The Darwins: Next Installment
JEMMA
All
like that.
(off
Charles’ puzzled face)
All
like that. No “deformity”.
CHARLES
This
is common?
JEMMA
This
is common.
CHARLES
(pause)
It
makes no sense.
FITZROY
How’s
that?
CHARLES
Well,
don’t you wonder-- Why the Creator
would
bestow a crude form of this noisemaker
on
a different type of snake?
FITZROY
I
would never be so bold as to “wonder” at
the
infinite wisdom of the Almighty with
the
modest wisdom He has given me.
CHARLES
Yes,
sir. Quite right, quite right.
Regardless,
Argentina has provided a bounty
of
specimens--
FITZROY
Yes!
Bring them aboard, bring them aboard!
Fitzroy turns and starts up
the gangplank. Charles squats down to lift the skull.
FITZROY
Not
yourself, Mr. Darwin, there are slaves.
CHARLES
I
don’t mind, sir.
FITZROY
Well,
I quite mind. Leave it there.
Fitzroy nods to someone
offstage. Charles throws out his hand to the slave to wait.
CHARLES
Begging
your pardon, Captain, but I do not
approve
of the practice of slavery.
FITZROY
Of
course not. You are young and still ignorant
of
economics.
CHARLES
I
don’t care a tic about economics. It’s an
abomination.
FITZROY
(laughs)
Mr.
Darwin, I only yesterday visited a great
slave
owner and friend here. He called
up
many
of his slaves and asked them if they were
happy--
they were. He asked whether they wished
to
be free. Each and every one of them in turn
answered
“no”.
CHARLES
Do
you honestly believe that the answer of a slave
in
front of his master is worth anything?
Fitzroy’s smile fades, and
his face turns red.
FITZROY
If
you were a member of crew, Mr. Darwin,
I
would have you whipped. Jemma, did
you
hear “The Philosopher” doubt my word?
JEMMA
Doubt
your word, Captain.
FITZROY
Such
a challenge in the face of a more severe
captain
might be considered mutinous,
would
it not?
JEMMA
Would
it not, Captain.
FITZROY
Such
a man would not be allowed back aboard ship.
CHARLES
Captain
Fitzroy, pardon if I offended--
FITZROY
I
am pleased that you so enjoyed Argentina,
Mr.
Darwin, for you stand to see a lot more of it.
CHARLES
You
have no right!
FITZROY
I
do. As captain over mutineers--
be
they sailors or civilians.
CHARLES
Mutineers?
JEMMA
Captain,
no scientist here like Scientist.
FITZROY
A
point I am well aware of, Jemma.
But
Mr. Darwin is no one with whom I would
share
my quarters.
JEMMA
Share
my quarters.
FITZROY
What?
JEMMA
Share
my quarters.
FITZROY
Yours?
(pause)
Oh,
you’re mimicking.
(this
makes him smile)
Well, if the other officers choose to make
room
for him in their cabin, then he
may
come aboard.
Fitzroy disappears below
deck.
CHARLES
My!
The Captain is serving hot coffee this morning.
JEMMA
(nods
in agreement)
Hot
Coffee.
CHARLES
I
am obliged to you, Jemma.
JEMMA
(he
nods, then)
All
have slave. Indian. Negro. Spanish.
All
have slave.
Jemma shrugs “it’s okay”,
then smiles and goes on board. Charles steps into a pool of light.
CHARLES
(somewhat
distressed)
I
must tell you, Dear Emma...
(pause,
reconsiders)
...of
the grandeur of the rain forest. So old. As
majestic
and inspiring as any cathedral... As
I
stood there alone and still, I could truly
feel
the presence
of God... To you who has
so
clearly felt God’s presence always, that
may
seem strange. But it was one the most
perfect
moments I have ever known.
(pause)
Some
distressing news. My time absent from
Enland
has taken its toll.
I
received a letter from Miss Gray, breaking
it
off between us.
Emma steps into her pool of
light across the stage.
EMMA
(beaming)
Dear
Charley, we are all shocked and dismayed.
I
express my deepest sympathy regarding Miss Gray.
Perhaps
God is guiding you toward some better
purpose.
