How they’d fight for my good graces
And I’d make their further treatment
Go by how I liked their faces.
(Stay thirsty, you devils!)
Wretched weeds, you’re through with thirsting
Heaven must have heard you praying.
You can drink until you’re bursting
Never bother about paying.
I’m left shouting Buy my Water!
And nobody thinks it
Worth stopping and buying
Or greedily drinks it.
(Buy water, you devils!)
The rain has stopped. Shen Teh sees Wang and runs towards him.
SHEN TEH: Oh Wang, so you have come back. I have looked after your pole for you.
WANG: Thank you for taking care of it! How are you, Shen Teh?
SHEN TEH: Well. I have got to know a very brave and clever person. And I should like to buy a cup of your water.
WANG: Throw your head back and open your mouth, and you can have as much water as you want. The willow tree is still dripping.
SHEN TEH:
But I want your water, Wang.
Laboriously carried
Exhausting to its bearer
And hard to sell, because it is raining.
And I need it for the man over yonder.
He is an airman. An airman
Is braver than other humans. With the clouds for companions
Daring enormous tempests
He flies through the heavens and brings
To friends in far countries
The friendly post.
She pays and runs over to Sun with the cup.
SHEN TEH calls back to Wang, laughing: He has fallen asleep. Hopelessness and the rain and I have tired him out.
Interlude
Wang’s sleeping-place under a Culvert
The water-seller is asleep. Music. The culvert becomes transparent, and the gods appear to him as he dreams.
WANG, beaming: I have seen her, O Illustrious Ones! She has not changed.
THE FIRST GOD: That gives us pleasure.
WANG: She is in love! She showed me her friend. Truly things are going well for her.
THE FIRST GOD: That is good to hear. Let us hope that she will be strengthened in her pursuit of goodness.
WANG: Indeed yes! She is performing all the charitable deeds she can.
THE FIRST GOD: Charitable deeds? What sort? Tell us about them, dear Wang.
WANG: She has a friendly word for everyone.
THE FIRST GOD, keenly: What else?
WANG: It is rare that a man is allowed to leave her shop without something to smoke, just for lack of money.
THE FIRST GOD: That sounds satisfactory. Any more?
WANG: She has taken in a family of eight.
THE FIRST GOD, triumphantly to the second: Eight, indeed! To Wang: Have you anything else you can tell us?
WANG: Although it was raining she bought a cup of water from me.
THE FIRST GOD: Yes, minor charities of that sort. Of course.
WANG: But they eat into the money. A small business doesn’t make all that much.
THE FIRST GOD: True, true! But a prudent gardener can work wonders with his little patch.
WANG: That is just what she does! Every morning she distributes rice; believe me, it must cost more than half her earnings!
THE FIRST GOD, slightly disappointed: I am not denying it. I am not displeased with her start.
WANG: Remember, times are not easy! She had to call in a cousin once, as her shop was getting into difficulties.
Hardly was a shelter erected against the wind
Than the ruffled birds of the whole wintry heaven
Came tumbling flying and
Squabbled for a place and the hungry fox gnawed through
The flimsy wall and the one-legged wolf
Knocked the little rice-bowl over.
In other words the business was too much for her to manage. But everyone agrees that she is a good girl. They have begun to call her ‘The Angel of the Slums’. So much good goes out from her shop. Whatever Lin To the carpenter may say!
THE FIRST GOD: What’s that? Does Lin To the carpenter speak ill of her?
WANG: Oh, he only says the shelving in the shop wasn’t quite paid for.
THE SECOND GOD: What are you telling us? A carpenter not paid? In Shen Teh’s shop? How could she permit that?
WANG: I suppose she didn’t have the money.
THE SECOND GOD: No matter: one pays one’s debts. One cannot afford even the appearance of irregularity. The letter of the law has first to be fulfilled; then its spirit.
WANG: But Illustrious Ones, it was only her cousin, not herself.
THE SECOND GOD: Then that cousin must never again enter her door.
WANG, dejected: I have understood, Illustrious One! But in Shen Teh’s defence let me just say that her cousin is supposed to be a most reputable businessman. Even the police respect him.
