Ill kill you!Bishop: you will go to hell for
that, my son. Your life is more important than my heart. (At the door calls) Persome! Persome?(the convict stands behind with the knife
ready)Persome: (from inside) yes, brother.Bishop: here is a poor traveler who is hungry. Please open the cupboard and bring him some food. I

want to give himsomething to eat.(the convict stands behind him with the knife ready)Persome: what, at this time of the night? We have no time
even to sleep. Somebody is always disturbing us!Bishop: but, Persome, this is a poor hungry man.Persome: oh, very well, I will prepare some
food. I am coming (Persome sees the knife in the convicts hand gets frightened).Brother, what is he doing here with that knife?Bishop: the knife,
oh, well, you see, dear, he doesnt mean any harm. He is a good friend of mine. (laughs gently)Persome: I am frightened. He is looking at me like
a wild beast. (aside to him)Convict: hurry up. I say. Challo challo. Give me food or Ill put my knife inside you both, and start eating.Bishop:
keep the food ready, Persome. (she keep out the food). And now, dear go and sleep.(Persome going. The convict spring in front of her)Convict:
stop. You will not leave this room till I do. (he looks at the bishop)Bishop: Persome, will you remain kindly with this good man? He needs your
presence.Persome; very well brother.(she sits down at the table staring at the two)Bishop: here is some bread and some wine and some
curry.Convict: put them on the table. And stand up where I can see you. (bishop takes out knife and fork and gives it to the convict)Convict: my
knife is sharp. ( he runs his finger along the edge and looks at them meaningly) and as for forks (taking it up hethrows it away). We dont use fork
in prison.Persome: prison?
Convict; (cutting off a big slice of bread. Eats then looks at the door with the start) what was that? Why do you keep your windows open and the
door open? Any one can walk in.Bishop: that is why they are left open.Convict: are you not afraid of robbers?Bishop: I feel sorry for the
poor.Convict: sorry for them. Ha! ha! Ha. (drinks form bottle) thats big joke. Sorry for them. Ha ! ha! Ha! (drinks) (suddenly) bythe way who are
you?Bishop: I am a bishop.Convict: ha! Ha! Ha! A bishop. Holy smoke! A real bishop! Well, that is good luck.Bishop; now, please leave us. This
good man and I want to talk.Persome: should I leave you with him?Bishop: please.. my friend and I are going to talk together.Convict: (now with
a good mood with the bottle) leave us, yes, leave us. I want to talk to the bishop. The bishop ha! Ha! Ha!(laughs as he drinks and coughs)Bishop:
good night, Persome sleep well.Convict: (laughing at himself) the bishop ha! Ha! Well Im (suddenly very loudly) Dyou know what I am?
Bishop: I think you have suffered much.Convict: suffered (puzzled0 suffered? My god, yes. (drinks) but that was a long time ago. Ha! ha!. That
was when I was a mannow Im not a man, now Im a number; number 13579, and Ive lived in hell for ten years.Bishop: tell me about it about
hell.Convict: why? (suspiciously) do you want to tell the police to put me back in jail?Bishop; No. I will not tell the police.Convict: (looking at
him earnestly) I believe you. (scratching his head) I dont know why, but I believe you.Bishop: (laying his arm on the convicts arm) tell me about
the time the time before you went to hell.Convict: it is so long, I have almost forgotten. I had a nice little house, there was a nice garden
(dreamily) it was a beautifulhome and, and there was a woman, she was my wife yes, I remember! She was sick, we had no food, I had no
job, no work,and my wife, my Jacinta, was sick, dying (pause) so I robbed some money to buy some food for her. (long pause. The bishopgently
pats his hand) they caught me. I begged of them, I told them, I told them why I robbed, but they laughed at me, and Iwas sentenced to ten years
in prison, (pause) ten years in hell. The night I was sentenced the policeman told me- told meJacinta had died (sobs, with fury) Ah. Damn them,
damn them. God curse them all. (he sinks on the table sobbing)Bishop: now, tell me about prison, about hell.Convict: tell you about it look here, I
was a man once. Now Im an animal. They chained me like a dog. They made me ananimal. I fed on dirt. I was covered with insects. I slept on
wood and I complained. They beat me again. For ten years. Oh God!They took away my soul, they made me into a devil but one day, I escaped. I
ran away from prison. That was six weeks ago. Iwas free, free to starve.Bishop: to starve?Convict: yes to starve. They were looking for me
everywhere, so I had to hide. I had to rob food, to steal food everyday. I sleptunder trees, anywhere. I was afraid to beg. They have me made me a
thief, a robber! God curse them all! Curse them.Bishop: my son, you have suffered much, but there is hope for all.Convict: hope! Hope! Ha! Ha!
Ha ha (laughs wildly)Bishop: you have walked far, you are tired. Lie down and sleep in bed. I will bring you bed sheets and a blanket.Convict:
and if any one comes?Bishop; no one will come, but if they do, I will say you are my friend.Convict: your friend? (puzzled)Bishop: they will not
trouble the bishops friend.Convict: the bishops friend (scratching his head, puzzled)Bishop: I will bring the bed sheets.Convict: (looks after him,
scratches his head). The bishops friend? (he sees the candlesticks. He looks round to see if he isalone, and takes them down, weighing
them).Silver my God, and heavy, what a prize)(he hears the bishops coming, and in his haste drops one candlestick on the table. Enter the
bishop) bishop: (sees what is going on, but starts preparing a bed). Ah ! you are taking a look at my candlesticks. I am proud of them.They were
given to me by my mother. They remind me of my mother. Your bed is ready. Will you sleep now?Convict: yes, yes. I will sleep now. (puzzled)
look here, why are you so kind to me? (suspiciously) what do you want? Eh?Bishop: I want you to have a good sleep my friend.Convict: I know
you want to convert me, make me good. Well its no use see? I dont want any damned religion, and as for thechurch, bah! I hate the
church.Bishop: what is a pity, my son, because the church does not hate you, the church loves you.Convict; you are going to try to make me good,
eh? Oh ha ha ha! No, no bishop! I dont want any faith, hope, and charity see?Im a devil, a devil, understand? (Definitely)Bishop: well, Im
ready to help a devil; God can make you an angel.Convict: (angrily) I dont want any damned religion, I tell you.Bishop: its getting late. Dont
you want to sleep?Convict; (grumbling) well, all right, but I wont be preached at, I I (lies on bed) are you sure, no one will come.Bishop: I
dont think they will. No one will disturb you.Convict: humph! I wonder if its safe ----here! You go to bed. Ill cover myself. (the bishop
hesitates) go on I tell you.Bishop: good night my son. (Exit Bishop)Convict: (looks round and sees the candlesticks again) humph! Ill have
another look at them. (He takes them up and plays withthem) they must be worth hundreds, hundreds! If I had this money I could begin again.
Humph! The old bishop is very fond of them too, said his mother gave them to him. His mother yes, hey didnt think of my mother, when they
put me in prison. Butthe bishop a nice man. He was good to me. Oh, boy, Im getting soft. And wouldnt my prison friends laugh at me if I got
soft?Ha, ha number 13579 becoming soft? If I stay here, hell preach to me in the morning and Ill become soft. Damn him and his preaching,
too. Im going.(he takes the candlesticks and goes out the door alarms)Persome: whos there whos there Im sure, I heard someone go out. The
candlesticks, the candlesticks. They are gone.Brother, brother come out. Fire, murder, thieves!Bishop: what is it, dear, what is it? What is the
matter?Persome: he has gone. The man has taken away your candlesticks and gone.
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