I, myself, am a bit “at sea”.
I
saw my old piano teacher, Monsieur Chopin,
in
Paris. He reminded me of all the
glorious
music I used to love playing.
I
considered the idea of joining a concert tour
as
you saw me in, in our youth.
But
Fanny Wedgewood has fallen ill suddenly, so I
am
home helping nurse her back to health...
Hurry
back, Charley. I can’t wait to hear of
all
your exciting adventures.
Scene
Six
Tierra del Fuego. Charles’
cabin on the Beagle, he is reading Emma’s letter.
CHARLES
Dear
Emma. I think Tierra del Fuego is farther
from
home than any place on earth.
Charles puts the letter
away and returns to work mounting insect specimens. Someone knocks.
CHARLES
Yes?
Jemma Buttons walks in,
wearing nothing but a torn blanket for clothing. He is dirty and his hair is
long and tangled.
CHARLES
(standing,
startled)
Yes,
what is it?... Jemma?... What’s happened?
Where
are you clothes?
Jemma turns away from him,
embarrassed.
JEMMA
You
sail, leave Jemma with family. Family take.
CHARLES
Your
own family stole your clothes?
JEMMA
All
steal everything. Missionary
think
he killed you not come back now.
CHARLES
I’m
sorry, we’ve been mapping Cape Horn. Ah!
Charles reacts to being
bitten by the insect he is handling.
JEMMA
Scientist
hurt?
CHARLES
Bloody
Benchuca. A bit more alcohol will
do
the trick.
Charles puts the bug in a
small jar and pour in a small amount of alcohol.
CHARLES
The
great black bug of the Pampas.
Mean
little bliters. Well, it’s not my first
insect
bite nor will it be my last, I dare say.
JEMMA
I
dare say. You blooding.
Jemma points. Charles looks
at the drop of blood on his finger.
CHARLES
I
witnessed something in Cape Horn.
A
weeping mother holding her bleeding, dying
child
in her arms. The father had dashed the infant
mercilessly
against the rocks for dropping
a
basket of seabird eggs.
Jemma shrugs, either not
understanding or not thinking much of it.
CHARLES
How
little you savages bring the higher powers of
the
mind into play. Like wild animals acting
on
mere instincts.
(beat)
Is
it true, Jemma, that if food is scarce in the
winter,
your people kill and eat your old women
before
you kill and eat your dogs?
(pause,
not certain Jemma understands)
Do
you kill and eat--?
JEMMA
Yes.
Old women some run to hills. Hide.
Men
find. Bring back. Hold heads is fire smoke.
Jemma does a horrifying
impression of an old woman choking and screaming, then laughs.
CHARLES
You
think it’s funny?
JEMMA
Funny!
Make Scientist laugh!
CHARLES
You
aren’t horrified by it?
(no
response)
You
aren’t--
(Charles
grimaces to illustrate)
JEMMA
Jemma
not old women.
Charles is clearly
disturbed.
CHARLES
Thank
you. I need to work.
Charles returns to his
journal.
JEMMA
You
leave tomorrow?
CHARLES
Yes,
we set sail for Chile.
JEMMA
You
sail for Chile. Jemma Button no.
CHARLES
What
do you mean?
JEMMA
Missionary
no stay here. Captain angry
Jemma
people no proper Christian,
so
leave Jemma.
CHARLES
He’s
leaving you with these-- with your tribe?
(Jemma
nods)
Is
that all right?
(Jemma
nods, then shrugs)
Allow
me to talk to the captain.
JEMMA
(shakes
his head)
Better
no mimic Christian in England.
CHARLES
(beat)
I’m
sorry, Jemma.
JEMMA
Scientist
write words of Bloody Benchuca?
CHARLES
Yes.
JEMMA
(beat)
Write
words of Jemma Button?
CHARLES
Yes.
Jemma nods, pleased. There
is an awkward pause. Charles stands. Jemma walks up to him, and pats him on the
chest. Charles smiles, pats Jemma on the chest. Jemma smiles, then a perplexed
frown crosses his face. Jemma turns abruptly and leaves.
Charles and Emma, in black
mourning attire, step down into their lights.
