Chapter-25
-- The Great MacFin --
(An English Crumpet Western)
ACT V
$SCENE V
[within the Main Ranch House]
[Enter MacFin, Jack, and cowpokes, with pistols and rifles]
MacFin Hang your hat's on m'walls, boys! The alot a cry'un 'bout to come:' our ranch provides a good place to do the fight'un and, soon, We'll be danc'un on their corpses while the worms are a eat'un 'em up:
If they hadn't taken some of our lily livered boys to their side we should'v been out thar beat'un 'um up b'now and sent 'em back home with their tail 'tween their legs, Ha!
[A cry of women within]
What's that noise?
Jack It's your women, boss.
[Exit]
MacFin Oh! I most forgot what has happen to her;
I had forgotton how cold her night-shrieks sounded; it makes m'hair stand on end. I wish she would just keep quiet.
[Re-enter Jack]
What was that cry?
Jack You wife is dead, MacFin.
MacFin She should'v died in a more peaceable time, hereafter.
Had she but lived longer, I could'v been with her and talked to her. ... But, then, we always think tomorrow will be a far happier than today.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, an infinite sameness Creeps in this pretty place from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time, And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to a dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life is meaningless, a walking shadow-a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.
[Enter a Messenger]
Well ... your here to say something; so say it, quickly!
Messenger Ok Boss, I need to say what I saw, But I don't know how to say it.
MacFin Well, say it anyway.
Messenger Well I was doing my watch 'pon that hill, over thar. look'un toward the woods, and all-a-sudd'un me thinks, That I saw the trees begin to move.
MacFin Damn Liar! Farmer!
Messenger Whatever you say, Boss, but it's true!: 'bout three mile from here .... you can see it yourself; I saw, a whole grove of moving trees! MacFin If your a-lying, then upon the next tree you'll see ... yer self a'hang'un up alive, Till the buzzards clean your bones:
but if you speak the truth ... I'm in whole lot of trouble and just maybe I better git.
Remember the words of those spooks: 'Fear not, till the trees come 'gainst you and now them trees are a com'un towards the ranch.
Git your guns, boys, and go out and meet 'um!
If what he says is true We gotta git outta here and down to the trail, fast.
It's gonna be a good day for fight'un, But its sure gonna tear Hell out of this place.
Ring the bell! Tell everyone to git down to the gate! At least we'll die with the Sun at our back.
[They All Git Out]
-- The Great MacFin --
(An English Crumpet Western)ACT V
$SCENE VI
[at the Main Ranch, outside][Drum and colours. Enter Arthur, McFlabs, Horace, and their Army, with boughs]
Arthur Ok we're here ... git rid of that pretty little foliage, Boys And show 'um you are.
You, uncle, take my cousin and lead the indians to the right
Ok ... Ol' Horace we take everything else and do what remains to do, as it comes.
McFlabs
Were ready, Either we'll find MacFin, or we deserve to be beaten, if we can't.Horace
Yell as loud as you can, Boys! scare the bloody Hell outta 'um[They All Git Out]
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