Tussles. Collected Plays: Collected Plays

Scene 8. In the D.C.’s office

79 Tussles: Collected Plays Scene 8 In the D.C.’s office. He is seated with a messenger by him. Enter elders armed with machetes. The D.C. receives them politely. They put down their bags and machetes and sit down. D.C. I have called you because of what happened during my absence. I have been told a few things, but I cannot believe them until I have heard your own side. Let us talk about it like friends and find a way of ensuring that it does not happen again. 1st villager What’s his name again ? Okonkwo Enoch. 1st villager Yes. My mouth says no to the name. He killed an ancestral spirit under the young sun. D.C. Wait a minute. I want to bring in my men so that they too can hear your grievances. James! Messenger Saa! D.C. Bring in the men. (James disappears and returns with armed messengers headed by Nnadi) 1st villager (Trembling with renewed anger) That son of an osu dared to unmask an egwugwu. He dared to lay his unclean hands on an ancestral spirit. (Brief scuffle. Elders are handcuffed and taken to a corner) D.C. (Rising and pacing the stage.) We shall not do you any harm if only you agree to co-operate with us. I have brought you here because you joined together to molest others, to burn 80 Things Fall in Place people’s homes and their place of worship. That must not happen in the dominion of our Queen, the most powerful ruler in the world. I have decided that you will pay a fine of two hundred bags of cowries. You will be released as soon as you agree to this, and undertake to collect that fine from your people. What do you say to that? (Elders maintain a sullen silence). I will leave you for a while. Maybe you need to consult among yourselves. Peter Neidai! Chief Messenger Sa! Nnnaaadi, Saa. D.C. Answer your name as it is pronounced. Is that clear? Chief Messenger Yes Saa! D.C. You treat these men with respect because they are the leaders of Umuofia. Your village people, I understand. Chief Messenger Yes Saa! (Salute by Messengers. Exit D.C.) Chief Messenger (Smiling wryly into Okonkwo’s face and stroking palm with baton) We have met again. (Messengers taunt elders for a while) Okonkwo (Snarling) We should have killed this one too, and the white man if you had listened to me. 2nd messenger Who wants to kill the white man? You are not satisfied with your crime but you must kill the white man on top of it. (Gives some elders a knock on the head) 3rd messenger (Prodding Okonkwo) You this mouthy one. All over Umuofia it’s you they hear. Okonkwo here, Okonkwo there. (Okonkwo is staring at him fixedly, rage burning in his eyes) You can look at me for as long as you like. This might be the last time you are looking at anything. The D.C. said you 81 Tussles: Collected Plays people will pay a fine of two hundred bags of cowries. He meant two hundred and fifty bags. Unless this fine is paid immediately, all of you will be taken to the big white man in Umuru and hanged. Not only you. Your families too will be taken there and lined up and shot. 1st villager Chineke forbid! 3rd messenger Shut up! Chineke, chineke. You knew chineke. And yet you burnt down the house built in his name. You will pay for that sacrilege. 2nd messenger Yes, and your great, great, great grandchildren after you. Chief Messenger (Barking orders) District of Umuofia special squad Atte …ntion! Close ranks! Stand a…t ease! (Calmly) We are matching the prisoners to the cells. Until their fine is paid, or until they are hanged, they have to be given maximum cell treatment. Special squad officer Okereke Jonas! Okereke Jonas Present! Chief Messenger Remind the rest of the squad what maximum cell treatment is. Okereke Jonas On the spot! No food, no water, no visits. Twelve strokes in the morning, six cracks in the afternoon, lashing of the soles in the evening. Two a.m. crying session. Nine strokes for any dry eye. Chief Messenger District of Umuofia special squad! Atte…ntion! Special squad officer Okereke Jonas! Okereke Jonas Present! 82 Things Fall in Place Chief Messenger...