MS-UoR-1227-7-12-5

[0001] Stage ^{in darkness} but for

MOUTH, upstage audience right, ^about 8' above stage level,
faintly lit from close up and below, rest of face in
shadow. Invisible microphone.

[0002] AUDITOR, downstage audience left, tall standing figure
enveloped from head to foot in loose black djellaba,
fully faintly lit, standing on invisible podium 4' high,
shown by attitude alone to be facing diagonally across
stage intent on MOUTH, dead still throughout but for
four brief movements where indicated. See ^Note ^.

[0003] As house lights down MOUTH's voice unintelligible behind
curtain. House lights out. Voice continues unintelligible
behind curtain, 10 seconds. As cur^tain rises ad-libbing
as required leading when curtain fully up and attention
sufficient into

[0004] ..birth..into this world..this world..tiny little thing..
before its time..in a godfor - ..what?..girl?..
yes..tiny little girl..into this..before her time..godfor-
^saken hole..
^{[₰] called}.. ^called.. ^[₰]
no matter..

[0005]parents unknown..unheard of..he having vanished
..thin air..no sooner buttoned up his breeches..^she sim-
ilarly..eight months later..almost to the tick..[0006]so no love
..spared that..no love such as normally ^visited on the..
speechless infant..in the home..no..nor indeed for that
matter^[₰] any of any kind^{..no love of any kind..}..at any subsequent..stage..so
typical affair..nothing of note

[0007] till^[₰] coming up to sixty
when..what?..seventy.. ^good God!..coming up to seventy [⁁]^when
..wandering in a field..looking aimlessly for cowslips..
to make a ball..a few steps then stop..stare into space..
then on..a few more..^{stop & stare again} so on.. ^drifting around..^when sudden-
ly..gradually..^all went out..all that early April morning
light..and she found herself in the - what?..who?..what?
..no..no!..she!..(pause and movement 1)..found herself in
the dark..

[0008] and if not exactly..insentient..insentient..for
she could still hear the buzzing..so-called!..in the ears..
and a ray of light..came and went..came and went..such as
the moon might cast..driftiⁿg..in and out of cloud..but
dulled..feeling..feeling so dulled..she did not know..
what position she was in..imagine!..what position she
was in!..whether standing..or sitting..but the brain - ..
what?..kneeling?..yes..whether standing..or sitting..or

[0008] kneeling..but the brain - ..what?..lying?..yes..whather
standing..or sitting..or kneeling..or lying..[0009]but the brain
still..still..in a way..for her first tho^ught was..oh long
after!..sud^den flash..brought up as she had be^en to be-
lieve..with the other waifs..in a merciful..(brief laugh)..
God..(good laugh)..[0010]first thought ^was..oh long after!..
flash in the dark..^she was being punished..for her sins..