Bridgewater State University - Alpha Yearbook (Bridgewater, MA)

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NORMAL OFFERING 29 SCENE III. Place- The saine. Tiine--Two gears later. Aclrar is seated by the fonntain, ninsing. Aclrar: The time is passed. If my father should return today, he would have reason to be sad. Where is Omar? Where is Ufra? One buried in the Caspian, the other wandering no one knows where. Natalie! Natalie! CEnter Natalie, carrying silver born? Natalie: Here is the box with the key. Let us open it by the pillar here. Adrar: What can it contain, Natalie? Iconfess, Iam consumed with curiosity. tThey open the boa, flnol the gololen hey, git it into the lotns flower, and the oloor swings open. Aclrar clraws froni the capity a scroll of parchonent olrawn throilgh a beailtifiil rnby ring. He reaclslz Beloved Sons: Long years ago, our noble prince committed a grave political indis- cretion while a young student in Turkey. According to Turkish law such an act should be punished by a term of five years' imprisonment. Our prince returned to Algeria, a wiser man but unpunished, and for years nothing was said. But just before your return from Paris, relations between the two countries became strained and the old matter was revived. To save our prince from indignity I have taken his guilt upon my shoulders and have gone to serve his term. If I should die before that terrn expires, you are to present this ruby ring to our prince when the five years are over. May fate be kind, and may I be with you ere you read this! CThey stanol silent. A noise is hearcl withont. The sonntl of cheer- ing jills the street, Long line the Prince! Long live onr Governor! Long live Khani! The door opens. Enter Prince, Sahi, anol Khain, followed by nnnieroils attenclantsj I Khain: My son! Aclrar: Father! CThey einbracej Prince: Your father! has come back to you and was this morning named governor of Tunis. But Ibelieve his greatest happiness is in finding you faithful, Adrar. Khani: This is indeed the happiest moment of my life. Ah, Natalie, my daughter! tHe hisses her foreheacll Sahi Cbowing lowl: The feast is ready. Let us rejoice!

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28 NORMAL OFFERING Omar: By the graces! It will not open! CErlter Natalie aricl Aclrar at left. Omar eoriceals the box aml key hurriedly arid remairis iri tlie sliacloiu of tlie pillar? Aclrar: I tell you, Natalie, father must be sought. I can no longer live here in happiness, fearing that he is ill or uncared for in some far land. Natalie: But where would you go in search of him? Your letters have always been returned. Atlrar: Do you know, my dear, I have sometimes thought that in the silver box the secret lay! Had not father commanded otherwise, I should be tempted to see for m yself. Natalie: You think perhaps that your father, fearing that he might never return, entrusted to that little box, the secret of his whereabouts so that you might seek him? No, Adrar, no. Do not let your curiosity tempt you in the guise of virtue. Aclrar lmiisirigl: And again, Natalie, the climate is killing you. If the box contains gold, we might leave this tropical heat and go to Nice. But as it is .... Natalie: Why think of the box at all, Adrar? The temptation to satisfy your curiosity will become an obsession. Aclrar: You wrong me, my wife. Curiosity to see the contents of the box is not my motive. My fatherls command is more sacred than all the hidden treasures of the world. But I ain worried. Natalie: Ibelieve you. But I assure you that what you wish to learn the box cannot reveal. Aolrar: Natalie! What do you mean? Natalie: Only this. Last night here in the court-yard I saw Ufra open his box and find therein a key. Aclrar: A key! Natalie: He was disappointed. His face was horrible to behold in the moonlight. Aclrar: He must have been sorely tempted. Omar lasiclel: So, my cunning Ufra. That was your little game! CExit Omar imol9ser've0l.l Natalie: You would excuse him, Adrar? Aolrar: He is to be pitied. But for father's sake, let us at least be faithful.

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30 NORMAL OFFERING Eine Sviluvr Burkina By Elizabeth Shaw IGHT was falling in the little village of Haar. The last weary traveler had slipped stiffly from his mount's back, the last drooping beast had been led to the tavern stable. Within the tavern, candles flickered bravely and a huge fireplace gave warm wel- come to the tired guests. Over in one corner a wandering minstrel idly thrummed his instrument and sang strange songs from far-off villages. A group of shepherds were teasing the inn-keeper's daughter in a rough, good-natured way. In another corner, separated from his fellows, crouched a strange figure. Despite the cheering warmth of the room, he had his cloak wrapped tightly about him. The cloak itself was nothing out of the ordinary, made of stout leather and showing some usage, there was but one thing wherein it differed from others. Gleaming sharply in the ruddy glow of the fire, shone a heavy silver buckle. This buckle, which was most curiously wrought, was used to fasten the cloak. The man, as he crouched there aloof, fingered the buckle with now a smooth, caressing touch, and now a nervous, impatient clasp. He rose and peered through the heavy shutters out into the dismal night, and muttered beneath his breath. Returning to his humble stool, with a curious, mysterious smile, he listened to the wailing of the winds, the creaking and cracking of the boughs of the great oaks which sheltered the tavern, and the distant halloo of some sturdy peasant who was returning homeward. :k ff it at ae X Pk All day long the strong north wind had swept down into the little valley, increasing in violence with the passing of every hour. The peasants early closed and barred their shutters that night, shaking their heads, and then hurried to their fireside warmth and peace. With the coming of darkness, the wind changed its low menacing note to a high, diabolical scream as it whistled down the roaring chimneys. It raged with helpless impotence against the sturdy doors, and sought