IRLF 13D A7 THE IMMIGRANTS WORKS BY PERCY MACKAYE DRAMAS THE CANTERBURY PILGRIMS. A Comedy. JEANNE D ARC. A Tragedy. SAPPHO AND PHAON. A Tragedy. FENRIS THE WOLF. A Tragedy. A GARLAND TO SYLVIA. A Dramatic Reverie. THE SCARECROW. A Tragedy of the Ludicrous. YANKEE FANTASIES. Five One-Act Plays. MATER. An American Study in Comedy. ANTI-MATRIMONY. A Satirical Comedy. TO-MORROW. A Play in Three Acts. A THOUSAND YEARS AGO. A Romance of the Orient. THE IMMIGRANTS. A Lyric Drama. MASQUES SANCTUARY. A Bird Masque. SAINT Louis. A Civic Masque. POEMS THE SISTINE EVE, and Other Poems. URIEL, and Other Poems. LINCOLN. A Centenary Ode. THE PRESENT HOUR. ESSAYS THE PLAYHOUSE AND THE PLAY. THE Civic THEATRE. At all booksellers THE IMMIGRANTS A Lyric Drama BY PERCY MACKAYE WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY FREDERIC C. HOWE Commissioner of Immigration at Ellis Island, New York NEW YORK B. W. HUEBSCH MCMXV Copyright, 1912, by PERCY MACKAYE Copyright, 1915, by PERCY MACKAYE All rights reserved Including stage and platform rights and the right of transla tion into foreign languages, including the Scandinavian. This drama " The Immigrants " has been duly copyrighted in the United States of America, the Dominion of Canada, and in all countries of the copyright union. No performance, amateur or professional, can legally be given without permission first obtained from the author and payment of royalty. Infringement of copyright involves liability to prosecution by law. No public reading of this play for money can legally be given without permission first obtained from the author. NOTE: For, permission to /ean in public this lyric drama or any other work of the author, application must be made direct *c the .author, in cart of the publishers. So FREDERICK S. CONVERSE IN FELLOWSHIP 345198 INTRODUCTION The role of the friendless immigrant who comes to o,ur shores has been portrayed in statistics, con gressional investigations, and sociological studies until we have almost come to look upon the im migrant as p. commodity ^rather than as a human being. Mr. Percy MacKaye in his lyric drama * The Immigrants " has portrayed for us the in coming alien as a human being with elemental emotions, sympathies and tragedies like our own; presenting him first in his native land as the prey of greedy representatives of international business interests, and then as an incoming immigrant, moved like our own ancestors to cast in his lot with the land of freedom in the hope of better things. Probably no other subject is so fraught with suffering and pathos, with hopes and disappoint ments, as the individual experiences of the million odd men, women and children who land on our shores each year. Each one is a human drama in himself, and each presents to the new world a vii viii INTRODUCTION problem for our undertaking, no less than an op portunity for the new-born resident. And Mr. MacKaye has presented these two motives in a wonderfully dramatic lyric form, which por trayed upon the stage should awaken America to a realization of the necessity of a constructive programme for the protection, care and assimila tion of its people from over the sea. And when we realize that there are thirteen million foreign- born in our midst and eighteen million more who are immediate descendants of the foreign born, we should recognize that here is a problem which should awaken statesmen, educators, and philan thropists to seek its solution, if we would keep the well-springs of American citizenship, American civilization, and American culture to their proper standards. Mr. MacKaye has truthfully presented the in dustrial maelstrom into which the foreigner falls in the great cities, in the mines, the mills, the slaughter houses, and sweatshops, where he is ex ploited by reason of his ignorance and made in many instances to feel that America differs only in name from the countries from which he has fled. The form chosen by Mr. MacKaye, the lyric INTRODUCTION ix drama, is especially appropriate to present these problems to us. Our immigrants come, for the most part, from countries where the opera holds a high place in official thought and where it is inti mately related to the lives of the people as one of their most familiar cultural agencies. In addi tion, the opera is expressive of the temperamental things which those from the south of Europe are contributing to our life. It seems to me very pertinent that he should have chosen this medium for the expression of the drama and the tragedies of the incoming alien. This book is particularly welcome also in view of war conditions which have temporarily stopped immigration. For when the war is over, the widows, the fatherless children, the restless and discontented of other lands who seek an asylum in America will probably present to us an immigra tion problem different in kind and larger in its pro portions than any with which we have heretofore been confronted. This work, therefore, seems to me very timely in view of the human appeal which the termina tion of the European War is likely to make to America the land which, for three centuries, INTRODUCTION has been the home of the oppressed and the dis- , possessed of all lands. FREDERIC C. HOWE. Ellis Island, New York Harbor, July, PREFACE The present work was first conceived and writ ten by me during the spring and early summer of 1912, since when the music for it has been com posed and the orchestral score recently completed by Mr. Frederick S. Converse, the composer of two previously produced American operas * and of many symphonic pieces. Designed originally for the use of the Boston Opera House, the stage production of " The Im migrants " has been affected, in common with many other operatic works, by the Great War. Since, however, the message it seeks to express has been deemed by judges as