The Green Pastures (1929)/Part 2/Scene 5
Scene V
Under a low ceiling is a room vaguely resembling a Negro night club in New Orleans. Two or three long tables run across the room, and on the left is a table on a dais with a gaudy canopy above it. The table bears a card marked “Reserved for King and guests.”
Flashy young men and women are seated at the tables. About a dozen couples are dancing in the foreground to the tune of a jazz orchestra. The costumes are what would be worn at a Negro masquerade to represent the debauchees of Babylon.
First Man
When did yuh git to Babylon?
Second Man
I jes’ got in yesterday.
Third Man [Dancing]
How do you like dis baby, Joe?
Fourth Man
Hot damn! She could be de King’s pet!
A Woman
Anybody seen my papa?
Third Man
Don’ fo’git de dance at de High Priest’s house tomorrow.
[The dance stops as a bugle call is heard. Enter Master of Ceremonies.]
Master of Ceremonies
Stop! Tonight’s guest of honor, de King of Babylon an’ party of five.
[Enter the King and five girls. The King has on an imitation ermine cloak over his conventional evening clothes and wears a diamond tiara. All rise as the King enters, and sing, “Hail, de King of Bab—Bab—Babylon.”
King
Wait till you see de swell table I got. [He crosses the stage to his table. The girls are jabbering.] Remind me to send you a peck of rubies in de mo’nin’.
Master of Ceremonies
Ev’nin’, King!
King
Good ev’nin’. How’s de party goin’?
Master of Ceremonies
Bes’ one we ever had in Babylon, King.
King
Any Jew boys yere?
Master of Ceremonies
[Indicating some of the others.] Lot o’ dem yere. I kin go git mo’ if you want ’em.
King
I was really referrin’ to de High Priest. He’s a ’ticlar frien’ o’ mine an’ he might drop in. You know what he look like?
Master of Ceremonies
No, suh, but I’ll be on de look-out fo’ him.
King
O.K. Now le’s have a li’l good time.
Master of Ceremonies
Yes, suh. [To the orchestra.] Let ’er go, boys.
[The music begins, waiters appear with food and great urns painted gold and silver, from which they pour out wine for the guests. The Master of Ceremonies exits. The King’s dancing-girls go to the middle of the floor, and start to dance. The King puts his arms about the waists of two girls, and draws them to him.]
King
Hot damn! Da’s de way! Let de Jew boys see our gals kin dance better’n dere’s. [There is an ad lib. babel of “Da’s de truth, King!” “I don’ know—we got some good gals, too!” etc.] Dey ain’ nobody in de worl’ like de Babylon gals.
[The dancing grows faster, the watchers keep time with hand-claps. The door at the left opens suddenly, and the Prophet, a patriarchal, ragged figure enters. He looks belligerently about the room, and is followed almost immediately by the Master of Ceremonies.]
Prophet
Stop! [The music and the dancers halt.]
King
What’s the idea, bustin’ up my party?
Master of Ceremonies
He said he was expected, King. I thought mebbe he was de—
King
Did you think he was de High Priest of de Hebrews? Why, he’s jest an ol’ bum! De High Priest is a fashion plate. T’row dis ole bum out o’ yere!
Prophet
Stop!
[Those who have been advancing to seize him stop, somewhat amused.]
King
Wait a minute. Don’t throw him out. Let’s see what he has to say.
Prophet
Listen to me, King of Babylon! I’ve been sent yere by de Lawd God Jehovah. Don’t you dare lay a hand on de Prophet!
King
Oh, you’re a prophet, is yuh? Well, you know we don’ keer much fo’ prophets in dis part of de country.
Prophet
Listen to me, sons and daughters of Babylon! Listen, you children of Israel dat’s given yo’selves over to de evil ways of yo’ oppressors! You’re all wallowin’ like hogs in sin, an’ de wrath of Gawd ain’ goin’ to be held back much longer! I’m tellin’ you, repent befo’ it’s too late. Repent befo’ Jehovah casts down de same fire dat burned up Sodom and Gomorrah. Repent befo’ de— [During this scene yells increase as the Prophet continues.]