THE FIRST GOD: This cousin will not be condemned without a hearing either. I know nothing of business, I admit; perhaps we ought to find out what is thought usual in such matters. But business indeed! Is it so very necessary? Nowadays there is nothing but business. Were the Seven Good Kings in business? Did Kung the Just sell fish? What has business to do with an upright and honourable life?
THE SECOND GOD, with a bad cold: In any case it must not be allowed to occur again.
He turns to leave. The other two gods likewise turn.
THE THIRD GOD, the last to leave, embarrassedly: Forgive our rather sharp tone today! We are very tired, and we have slept too little. Oh, those nights! The well-off give us the best possible recommendations to the poor, but the poor have too few rooms.
THE GODS grumble as they move off: Broken reeds, even the best of them! Nothing conclusive! Pitiful, pitiful! All from the heart, of course, but it adds up to nothing! At least she ought to …
They can no longer be heard.
WANG calls after them: Do not be too hard on us, O Illustrious Ones! Do not ask for everything at once!
4
Square in front of Shen Teh’s Shop
A barber’s, a carpet shop and Shen Teh’s tobacconist’s shop. It is Monday. Outside Shen Teh’s shop wait two survivors of the family of eight – the grandfather and the sister-in-law. Also the unemployed man and Mrs Shin.
SISTER-IN-LAW: She never came home last night!
MRS SHIN: Astonishing behaviour! We manage to get rid of this maniac of a cousin and there’s nothing to stop her having a little rice to spare now and again, when off she goes for the night chasing around God knows where!
Loud voices are heard from the barber’s. Wang staggers out followed by Mr Shu Fu, the stout barber, with a heavy pair of curling tongs in his hand.
MR SHU FU: I’ll teach you to come bothering my customers with your stinking water! Take your mug and get out!
Wang reaches for the mug which Mr Shu Fu is holding out to him, and gets a blow on the hand with the curling-tongs, so that he screams.
MR SHU FU: Take that! Let that be a lesson to you.
He puffs back to his shop.
THE UNEMPLOYED MAN picks up the mug and hands it to Wang: You can have him up for hitting you.
WANG: My hand’s gone.
THE UNEMPLOYED MAN: Any bones broken?
WANG: I can’t move it.
THE UNEMPLOYED MAN: Sit down and bathe it a bit.
MRS SHIN: The water won’t cost you much, anyway.
THE SISTER-IN-LAW: Eight o’clock already, and one can’t even lay hands on a bit of rag here. She has to go gallivanting off! A disgrace!
MRS SHIN, darkly: She’s forgotten us, that’s what!
Shen Teh comes down the street carrying a pot of rice.
SHEN TEH, to the audience: I had never seen the city at dawn. These were the hours when I used to lie with my filthy blanket over my head, terrified to wake up. Today I mixed with the newsboys, with the men who were washi
ng down the streets, with the ox-carts bringing fresh vegetables in from the fields. It was a long walk from Sun’s neighbourhood to here, but with every step I grew happier. I had always been told that when one is in love one walks on air, but the wonderful thing is that one walks on earth, on tarmac. I tell you, at dawn the blocks of buildings are like rubbish heaps with little lights glowing in them; the sky is pink but still transparent, clear of dust. I tell you, you miss a great deal if you are not in love and cannot see your city at that hour when she rises from her couch like a sober old craftsman, filling his lungs with fresh air and reaching for his tools, as the poets have it. To the group waiting: Good morning! Here is your rice! She shares it out, then notices Wang: Good morning, Wang. I am light-headed today. All along the way I looked at my reflection in the shop windows, and now I would like to buy myself a shawl. After a short hesitation: I should so like to look beautiful.
She turns quickly into the carpet shop.
MR SHU FU, who is again standing in his doorway, to the audience: I am smitten today with the beauty of Miss Shen Teh, the owner of the tobacconist’s opposite, whom I have never previously noticed. I have watched her for three minutes, and I believe I am already in love. An infinitely charming person! To Wang: Get to hell, you lout!