authoritative as the New York Commissioner of Immigration to be timely, true and important, there has appeared to me, as to Mr. Converse, no reason why the publi cation of the text should be held back by the delay of its stage production. So, for whatever service it may help to render to the great problem of American immigration, as well as for whatever * The Pipe of Desire, at the Metropolitan Opera House, and The Sacrifice, at the Boston Opera House. xii PREFACE pioneering it may help to accomplish in a new con ception of the uses of opera in English, it is now put forth to the public. That new conception for America to-day, I think, is this: that the uses of opera in English need not be confined to a mere rendering into Eng lish words of the imaginative concepts of foreign artists, nor to imaginative concepts which are themselves aloof from the passionate problems of our modern life, but that those uses ought to be extended ever more widely to increase the creative opportunities and the creative works of English- speaking artists of the theatre in expressing the realities of human passion and aspiration which cry out for expression now and here in our midst. Because the traditions of the opera have been handed down to us from times and conditions wherein pure romance, or fairy fancy, or courtly intrigue, or symbolic mythology, or other themes of the past hold sway [conditions which for many artists have conduced to stamp opera as a bastard art- form], that is no reason why those traditions should be held unalterable. Those same traditions, inherited from a monarchical regime, held true for centuries of another lyric-dramatic form the Masque, yet PREFACE xiii to-day in America the Masque rendered plastic to the demands of democratic realities is be ginning to be developed, through the collaboration of musical composers, dramatists and producers, into a new instrument of community drama pro phetic in magnitude. In this happily experimental field of masque and pageantry, F. S. Converse, Walter Damrosch, Arthur Farwell, Daniel Gregory Mason, Chal mers Clifton and other American composers have already created works which hold place in the programmes of symphony concert halls and choral societies. For at least a decade the composers and grove-drama makers of the San Francisco Bohemian Club redwood festivals have cultivated with distinguished success an indigenous form of the Masque. In such present day developments of the the atre s art, it has been my privilege to be associated as dramatist with Mr. Converse as composer in works involving three distinctive forms of dramatic expression * verse play, masque and opera. In * For my play Jeanne d Arc, Mr. Converse composed the instrumental music; for my Bird Masque Sanctuary and Civic Masque Saint Louis, the lyrics, dances and choruses; for The Immigrants and for another opera [as yet unpub lished], all the music. xiv PREFACE each of these forms the dramatic structure and the uses of English speech in verse have presented problems, differing in each, and always new. One point common to all, and too often for gotten by readers of their published texts, is im portant to emphasize. The dramatic structure and the uses of words which result in these dis tinctive art-forms of drama are conditioned not by publication, but by production. They have nothing to do with readers as such. To readers who are unaware of the conditions of their produc tion, the forms of such works may readily and often are misunderstood and wrongly im agined. Yet since so large a proportion of read ers form the constituency of theatre audiences, the right reading of dramatic works is a readily ac- quirable knowledge and is rapidly increasing. Of the forms above mentioned, plays are doubtless the most understandingly and widely read; masques are probably the least so. As for operas, since they are works nearly always familiarized through their production, this passing reference to the con ditioning factors of dramatic craftsmanship may be pertinent to the reader of this work. The sub ject, though it can only be alluded to here, is a pregnant one in its bearing upon the creative PREFACE xv output and critical valuation of all dramatic works. As to the present day message of " The Immi grants " the work itself must speak, not my preface. In his introduction Commissioner Howe has made his own comments, and of those I have only to say this: that I shall be deeply glad and proud if this work of mine shall be able to con tribute even a little toward that great service of international democracy, to which Mr. Howe has contributed such wisely informed insight, virile sympathy and courage, as master of that little isle which is the great door-stone of America s destiny. PERCY MACKAYE. Cornish, N. H., July, 1915. CHARACTERS GIOVANNI, an Italian peasant NOEL, an American artist SCAMMON, an American agent SANDRO, a vineyard worker GIUSEPPE, a young peasant MARIA, Sandro s daughter LlSETTA, her younger sister Peasants, Shopmen, Soldiers, Citizens, Police, etc, XVll SCENES ACT I Italy: The public square of a small town in the vineyard country : A morning in early April. ACT II New York Harbor: The steerage deck of an ocean steamship : At dawn, in early May. ACT III An alley in the slums of New York: A night in August. TIME The twentieth century. XVlll THE IMMIGRANTS ACT FIRST XIX ACT FIRST The scene Is the public square of a small hill- town in Italy. The season is April, radiant with the bloom of Italian springtime. Near the left middle ground, orange and almond trees spread their flowering boughs above a fountain. Here is sculptured a Mermaid at play with a young Triton, who spouts bright water high from his shell in showers. Behind these, against glimpses of surrounding vineyards, stands a closed iron gate, in front of a stone corridor, leading to a stone building