CHARLES/EMMA
It
is terrible.
CHARLES
The
Captain is leaving the converts
in
Tierra del Fuego.
EMMA
My
sister, Fanny, is dead of cholera.
CHARLES
They
reverted to their old ways within days
of
returning home.
EMMA
Elizabeth
and I nursed her day and night,
but
could not save her.
CHARLES
While
Europe advances, the Fuegans still paddle
canoes
as they did hundreds of years ago.
EMMA
All
that sustains me is faith and prayer. Though--
CHARLES/EMMA
I
wonder...
CHARLES
What
is our God’s purpose?
Raising
some of His children so high...
EMMA
Taking
one so perfectly dear?
CHARLES
...and
making others so low if His design is
that
we are all made in His image?
Lights begin to rise on
Emma with Elizabeth in the laundry at Maer House and fade out on Charles.
Scene
Four
The harbor at Buenos Aires Argentina represnted by a
gangplank leading up and off SL.
Fitzroy stands at the base, a bit bleary eyed and tense watching
supplies being handled offstage right. We hear a crash and a commotion
offstage.
FITZROY
Here
now, that’s the rum! You’ll feel the lash!
Fitzroy grabs a whip and tuns back just as Jemma enters.
JEMMA
Captain,
sir, no rum.
FITZROY
Jemma!
JEMMA
Al-coal.
FITZROY
Alcohol?
JEMMA
Alco-hol.
For Scientist.
FITZROY
(less concerned)
Oh.
Where is he then?
Charles, dressed like a local, labors on carrying the
gigantic skull.
CHARLES
Here,
sir!
FITZROY
Mr.
Darwin!
Charles steps in front of the skull, obscuring it from
Fitzroy’s view.
FITZROY
(cont’d)
We
embark for Tierra del Fuego
in
a few hours. You were in danger of being
left
behind.
CHARLES
Forgive
me, sir. The land crossing from
Bahia
Blanca took longer than expected.
But
I believe you’ll find I was tardy with
good
cause.
Charles steps aside.
FITZROY
What
in the world!
Fitzroy hurries down the gang plank to get a closer look.
CHARLES
The
skull of a toxodon, sir!
FITZROY
(laughs)
A
toxodon? Did you see such a beast?
CHARLES
Oh,
no sir, they are quite extinct.
FITZROY
This
was one of the creature’s
which
did not make it onto the Ark.
Can
we prove it?
CHARLES
Yes,
possibly so. But here-- Jemma!
Jemma enters, bringing a crate over to them. Charles opens
the lid and pulls out a similar, but much smaller skull.
FITZROY
Ah!
You found a baby as well.
CHARLES
Yes,
so it seems!
JEMMA
Capybara.
CHARLES
What?
Jemma points to the small skull.
JEMMA
Capybara.
CHARLES
Yes?
Jemma nods. Charles contemplates the capybara skull and the
toxodon skull.
FITZROY
What,
sir?
CHARLES
Jemma
says this is the skull of an
capybara.
A present day creature--
FITZROY
I
know what a capybara is, Mr. Darwin.
CHARLES
Well,
isn’t it a wonder? That one ancient
creation
would be extinguished only
to
be replaced with something so similar?
FITZROY
(laughs)
Similar?
This toxi-thing must have been
the
size of an elephant.
CHARLES
Very
true, sir. Well divined.
Charles continues to contemplate.
FITZROY
Come,
come, Darwin. What else?
Charles pulls a jar from the crate that has a snake in
formaldehyde. Fitzroy steps back.
FITZROY
A
snake.
CHARLES
What
kind?
FITZROY
(peers
into the jar)
A
viper!
CHARLES
Look
at its tail.
FITZROY
By
George, it’s a rattlesnake!
CHARLES
But
with only a partially formed rattle.
FITZROY
A
deformity?
CHARLES
Yes,
sir.
JEMMA
Deformity?
CHARLES
Yes.
Uhm.
Charles illustrates by making a face and curling up his
fingers, Jemma laughs.
CHARLES
Odd.
You see? Odd.
(points
to snake)
Not
like the others.
Jemma shakes his head, points to snake.
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