Play With a Tiger and Other Plays

GUARDIAN: We have flowers and leaves.

THE DELEGATE WITH THE FATHER: My father said spring was a metaphor.

ANOTHER: My grandfather who was an expert said that flowers and leaves Outside are not like this, they are made of flesh.

THE DELEGATES, VARIOUSLY: Oh how disgusting. Revolting. Horrible. Repulsive. Ugh!

DELEGATE WITH THE GRANDFATHER: My grandfather had the theory that the word spring meant when Outside was covered all over with live tissue in different colours. You know, like our flesh, but different.

A DELEGATE [shuddering]: Like a sort of cancer.

DELEGATE: That would take a lot of getting used to for a start.

ANOTHER: That’s what I’ve always said. I mean, we take it for granted that Outside would be better than here. But, ugh, flowers and leaves made of flesh, living flowers and leaves, I mean to say. [He looks as if he is going to be sick.]

FIRST LOW-LEVELLER: My father spent all his life studying the old sayings. His version of the spring verse is quite different.

SECRETARY: You have scholarship down on the Lower Levels? Yes, yes of course you do …

[SECRETARY exchanges a tolerant grimace with the CHAIRMAN.]

FIRST LOW-LEVELLER: He said it should go:

‘The Door will sing,

Then through it spring.’

THIRD LOW-LEVELLER: I like the other one better.

FIRST LOW-LEVELLER: Here, you two can’t stay there. You can’t be in front of us. I don’t care for myself but it is an insult to the 56th Level.

FOURTH LOW-LEVELLER: We aren’t moving back and that’s final.

CHAIRMAN: I do hope you will forgive me intruding, but I have a suggestion. You can’t have been Hereditary Exalted Chairman all your life without learning something of the arts of compromise. [He whispers to ASSISTANT.]

ASSISTANT: You move there … [He pushes FIRST LOW-LEVELLER with FOURTH.] … and you there … [He pushes THIRD with SECOND.]

[There is violent scuffling and disorder.]

FIRST LOW-LEVELLER: I’m not going to be with him. Look at his hair, if there wasn’t anything else wrong.

THIRD LOW-LEVELLER: He makes me sick.

THE DELEGATE WHO COMPLAINED OF THE NOISE BEFORE: I’m sorry but I can’t stand it. I have always been sensitive to noise. [This one runs out, left, hands clapped to ears.]

[The Door, glowing brilliantly, is sending out a strong sweet sound.]

FOURTH PRECEPT: ‘The Door will sing.’

ONE OF THIS GROUP: ‘The Door is singing, chanting, ringing,

The Door is shining, burning clear,

Leave your prison, the time is here!’

DELEGATE WHOSE FATHER WAS AN EXPERT: That’s not the right version. I’m sorry.

ANOTHER FROM THE GROUP: ‘The Door will glow, It’s time to go.’

SAME DELEGATE: No, that’s wrong.

ANOTHER: No, it isn’t, I’ve heard that version often.

[A babble of quarrelling breaks out in the procession. At the same time, all the group near the door, including the DOCTOR and MEDICAL ATTENDANTS, press closer to it. The ATTENDANTS, at a sign from FOURTH PRECEPT, pick up the stretcher with FIFTH PRECEPT.]

GUARDIAN [taking command of the procession]: This is a procession of Peace. Peace, I tell you.

FIRST LOW-LEVELLER [grabbing SECOND LOW-LEVELLER and pulling him beside himself]: You belong here.

GUARDIAN: Arrest the Low-Levellers.

[GUARDS come forward to arrest them, but the four LOW-LEVELLERS spring out of the procession and stand in a group facing the GUARDS, weapons at ready.]

FIRST LOW-LEVELLER: We’ll blow the whole place up.

FOURTH LOW-LEVELLER: And don’t think we don’t mean it.

DOCTOR: This must be a mass hallucination. It’s hypnosis. It’s a trick.

[The Door is now a flood of brilliant light, while from it comes a beautiful deep note.]

ONE OF THIS GROUP: ‘The atoms dance,

The Door’s on fire,

The electrons sing,

Now seize your chance.’

ANOTHER: ‘Watch and wait,

Know the time,

A singing Door,

That’s the sign.’

FOURTH PRECEPT: Come on. [He signals the MEDICAL ATTENDANTS to the Door.]