II
SCENE. A dug-out in a wood somewhere in Flanders. Officers at tea.
HANCOCK. Damned glad to be out of that infernal firing trench, anyway. (A dull report is heard in the distance.) There goes another torpedo! Wonder who's copt it this time!
SMITH. For Christ's sake talk about something else!
HANCOCK (ignoring him). Are we coming back to the same trenches, sir?
CAPTAIN DODD. 'Spect so.
HANCOCK. At the present rate we shall last another two spells. I hate this sort of bisnay. You go on month after month losing fellows the whole time, and at the end of it you're exactly where you started. I wish they'd get a move on.
WHISTON. Tired of life?
HANCOCK. If you call this life, yes! If this damned war is going on another two years, I hope to God I don't live to see the end of it.
SMITH. If ever I get home ...!
WHISTON. Well?
SMITH. Won't I paint the town red, that's all!
WHISTON. If ever I get home ... well, I guess I'll go home. No more razzle-dazzle for master! No, there's a little girl awaiting, and I know she thinks of me. Shan't wait any longer.
HANCOCK (heavily). Don't think a chap's got any right to marry a girl under present circs. It's ten to one she's a widow before she's a mother.
SMITH. Oh, shut up!
CAPTAIN DODD (gently). To some women the kid would be just the one thing that made life bearable.
HANCOCK (reddening). Sorry, sir; forgot you'd just done it. Course you're right. Depends absolutely on the girl.
CAPTAIN DODD. Thanks. I say, Whiston, I'm going to B.H.Q. Care to come along?
(They go out together.)
SCENE. A path through a wood. CAPTAIN DODD and WHISTON walking together, followed by a LANCE-CORPORAL.
DODD. D'you believe in presentiments, Whiston?
WHISTON (doubtfully). A year ago I should have laughed at you for asking. Now ...
DODD. More things in heaven and earth ...?
WHISTON. My rationalism is always being upset!
DODD. How exactly?
WHISTON. For instance, I simply can't believe that old John is finished. Can you?
DODD (quietly). No.
WHISTON. Funny thing. As far as I'm concerned I can quite imagine myself just snuffing out. You can put one word on my grave, if I have one—"Napu." But as for John, no. I want something else. Something about Death being scored off after all.
DODD. I know. "O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy victory?"
WHISTON. Just that. Mind you, I don't think I'm afraid of Death. I don't want to get killed. But if I saw him coming I think I could smile, and feel that after all he wasn't getting much of a bargain. But the idea of his getting old John sticks in my gullet. I believe in all sorts of things for him. Resurrection and life and Heaven, and all that.
DODD. What do you think about it, Corporal?
LANCE-CORPORAL. Same as Mr. Whiston, sir.
WHISTON. But what about presentiments?
DODD. Oh, I don't know. Funny thing; but all through this fortnight I've been absolutely certain that I was not for it.
LANCE-CORPORAL. Beg pardon, sir, we noticed that, sir!
WHISTON. Well, it's practically over now.
DODD. I'm not so sure. I'm not in a funk, you know. It's simply that I don't feel so sure.
WHISTON. Oh, rot, sir! I don't believe in that sort of presentiment.
DODD. What do you think, Corporal?
LANCE-CORPORAL. I think you goes when your time comes, sir. But it won't come to-night, sir. Not after all we been through this spell, and the spell just finished.
DODD. I believe you're right, Corporal. We shall go when our time comes, and not before. I like that idea, you know. It means one hasn't got to worry.
WHISTON. If it means that you go on as you've done the last fortnight, it's a damnable doctrine, sir. You've no business to go taking unnecessary risks simply because you've got bitten by Mohammedanism.
DODD (thoughtfully). You're right, too, Whiston. "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." One shouldn't take unnecessary risks. Mind you, I don't admit that I have. It just enables one to do one's job with a quiet mind, that's all.
TWO DAYS LATER
SCENE. A billet. HANCOCK and SMITH.
HANCOCK. Damn!
SMITH. What's up? Aren't you satisfied? The brigade's bound to go back and re-form now, and that means that we shan't be in the trenches for a couple of months at least. We may even go where there's a pretty girl or two. My word!
HANCOCK. Damnation!
SMITH (genuinely astonished). What the hell's wrong? Any one would think you liked the trenches! Personally, I don't care if I never see them again. England's full of nice young, bright young things crying to get out. Let 'em all come! They can have my job and welcome!
HANCOCK (to himself). God! Why Dodd and Whiston? Why, why, why? Why not me? Why just the fellows we can't afford to lose?
SMITH. Oh, for God's sake stow it! What the hell's the good of going on like that? Of course I'm sorry for them and all that. But I don't see that it's going to help them to make oneself miserable about it.
HANCOCK (fiercely). Sorry for them! It's not them I'm sorry for! They ... they're the lucky ones! God! I suppose that's the answer! They'd earned it!
SMITH (satirically). Have you turned pi? We shall have you saying the prayers that you learnt at your mother's knee next, I suppose! I shall have to tell the Padre, and he'll preach a sermon about it! I should never have thought you would have been frightened into religion!
HANCOCK. Frightened! You little swine! You talk about being frightened after last night! I tell you I'd rather be lying out there with Dodd and Whiston than be sitting here with you. Frightened into religion!
SMITH. Oh, I suppose you're the next candidate for death or glory! Good luck to you! I'm not competing. I'll do my job; but I'm not going to make a fool of myself. Dodd and Whiston deserved all they got. You're right there. You'll get what you deserve some day, I expect! Don't look at me like that. I've said I'm sorry, and all that. But it's the truth I'm speaking, all the same.
HANCOCK. And you'll get what you deserve too, I suppose, which is to live in your own company till the end of your miserable existence. I won't deprive you of your reward more than I can help, I promise you!
(HANCOCK goes out.)