with narrow barred windows. On the left, broad stone steps lead to the wall and doorway of a church, time-worn, of yellow stucco. On the right, in the foreground, is a wineshop, between which and the prison gate stands the en trance to a huge tent of many-colored canvas, closed with bright flaps. When the scene opens, the square is alive with Italian folk of many types and ages. Evidently a local festa is in progress. Near the fountain, young peasants in bright costumes are dancing to a guitar, thrummed by SANDRO, a big, jovial, ruddy- THE IMMIGRANTS faced fellow, middle-aged. By the shop, men are drinking at outdoor tables. Against the church wall old folks are drowsing in the sun. On the top step, NOEL, at an easel, is sketching some object within the church. Among the crowd grin ning boys run about, mis chief -making. A small procession of priests enters the church. Carabinieri, in vivid uniforms and military cloaks, strut officiously among the people. The crowd, gathered near the fountain, are clapping and shouting at the dancers. SANDRO [Waving to them gayly, thrums and sings:} O Rosella, Giovanniello, Come away to San Quentino ! He is dancing down from heaven Where his laughing angels are: San Quentino he s a good fellow [When he twangs his sweet guitar! [From near the tables, the Wineshop- Keeper, to whom one of the Officers has been showing a document, points at SAN DRO and calls out:] THE WINESHOP-KEEPER Heigh, Sandro ! THE IMMIGRANTS [The dance goes on, amid noise and laughter. ] Heigh! You old ripe olive! SANDRO Who, me? THE CROWD [Jeering good-hum or edly~\ You, you! THE WINESHOP-KEEPER [Beckoning] Heigh -. here ! SANDRO [Holding his guitar toward a young fellow, who is dancing with a lovely slip of a girl~\ Play, Seppe! GIUSEPPE Me leave Lisett ? Pooh, Papa! [He kisses her. ] THE CROWD [Laughing] Papa! Ha-ha ! Lisetta Seppe ! THE IMMIGRANTS SANDRO [Shoving his guitar into the hands of another young fellow] You, then! [He makes off toward the Wineshop- Keeper and the Officer. } A PRIEST [From the church steps ] San Quentino pray to him. NOEL [From his easel, gazes into the church] How beautiful she prays there on her knees A woman s form, but in her face a child ! [He goes on painting. A contadino, with a hamper strapped to his back, is stopped by two soldiers. They make him unstrap the hamper, open it, and reveal bottles of wine.] THE FIRST SOLDIER Your license ! [The peasant stares in fright, searches in his coat and brings forth a paper, which the soldiers take and examine, winking at each other.] THE IMMIGRANTS THE WINESHOP-KEEPER [To SANDRO, indicating the Officer} Says your tax is due. SANDRO [To the Officer, with quaint appeal} Eh I But to-day is festa. Grace ! THE OFFICER [Rapping his document} To-day your money : forty lire. SANDRO Now forty lire ! Do I look Like Solomon in all his glory? I pay you ten to-morrow ! THE OFFICER Forty, To-day ! SANDRO [Turning his pockets inside out, empties forth a big nut.} A chestnut see ! SERGEANT No money? So! THE IMMIGRANTS [To the Wineshop-Keeper] He must serve his time in prison. [He claps his hand for a soldier, who approaches.] SANDRO Jesu ! Like poor Giovanni ! Prison ! Eh, no, no, no ! [The Officer points out SANDRO to the soldier, and waves toward the prison. The soldier seizes SANDRO by the arm. SANDRO cries out:] Lisetta ! Seppe ! Prison ! [ The dancing stops in tumult. The two young people rush toward him.] LISETTA [Screaming and pulling GIUSEPPE with her] Ah, Papa Sandro! SANDRO Prison! They put me there with poor Giovanni 1 Prison for forty lire ! THE IMMIGRANTS SERGEANT [Motioning to several soldiers, who stop the people] Silence ! \_To the soldiers, who lead SANDRO toward the prison} March ! [The people follow, hissing and groan ing. The soldiers menace them, and they fall back.] GIUSEPPE Shame ! They re tyrants 1 LISETTA [Wildly ] Seppe, save him ! [A small boy, from among the crowd, squirts water in a syringe, hitting the soldier beside SANDRO. The boy is in stantly seized from behind by another soldier.] THE SECOND SOLDIER Ha ! You, too, Punchinello ! [The boy is pulled along, struggling and yelling. Near the prison door, NOEL 8 THE IMMIGRANTS who has left his easel stands in the path of SANDRO and the soldiers, who pause. The Second Soldier accosts him:] Who Are you ? NOEL American. [Handing him some small bills] Here s forty lire. THE SOLDIER What for? NOEL His tax. [Quietly putting more money in the hands of each of the soldiers] There s drinks for two. [Seizing the small boy by the ear] Rapscallion, here ! You want a spanking. [Boxing him] Don t squirt at scarlet uniforms. Skedaddle, now! [He releases the boy among the crowd, who cheer. The soldiers, grinning, salute, and walk away to the wineshop.] THE IMMIGRANTS SANDRO [While LISETTA and GIUSEPPE embrace him, turns gratefully to NOEL.] Ah, good signore I LISETTA Gentle signore! [They try to kiss NOEL S hand. He evades them. Meanwhile the soldiers by the peasant with the hamper have helped themselves to his case of wine. One of them now lugs it off, laughing, while the other turns to the peasant and tears up his license-paper, be fore his scared face. ] THE SOLDIER Confiscated ! Your license now is void. Move on ! [The peasant retreats forlornly among the commiserating bystanders. The sol dier rejoins his companion gayly."] SANDRO [To NOEL] Signore, forty lire ! God Be good to you ! I pay you back. io THE IMMIGRANTS NOEL [Retreating to his easel} Oh, when you like ; I sold a sketch This morning; so you re welcome. LlSETTA [With awe to GIUSEPPE] Seppe, How rich and grand ! GIUSEPPE You silly! All Americans are made of gold! [He points toward the tent, where a shrewd, jocular-faced man has come out through the flap, and stands looking on an image stuck in his hat.~\ That fellow there he told me so. LlSETTA Who s he? GIUSEPPE Oh, he s a mighty fellow. He too comes from America. He tells you wonders, sells you tickets, THE IMMIGRANTS n And shows you maps and moving pictures Of monstrous ships and lovely ladies And houses half a mile high all The marvels in America! LISETTA [Drawing away] I like the other one the best. [Coming close to NOEL, she stares at him. ] Perhaps he is some prince disguised. NOEL [Smiling] The prince of paint-rags ! A poor artist, My dear. [Pointing with a brush at his canvas on the easel.] You see! LISETTA [Looks and exclaims] Maria ! Look, Papa ! Tis sister ! Look : She s kneeling . Maria ! 12 THE IMMIGRANTS SANDRO [Gazing, with GIUSEPPE, at the canvas] Eh, Maria ! Tis Thy sister. Eh ! NOEL [To SANDRO] Your daughter? I Am sketching her. She s praying yonder. SANDRO Aye, she is praying for Giovanni. Last month they put him there in prison For debt. Giovanni could not pay The tax so he must serve his time In there. NOEL For long? SANDRO [Shrugging ] Who knows? Maria She loves Giovanni. Since so high They work together in the vineyards. Some day they marry. Come, signore, I take you to her. THE IMMIGRANTS 13 [SANDRO goes into the church. As NOEL is following, he is intercepted by the man with the image in his hat.~\ THE MAN [Extending his hand~] Howdy ! [NoEL bows slightly and steps back. } Glad To greet a fellow countryman So far from home. Forgot me? NOEL No. You re Scammon scallywag at large, The marvelous motion-picture man: Commission agent, on the quiet, To cram the steerage cabins full Of souls at thirty dollars up. SCAMMON And cheap, say I, for emigrants; Food, drink and sleep, three thousand miles To share the land of liberty. [He takes off his hat and looks at the image a little statue of liberty scratching his head with a laugh.~\ i 4 THE IMMIGRANTS NOEL To share the land ! And what of those Who seek our shores of liberty To slave in mines and starve in slums? You mock my country with your hat. [He starts to pass by. SCAMMON stops him.] SCAMMON Hold on a second ! So it seems You paint {Wags his head toward the church.] a pretty girl in there ! NOEL What s that to you ? SCAMMON I say the girl Is pretty : 7 say ! See ? NOEL [Looks him over with quiet contempt.] I see! [NOEL moves quickly past into the church. SCAMMON looks after him with an unpleasant smile; then turns to the easel and stares hard at the canvas. By the THE IMMIGRANTS 15 margin of the fountain, where the Triton and Mermaid are half hidden in spray, LISETTA twitches GIUSEPPE S arm, mer rily.] LISETTA Come, play like them ! GIUSEPPE What shall we play? LISETTA I ll be the Mermaid, you be Triton ! [ They dodge about the fountain, splash ing water at each other, GIUSEPPE chasing LISETTA, in laughter. From the easel SCAMMON takes up NOEL S painting, puts it furtively under his coat and glances into the church.~\ SCAMMON A pretty girl, I say, Maria ! [He makes off and disappears around the church corner, with the half-conceded canvas. } GIUSEPPE [Having caught LISETTA in their play.] Lisett , look here. I ll show you something: A secret ! 1 6 THE IMMIGRANTS [He stoops under the fountain ledge and rummages there~\ LlSETTA [Eagerly"] Dh I What can it be ? GIUSEPPE [Rising and holding something behind him] I made it for you. Guess ! LlSETTA I can t! Please show it, quick! GIUSEPPE [Smiling ] First pay your fine ! LlSETTA [Kissing him quickly with a laugh~\ Now, thenl [He holds up a little wooden boat with sails. ] O, beautiful ! A boat 1 And can it sail? THE IMMIGRANTS 17 GIUSEPPE Of course ! See there ! [He puts-it on the water where it floats. LISETTA claps her hands. .] Lisett ! Let s go aboard of her And run away to sea together. LISETTA [Pulling a flower from a bough} All right, this almond-flower that s you, Giuseppe. GIUSEPPE [Picking a blossom from another tree~\ Here, that s you, Lisett The orange blossom. All aboard ! LISETTA Don t push her, Seppe ! Blow ! [Puffing their cheeks, they blow the sails of the little boat, which moves over the rippling fountain. Then, while GIUSEPPE makes waves with his hands to propel it, LISETTA pauses and watches the boat with delight.} See, see! O see ! Where shall we sail her? 1 8 THE IMMIGRANTS GIUSEPPE Round And round the world to America I LISETTA America ! That s fine ! Aha ! [Slowly circling the fountain, the two young lovers fan and blow the toy ship over the rippling water, keeping her close to the outer rim, as they follow, singing: ] GIUSEPPE A ship, a ship a-sailing! It s over the sea she ll carry us; Over the sea a-trailing By moon and tide, My own, my bride, We ll marry us ! Blow! Blow! I ll be her Triton! LISETTA Sail! Sail! I ll be her Mermaid! BOTH Into the west and waning day We ll sail to the wonderland far away. THE IMMIGRANTS 19 [While they sing, many of the peasant folk gather About and watch. ] LlSETTA A ship, a ship a-sailing ! Good-by, old cares would bury us ! Good-by, old ache and ailing ! To fortunes fair To fortunes fair She ll ferry us. Sail! Sail! Fllbe her Mermaid! GIUSEPPE Blow ! Blow ! I ll be her Triton! BOTH Out of our prison of poverty We ll sail to the fairyland of the free 1 [In the midst of their singing, a young peasant girl of sturdy beauty and glow ing intensity of expression comes out of the church. Accompanied by SANDRO and NOEL, she stands on the steps. She looks eagerly toward the prison and searches with her eyes among the crowd. 20 THE IMMIGRANTS Seeing her, LISETTA motions silence to GIUSEPPE and points.} LISETTA Maria! Hush! GIUSEPPE [To the people] Be still! MARIA [Calling] Giovanni ! [The crowd murmurs and draws back, looking at her. She calls again, with poignant cry:] Giovanni ! Ah no, he has not come ! SANDRO Pho! Patience, child! Tis patience ripens the plum-tree. NOEL He will come. MARIA No, no, they keep him from me ! I have prayed To all the holy twelve apostles. None Will hear me. My Giovanni will not come. THE IMMIGRANTS 21 [She sinks down on the step and weeps. SANDRO, LISETTA, and GIUSEPPE gather round her, consoling .] SANDRO Why, hoighty-toighty, don t thee fret. The birds Be singing. Hark! LISETTA Mari , I ll tell thee tidings ! GIUSEPPE [Pointing to NOEL] Him, yonder! [To SANDRO] Has she heard? LISETTA American The good signore! He saved our Papa Sandro! GIUSEPPE He ll save Giovanni, sure ! LISETTA Paid forty lire ! SANDRO Our taxes every soldo paid ! And see, He s made thy picture ! 22 THE IMMIGRANTS [Turning to NOEL] May she look, signore, To see herself youVe painted? NOEL Ah, the sketch : Of course ! LlSETTA Come, see ! [SANDRO, GIUSEPPE and LISETTA go with NOEL toward the easel; MARIA re mains sitting, dumb and disconsolate, ,] NOEL [Pauses, looking for the painting.] It s gone ! I left it here. SANDRO Aye, here it lay. LISETTA Oh, is it lost? NOEL Or stolen I [Trying to remember] Unless I left it yonder in the church. I ll see. [He goes into the church.] THE IMMIGRANTS 23 SANDRO Twas here, Lisett ! A wonder, too ! As like Marl as my two thumbs be twins. GIUSEPPE And kneeling down she was, all lovely. LISETTA Look How sad she s sitting; hears no word we say. SANDRO Tis pity she be so. What s that a-coming? GIUSEPPE Heigh, there s the motion-picture man ! Come on, And see the show. LISETTA [Glancing back] But, poor Maria! GIUSEPPE [Pulling her and SANDRO] Come! The tent is open ! Soon the show ll begin ! [From behind the church there enters a parade of donkeys, with gay caparisons and tinkling bells; the final ones draw a 24 THE IMMIGRANTS float on which is standing an image of the Statue of Liberty. On the base is in scribed AMERICA. Each donkey is laden with colored hand-bills, which boys in cos tume, who lead the animals, scatter among the rabble who follow, staring and point ing. With the parade enters SCAMMON, waving to the people an enormous hat, with gay ribbons.] THE CROWD [Braying as they march] Hee, haw, han! Hee, haw, han ! March with the motion-picture man. SCAMMON Motion pictures ! See the motion Pictures fresh from across the ocean ! Free to all, Big and small! Boys and girls, don t miss the show. Every pretty girl cries: Oh! Every fellow answers : Ah! Marry me in America ! [The crowd shouts and repeats the re frain.] THE IMMIGRANTS 25 Motion pictures ! See the motion Pictures ! Come and get a notion What they be ! Come in free. Try your peep, and if it s pat Toss your penny in the hat. Take your turn, and tell your Pa : Carry me to America ! [ScAMMON leads the way into the tent, the parade of donkeys with the float pass ing outside behind it. The crowd follow him, pushing one another as they pass in side, braying:] THE CROWD Hee, haw, han! Hee, haw, han! March with the motion-picture man I LISETTA [Gazing back] Let s bring Maria. GIUSEPPE [Urging her in with SANDRO] Hurry ! Get a place ! [The people have passed within. The 26 THE IMMIGRANTS tent flap is closed. On the church step MARIA is left alone. Longingly she looks toward the prison; then turns to a shrine of the Virgin, that peers down on her from the church-wall. Crossing herself, she gazes up at the image. ] MARIA Maria! Mother-maid! Be good to me, Thy maid, Maria, named thy holy name ! And for the saint, who was thy dear Son s friend, Be good to my Giovanni named for him ! Giovanni lies in prison. He is poor. Long time he worked to earn a little land; The crop was small, he could not pay the tax; And so they put him in the dark. But now, The almonds all are blossomed, and the birds Are nesting in the olives, and the folk Make festa, and the fountain laughs out loud And flings the flying rainbows on the air, And oh, my heart it calls: " Giovanni, come! Come to the vineyard, where we were so glad, And labored in the warm earth, side by side! Come, my Giovanni ! " But he cannot hear, He cannot hear me crying through the walls. Giovanni lies in prison! Pity us! Maria, maid and mother, set him free ! THE IMMIGRANTS 27 \While she has made her prayer, NOEL has come out of the church and stood, nearby, watching her. Now gradually her eyes are drawn by NOEL S gaze. Slowly she rises and speaks wonderingly.~\ Who are you ? NOEL I am Noel, and your friend. MARIA You spoke to me, signore? NOEL No. MARIA I thought You asked me something. NOEL It was so, my child. MARIA What did you ask me ? NOEL [Simply] Will you take my hand? 28 THE IMMIGRANTS MARIA Your hand? [ Takes it confidently.] NOEL And will you trust me ? MARIA You are kind. Why do you take my hand and smile at me ? NOEL Because you are so beautiful, dear child. [As she draws slightly back] Don t be afraid. [Pointing up at the image] She listened to your prayer. MARIA How do you know? NOEL I heard her praying too. MARIA The Virgin ! For Giovanni ? THE IMMIGRANTS 29 NOEL For all souls In prison, and all simple hearts in pain. She heard your prayer. MARIA [Drawing away] Where is Giovanni, then? Where does he come? [She looks about in growing wildness.