Dragon Seed Page #2

without himself being seen?

Are you eating, wife of my third cousin?

Our rice is poor and scanty.

And we have no pork at all.

- But will you share it with us?

- Thank you. But I cannot.

Are you alone, then?

Is my fourth cousin not here?

My son is not home yet.

But your third cousin,

my honored husband, is here.

How are you, sir? What new thing

have you found in your book?

Nothing his family can chew, swallow

and grow fat on, I can tell you.

My fourth cousin is in the city perhaps?

I do not know. My son

has been gone since the noon meal.

Well, I must get on.

I have business in the village.

He lies.

He has no business in the village

at this hour.

He looks for his wife, Jade.

And if he finds her with our son,

as he well may...

Jade is married to Lao Er.

The thing my son felt for her has ended.

It will never be ended

until one of them is dead.

You old book fool, it is your fault.

It is your fault we starve.

It is your fault we did not get Jade

for our son.

- Can I control a woman's choice?

- A woman's choice?

Did not your cousin Ling Tan

give you 30 silver dollars?

Did you not tell our son

he could not have the girl?

Quiet, woman. I read.

Out of all this,

something terrible will happen.

We are students

who have come from the university...

...to travel through the country

and tell you and others like you...

...news of the war in the North.

The Japanese march toward us.

These are two pictures

of what the Japanese are doing.

They are doing it now.

While you sit here and watch,

these very things are happening.

Shen, have you seen my fourth cousin?

These are your people

they are murdering and mine.

This is our country they are looting.

The enemy is ruthless.

He regards us only as slaves.

We cannot deal with him.

We must resist him.

- I'm sorry.

- Seeking someone perhaps?

- Not the one who would sit near you.

- lf she were my wife...

It is with pleasure that I leave you.

When the Japanese reach your village...

...they will come with lies in their mouths

and death in their hands.

And you must resist them,

even to your own deaths.

And beyond.

Are you able to do this?

Tell me you are.

All of you rise and tell me you are able.

We are able.

See? There is one who speaks.

Are there not others? Tell me. Come.

Yes. Come.

You come. I'm hungry.

The woman should have food ready

when her man is hungry.

My wife is at home where she should be.

Am I speaking into the wind?

Have you not understood

what you have seen and heard?

I know you have. Tell me you will

resist the enemy when he comes.

- How then can we resist?

- Can we fight machines with our hands?

Why do you shame me

by showing yourself off to everybody?

I come home, my belly roaring

like a hungry lion.

Why did you not eat and silence it?

How can I when you're not in your place?

I'm ashamed before my parents.

- I wish you'd not go in the street alone.

- Why?

- Other men will see you.

- I do not look.

I do not want them to look at you.

You're my wife.

But I cannot stay always in the courtyard.

These are not ancient times.

I wish it were those times.

I'd like to lock you up.

If you lock me up,

I wouldn't eat and then die.

I would not let you.

But these are the new times,

and I will come and go as I please.

- I should beat you.

- I have done nothing.

But you are not

where a woman should be at...

At home, waiting for her husband.

And there is this thing.

Before we were wed,

when the choice was put to you...

...why did you not choose me

above my fourth cousin?

If you could choose now,

which would it be?

You both have two arms and legs,

and all your fingers and toes.

Neither of you are

scabby-headed, nor cross-eyed.

- What, then, is the difference between you?

- You used me very ill.

You look so pale and so thin.

You are so to be pitied, you big turnip.

I wish I were a man of learning.

I wish I knew the words to ease myself

so I could tell you what I feel.

What do you feel?

I know, but...

I do not have the words.

I too am not very learned.

Is that why

you do not often speak to me?

Two must speak for understanding.

If I tell you everything that is in me,

will you tell me all that is in you?

- Yes.

- Then tonight we will speak together?

Yes.

Fetch me my food.

I will eat here in the courtyard.

- Yes, my husband.

- And since you did not cook the meal...

...you may clean up after it.

- Yes, my husband.

He must have beaten her.

I do not take too much credit to myself...

...that I'm the only man in these parts

who can read and write.

But how would I find time for my books

if you did not send me rice...

...and a new coat now and then,

and sometimes even meat?

You are a scholar and my honored cousin.

It is only proper

that your needs and comforts be supplied.

My land yields enough for all.

Orchid, it is time my grandson

was in his bed.

- Yes, my mother.

- But, cousin, have you ever thought of this:

When your time comes

to go into the earth yourself...

...shall you divide your land

between your sons?

Yes, I have thought of that.

You have made a good beginning.

Do not spoil it.

Will there still be enough for all?

Or will they quarrel

because their bellies are not full?

As my eldest son,

you must answer our cousin.

Can this land feed three men and

their wives and children after I am gone?

It can. For I will eat less meat, if my

brothers will, and leave in peace with them.

If I have taught my sons

that peace is good, I am content.

If you had been with me today, you would

not speak so easily of peace, my father.

If it were proper for a man

to speak to his daughter-in-law...

...l'd ask her why should not

peaceful men speak of peace.

Forgive my wife, Father, for speaking

so boldly, but today at the teahouse...

...students came and showed

the magic pictures and talked.

They told of the war in the North

and how the dwarfs...

...from the East Ocean islands

burn cities and kill our people.

I wonder if my daughter remembers...

...when other students

brought the pictures of flies.

I remember.

Flies as large as water buffalo.

Yes, and they told us

they were more dangerous than tigers.

And everyone knows that our flies...

...are as small as a grain of rice

and as harmless.

And so does it not follow

that today also perhaps...

...both words and pictures were made

too large to be either truth or life?

Does that not quiet

the woman's fear of my daughter?

Of course it does.

And it is time she was in her bed.

But we who are men know that

there is killing and suffering in the North.

And do you not believe

it will come here, Father?

I believe something else.

If a man lives his life in decency

and as he should...

...and then evil comes to him,

it cannot harm him.

And he can conquer and overcome it.

This, I live by.

And so I think do all the kinsmen

in our village.

- We are men of peace.

- True, true, true.

Also, the North is a long way from here.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes