The Green Pastures (1929)/Part 2/Scene 7
Scene VII
It is a shadowed corner beside the walls of the temple in Jerusalem. The light of camp fires flickers on the figure of Hezdrel, who was Adam in Part I. He stands in the same position Adam held when first discovered but in his right hand is a sword, and his left is in a sling. Around him are several prostrate bodies. Pistol and cannon shots, then a trumpet call. Six young men enter from left in command of a Corporal. They are all armed.
Corporal
De fightin’s stopped fo’ de night, Hezdrel.
Hezdrel
Yes?
Corporal
Dey’re goin’ to begin ag’in at cockcrow. [Man enters, crosses the stage and exits.] Herod say he’s goin’ to take de temple tomorrow, burn de books and de Ark of de Covenant, and put us all to de sword.
Hezdrel
Yo’ ready, ain’t you?
Everybody
Yes, Hezdrel.
Hezdrel
Did de food get in through de hole in de city wall?
[Two soldiers enter, cross the stage and exit.]
Corporal
Yessuh, we’s goin’ back to pass it out now.
Hezdrel
Good. Any mo’ of our people escape today?
Corporal
Ol’ Herod’s got de ol’ hole covered up now, but fifteen of our people got out a new one we made.
[Other soldiers enter, cross the stage and exit.]
Hezdrel
Good. Take dese yere wounded men back and git ’em took care of.
Corporal
Yes, suh.
[They pick up the bodies on the ground and carry them offstage as Hezdrel speaks.]
Hezdrel
So dey gonter take de temple in de mo’nin’? We’ll be waitin’ for ’em. Jest remember, boys, when dey kill us we leap out of our skins, right into de lap of God.
[The men disappear with the wounded; from the deep shadow upstage comes God.]
God
Hello, Hezdrel—Adam.
Hezdrel
[Rubbing his forehead.] Who is you?
God
Me? I’m jest an ol’ preacher, from back in de hills.
Hezdrel
What you doin’ yere?
God
I heard you boys was fightin’. I jest wanted to see how it was goin’.
Hezdrel
Well, it ain’t goin’ so well.
God
Dey got you skeered, huh?
Hezdrel
Look yere, who is you, a spy in my brain?
God
Cain’t you see I’s one of yo’ people?
Hezdrel
Listen, Preacher, we ain’t skeered. We’s gonter be killed, but we ain’t skeered.
God
I’s glad to hear dat. Kin I ask you a question, Hezdrel?
Hezdrel
What is it?
God
How is it you is so brave?
Hezdrel
Caize we got faith, dat’s why!
God
Faith? In who?
Hezdrel
In our dear Lawd God.
God
But God say he abandoned ev’ one down yere.
Hezdrel
Who say dat? Who dare say dat of de Lawd God of Hosea?
God
De God of Hosea?
Hezdrel
You heard me. Look yere, you is a spy in my brain!
God
No, I ain’t, Hezdrel. I’m jest puzzled. You ought to know dat.
Hezdrel
How come you so puzzled ’bout de God of Hosea?
God
I don’ know. Maybe I jest don’ hear things. You see, I live ’way back in de hills.
Hezdrel
What you wanter find out?
God
Ain’t de God of Hosea de same Jehovah dat was de God of Moses?
Hezdrel
[Contemptuously.] No. Dat ol’ God of wrath and vengeance? We have de God dat Hosea preached to us. He’s de one God.
God
Who’s he?
Hezdrel
[Reverently.] De God of mercy.
God
Hezdrel, don’ you think dey must be de same God?
Hezdrel
I don’ know. I ain’t bothered to think much about it. Maybe dey is. Maybe our God is de same ol’ God. I guess we jest got tired of his appearance dat ol’ way.
God
What you mean, Hezdrel?
Hezdrel
Oh, dat ol’ God dat walked de earth in de shape of a man. I guess he lived wid man so much dat all he seen was de sins in man. Dat’s what made him de God of wrath and vengeance. Co’se he made Hosea. An’ Hosea never would a found what mercy was unless dere was a little of it in God, too. Anyway, he ain’t a fearsome God no mo’. Hosea showed us dat.
God
How you s’pose Hosea found dat mercy?
Hezdrel
De only way he could find it. De only way I found it. De only way anyone kin find it.
God
How’s dat?
Hezdrel
Through sufferin’.
God
[After a pause.] What if dey kill you in de mo’nin’, Hezdrel.
Hezdrel
If dey do, dey do. Dat’s all.
God
Herod say he’s goin’ to burn de temple—
Hezdrel
So he say.
God
And burn de Ark an’ de books. Den dat’s de end of de books, ain’t it?
Hezdrel
[Buoyantly.] What you mean? If he burns dem things in dere? Naw. Dem’s jest copies.
God
Where is de others?
Hezdrel
[Tapping his head.] Dey’s a set in yere. Fifteen got out through de hole in the city wall today. A hundred and fifty got out durin’ de week. Each of em is a set of de books. Dey’s scattered safe all over de countryside now, jest waitin’ to git pen and paper fo’ to put ’em down agin.
God
[Proudly.] Dey cain’t lick you, kin dey Hezdrel?
Hezdrel
[Smiling.] I know dey cain’t. [Trumpet.] You better get out o’ yere, Preacher, if you wanter carry de news to yo’ people. It’ll soon be daylight.
God
I'm goin’. [He takes a step upstage and stops.] Want me to take any message?
Hezdrel
Tell de people in de hills dey ain’t nobody like de Lawd God of Hosea.
God
I will. If dey kill you tomorrow I’ll bet dat God of Hosea’ll be waitin’ for you.
Hezdrel
I know he will.
God
[Quietly.] Thank you, Hezdrel.
Hezdrel
Fo’ what?
God
Fo’ tellin’ me so much. You see I been so far away, I guess I was jest way behin’ de times.
[He exits. Pause, then trumpet sounds.]
[Hezdrel paces back and forth once or twice. Another young soldier appears. Other men enter and stand grouped about Hezdrel.]
Second Officer
[Excitedly.] De cock’s jest crowed, Hezdrel. Dey started de fightin’ ag’in.
Hezdrel
We’s ready for °em. Come on, boys. [From the darkness upstage comes another group of soldiers.] Dis is de day dey say dey’ll git us. Le’s fight till de last man goes. What d’you say?
Corporal
Le’s go, Hezdrel!
Hezdrel
[Calling left.] Give ’em ev’ything, boys!
[There is a movement toward the left, a bugle call and the sound of distant battle. The lights go out. The Choir is heard singing, “March On,” triumphantly. They continue to sing after the lights go up on the next scene.]