_The Wharf--goods, boxes, and bales scattered about--a camera on
stand,_ R.
Scudder, R., Dora, L., George _and_ Paul _discovered;_ Dora _being
photographed by_ Scudder, _who is arranging photographic apparatus,_
George _and_ Paul _looking on at back._
_Scud._ Just turn your face a leetle this way--fix your--let's
see--look here.
_Dora._ So?
_Scud._ That's right. [_Puts his head under the darkening apron._]
It's such a long time since I did this sort of thing, and this old
machine has got so dirty and stiff, I'm afraid it won't operate.
That's about right. Now don't stir.
_Paul._ Ugh! she look as though she war gwine to have a tooth
drawed!_
_Scud._ I've got four plates ready, in case we miss the first shot.
One of them is prepared with a self-developing liquid that I've
invented. I hope it will turn out better than most of my notions. Now
fix yourself. Are you ready?
_Dora._ Ready!
_Scud._ Fire!--one, two, three. [Scudder _takes out watch._]
_Paul._ Now it's cooking, laws mussey, I feel it all inside, as if it
was at a lottery.
_Scud._ So! [_Throws down apron._] That's enough. [_With-draws slide,
turns and sees_ Paul.] What! what are you doing there, you young
varmint! Ain't you took them bags to the house yet?
_Paul._ Now, it ain't no use trying to get mad, Mas'r Scudder. I'm
gwine! I only come back to find Wahnotee; whar is dat ign'ant Ingiun?
_Scud._ You'll find him scenting round the rum store, hitched up by
the nose. [_Exit into room,_ R.
_Paul._ [_Calling at door._] Say, Mas'r Scudder, take me in dat
telescope?
_Scud._ [_Inside room._] Get out, you cub! clar out!
_Paul._ You got four of dem dishes ready. Gosh, wouldn't I like to
hab myself took! What's de charge, Mas'r Scudder? [_Runs off,
R. U. E.
_Enter_ Scudder, _from room,_ R.
_Scud._ Job had none of them critters on his plantation, else he'd
never ha' stood through so many chapters. Well, that has come out
clear, ain't it? [_Shows plate._]
_Dora._ O, beautiful! Look, Mr. Peyton.
_George._ [_Looking._] Yes, very fine!
_Scud._ The apparatus can't mistake. When I travelled round with this
machine, the homely folks used to sing out, "Hillo, mister, this
ain't like me!" "Ma'am," says I, "the apparatus can't mistake."
"But, mister, that ain't my nose." "Ma'am, your nose drawed it. The
machine can't err--you may mistake your phiz but the apparatus
don't." "But, sir, it ain't agreeable." "No, ma'am, the truth seldom
is."
_Enter_ Pete, L. U. E., _puffing._
_Pete._ Mas'r Scudder! Mas'r Scudder!
_Scud._ Hillo! what are you blowing about like a steamboat with one
wheel for?
_Pete._ You blow, Mas'r Scudder, when I tole you; dere's a man from
Noo Aleens just arriv' at de house, and he's stuck up two papers on
de gates; "For sale--dis yer property," and a heap of oder tings--and
he seen missus, and arter he shown some papers she burst out crying--I
yelled; den de corious of little niggers dey set up, den de hull
plantation children--de live stock reared up and created a
purpiration of lamentation as did de ole heart good to har.
_Dora._ What's the matter?
_Scud._ He's come.
_Pete._ Dass it--I saw'm!
_Scud._ The sheriff from New Orleans has taken possession--Terrebonne
is in the hands of the law.
_Enter_ Zoe, L. U. E.
_Zoe._ O, Mr. Scudder! Dora! Mr. Peyton! come home--there are
strangers in the house.
_Dora._ Stay, Mr. Peyton; Zoe, a word! [_Leads her forward--aside._]
Zoe, the more I see of George Peyton the better I like him; but he is
too modest--that is a very impertinent virtue in a man.
_Zoe._ I'm no judge, dear.
_Dora._ Of course not, you little fool; no one ever made love to you,
and you can't understand; I mean, that George knows I am an heiress;
my fortune would release this estate from debt.
_Zoe._ O, I see!
_Dora._ If he would only propose to marry me I would accept him, but
he don't know that, and he will go on fooling, in his slow European
way, until it is too late.
_Zoe._ What's to be done?
_Dora._ You tell him.
_Zoe._ What? that he isn't to go on fooling in his slow--
_Dora._ No, you goose! twit him on his silence and abstraction--I'm
sure it's plain enough, for he has not spoken two words to me all the
day; then joke round the subject, and at last speak out.
_Scud._ Pete, as you came here, did you pass Paul and the Indian with
the letter-bags?
_Pete._ No, sar; but dem vagabonds neber take de 'specable straight
road, dey goes by de swamp. [_Exit up path,_ L. U. E.
_Scud._ Come, sir!
_Dora._ [_To_ Zoe.] Now's your time.--[_Aloud._] Mr. Scudder, take us
with you--Mr. Peyton is so slow, there's no getting him, on. [_Exit_
Dora _and_ Scudder, L. U. E.
