Scene Three and conclusion to The Scholar from the Other World

SCENE THREE

AS SCENE ONE, BEFORE BRIDGET'S HOUSE. TOWARDS

SUNSET.

BRIDGET

Oh what an age my husband's been

Since he rode off, so swift and keen,

Upon his golden mercy mission

To ease my dead love's poor condition!

I fear he may have lost the track

Down in the swamps and marshy flat.

Then my first dear will be without

The extra gold he needs, no doubt-

For after all, up in the sky,

The prices must be very high.

SHE GAZES OUT

And now the sun is sinking down

And darkness falls like night's soft gown;

And mist is spreading on the sky-

The busy light is nearly by.

Soon all things will be black in night;

There is no moon to guide the sight,

To help a wanderer get by,

Just faintest starlight from the sky.

WITH A SIGH

Oh well, it's time I went within

To get some supper made for him.

SHE EXITS RIGHT

TOM ENTERS LEFT, WEARY AND DIRTY

TOM

Oh, hell's fire and damnation deep!

Enough to make a grown man weep!

Just as I thought my horse did not

Set off upon a homeward trot;

For as I should have grasped at once

My thief was that apparent dunce,

So cunning-cloaked with false pretence

Of simple mind and lack of sense.

And that conniving, low-bred dog

Fled while I floundered in the bog

And rode away on my good horse;

I'll never catch him now, of course.

WITH A DEEP SIGH

Well, all this serves me right, I know.

This farce should teach me to forgo

Quick anger's heedless brutal bent,

And its fool-making, bad intent.

Oh, what an idiot am I!

HE BEATS HIS HEAD WITH HIS HAND

For as creation has rolled by

Through all of time; has it ever seen

So great a fool as I have been?

And so the wheel of fortune spins.

For I intended to blame the whim

Of my good wife, but now I see

A greater fool inside of me!

Good-hearted in her plain belief,

She showed an innocent faith, at least-

She feels a warming glow to know

Her past man is provided so.

Oh! how can I explain my state:

So scruffy, horseless, and so late!

BRIDGET RE-ENTERS

BRIDGET

Oh good, oh good, at last you're here;

But where is your good horse, my dear?

And did you find the sacred soul

And give to him the extra gold?

TOM (STUMBLINGLY)

Well...he was very tired, you know.

It's such a long, long way to go

To paradise, he said. And he...

Had got stuck in the bog- you see!

And so I had to help him out.

But...there was so much mud about

I got quite dirty doing it.

Then I'd a thought. "Just wait a bit,

Good sir," I said, "you're very tired,

So take this goodly horse and ride

Upon its back to paradise.

You'll save much time- that's my advice!"

He took my gifts at once, of course!

And so I gave him gold and horse

To give to your past husband too-

As further gifts from my and you.

Now he can ride to paradise,

And he will find that very nice

For it is very big up there,

In that far kingdom of the air.

Now wasn't that a fine idea?

BRIDGET

Oh yes, oh yes, my darling dear.

I never guessed you were so kind.

Indeed then, if you were to find

Yourself before God's throne tonight,

You'd do well before His holy might.

I'd send whatever you wanted to wear,

And keep back nothing in my care:

Gold, cow, or goose... or even horse.

TOM

Er... my dear wife, my sweet, of course...

You won't say anything of this

To others; take it not amiss,

It's just that such a sacred matter

Is best kept clear of idle chatter.

BRIDGET

But all the parish knows of it

And all agree it was most fit.

TOM (STARTLED)

Who told them all so suddenly?

BRIDGET

When you rode off so hurriedly,

With such a noble, fair intent,

I felt most proud of you and went

And told the neighbours of your aim;

And they told others of the same.

Then many came to call on me

And took the tale most merrily.

I told of our friend from paradise,

And how we took his good advice,

And they were pleased and laughed a lot.

TOM (TO HIMSELF, WITH RESIGNATION)

The cat is out, like it or not.

I'll be reminded of my part

For many years, no doubt.

(TO BRIDGET)

Dear heart,

Go in and make some supper ready.

BRIDGET

I've started cooking it already.

BRIDGET EXITS

TOM (AFTER HER)

I'm coming.

( TO HIMSELF)

For how can I complain

When rash, swift anger turned my brain

And made me more a fool, it seems,

Than she was made by madcap dreams.

WITH A SHRUG

And so I've paid the price for this:

To find my own true foolishness;

To know that anger is a sort

Of thief that robs you of clear thought.

TO THE AUDIENCE

Belief that's blind and ranting rage

Can stupefy the wisest sage-

So evermore, in calm or stress,

I must, indeed, remember this.

HE EXITS

THE END