SERGEANT. Shut up!
DICK. Have you got any cider?
SERGEANT. Don't ask. She and the man probably drank themselves stupid on
it. [Throws fork on floor.] I never struck such a place in my life. Get
me another fork. How do you expect me to eat with that bent thing?
[MARY stoops with difficulty and picks up the fork. Gets another from
the cupboard and gives it to the SERGEANT.]
SERGEANT. Now give us some salt. Don't you know that folks eat it on
eggs?
[MARY crosses to the cupboard; mistakes the pepper for the salt, and
puts it on the table.]
SERGEANT [sprinkles pepper on his food]. I said salt, woman! [Spelling.]
S-A-L-T. Salt! Salt!
[MARY goes to the cupboard; returns to the table with the salt. Almost
ready to drop, she drags herself to the window nearer back, and leans
against it, watching the SOUTHERNERS like a hunted animal. THADDEUS sits
nodding in the corner. The SERGEANT and DICK go on devouring the food.
The SERGEANT pours the coffee. Puts his cup to his lips, takes one
swallow; then, jumping to his feet and upsetting his chair as he does
so, he hurls his cup to the floor. The crash of china stirs THADDEUS.
MARY shakes in terror.]
SERGEANT [bellowing and pointing to the fluid trickling on the floor].
Have you tried to poison us, you God damn hag?
[MARY screams, and the faces of the men turn white. It is like the cry
of the animal goaded beyond endurance.]
MARY [screeching]. Call my coffee poison, will ye? Call me a hag? I'll
learn ye! I'm a woman, and ye're drivin' me crazy. [Snatches the
gun from the wall, points it at the SERGEANT, and fires. Keeps on
screeching. The SERGEANT falls to the floor. DICK rushes for his gun.]
THADDEUS. Mary! Mary!
MARY [aiming at DICK, and firing]. I ain't a hag, I'm a woman, but ye're
killin' me.
[DICK falls just as he reaches his gun. THADDEUS is in the corner with
his hands over his ears. The NORTHERNER stands on the stairs. MARY
continues to pull the trigger of the empty gun. The NORTHERNER is
motionless for a moment; then he goes to THADDEUS, and shakes him.]
NORTHERNER. Go get my horse, quick!
[THADDEUS obeys. The NORTHERNER turns to MARY. She gazes at him, but
does not understand a word he says.]
NORTHERNER [with great fervor]. I'm ashamed of what I said. The whole
country will hear of this, and you. [Takes her hand, and presses it to
his lips; then turns and hurries out of the house. MARY still holds the
gun in her hand. She pushes a strand of gray hair back from her face,
and begins to pick up the fragments of the broken coffee cup.]
MARY [in dead, flat tone]. I'll have to drink out the tin cup now.
[The hoof-beats of the NORTHERNER'S horse are heard.]
Curtain.