SUE--Sshhhh! You know the state Pa is in. He doesn’t realize what he’s
saying half the time. You ought to have better sense than to pay any
attention----
NAT--[_Excitedly._] But he told me all he’s been hiding from us--all
about the gold!
SUE--[_Looking at him with alarm--mystified._] Gold? [_Then forcing a
smile._] Don’t be silly, Nat. It doesn’t exist except in his poor,
deranged mind.
NAT--[_Fiercely._] That’s a lie, Sue! I saw the map, I tell you--the map
of the island with a cross marked on it where they buried the gold.
SUE--He showed a map to you--a real map? [_Gently._] Are you sure you’re
not just imagining that, too?
NAT--I had it in my hands, you fool, you! There--on the table. [_He
springs to his feet, sees the map on the table, and snatches it up with
an exclamation of joy--showing it to_ SUE.] See! Now will you believe
me! [_She examines the map perplexedly._ NAT _paces up and
down--excitedly_.] I tell you it’s all true. You can’t deny it now. It’s
lucky for us I forced him to confess. He might have died keeping the
secret and then we’d have lost--I’ll tell you what I’m going to do now,
Sue. I’m going to raise the money somewhere, somehow, and fit out
another schooner and this time I’ll sail on her myself. No trusting to
Danny or anyone else! Yes, Sue, we’ll come into our own yet, even if the
Sarah Allen is lost---- [_He stops--then in accents of bewildered
fear._] But--she can’t be lost--I saw the lights, Sue--red and
green--as plain as I see you now---- [_He goes to one of the portholes
again._]
SUE--[_Who has been watching him worriedly, puts the map back on the
table, gets up and, assuming a brisk, matter-of-fact tone, she goes over
and takes him by the arm._] Come downstairs, Nat. Don’t think any more
about it tonight. It’s late and you’re worn out. You need rest and a
good sleep.
NAT--[_Following her toward the door--confusedly._] But Sue--I saw
them---- [_From above in the night comes the muffled hail in_ BARTLETT’S
_voice_.] Sarah Allen, ahoy! [NAT _stops, tortured, his hands
instinctively raised up to cover his ears_. SUE _gives a startled cry.
The door above is slammed and_ BARTLETT _comes down the stairs, his face
revealing that the delusion has again full possession of his mind_.]
BARTLETT--[_Pointing his finger at his son and fixing him with his
eyes--in ringing, triumphant tones._] The Sarah Allen, boy--in the
harbor below--a red and a green plain afore my eyes! What did I tell ye,
boy? Come back from the Southern Seas as I swore she must! Loaded with
gold as I swore she would be! [NAT _again seems to crumble--to give way
to the stronger will. He takes a step toward his father, his eyes
lighting up._ SUE _looks at his face--then rushes to her father_.]
SUE--[_Putting her hands to her father’s head and forcing him to look
down into her face--intensely._] Pa! Stop, do you hear me! It’s all mad!
You’re driving Nat mad, too! [_As she sees her father hesitate, the wild
light dying out of his eyes, she summons all her power to a fierce
pleading._] For my sake, Pa! For Ma’s sake! Think of how she would feel
if she were alive and saw you acting this way with Nat! Tell him! Tell
him now--before me--tell him it’s all a lie!
BARTLETT--[_Trying in an agony of conflict to get hold of his
reason--incoherently._] Yes, Sue--I hear ye--confess--aye, Sarah, your
dyin’ words--keep Nat clear o’ this--but--red and green--I seen ’em
plain---- [_Then suddenly after a tremendous struggle, lifting his
tortured face to_ NAT’S--_in tones of despair_.] Nothin’ there, boy!
Don’t ye believe! No red and green! She’ll never come! Derelict and
lost, boy, the Sarah Allen. [_After another struggle with himself._] And
I lied to ye, boy. I gave the word--in my mind--to kill them two. I
murdered ’em in cold blood.
SUE--[_Shrinking from him in horror._] Pa! You don’t know what you’re
saying.