He turns back into the barber’s shop. Shen Teh and an extremely old couple, the carpet-dealer and his wife, come out of the carpet-shop. Shen Teh is carrying a shawl, the carpet-dealer a mirror.
THE OLD WOMAN: It’s very pretty and not at all dear; there’s a small hole at the bottom.
SHEN TEH, trying the shawl on the old woman’s arm: I like the green one too.
THE OLD WOMAN, smiling: But I’m afraid it’s in perfect condition.
SHEN TEH: Yes, a pity. I cannot undertake too much with my shop. The income is small, and there are many expenses.
THE OLD WOMAN: For charity; don’t you do so much. When you are starting every bowl of rice counts, eh?
SHEN TEH tries on the shawl with the hole in it: Except that I have to; only at present I’m light-headed. Do you think the colour suits me?
THE OLD WOMAN: You had better ask a man that question.
SHEN TEH calls to the old man: Does it suit me?
THE OLD MAN: Why don’t you ask …
SHEN TEH, very politely: No, I am asking you.
THE OLD MAN, equally politely: The shawl suits you. But wear it dull side out.
Shen Teh pays.
THE OLD WOMAN: If you don’t like it I will always change it for another. Draws her aside: Has he any money?
SHEN TEH, laughing: O goodness no.
THE OLD WOMAN: Will you be able to pay your half-year’s rent?
SHEN TEH: The rent! It had clean gone out of my mind!
THE OLD WOMAN: I thought it had! And Monday will be the first of the month. I have something to suggest. You know: my husband and I were a little doubtful about the marriage advertisement once we had got to know you. We decided we’d help you out if need be. We’ve put something by, and we can lend you the 200 silver dollars. If you like you can make over your stock to us as security. But of course we don’t need anything in writing.
SHEN TEH: Would you really lend money to such a scatterbrained person?
THE OLD WOMAN: To be honest, we’d think twice about lending it to your cousin, who is definitely not scatterbrained, but we’d gladly lend it to you.
THE OLD MAN comes up: All fixed?
SHEN TEH: I wish the gods could have heard your wife just then, Mr Deng. They are looking for good and happy people. And I’m sure you must be happy, to be helping me out of the troubles that love has brought me.
The two old people smile at one another.
THE OLD MAN: Here is the money.
He hands her an envelope. Shen Teh accepts it and bows. The old people bow too. They go back to their shop.
SHEN TEH, to Wang, holding up the envelope: This is six months’ rent. Isn’t that a miracle? And Wang, what do you think of my new shawl?
WANG: Did you buy it for the man I saw in the park?
Shen Teh nods.
MRS SHIN: You might choose to look at his hand instead of retailing your shady adventures!
SHEN TEH, alarmed: What’s the matter with your hand?
MRS SHIN: The barber smashed it with his curling tongs in front of our eyes.
SHEN TEH, horrified at her heedlessness: And I didn’t notice! You must go to the doctor at once, or your hand will go stiff and you’ll never be able to work properly again. It’s a frightful disaster. Come on, get up! Hurry!
THE UNEMPLOYED MAN: He doesn’t want the doctor; he wants the magistrate! The barber’s a rich man, and he ought to get compensation.
WANG: Do you think there’s a chance?
MRS SHIN: If you really can’t use it. Can you?
WANG: I don’t think so. It’s already very swollen. Would it mean a pension for life?
MRS SHIN: You need a witness, of course.
WANG: But you all saw! You can all of you bear me out.
He looks round. Unemployed man, grandfather, sister-in-law: all are sitting against the wall and eating. No one looks up.
SHEN TEH, to Mrs Shin: You yourself saw it, didn’t you?
MRS SHIN: I don’t want to get mixed up with the police.
SHEN TEH, to the sister-in-law: What about you then?
THE SISTER-IN-LAW: Me? I wasn’t looking!
MRS SHIN: Of course you were looking. I saw you looking! You’re just scared because the barber’s got too much pull.
SHEN TEH, to the grandfather: I am sure that you will confirm what happened.
THE SISTER-IN-LAW: They wouldn’t listen to him. He’s gaga.
