A rough road terminates in the quarry whose hewn crags rise high at the right. Below them, behind the road is an old shed of planks, open to the front. To the left, the quarrying has caused a steep dip. The road ends, the rock descends to it and beyond, so that the opposite side of the valley below is visible, seen dimly in the night. Gorse and heather grow over the deserted workings. There is no moon, but the lighting is sufficiently strong for faces to be seen.

Ruth, warmly clad, sits on a stone by the shed, a lighted lantern at her feet. After a moment, Martin, without greatcoat, enters.

RUTH (as he comes). Are you there, Martin?

MARTIN. I am here.

RUTH (rising, nervously). I had begun to fear you would not come.

MARTIN. I know I'm late. To-night I'd work to do, for once in my useless life.

RUTH. Don't be bitter, Martin.

MARTIN. The bitterness is past. My work is done, well done. I came when I was free to come, Mrs. Barlow. Ruth. Is it to be names like that between us two? Martin. I don't know what there is between us two, save that I got a message from your mother to meet you here.

RUTH. I chose this place because we used to meet here often.

MARTIN. In happier days.

RUTH. I chose it to remind you of them.

MARTIN (bitterly). I don't need to be reminded. I'm striving to forget. I want to kill their memory and I can't.

RUTH. I thought you had.

MARTIN. And why?

RUTH. Last night.

MARTIN. What has last night to do with it?

RUTH. It seemed to me last night that you'd forgotten.

MARTIN. It always seems to me that you forget.

RUTH. I? It's you forget. Forget our hope of happiness together and why we gave it up, forget the terms on which I gave myself to him.

MARTIN. Your plan, your terms. Not mine.

RUTH. We both agreed that it was best.

MARTIN. Well, if we did? Now you've had your way, now you are Guy Barlow's wife? Have you done anything? Does the plan work, or——?

RUTH (interrupting). It all takes time.

(Martin moves impatiently.)

And you agreed to that. That it would take time. That I was to be given my chance. And now, last night, you spoilt it all. You——

MARTIN (harshly). Your plan's been tried and failed. You've done nothing. Less than nothing. Things have gone worse——

RUTH. And if they have——

MARTIN. They have.

RUTH. Will what you're doing help? Are threats of violence better?

MARTIN. No. But we don't threaten.

RUTH (surprised) Not threaten!

MARTIN (coolly). We burn the factory to-night. And if your—husband tries to interfere, so much the worse for him. (Producing pistol from pocket.) There's food and drink for many a day gone to the buying of this.

RUTH. Martin! A pistol! You!

MARTIN. He talks of putting up another factory. (Grimly.) It's going to stop at talk.

RUTH. A pistol! (Coaxing.) I've never had a pistol in my hand. Let me feel it, Martin.

MARTIN (replacing it). They're dangerous toys.

RUTH. But I'll hold it by the handle.

MARTIN. It's safer where it is. It's no good, Ruth You haven't wheedled Guy Barlow into being soft with us, and you won't wheedle me into being soft with him. You're no great hand at wheedling for all your pretty face.

RUTH (feigning indignation). Oh, do you think it's Guy I care about?

MARTIN (drily). I think somehow it is.

RUTH. You have no right——

MARTIN. What else am I to think? For all these months I get no word from you. Your mother talks of nothing but your happiness with him. I know you're living there in luxury with him, and I see you dressed the way you are. What can I think but that he's won you round?

RUTH. I'm not a cat to be won over with caresses.

MARTIN. You always fancied finery.

RUTH. Finery! It's good for finery to bring it on the moors to-night.

MARTIN. It keeps you warm.

RUTH. So does my fire. And yet I've left my fire I'm here.

MARTIN. Why are you here?

RUTH. To see you.

MARTIN. Only that?

RUTH. What else?

MARTIN. Why do you choose this night of all the nights that have gone by since—since we made our plan and you took him for husband?

RUTH. To-night's the first since yesterday.

MARTIN. Why yesterday?