~\ You see ! NOEL A little while Patience ! MARIA Ha, patience, so they tell me all ! Patience to-morrow ! Next day and next day Patience! They fool me. But I know the plan! I will do something bad, and break the law. Then they will put me too in prison there With my Giovanni. NOEL No MARIA Yes! he was good; 30 THE IMMIGRANTS He did no wrong thing; he was only poor. But I you see I will do something bad, To go to him. So I will fool them. See I {With a sudden gesture she seizes NOEL S gold watch chain, and tears it away with the watch. Then she rushes to the gate of the prison and pulls the bell."] Open ! Come out ! NOEL Maria, child! Take care! MARIA [Beating on the gate] Open! A prisoner! A GUARD [Appearing behind the bars] Here! What s the row? MARIA Look these are gold ! I stole them. Open the gate! NOEL [Approaching ] Absurd ! [The Guard comes out. Maria takes hold of him pleadingly.] THE IMMIGRANTS 31 MARIA Take me in there with you ! THE GUARD [Putting an arm about her} My bird, At dark I ll meet you by the fountain. [He is about to kiss her. She strikes him in the face with the chain."] MARIA So! Put me in prison now ! THE GUARD [Clapping one hand to his face, knocks her angrily to the ground.] Don t be a fool! [NOEL springs forward and lifts her. From the tent, SCAMMON looks forth through the flap. NOEL confronts the Guard and takes from his pocket an en velope. ] NOEL The Warden of the Prison Show me in. 32 THE IMMIGRANTS THE GUARD [With surliness] What s that? You want admittance here? NOEL I bring This letter from the American Consul. THE GUARD Oh! [Glancing at the letter, the Guard allows NOEL to pass inside, then follows, shoving back MARIA and shutting the gate.] This way, signore; the Warden is within. MARIA [With a passionate cry] Take met Signer 1 Noel ! NOEL Be good and wait. [NOEL disappears inside with the Guard. MARIA clings to the bars of the gate and shakes it] MARIA Giovanni ! Giovanni ! Giovanni ! Oh, dear God ! [She turns away and, flinging herself THE IMMIGRANTS 33 upon a seat by one of the tables, buries her face in her arms. SCAMMON approaches and leans over the table.] SCAMMON Excuse me! Have you seen the show? [MARIA lifts her head and looks toward him, dazed.~\ A moving spectacle, I call it! A hot time for a two-cent town And quite some circus! Will you see it? MARIA What do you say? SCAMMON [Seating himself opposite her at the table] I say Cheer up ! They re rotten here. That prison guard He s rotten; and they treat you rotten Because you re poor and down-and-out. MARIA What do you mean? SCAMMON I mean, my dear, The world is rotten but it s round ! 34 THE IMMIGRANTS [He picks up an orange from the table.] Round, see ? And so it s got two halves. [He cuts the orange In two.} One half is rotten, and one ain t! This rotten half, that s Italy; This ripe one, that s America I Cheer up, then : Leave the rotten Chuck it 1 The ripe and juicy grab and suck it! [Tossing away one half of the orange, he offers the other half to her; then sucks it himself } with a laugh. MARIA rises and turns to leave. } Don t go I A little juice of grape ! That s better, eh? Some wine ! MARIA To-day I make no festa, sir; and you Are stranger. SCAMMON Me ! Ain t you Maria? MARIA [Turning, astonished} MariM THE IMMIGRANTS 35, SCAMMON And my good friend, Giovanni, In prison there poor Johnny ! MARIA [Eagerly] Ah! You know Giovanni? SCAMMON Do I know him! Sit down again ; I ll tip you something. [MARIA sits again opposite SCAMMON.] One day in spring, I saw you first Down in the vineyards. He was there, Grubbing the ground about the grape-vines. MARIA Giovanni ! SCAMMON So I stopped to chin With him, and chuck an eye at you. Right in a sun-patch you were bending To tie a trellis, when your hair Tangled a trailing vine and spilled All bright, like pouring Chianti, down To your bare ankles, and your eyes 36 THE IMMIGRANTS Laughed up like beads in bright Spumanti. You don t remember, ah? MARIA No, no. But, him, Giovanni you are friends? SCAMMON My dear, I never had a brother; But if I had, I d swap him double For your Giovanni just to win So pretty a sister as Maria. MARIA And you will save him ? You can help To get him out of prison? SCAMMON Sure ! And when he s out, I ll help you more ! Look here ! I ve brought you in my pocket A pretty fortune for your dowry. MARIA [Eagerly, as he takes something from his pocket. ] What is it? SCAMMON America ! It s yours ! [He hands her two strips of paper.] THE IMMIGRANTS 37 MARIA But what are these ? SCAMMON Your steamboat passage From Naples pier to New York harbor. MARIA America ! : And these for me? SCAMMON One for yourself one for Giovanni I MARIA But, sir, we cannot buy them we Are poor. SCAMMON Pish ! Not a cent to pay, I have a pull it s my profession And lots of big folks are behind me. So rest your heart, my dear. Remember, I ve hooked Giovanni for my brother, So you must be my little sister; And we will sail away together, All three, and leave this rotten country ! MARIA I do not know if he would leave it. But, sir, how can we pay you, thank you? 38 THE IMMIGRANTS [At the prison gate NOEL appears, and comes slowly out, unobserved.] SCAMMON My pretty sister kid, Maria, Don t thank me thank-you s ! Only maybe, If I should ask a little favor, Perhaps you d favor me? MARIA Whatever I can, with all my heart, and gladly ! SCAMMON [Rises with an easy-going bow."] Excuse me! Have you seen the show? A lively little joint of mine : A keep-it-up, kaleidoscopic Palace of pictures on the flit Of now-you-watch- em, now-you-wink- em, And now-you-think- em masterpieces ! In short, as I observed before Excuse me! Have you seen the show? MARIA Not yet, I thank you. SCAMMON I m in luck then ! THE IMMIGRANTS 39 Permit me, I ve reserved two places. Just take my arm, and I ll NOEL [Coming forward] Beg pardon! I also have not seen the show. MARIA [Starting forward] Signer Noel ! SCAMMON [Starting back] Signor the Devil! MARIA What tidings? NOEL Hark, and you will hear ! THE VOICE OF GIOVANNI [Calls from within the prison.] Maria ! MARIA [Starting toward the gate] Ah ! Giovanni ! 