SCENE EIGHT

83
8

Shui Ta's Tobacco Factory

Shui Ta has set up asmall tobacco factory in Mr Shu F°'s huts.
Horribly constricted, a number of families huddle behind bars.
Women and children predominate, among them the sister-in-law,
the carpenter and his children. In front of them
the grandfather,followed by her son, Sun.
enter Mrs Yang,
how the
MRS YANG, to the audence : I must describe to you
wisdom and discipline of our universally respected Mr Shui
Ta turned my son Sun from a broken wreck into a useful
citizen. Near the cattle-yard, as the whole neighbourhood
quickly came to hear, Mr Shui Ta started a snallbut rapidlyit
found
prospering tobacco factory. Three months ago I
me
advisable to call on him there with my son. He received
after a brief wait.

Shui Ta comes up to Mrs Yang from the factory.

Yang?
SHUITA: What can I do for you, Mrs
YANG: Mr Shui Ta, I should like to put in a word for my
MRS
The police carme round this morning, and we heard that
son.
were suing in Miss Shen Teh's name for breach of
you 200 silver dollars.
promise and fraudulent conversion of
SHUI TA: Quite correct, Mrs Yang.
YANG: Mr Shui Ta, in the gods' name can you not temper
MRS money has gone. He ran
more? The
justice with mercy once as the ideathe pilot's
of
through it in a couple ofodays as soon
bad lot. He had already sold
Job fell through. I knowhe istoa set off to Pckin without his
going
ny furniture andwas a time when
Miss
There was
poor old mother. She weeps.
Shen Teh thought very highly of him.to me, Mr Yang Sun?
SHUI TA: Have you got anything to Say
SUN, SOmbrely: The money's goncthe weakness which my cousin
SHUI TA: Mrs Yang, in view of your broken-down
for Some inexplicable reason felt for
Or chance. She told me she
I am prepared to give him another
84 THE GO0D PERsON OF SZECHWAN
thought honest work might bring an
improvement,I
him a place in my factory. The 200 silver dollarscan find
deducted in instalments from his wages. will be
SUN: So it's to be factory or clink?
SHUITA: It's your own choice.
SUN: And no chance of talking to Shen Teh, Isuppose.
SHUI TA: No.
SUN: Show me where I work.
MRS YANG: A thousand thanks, Mr Shui Ta. Your kindness i
overwhelming, and the gods will repay you. To Sun: Yon
have strayed from the narrow path. See if honest work will
make you fit to look your mother in the face again.
Sun folloos Shui Ta into the factory. Mrs Yang returns to the
front of the stage.
MRS YANG: The first weekS were difficult for Sun. The work
was not what he was used to. He had little chance to show
what he could do. It was only in the third week that a small
incident brought him luck. He and Lin To who used to be
a carpenter were shifting bales of tobacco.
Sun and the former carpenter Lin To are each shifting too bales of
tobacco.
THE FORMER CARPENTER comes to ahalt groaning, and lowers
himself on to one of the bales: I'm about done in. I'm too old
for this sort of work.
SUN likewise sits down: Why don't you tell them they can stuff
their bales?
THE FORMER CARPENTER: How would we live then? To get
the barest necessities I must even set the kids to work. A pity
Miss Shen Teh can't see it! She was good.
SUN: I'ye known worse. If things had been a bit less miserable
we'dhave hit it off quite well together. I'd like to know where
she is. We had better get on, He usually comes about now.
They get p.
SUN Sees Shui Ta coming: Give us one of your sacks, vou old
cripple! Sun adds one of Lin To's bales to his own load
 SCENE BIGHT
85
THE FORMER CARPENTER: Thanks a lot! Yes, if she were there
you'd certainly go up a peg when she saw how
were to an old man. Ah yes helpful you
Enter Shui Ta.
MRS YANG: And a glance is enough for Mr Shui Ta to spot a
good worker who will tackle anything. And he takes a hand.
SHUI TA: Hey, you two! What's happening here? Why are you
only carrying one sack?
THE FORMER CARPENTER: I feel a bit run down today, Mr Shui
Ta, and Yang Sun was so kind
SHUI TA: You go back and pick up three bales, my friend. If
Yang Sun can do it, so can you. Yang Sun puts his heart in
it, and you don't. bales: Not
MRS YANG, while the former carpenter fetches two more
noticed. And
aword to Sun, of course, but Mr Shui Ta had
next Saturday, at the pay desk..
a small bag of money.
A table is set up and Shui Ta comes with pays
man - he
Standing next the overseer - theformer unemployed
table.
out the wages. Sun steps up to the
-6 silver dollars.
THE OVERSEER: Yang Sun five. Not more than 5
but it can't be more than
SUN: Sorry, overseer s holding.
which the
silver dollars. He takes the list down for six full days, but
got me
Look, here you are, you've to cóurt, Ingratiatingly:
I had to go
Iwas off one day, as paid money I hadn't carned, however
wouldn't like to be
Lousy the pay is. un
dollars, then! To Shui Ta: Very
THE OVERSEER: S silyer
usual that, Mr Shui Ta! have six days down here when
SHUI TA: How do you come to
it was only five? Shui Ta, I must have made
THE OVERSEER : Quite
correct, Mr
Sun, coldly: It won't occur again. you have
amistake. To have noticed lately thatNowI see
SHUI TA calls Sun aside: I to the firm.
strength and don'tgrudgeit
plentyof
86 THE GO0D PERSON OF SZECH WAN

that you are to be trusted too. Does it often happen that the
overseer makes mistakes to the firm's loss?
SUN: He's friends with some of the workers, and they count hin
as one of them.
SHUI TA: Isee. One good turn deserves another. Would vom
like a bonus?
sUN: No. But perhaps I might point out that I have also got a
brain. I have had a fair education, you know. The overseer
has the right ideas about the men, but being uneducated he
can't see what's good for the firm. Give me a weck's trial,
Mr Shui Ta, and Ithink Ican prove to you that my brains
are worth more to the firm than the mere strength of my
muscles.
MRS YANG: They were bold words, but that evening Itold my
Sun: You are a lying man. Show that you can get to the top
where you are now! Fly, my eagle!' And indeed it is remark
able what brains and education will achieve! How can a man
hope to better himself without them? Absolute miracles were
performed by my son in the factory directed by Mr Shui Ta!
Sun stands behind the workers, his legs apart. They are passing a
basket of rawtobacco above their heads.
SUN: Here you, that's not proper work! The basket has got to
be kept moving ! To a child: Sit on the ground, can't you?
It takes up less room! And you might as well get on
with a
bit of pressing: yes, it's you I'm talking to! You idle loafers,
what do you think you're paid for? Come on with that basket!
o hell and damnation! Put grandpa over there and let him
shred with the kids! There's been enough dodging here!
Now take your time from me! He claps time oith his hands
and the basket moves faster.
MRS YANG: And no enmities, no slanderous allegations by the
uneducated - for he was not spared that - could hold my son
back from the fulflment of his duty.
One of the oorkers begins singing the song of the eighth elephant.
The others join in the chorus.