RUTH. You sent a message by my mother. She gave it to me yesterday.

MARTIN. I'd forgotten that. So much has happened since.

RUTH. Then you should trust me all the more. I'm here in spite of all. I'm risking everything to come to tell you what you do is wrong, utterly, hopelessly wrong.

MARTIN. What do you risk?

RUTH. I risk my plan. Let Guy find out I meet you, and where's my chance of influencing him? Where's my reward for sending you away? I risk my life, my hope, my all.

MARTIN (sceptically). It sounds a lot.

RUTH. It is a lot.

MARTIN. Well, I too take risks to-night.

RUTH. Yes, greater than you know.

MARTIN. Ah!

RUTH. But you shall not take them. That's why I'm here. To stop you. You'll ruin all if this goes on to-night.

MARTIN. We'll ruin his factory.

RUTH. You'll bring black ruin on yourselves. Oh, listen to me, Martin. I know. I know. Guy's got the soldiers coming.

MARTIN (eagerly). They're coming here?

RUTH. Yes. Didn't you say you all met here below to-night?

MARTIN. Yes.

RUTH. Soldiers, Martin. Can you fight soldiers?

MARTIN. After to-night there'll be no factory to fight about.

RUTH. There always will be factories.

MARTIN. Yes? So he said last night. But we know better.

RUTH. There will, there will. They'll build others, and while they're building you'll be starving, and when they're built, do you think there'll be work for you or my father or any man who lifts a hand to-night? You'll all be hanged or rotting in some gaol, and wages for the rest lower than ever to pay them out for the doings of this night. Don't do it, Martin. Leave Guy to me. I'll manage him, but I must bide my time.

MARTIN. And meantime we must live a living death. A bullet's better, Ruth.

RUTH. Oh, maybe better for the few they hit. Death's not important. Think of the others who'll live on. Don't be selfish, Martin.

MARTIN. Selfish! I'm doing all for others. I don't care for myself.

RUTH. You do. You care to be the leader. You care for your pride, the pride that won't let you draw back because you dare not seem to have an afterthought, the pride that's going to strew that valley with the ruined lives of men and corpses of the dead.

MARTIN. I can't draw back now. It's too late, Ruth.

RUTH. It's never too late. (Suddenly terrified.) You are their leader, Martin? They won't do anything without your word?

MARTIN. I am their leader, Ruth. To-night's plan is mine.

RUTH. Then so long as you stay here nothing can happen.

MARTIN. I shan't stay long.

RUTH. You will. I've got you and I mean to keep you here. Thank God, I came.

MARTIN. You've come, but I've told you it's too late now.

RUTH. Oh, no, it's not. You can't deceive me, Martin. I know this is the meeting-place. I heard you all say so last night. The moors below the quarry. Are the men there, Martin?

MARTIN. There are men there. Listen.

(Faintly, the strains of the Marseillaise are heard from below l., and with them the barking of dogs.)

The song that Henri Callard brought from France and made into an English song to put the spirit of a revolution into us. The song of life and hope.

RUTH. No, Martin, the song of death.

MARTIN. Perhaps it is, for Barlow's bullies at the factory.

RUTH. Martin, don't go. Don't give the word. For my sake, Martin.

MARTIN. The song is calling.

RUTH. Are we English to be French and lose our senses for a song? Is all that you and I have said and done to go for naught?

MARTIN. Ruth, tell the truth

RUTH. The truth?

MARTIN. Is it you and I or you and that other?

RUTH. Other?

MARTIN. You know whom I mean. Guy Barlow.

RUTH. I love him, Martin.

MARTIN. At last! The truth.

RUTH. I love him, and you're going to kill my husband. If when you said you couldn't lose the memory of me you spoke the truth, you'll spare him, Martin. You won't go down amongst those men and lead them to the factory. I tried my best to carry out our plan. You told me that he wouldn't marry me, but I made him do it. And afterwards I tried. I did try, Martin. Only Guy's my husband and I love him now. I've learnt to love him till my love's the greatest thing in all the world. Don't kill him, Martin.