_Zoe._ They are gone!--[_Glancing at_ George.] Poor fellow, he has
lost all.
_George._ Poor child! how sad she looks now she has no resource.
_Zoe._ How shall I ask him to stay?
_George._ Zoe, will you remain here? I wish to speak to you.
_Zoe._ [_Aside._] Well, that saves trouble.
_George._ By our ruin, you lose all.
_Zoe._ O, I'm nothing; think of yourself.
_George._ I can think of nothing but the image that remains face to
face with me; so beautiful, so simple, so confiding, that I dare not
express the feelings that have grown up so rapidly in my heart.
_Zoe._ [_Aside._] He means Dora.
_George._ If I dared to speak!
_Zoe._ That's just what you must do, and do it at once, or it will be
too late.
_George._ Has my love been divined?
_Zoe._ It has been more than suspected.
_George._ Zoe, listen to me, then. I shall see this estate pass from
me without a sigh, for it possesses no charm for me; the wealth I
covet is the love of those around me--eyes that are rich in fond
looks, lips that breathe endearing words; the only estate I value is
the heart of one true woman, and the slaves I'd have are her
thoughts.
_Zoe._ George, George, your words take away my breath!
_George._ The world, Zoe, the free struggle of minds and hands, if
before me; the education bestowed on me by my dear uncle is a noble
heritage which no sheriff can seize; with that I can build up a
fortune, spread a roof over the heads I love, and place before them
the food I have earned; I will work--
_Zoe._ Work! I thought none but colored people worked.
_George._ Work, Zoe, is the salt that gives savor to life.
_Zoe._ Dora said you were slow; if she could hear you now--
_George._ Zoe, you are young; your mirror must have told you that you
are beautiful. Is your heart free?
_Zoe._ Free? of course it is!
_George._ We have known each other but a few days, but to me those
days have been worth all the rest of my life. Zoe, you have suspected
the feeling that now commands an utterance--you have seen that I love
you.
_Zoe._ Me! you love me?
_George._ As my wife,--the sharer of my hopes, my ambitions, and my
sorrows; under the shelter of your love I could watch the storms of
fortune pass unheeded by.
_Zoe._ My love! My love? George, you know not what you say. I the
sharer of your sorrows--your wife. Do you know what I am?
_George._ Your birth--I know it. Has not my dear aunt forgotten
it--she who had the most right to remember it? You are illegitimate,
but love knows no prejudice.
_Zoe._ [_Aside._] Alas! he does not know, he does not know! and will
despise me, spurn me, loathe me, when he learns who, what, he has so
loved.--[_Aloud._] George, O, forgive me! Yes, I love you--I did not
know it until your words showed me what has been in my heart; each of
them awoke a new sense, and now I know how unhappy--how very unhappy
I am.
_George._ Zoe, what have I said to wound you?
_Zoe._ Nothing; but you must learn what I thought you already knew.
George, you cannot marry me; the laws forbid it!
_George._ Forbid it?
_Zoe._ There is a gulf between us, as wide as your love, as deep as my
despair; but, O, tell me, say you will pity me! that you will not
throw me from you like a poisoned thing!
_George._ Zoe, explain yourself--your language fills me with
shapeless fears.
_Zoe._ And what shall I say? I--my mother was--no, no--not her! Why
should I refer the blame to her? George, do you see that hand you
hold? look at these fingers; do you see the nails are of a bluish
tinge?
_George._ Yes, near the quick there is a faint blue mark.
_Zoe._ Look in my eyes; is not the same color in the white?
_George._ It is their beauty.
_Zoe._ Could you see the roots of my hair you would see the same
dark, fatal mark. Do you know what that is?
_George._ No.
_Zoe._ That is the ineffaceable curse of Cain. Of the blood that
feeds my heart, one drop in eight is black--bright red as the rest
may be, that one drop poisons all the flood; those seven bright drops
give me love like yours--hope like yours--ambition like yours--Life
hung with passions like dew-drops on the morning flowers; but the
one black drop gives me despair, for I'm an unclean thing--forbidden
by the laws--I'm an Octoroon!
_George._ Zoe, I love you none the less; this knowledge brings no
revolt to my heart, and I can overcome the obstacle.
_Zoe._ But I cannot.
_George._ We can leave this country, and go far away where none
can know.
_Zoe._ And our mother, she who from infancy treated me with such
fondness, she who, as you said, had most reason to spurn me, can
she forget what I am? Will she gladly see you wedded to the child of
her husband's slave? No! she would revolt from it, as all but you
would; and if I consented to hear the cries of my heart, if I did not
crush out my infant love, what would she say to the poor girl on whom
she had bestowed so much? No, no!
_George._ Zoe, must we immolate our lives on her prejudice?
_Zoe._ Yes, for I'd rather be black than ungrateful! Ah, George, our
race has at least one virtue--it knows how to suffer!
_George._ Each word you utter makes my love sink deeper into my
heart.
_Zoe._ And I remained here to induce you to offer that heart to Dora!
_George._ If you bid me do so I will obey you--
_Zoe._ No, no! if you cannot be mine, O, let me not blush when I think
of you.