40 THE IMMIGRANTS NOEL [Looking keenly at SCAMMON, motions toward the tent.] I will take That second place, reserved. SCAMMON [With a flourish ] You do me honor ! [Together they enter the tent, and dis appear. GIOVANNI, haggard and pale, ap pears in the corridor behind the bars, and hastens forth through the open gate, which the GUARD closes behind him, re- entering then the prison.] GIOVANNI Maria ! Art thou here ? MARIA [Rushing to him wildly] Giovanni I GIOVANNI Here, Here in my arms! The bars are broken. No! I am not dreaming now. THE IMMIGRANTS 41 MARIA My darling free ! [ They weep and laugh as they embrace. } It was the sweet Madonna heard my prayer. GIOVANNI [Gazing up as at some form above him} It was the great Madonna of my dream. MARIA [Anxiously, scanning his face} Giovanni, thou art ill ? GIOVANNI [Turning to her} Maria mine, Thou art grown pale ! MARIA Ah, my poor boy, to put My own in prison ! [Fiercely} Let them burn in hell, The devils ! Dear, we shall be happy now. GIOVANNI Ah, thou and the sweet air both in my arms ! And the world one great room, and the blue walls Upstanding to the sun ! O my Mari , 42 THE IMMIGRANTS April, and out-of-doors, and home once more To thee ! MARIA Once more the happy times ! And we Will sing together the dear April song At home once more, in the old out-of-doors. Remember ? Listen ! [Glancing up, she points into the bios- soms of the almond tree above the foun tain. ] Him! That little bird Remembers: April! Hear him! GIOVANNI [Laughing for joy~\ April! April! [They sing together."} GIOVANNI AND MARIA Out-of-doors, dear Out-of-doors, April keeps your house ! April sweeps your cowslip floors With her whirring grouse ; Brings, to brush your rafter, Eagle-wings, and after Little larks to chant your praise And sprinkle dews on holy days. THE IMMIGRANTS 43 April! April! Out-of-doors! Open : let us in ! We will keep your cowslip floors Clean as Capuchin. Out of sin and sorrow, Let us bid good-morrow, Share your house, and sing your praise And sprinkle dews on holy days ! [Repeating the refrain, GIOVANNI breaks suddenly off with a sharp sob and throws himself on the bench.~\ GIOVANNI No, no ! Not now ! Not now 1 MARIA [Going to him] Giovanni mine I GIOVANNI No more like the old times! Him, him up there He can sing " April," ah, but I no more ! MARIA But thou art free. 44 THE IMMIGRANTS GIOVANNI [Bitterly] Free, O Maria! MARIA [Consolingly] Now We are together. GIOVANNI Yes, I take thy hands, I touch thy face, I hold thee to me, ha, But not in here not here ! [Beating his heart] Still, still, the bars They break my heart! They close me, all alive, In a cold cage, a coffin ! Am I free A jail-bird ? Can a jail-bird sing of joy And April, like that happy heart with wings? Thee can I wed thee, sweetheart, in a cage ? MARIA Why, now tis open. GIOVANNI [Pointing toward the iron gate] No ! They dipt my wings In there ! They put me in a prison coat THE IMMIGRANTS 45 And painted me with shame. And now and now Wherever I shall go, the crowd will point And cry! See, see! The jail-bird! Hear him sing! Ha, ha, his painted feathers! See him hop! Hohof his head is stuck between two bars! My God! My God! MARIA Giovanni, come away! Forget the dark cage. Leave it behind us! Come ! GIOVANNI Where can we go? MARIA Back to the vineyards home ! GIOVANNI Home I And once more the taxes, and once more No hope to pay ! Work, but no wage to live, To marry ! Hark, Marl : Behind those walls, I walked, and walked : Always I said two words Over and over, awake asleep, two words : Liberty opportunity! Sometimes I sang them loud, like when the soldiers march 46 THE IMMIGRANTS By two and two: Liberty! Liberty! Loud Like trumpets calling: Opportunity! MARIA [With a rapt look, sinking beside him} Giovanni ! GIOVANNI Then they struck me with their guns : Silence! they growled, and laughed at me for mad. But in the lonely silence and the dark, I dreamed of her I dreamed, and from the dark She came! MARIA [With awe~\ Who came, Giovanni? GIOVANNI The great Virgin : Maiden and mighty mother pitiful Madonna of the poor! My prison walls Were mist, and all the floor like ocean fog, And thou and I were kneeling in the night, And millions more with burdens on their backs Were huddled round us there. But soon the dark Burst, and a mighty hand came through the mist, Holding a torch, where swarming bees of fire Blazed gold with morning! Then her limbs THE IMMIGRANTS 47 Rose through the light and stood on the blue waves, And round her head sharp rays shot out like thorns, And on her brow was burning Liberty. MARIA [Rising eagerly] Liberty 1 And she stood on the blue waves ! Yes, yes, the dream was true. We will go forth And find her, thou and I together, far Across the world. Look here ! These, these are ours, To make our voyage together. [She shows him the tickets. He looks at them t bewildered.] GIOVANNI What are those? MARIA [With excitement } Our passage to America. You see ! GIOVANNI [Pensively] America ! Many, who dream, go there ! Some, they come back; the most, they come no more. 48 THE IMMIGRANTS [Looks about him yearningly.] Mari , our Italy is beautiful ! MARIA Ah, beautiful and bad I See my poor boy So worn and pale. What chance is here the prison, Taxes and soldiers 1 We are poor. GIOVANNI I know; God gives no fatherland to poverty. Ah, but to have a little, just enough For thee and me, Maria ! MARIA [Shows the tickets again with a smile. ] Here s enough! GIOVANNI How came those here ? MARIA A good American Gave them, a friend of thine. GIOVANNI American ! His name? THE IMMIGRANTS 49 MARIA I do not know. Tis there he went Yonder, see, now, where Seppe and Lisett They re coming out. LlSETTA [With excitement to GIUSEPPE] Where is he ? GIUSEPPE [Pointing to GIOVANNI] There ! Come on ! [They rush joyfully toward GIOVANNI.] GIUSEPPE AND LISETTA Giovanni ! GIOVANNI [Embracing them] Seppe ! Little Lisa mine I GIUSEPPE Free! Free on festa day! LISETTA [Hugging MARIA] God bless thee, sister! MARIA [Kissing her] Aye ! So he has ! 