MARTIN. It will not be killing, Ruth. It won't be murder if a bullet finds its way in Guy Barlow's heart. Not murder, but an accident.

RUTH. You mean to kill him.

MARTIN. Not man's vengeance, Ruth, but God's.

RUTH. You mean to murder him. What shall I do? (Changing her tone.) Martin, you loved me once. Is that love dead?

MARTIN. Dead? Love needs nourishment and you have starved my love.

RUTH. What if I said I'm here to nourish it? Would you go down there then?

MARTIN. Nourish? How?

RUTH (holding up lantern). Am I still beautiful, Martin?

MARTIN. Yes. So Guy Barlow thinks.

RUTH. Don't you?

MARTIN. Delilah!

RUTH. Was Delilah married?

MARTIN. No.

( The Marseillaise is heard again, more loudly. Below l., torches appear. Martin's attention is attracted.)

RUTH. Don't look down there. They're singing. Let them sing.

MARTIN. And if I stay?

(Ruth makes a gesture of surrender.)

You mean it, Ruth?

RUTH. I mean—everything.

MARTIN. My God, you're beautiful! (Harshly.) Put out the lantern.

RUTH. Give me your pistol first.

MARTIN. My pistol?

RUTH. Yes.

(A pause. Martin takes it out, half offers it, then, with a suspicious look, gives it her.)

MARTIN. The lantern.

(Ruth blows it out. As Martin draws her towards the shed, voices are heard.)

EPHRAIM. I'm convinced your men won't be needed, Captain.

GUY. We shall soon see.

(Enter Ephraim, Guy and Captain Lascelles, a youngish officer. Guy has a lantern which he places on the ground.)

Personally I fancy we shall show you a little sport.

CAPTAIN. Sorry sport, Mr. Barlow. I fought the French with a relish. They're our natural foes. But this setting English at English goes against the grain with me.

EPHRAIM. Excellent sentiments, Captain Lascelles.

GUY (sneering). I used to think the whole duty of a soldier was to fight.

CAPTAIN. The duty of a soldier is to obey orders. That, sir, is why I am at the disposal of your father, who represents the civil authority. But I've no stomach for firing on unarmed men.

(The Marseillaise and the dogs are heard.)

GUY. Listen! That's very near.

CAPTAIN. So are the singers. Look there.

(Epiiraim and Guy look over with him.)

EPHRAIM. Torches! There's a big crowd there. Why didn't we hear them?

CAPTAIN. We came uphill. The hill cut off the sound.

EPHRAIM. Dogs? What are the dogs for?

GUY (well satisfied). Well, Captain, like it or not, you'll have warm work to-night.

CAPTAIN. To be candid with you, I don't like it at all.

GUY. You make me alter my opinion of the British officer.

CAPTAIN. Sir! I saw service in the Peninsular and I was under fire at Waterloo——

GUY. But a handful of scarecrow weavers is too much for you because they're English.

CAPTAIN. A few are not, Mr. Barlow. But those torches don't indicate a few, but a very much larger number than I have force to cope with.

EPHRAIM (timidly). There certainly is a great number.

GUY (to Captain). In other words, you shirk your duty.

CAPTAIN (controlling himself). I don't want to quarrel with a civilian. (Turning to Ephraim.) Am I to get my men into position, sir?

EPHRAIM (hesitating). Well—their number is certainly alarming. (Turning to Guy for a lead.)

GUY (curtly). Yes.

EPHRAIM (to Captain). If you please, Captain.

CAPTAIN. Very well. You've a copy of the Riot Act with you?

EPHRAIM (nervously). Yes. I hope I shall not have to read it.

CAPTAIN. That is for you to decide.

EPHRAIM. Yes. (Calling.) Guy!

GUY (by the shed). One minute, sir. There's a smell of tallow here.

CAPTAIN (without suspicion). Your lantern.

GUY. That didn't smell before.

CAPTAIN (impatiently). The torches below there, then. The wind would carry their reek.

