THE DITCH

Persons
THE BOYan American soldier
THE BOY'S DREAM OF HIS MOTHER
ANGÉLIQUEFrench children
JEAN-BAPTISTEFrench children
THE TEACHER
THE ONE SCHOOLGIRL WITH IMAGINATION
THE THREE SCHOOLGIRLS WITHOUT IMAGINATION
HE
SHE
THE AMERICAN GENERAL
THE ENGLISH STATESMAN

The Time.—A summer day in 1918 and a summer day in 2018

[pg 003]

FIRST ACT

The time is a summer day in 1918. The scene is the first-line trench of the Germans—held lately by the Prussian Imperial Guard—half an hour after it had been taken by a charge of men from the Blankth Regiment, United States Army. There has been a mistake and the charge was not preceded by artillery preparation as usual. However, the Americans have taken the trench by the unexpectedness of their attack, and the Prussian Guard has been routed in confusion. But the German artillery has at once opened fire on the Americans, and also a German machine gun has enfiladed the trench. Ninety-nine Americans have been killed in the trench. One is alive, but dying. He speaks, being part of the time delirious.