_George._ Dearest Zoe! [_Exit_ George _and_ Zoe, L. U. E.
_As they exit,_ M'Closky _rises from behind rock,_ R., _and looks
after them._
_M'Olosky._ She loves him! I felt it--and how she can love!
[_Advances._] That one black drop of blood burns in her veins and
lights up her heart like a foggy sun. O, how I lapped up her words,
like a thirsty bloodhound! I'll have her, if it costs me my life!
Yonder the boy still lurks with those mail-bags; the devil still
keeps him here to tempt me, darn his yellow skin. I arrived just too
late, he had grabbed the prize as I came up. Hillo! he's coming this
way, fighting with his Injiun. [_Conceals himself._]
_Enter_ Paul, _wrestling with_ Wahnotee, R. 3. E.
_Paul._ It ain't no use now; you got to gib it up!
_Wahno._ Ugh!
_Paul._ It won't do! You got dat bottle of rum hid under your
blanket--gib it up now, you--Yar! [_Wrenches it from him._] You
nasty, lying Injiun! It's no use you putting on airs; I ain't gwine
to sit up wid you all night and you drunk. Hillo! war's de crowd
gone? And dar's de 'paratus--O, gosh, if I could take a likeness ob
dis child! Uh--uh, let's have a peep. [_Looks through camera_] O,
golly! yar, you Wahnotee! you stan' dar, I see you Ta demine usti.
[_Goes_ R., _and looks at_ Wahnotee, L., _through the camera;_
Wahnotee _springs back with an expression of alarm._]
_Wahno._ No tue Wahnotee.
_Paul._ Ha, ha! he tinks it's a gun. You ign'ant Injiun, it can't
hurt you! Stop, here's dem dishes--plates--dat's what he call 'em,
all fix; I see Mas'r Scudder do it often--tink I can take
likeness--stay dere, Wahnotee.
_Wahno._ No, carabine tue.
_Paul._ I must operate and take my own likeness too--how debbel I do
dat? Can't be ober dar an' here too--I ain't twins. Ugh' ach! 'Top;
you look, you Wahnotee; you see dis rag, eh? Well when I say go, den
lift dis rag like dis, see! den run to dat pine tree up dar
[_points,_ L. U. E.] and back agin, and den pull down de rag so, d'ye
see?
_Wahno._ Hugh!
_Paul._ Den you hab glass ob rum.
_Wahno._ Rum!
_Paul._ Dat wakes him up. Coute Wahnotee in omenee dit go Wahnotee,
poina la fa, comb a pine tree, la revieut sala, la fa.
_Wahno._ Fire-water!
_Paul._ Yes, den a glass ob fire-water; now den. [_Throws mail bags
down and sits on them,_ L. C.] Pret, now den go. [Wahnotee _raises
apron and runs off,_ L. U. E. Paul _sits for his picture_--M'Closky
_appears from_ R. U. E.]
_M'Closky._ Where are they? Ah. yonder goes the Indian!
_Paul._ De time he gone just 'bout enough to cook dat dish plate.
_M'Closky._ Yonder is the boy--now is my time! What's he doing; is he
asleep? [_Advances._] He is sitting on on my prize! darn his carcass!
I'll clear him off there--he'll never know what stunned him. [_Takes
Indian's tomahawk and steals to_ Paul.]
_Paul._ Dam dat Injiun! is dat him creeping dar? I daren't move fear
to spile myself. [M'Closky _strikes him on the head--he falls dead._]
_M'Closky._ Hooraw! the bags are mine--now for it!--[_Opens
mail-bags._] What's here? Sunnyside, Pointdexter, Jackson, Peyton;
here it is--the Liverpool post-mark, sure enough!--[_Opens
letter--reads._] "Madam, we are instructed by the firm of Mason and
Co., to inform you that a dividend of forty per cent, is payable on
the 1st proximo, this amount in consideration of position, they send
herewith, and you will find enclosed by draft to your order, on the
Bank of Louisiana, which please acknowledge--the balance will be paid
in full, with interest, in three, six, and nine months--your drafts
on Mason Brothers at those dates will be accepted by La Palisse and
Compagnie, N. O., so that you may command immediate use of the whole
amount at once, if required. Yours, &c, James Brown." What a find!
this infernal letter would have saved all. [_During the reading of
letter he remains nearly motionless under the focus of the camera._]
But now I guess it will arrive too late--these darned U. S. mails are
to blame. The injiun! he must not see me. [_Exit rapidly,_ L.
[Wahnotee _runs on, pulls down apron--sees_ Paul, _lying on ground--
speaks to him--thinks he's shamming sleep--gesticulates and jabbers--
goes to him--moves him with feet, then kneels down to rouse him--to
his horror finds him dead--expresses great grief--raises his eyes--
they fall upon the camera--rises with savage growl, seizes tomahawk
and smashes camera to pieces, then goes to Paul--expresses grief,
sorrow, and fondness, and takes him in his arms to carry him away.--
Tableau._]
END OF THE SECOND ACT.