GUY. Yes. Only there doesn't happen to be a wind. Captain (suspicious now). The shed?

GUY (picking up lantern). I'll see.

(He holds up lantern, disclosing Ruth and Martin at opposite ends of the shed.)

There's no one there. Must have been our lantern. What did you want, father?

EPHRAIM. Guy, hadn't we better leave it? I don't want bloodshed. They're decent fellows at heart, and we don't know they mean to attack. I can't believe it of them. Wait till they do and use the soldiers to guard the factory. Guy. What's the use of waiting till they attack? Take them here unprepared and you make a thorough job of it.

CAPTAIN. Yes: only I can't promise to take them unprepared.

GUY. Why not? Have I to teach you your business? Get your men round them in the dark and——

CAPTAIN. It won't be dark. The clouds will be off the moon soon.

GUY (sarcastically). Then as Nature won't assist you, Captain, you'll have to draw upon the great store of military tactics you no doubt acquired in your numerous campaigns. How long will it take to get your men placed between that crowd and the factory?

CAPTAIN. Oh, say ten minutes. The moon will be clear before then.

GUY. I hope it won't. They'll run like hares at the sight of a uniform, and I want them taught a lesson they'll not forget in a hurry.

EPHRAIM (picking up lantern). Shall we go?

GUY. Yes. I'll join you below.

EPHRAIM. Join? Aren't you coming?

GUY. In a minute. For the moment I have business here.

CAPTAIN. What business are we to imagine that can keep you here alone?

GUY. You can imagine any business you like. You can imagine me praying for the British Army when it is officered by men like you, but, at any rate, you can leave me here.

CAPTAIN (sneering). Yes. You'll be quite out of danger here, Mr. Barlow.

EPHRAIM (appealingly). Gentlemen!

GUY (to Captain). Hadn't you better look after your men? Your ten minutes are flying.

CAPTAIN (turning to go). I shall deal with you afterwards.

GUY (smoothly). With pleasure. My business is to deal in cotton cloth with all comers. I don't discriminate.

CAPTAIN. Pah! Shopman!

(Exeunt Captain and Ephraim.)

GUY (by shed). Come out.

(Martin and Ruth emerge, Martin crosses l. and looks down.)

Yes. It's steep, isn't it? You'll not escape that way unless you've wings.

MARTIN. Escape? I don't want to escape.

GUY. You're looking for a way.

MARTIN. I'm looking at the great crowd your father saw.

GUY. Yes. You've brought your ragamuffins out, but you'll find it a tougher job to make them fight.

MARTIN. I don't intend to let those lads down there fight soldiers.

GUY (barring the way, though Martin doesn't move). And I don't intend to let you warn them. You're going to stay here.

MARTIN (limply). I can shout.

GUY. Why don't you? Shout till you brast your lungs, my lad. It won't carry downhill.

MARTIN (acquiescing very easily). Then you must do your butcher's handiwork. (With energy.) Butchers! Yes. That's just the word.

GUY. Ah! So you do know when you're beaten. Well, Kelsall, as you heard while you were eavesdropping, I've ten minutes to fill in. Ten minutes isn't long. There's no margin for lies.

MARTIN. The truth about your factory is the last thing you'll listen to.

GUY. The truth about my wife is what I'm waiting for.

MARTIN. Hadn't you better ask her?

GUY. I don't question my wife before a workman.

MARTIN. Shall I leave you? (But he doesn't move.)

GUY. You don't seem in any hurry.

MARTIN (easily). No. The time for that is past. I've stayed here too long for going now.

RUTH. Thank God, then I've succeeded.

GUY (coldly). Succeeded? How?

RUTH. I've kept him here until the danger passed. He meant to burn the factory and murder you. He told me so and I—I kept him here. I've played with him. I've——

MARTIN. You played with fire, and it's not your fault you haven't burnt yourself.

RUTH (to Guy). What did it matter what I said? I've saved your life. I've kept him here.

GUY. How did you get him here?

RUTH. I sent for him.

