Isle of the Dead Page #4

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ALBRECHT:

It is my home.

(extending his hand)

My name is Hugo Albrecht.

Oliver shakes hands with Albrecht. The General bows.

GENERAL:

I have not been on the island in

twenty years. It is changed -

changed completely. Where are the

graves -- the coffins?

ALBRECHT:

(turning to his guests in

polite explanation)

This was once a cemetery.

The people in the room exhibit varying degrees of interest.

ALBRECHT:

(smiling)

It may seem an odd choice for a

home. Yet I like it.

(to Oliver and the

General)

But you must meet my guests.

He half turns to indicate the Consul.

ALBRECHT:

This is Mr. St. Aubyn, British

Consul from Adrianople.

St. Aubyn bows formally. The General returns his bow with a

nod, and Oliver goes forward and shakes the Consul's hand.

ALBRECHT:

--and Miss St. Aubyn.

Cathy smiles wanly in greeting. Oliver, in American fashion,

goes from her father to Miss St. Aubyn, takes her hand.

OLIVER:

You were singing, weren't you?

A beautiful voice, Miss St. Aubyn.

CATHY:

(masking irritation)

That was my companion. She sings

little peasant songs quite nicely --

a completely untrained voice, of

course.

St. Aubyn continues the introductions, indicating the somber

faced woman, who sits apart from the others.

ST. AUBYN

My secretary, Miss Wollsten.

At this point, Jacks rises unsteadily and lurches towards the

others. He flashes a card from his pocket.

JACKS:

Jacks -- Henry Jacks. Tinware,

best grade and the lowest prices --

(as if quoting a well

known slogan)

Jacks sells no junk.

The General looks at him, astonished at this strange

commercial personality. Oliver, having shaken hands with Miss

Wollsten, nods across to Jacks amiably.

OLIVER:

Aren't you a little out of

your territory?

JACKS:

If the world won't come to

Jacks, Jacks goes to the world.

He walks unsteadily back to his own seat.

ALBRECHT:

Mr. Jacks is a philosopher.

(to the General)

(and Oliver)

But, come, sit down with us. We are

all anxious to hear of' today's

battle.

ST. AUBYN

(to General)

A fine fight, sir, but a bit

inconvenient for travel. We were

under constant shelling all the way

down the coast.

GENERAL:

The enemy is in retreat. There will

be no more fighting here.

(to Albrecht)

I came here to visit the crypts. My

wife was buried here. What happened

to the bodies?

ALBRECHT:

They were gore before I came here.

GENERAL:

But why?

Ida, the woman servant, a middle—aged Greek woman in peasant

costume, with a dark sombre face, comes in. She has an

amphora of wine and two glasses in her hands. She pours wine

for Oliver and hands him the glass, then turns to the General

and begins to pour for him as he and Albrecht talk.

ALBRECHT:

There was some trouble here ——the

villagers on the mainland —-this

island was the focal point of their

anger. They came here ——broke open

the tombs and despoiled the graves.

GENERAL:

All the graves?

ALBRECHT:

I'm afraid so. There were rumors

——people were aroused. Some feared

restlessness among the dead you

know, the old superstitions.

GENERAL:

I donut understand.

IDA:

I can explain, Master Soldier.

She has put down the amphora so that her hands are free. She

lifts a fore—finger to each side of her mouth and grimaces

between the upright fingers.

GENERAL:

(understanding her

immediately)

Vorvolakas!

Hastily Ida crosses herself, at the same time nodding

agreement

GENERAL:

(not too unpleasantly)

You are an old fool.

IDA:

(grinning; pleased at this

insult from her heroic

countryman)

You think so? You think such things

do not happen? Right now ——

upstairs there is one who is rosy

and bright —— full of blood -- and

here ——

(she makes a sidewise

inclination of her head

toward Mrs. St. Aubyn)

——here is one who is pale and

cold as a lily.

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