[The High Priest enters Left. He is a fat voluptuary, elaborately clothed in brightly colored robes. He walks in hand in hand with a gaudily dressed “chippy.”]
High Priest
[Noise stops.] Whoa, dere! What you botherin’ the King fo’?
Prophet
[Wheeling.] And you, de High Priest of all Israel, walkin’ de town wid a dirty li’l tramp.
King
Seems to be a frien’ o’ yours, Jake.
High Priest
[Crossing to the King with his girl.] Aw, he’s one of dem wild men, like Jeremiah and Isaiah. Don’ let him bother you none. [Pushes Prophet aside and goes to King’s table.]
Prophet
You consort with harlots, an’ yo’ pollution in the sight of de Lawd. De Lawd God’s goin’ to smite you down, jest as he’s goin’ to smite down all dis wicked world! [Grabs High Priest and turns him around.]
King
[Angrily against the last part of the preceding speech.] Wait a minute. I’m getting tired of this. Don’ throw him out. Jest kill him! [There is the sound of a shot. The Prophet falls.]
Prophet
Smite ’em down, Lawd, like you said. Dey ain’t a decent person left in de whole world.
[He dies. Master of Ceremonies, revolver in hand, looks down at the Prophet.]
Master of Ceremonies
He’s dead, King.
King
Some of you boys take him out.
[A couple of young men come from the background and walk off with the body.]
High Priest
Don’ know whether you should’a done that, King.
King
Why not?
High Priest
I don’ know whether de Lawd would like it.
King
Now, listen, Jake. You know yo’ Lawd ain’t payin’ much attention to dis man’s town. Except fo’ you boys, it’s tho’ly protected by de Gods o’ Babylon.
High Priest
I know, but jest de same—
King
Look yere, s’pose I give you a couple hund’ed pieces of silver. Don’ you s’pose you kin arrange to persuade yo Gawd to keep his hands off?
High Priest
[Oilily.] Well of co’se we could try. I dunno how well it would work.
[As the High Priest speaks, The King claps his hands. Master of Ceremonies enters with bag of money.]
King
Yere it is.
High Priest
[Smiling.] I guess we kin square things up. [He prays—whiningly.] Oh Lawd, please forgive my po’ frien’ de King o’ Babylon. He didn’t know what he was doin’ an’—
[There is a clap of thunder, darkness for a second. The lights go up and God is standing in the center of the room.]
God
[In a voice of doom.] Dat’s about enough. [The guests are horrified.] I’s stood all I kin from you. I tried to make dis a good earth. I helped Adam, I helped Noah, I helped Moses, an’ I helped David. What’s de grain dat grew out of de seed? Sin! Nothin’ but sin throughout de whole world. I’ve given you ev’y chance. I sent you warriors and prophets. I’ve given you laws and commandments, an’ you betrayed my trust. Ev’ything I’ve given you, you’ve defiled. Ev’y time I’ve fo’given you, you’ve mocked me. An’ now de High Priest of Israel tries to trifle wid my name. Listen, you chillun of darkness, yo’ Lawd is tried. I’m tired of de struggle to make you worthy of de breath I gave you. I put you in bondage ag’in to cure you an’ yo’ worse dan you was amongst de flesh pots of Egypt. So I renounce you. Listen to the words of yo’ lawd God Jehovah, for dey is de last words yo’ ever hear from me. I repent of dese people dat I have made and I will deliver dem no more.
[There is darkness and cries of “Mercy!” “Have pity, Lawd!” “We didn’ mean it, Lawd!” “Forgive us, Lawd!” etc. The Choir sings “Death’s Gwinter Lay His Cold Icy Hands On Me” until the lights go up on the next scene.]