GUY. Why should he come for your sending?

MARTIN. You don't question your wife before a workman, do you?

GUY. No. You're right. This can wait.

RUTH. Guy, I sent because last night I heard him threaten you. I wanted to persuade him——

GUY. Your methods of persuasion are peculiar.

RUTH. They kept him here. That was what I had to do. At any cost to keep him here.

GUY. Ruth, I begin to think that reading Byron isn't good for you.

MARTIN. Why put it on to Byron? Hasn't his noble Lordship sins enough of his own?

RUTH. Guy, don't you see? He's the men's leader.

They won't do anything without him. He told me that. That they would wait for him to give the word.

MARTIN. I told you that it was too late. I came up here to-night without imperilling my plans. It didn't matter that (snapping his fingers) how long you kept me here. Succeeded! The only thing you've succeeded in is in arousing your husband's suspicions.

GUY. Be careful, Kelsall.

MARTIN. I've nothing to be careful about. I could be at Jericho for all the difference it'll make.

RUTH. You told me you were their leader.

MARTIN. The leader of a movement is the brain of it.

Brain is scarcer than brawn, and therefore——

GUY. Therefore it skulks up here in safety.

MARTIN. Yes, that's what that soldier said to you.

(Guy makes a threatening gesture.)

Oh, but he's wrong, of course. You don't suppose Lord Wellington was in the firing line at Waterloo? He left fools like your soldier friend to feed the powder. A leader's business is direction.

GUY. Am I to understand that you direct? You? Martin (quietly). I have directed. In no long time I hope to see the fruits of my direction.

GUY. Down there? (Pointing l.) There'll be a crop of broken heads if that's the fruit you're looking for. Martin. I'm looking up, not down.

GUY. Up?

MARTIN. A sign in the heavens.

GUY (bewildered). The heavens!

MARTIN (passionately). Don't you believe in heaven? Sometimes I don't. I find it difficult to believe in a just God who lets you live and lets your machinery be made and lets you starve your weavers. But I have faith to-night, Guy Barlow, a mighty faith in the all-seeing God who's brought us face to face, oppressor and oppressed, avenger and——-

RUTH (as Martin approaches Guy). Be careful, Guy, he means to do you harm.

GUY (gently putting her aside). My dear Ruth, I'm quite convinced you read too much. Romance and Mrs. Radcliffe are fitting for your withdrawing-room, but please don't bring them out of doors. You told me once romance was dangerous for women. I find it is.

RUTH. But he was armed. Thank God, I've got his pistol.

GUY (losing temper). You got his pistol! Confound you, what did you do that for? I can't shoot the fellow in cold blood.

MARTIN. Oh, you needn't scruple. Life's no use to a weaver in Barlow's factory, and my work is finished now.

GUY (to Ruth). Give it him back.

RUTH. You'll fight together if I do.

GUY. Do as I tell you, Ruth.

(Ruth holds out the pistol to Martin, who doesn't take it.)

MARTIN. I warn you this is murder.

GUY. You shouldn't carry firearms if you're not competent to use them.

MARTIN. The murder is of you. This is my night, Guy Barlow. You've had the power to starve and sweat the weavers of the valley, but the tide has turned at last. The luck's on my side now, and if we fight and one of us should fall, it won't be I that has to die to-night.

RUTH, You shall not fight. This pistol's mine, I won it from you. I do what I like with my own. (She flings it down the cliff. It is heard to strike and rebounding, strike again.)

GUY. Rebellion is in the air to-night. You've caught the prevalent disease, my Ruth.

RUTH. Guy, this man means to kill you.

GUY. I mean to kill this man. But I've a scruple that prevents my shooting down an unarmed man.

RUTH. You're both safe then.

GUY. Not while my pistol's left. He seems to think the luck is on his side. We'll put that to the test by tossing for the first shot.

RUTH. But he might win.

GUY. That will decide the point at issue. Luck will be on his side. You've got your chance now, Kelsall. (Taunting him.) What was it? Oppressor and oppressed, avenger and avenged?

