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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
April, 1935
B lind B eggar (W ith bowed head). “ But it is me! You recognized m e ! Yes,— the guilt is mine! What mad ness to suppose there is any hope for such as I. But— you are silent! You have not gone away and left me?" (Groping toward the girl with one hand). “ Why,—you are weeping! Is it worse than even I had guessed? Tell me quick! Was it I who struck Him ? Or gathered thorns to pierce His brow ? Or helped to lift Him on the cross ? Oh, tell me quick and put an end to my misery !” T he G irl (Catching her breath in a sob and wiping away the tears that gather). “ No, no,— you aré just one o f the crowd. It was not that. It was not you at all that wrung my heart. It was— that I have— found— my—own — face — there! —with such a scorn, and such a look o f pride and self-conceit, like one who never thinks o f any but herself! Oh-—can I be like that? And— did He know?" B lind B eggar (Excitedly, panting, great drops o f per spiration standing on his pale forehead). “ Don’t weep! Let us do something! The time is getting short. I must find someone to help. Are there no more windows ?” T he G irl (Lifting her streaming eyes to the opposite wall). “ There is another beyond. They are lifting Him on the cross. One nails His hands. Oh-------!” (Stifling a cry and sinking down with her face in her hands.) B lind B eggar (Desperately). “ What is it? Are we there too ?” T he G irl (W ith muffled despairing voice). “ We are there.” B lind B eggar (Wildly, flinging out his hands). “ Look again! Find another picture quick! The time is going. Look over there.” (H e points vacantly to the other side o f the church.) T he G ikl (Turning in the direction he is pointing). “ I see three crosses.” (Wearily) “ They are on the hilltop, and three figures hang on them. The sky is darkening and the crowd draws back. I cannot see the faces o f the crowd — but— we are there -------!” B lind B eggar (Eagerly). “ Wait! I remember the rest o f the story. There were two thieves on those other two crosses, and one He forgave! Let us go to the altar and ask for mercy! Come!” (The Beggar struggles to his feet by the aid o f the pew end and his cane which he still grasps.) T he C ane . “ Tap! Tap! Tap !” (A hollow sound over the tessellated marble echoing into the vaulted ceiling, strangely out o f place, and stirring the quiet from little dark shadows in the frescoes.) “ Tap! Tap! Tap! W e are nearing something in front. Tap !” (Warningly) “ There are steps ahead!” • B lind B eggar . “ I s this the altar ?” T he G irl (Looking intently ahead). “ Yes, this is the altar. Shall we kneel ?” B lind B eggar (Dropping painfully upon his knees with his hand resting on the old cane). “ Now, if He be near,— ” (H is sightless eyes peer wistfully ahead.) T he C ane (Slipping and rolling to the floor with a wooden ring like a cry o f aw e). “ There is some One stand ing before you with His hands outstretched-—— !” B lind B eggar (Pleadingly, with clasped hands and sightless eyes lifted). “ Be merciful to me a sinner!-------” T he G irl (Dropping beside him on one knee, with bowed head, clasped hands drooping at one side, her voice almost a whisper). “ And to me also-------!” (The two remain kneeling motionless with bowed heads.) T he O rgan (Stealing softly, almost inaudibly into the silence, and swelling into distinctness like a healing tide of sound). “ Depth o f mercy, can there be, Mercy still reserved for me ?” (The music softly dies away again into the silence.)
B lind B eggar (W ith eyes fixed as on some One close at hand, and a glorified look o f worship and pleading on his worn pale fa c e ). “ Be merciful-------!” T he G irl (Still with closed eyes and intent drooping figure, murmuring earnestly). “ -------to me—a sinner!" T he C hoir (Breaking forth with assurance). “ There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, Like the wideness o f the sea . . . . . . There is mercy with the Saviour, There is healing in His blood.” B lind B eggar (With lifted head and eager face). “ Me? A sinner ?” T he G irl ( S o ftly ). “ Yes,— a sinner!” T he ,O rgan and C hoir (Triumphantly). “ There is a fountain filled with blood, Drawn from Immanuel’s veins, And sinners plunged beneath that flood Lose all their guilty stains.” (A s the melody hushes, a long beam o f jeweled light reaches down through the silence from a costly window above and lays many-colored fingers upon the bowed heads of the Beggar and the Maid.) T he C hoir (Chanting). “ Go— in—-peace! A -m -e-n!” (The two at the altar remain motionless for a moment, then slowly rise.) B lind B eggar (Groping for his cane). “ Come, let us go. It may not be too late even yet.” T he G irl ( Wonderingly). “ Where must we go ?” B lind B eggar (Impatiently). “ To bring my son who is a thief.” T he G irl . “ But why?” B lind B eggar . “ Why do you have to ask? Do you not understand ? I must bring my son to H im ! Did you not see HIM at the altar? You, who are not blind at all, did you not see Him? Why, I saw Him with my blind eyes, even! Did you not know He was there ?” T he G irl . ¿“ Yes, I felt Him in my heart. He touched me on the brow. I know that He forgave me.” B lind B eggar (Eagerly). “ And now-------?” T he G irl , “ And now—all will be different. I go back to-------” B lind B eggar (Understandingly). “ You go back to bring the rich man, and the poor man, I suppose, that they, too, may understand and be healed ?” T he G irl (Thoughtfully). “ I shall tell the rich man, —but the poor man I shall bring with me — back to His altar.” B lind B eggar . “ Farewell then, and blessings on you, little sister, for leading a blind beggar to the L ight!” (They part in the bright sunshine o f the noon on the flower- scented Avenue. The Girl hastens back uptown; the Blind Beggar turns downtown, tapping along, block after block, panting with shortness of breath.) B lind B eggar . “ If I can only hold out-------!” T he C ane . “ Tap! Tap ! Tap! A curb! Tap! Beivare! A car!— STEP BACK ! No, F O RW A R D !—A la s}! My M-a-s-t-e-r! Oh-h!” P oliceman . “ Look aloive there m on ! Whufl ’r ye doin’-------? Goin’ ahid whin me sign’s down? Stand asoid iverybody!” T he C rowd (Jostling, gasping, writhing ou tjo f the way, and closing in curiously about the scene iigain). “ Ohh-h! Ahh -h ! Ohhhhh!” A W oman ( Screaming). “ Someone is hurt! Take me away quickly! I am fainting-------!” P oliceman (Waving his club). “ Stand asoid ivery body!” A nother W oman (Curiously). “ Oh,—wfcio is it? Let me look ! It might be somebody I know-------” / [Continued on Page 134]
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