SHEN TEH, to the unemployed man: It may mean a pension for life.
THE UNEMPLOYED MAN: They’ve taken my name twice for begging. It won’t do him much good if I give evidence.
SHEN TEH, incredulous: Do you mean to say that not one of you will say what happened? His hand gets broken in full daylight, in front of you all, and not one will open his mouth.
Angrily:
O you unfortunates!
Your brother is mishandled before you, and you just shut your eyes.
Injured, he screams aloud, and you keep mum.
The bully swaggers round, picks out his victim
And you say: he’ll spare us, for we hide our displeasure.
What sort of a town is that, what sort of humans are you?
When an injustice takes place in a town there must be an uproar
And where there is no uproar it is better the town disappears
In flames before the night falls.
Wang, if nobody who saw it will be your witness, then I will be your witness and say that I saw it.
MRS SHIN: It’ll be perjury.
WANG: I don’t know if I can allow that. But perhaps I have to allow it. Looking anxiously at his hand: Do you think it has swollen enough? It looks to me as if it has started to go down?
THE UNEMPLOYED MAN, calming him: No, it certainly hasn’t gone down.
WANG: Are you sure? Ah yes, I do believe it’s swelling a bit more. Possibly my wrist is broken! I’d better go straight to the magistrate.
Holding his hand carefully and still looking at it, he hurries off. Mrs Shin enters the barber’s shop.
THE UNEMPLOYED MAN: She’s gone to the barber’s to butter him up.
THE SISTER-IN-LAW: It’s not for us to change the world.
SHEN TEH, discouraged: I didn’t mean to be rude to you. It’s just that I was shocked. No, I did mean to be rude to you.
Get out of my sight!
The unemployed man, the sister-in-law and the grandfather go off eating and grumbling.
SHEN TEH, to the audience:
They cannot respond. Where they are stationed
They stay put, and when turned away
They quickly yield place!
Nothing now moves them. Only
The smell of cooking will make them look up.
r /> An old woman comes hurrying up. It is Sun’s mother, Mrs Yang.
MRS YANG, out of breath: Are you Miss Shen Teh? My son has told me everything. I am Sun’s mother, Mrs Yang. Think of it, he has got the chance of a job as a pilot! He got a letter from Pekin this morning, just now. From one of the superintendents in the postal service.
SHEN TEH: That means he can fly again? Oh, Mrs Yang!
MRS YANG: But it will cost a lot: 500 silver dollars.
SHEN TEH: That’s a great deal, but money must not stand in his way. After all, I’ve got the shop.
MRS YANG: If you could only do something!
SHEN TEH embraces her: If I could help him!
MRS YANG: You would be giving a chance to a very gifted individual!
SHEN TEH: Why should they stop a man from applying his gifts? After a pause: Except that I shall not get enough for the shop, and the 200 silver dollars which I have got in cash are only a loan. Of course you can have those now. I will sell my stock and pay them back out of that.
She gives her the old couple’s money.
MRS YANG: O Miss Shen Teh, a friend in need is a friend indeed. And they were all calling him the dead pilot, because they said he has as much chance of flying again as a corpse.
SHEN TEH: We still need 300 silver dollars for the job, though. Mrs Yang, we must think. Slowly: I know someone who might perhaps help. Someone who has advised me before. I didn’t really want to have to resort to him again; he is too smart and too tough. This will definitely be the last time. But a pilot has got to fly, that is obvious.
Sound of engines in the distance.
MRS YANG: If your friend could only raise the money! Look, there goes the morning mail service to Pekin!
SHEN TEH, with determination: Wave to it, Mrs Yang. I’m sure the pilot can see us! She waves her shawl. Go on, wave!
MRS YANG, waving: Do you know the pilot?
SHEN TEH: No. I know a pilot. For the man without hope shall fly, Mrs Yang. One of us at least shall be able to fly above all this wretchedness; one at least shall rise above us all!
To the audience:
Yang Sun, my loved one, with the clouds for companions!
Daring enormous tempests
Flying through the heavens and bringing
To friends in far countries
The friendly post.
Interlude