MARTIN. My God, I wish I had your coolness.

GUY. Blood will tell, you know. Do you accept? Martin (in a rush). Yes, I accept.

GUY. Good. Shall I spin a coin or you?

MARTIN. I don't bring money out. It's scarce with me. Guy. Then I provide both pistol and coin.

MARTIN. And corpse.

GUY. You're getting back your spirit. Will you call?

(He spins a coin. Ruth puts her foot on it as it falls. At the same time the moon lights up the scene.)

Now that's really very thoughtful of the moon. The target will be visible, and we can see the coin as soon as you remove your foot.

RUTH. I shall not remove my foot.

GUY. And Kelsall quite forgot to call. He's too busy shivering.

MARTIN. I'm cold.

GUY (taking another coin, spinning and catching rapidly). This time, Kelsall.

MARTIN. Heads.

GUY (looking). The pistol's yours.

(Martin crosses doubtfully and takes it.)

Oh yes, it's loaded.

RUTH (facing Martin, covering Guy, melodramatically) Martin, you'll shoot him through my body.

GUY. I'm sure that's out of Mrs. Radcliffe, Ruth. It has the true romantic ring. Will you help me to tie her up, Kelsall? It's a bore to have to ask the favour, but——

MARTIN. You're smiling and you're going to die.

GUY. It's possible, but these cold nights do make a man's hand shake, don't they? Your luck may not be altogether in. The heavens do not send the sign you look for.

MARTIN. They sent the moon to shoot you by.

GUY. Yes. Get out of the way, Ruth, unless you want to be tied up. Stand clear. This fellow's hand's so shaky he might hit you by mistake. Go ahead, Kelsall. Remember your wrongs and your faith and blaze away.

MARTIN (half raising the pistol, then dropping it). I can't do it. It's the chance I've prayed for and I can't do it.

GUY. Oh come, Kelsall. Remember what's expected of a leader of the men.

MARTIN (jerking up his head). I've beaten you there. Yes, now I understand. I'm not afraid to shoot.

GUY. My mistake.

MARTIN. Oh, I've a sweeter revenge than that, Shoot, and you'd never know the way that you've been fooled this night.

GUY. You didn't shoot because you lacked the pluck.

MARTIN. The thing I didn't lack was brain to outwit you and bring you on a fool's errand to the moors while——

(Pausing.)

GUY (alarmed). While what?

MARTIN. Oh, while the moon came out and showed your military friends the truth.

GUY. The truth? What is the truth?

MARTIN. Oh, you shall know. I'm keeping you alive that you may know.

GUY. What is it, you————

(Enter Captain and Ephraim.)

CAPTAIN (entering). Are you there, Barlow? (Seeing him.) Oh—— (Saluting Ruth.)

GUY. Never mind these people. What is it?

CAPTAIN. Confound it, that's what I want to know.

GUY. What are you doing here? Why aren't you down there surrounding those weavers?

CAPTAIN. Well, you see, the fact is, there are no weavers.

EPHRAIM. Dogs, Guy. You remember I noticed the dogs.

GUY. Dogs? Have you both gone mad? My patience! What is it?

CAPTAIN (drawing him to look). You see those torches?

GUY (impatiently). Of course.

CAPTAIN. But you can't see who's carrying them from here.

GUY. I don't need to see. I know. It's the weavers' meeting.

CAPTAIN. Weavers! They're sheep, sir. Sheep with torches fastened to them and not a man in sight.

GUY. Sheep!

MARTIN (quietly). You'll remember I said butchers was the right word.

GUY. Sheep! But we heard singing;

MARTIN. A dozen men can make a noise. They'll have sore throats to-morrow.

GUY. Sheep!

MARTIN (ringingly). Look up! I've got my sign in the heavens.

(The sky is illuminated by the great leaping glare of a distant fire)

CAPTAIN. Fire!

MARTIN. This is my night after all, Guy Barlow. The factory's ablaze.

CURTAIN.