50 THE IMMIGRANTS GIUSEPPE I told thee so, Mari , The good American would save him too. GIOVANNI American? GIUSEPPE [Pointing toward the tent} In yonder. Aye, he told us. [Seeing SANDRO come from the tent, he calls :~\ Heigh, Sandro! LISETTA [Also calling and beckoning } Papa Sandro! GIUSEPPE Come! He s free! Giovanni I SANDRO [Hurrying over} Saints and mass ! Tis him ! [With blubbering gladness, he hugs and kisses GIOVANNI and MARIA.] My boy ! My girl my boy ! THE IMMIGRANTS 51 GIOVANNI [Patting him ] Good Papa ! MARIA He s come back. SANDRO [Holding him by both hands, looking at him ] Eh, thou s grown lean, Giovann ; we ll fat thee up! Go, Seppe, borrow twenty soldi : Wine 1 Cakes ! Festa ! [Calling to the crowd that begins to come forth from the tent~\ Ho ! Hallo ! Come see our boy, Giovanni 1 [At SANDRO S call, a crowd of young people come running and throng round GIOVANNI, shaking his hands and hailing him joyfully.] THE CROWD Giovanni ! Viva Giovanni ! Vanni ! GIOVANNI Heigh, fellows, girls, halloa ! Thank you, my friends ! 52 THE IMMIGRANTS How good and fair you stand in the sweet sun ! God be with you, and April ! Now, good-by, For I am tired and strange, and the bright day Dazzles my eyes. [He turns away.~\ THE CROWD No! No! Stay! Stay! SANDRO Tis f esta ! GIOVANNI Festa, tis not for me, dear friends. I m strange And tired and will go home. THE CROWD No! No! THE WINESHOP-KEEPER Aha! He hides his face, the jail-bird! GIUSEPPE [Leaping at him~\ So ! I ll break Thy head, for that! LlSETTA [Screaming] Giuseppe ! THE IMMIGRANTS 53 THE WINESHOP-KEEPER Bah! [They struggle together and are sep arated. Amid the commotion, MARIA leads GIOVANNI away toward the left. ] MARIA Don t mind. [As GIOVANNI turns away, wearily ] Wait yet! The American he s coming there; Let s stay and see. [On the church steps they pause; GIO VANNI, sinking down, buries his face in his hands. Beside him, MARIA, standing, looks toward the tent where SCAMMON comes forth carrying his great hat. The hat is now filled with little images of the liberty-statue. These he takes out by the handful and tosses among the people, as he comes forward, singing:] SCAMMON Mascots! Mascots! This one, that ! Put em in your pocket, Pin em in your hat! 54 THE IMMIGRANTS Mascots! Mascots! Santa Liberta! See the little saint who comes From America! Luck and opportunity, Liberty, immunity, All may have who pray to her. Simply shout Hurray to her ! Ha! ha! ha! Santa Liberta! THE CROWD [Catching the little images and waving them~\ Ha! ha! ha! Santa Liberta! [GIOVANNI has started up in excitement and speaks half to MARIA, half to him- self:] GIOVANNI Liberty, Opportunity those words ! [Staring at one of the images] And see her lifted torch ! her brow of thorns ! [ScAMMON, surrounded by the crowd, mounts upon one of the tables.] THE IMMIGRANTS 55 SCAMMON A show! A show! Give all folks a show ! Big, small, high, and low, To each what he d ought to ! Nothing to no man: That s my motto ! Boys, I m the show man : How did it go ? Some lively? THE CROWD [With laughter] Oh! Oh! SCAMMON Too lively? THE CROWD No! No! SCAMMON Just lovely? THE CROWD Yes! Yes! SCAMMON A great show, I guess ! Then, hearkee, my children : before I go, I ll tell you a story. 56 THE IMMIGRANTS GIOVANNI [To MARIA] Come nearer. SCAMMON Presto ! [Inverting his great hat, now empty, upon the table, he seats himself on its crown. Here he smiles down on their upgazing faces, and holds them spellbound by his gestures. } At the end of the rainbow, you ve all been told, Lies buried a wonderful pot of gold: (But maybe you don t believe it!) The King of the West, when he buried it there, Says he : " In this spot no dog will dare To dig up my pot to thieve it ! " Now the King of the East was a merry cuss, And so was his cousin, Sir Co-lum-bus : (Though maybe you don t believe me !) And Americus said: " Columbus, friend, I can smell a pot at the rainbow s end, If my nose it don t deceive me ! " THE IMMIGRANTS 57 So west they sailed on the ocean blue; It was Fourteen Hundred and Ninety-Two: (If my horoscope don t heave me!) And for each good fellow that follows his nose, In the west a pot of gold still grows. Go and look, if you don t believe me 1 SANDRO [Staring] A pot of gold ! A PEASANT His oats are sorrel! ANOTHER It s a fairy tale ! SCAMMON Aye ! With a moral ! The pot is Opportunity The gold inside is Liberty GIOVANNI [Excitedly to MARIA] You hear ! You hear him ! SCAMMON So I say Come away To my land of milk and honey: 58 THE IMMIGRANTS Hives of happy Humans humming, Live and sappy Milching money ! Business drumming, Drones becoming Bossing drivers, Up-and-alivers Of all ages Whooping hearty; Every party Spending wages 1 Each poor man he Has his palace: Ribbons for Annie, Rings for Alice! Every pay-day Like a May-day Morn is spent there, Gay as crickets Chirping hey-day. Come, your tickets 1 In the tent there ! Pack your staples ! Buy your tickets, Straight from Naples THE IMMIGRANTS 59 To the land of Luck and liberty NOEL [Coming forward] Flibberty-gibberty ! Take your hand off ! ScAMMON What s that? NOEL Gammon ! That s your game, sir: Fuddle em, foozle em, Blind, bamboozle em, Lie in wait and Toss your bait and Land your salmon ! SCAMMON All the same, sir NOEL Mark you, Scammon I That land you mock, America, Is dear to me my mother-land; And I, who love her, know too well Her bitter fight with prowling greed And hungry want by her own hearth, 60 THE IMMIGRANTS To save the children at her knees ! Yet they who clamor round her doors The wandering children of the world She welcomes still, but not unwarned : " Come with your sorrows ! Come ! " she cries, " But come not blinded to the truth: The woes you fly await you still. Not mine, not mine, the promised land! Beyond it lies, beyond for all Who seek to follow still afar." [While NOEL has spoken, SCAMMON has dispatched into the tent one of his page boys, who returns, bringing him the paint ing of Maria. GIOVANNI now springs for ward and shows his tickets to NOEL.] GIOVANNI Signore I Why, then, give us these ? NOEL [Looking in surprise } It was not I. GIOVANNI Not you? SCAMMON [Interrupting] No, no, THE IMMIGRANTS 61 My friend, twas I who gave you those. This fellow, he would like to keep Your sweetheart here. GIOVANNI [Starting] Maria ?r Him! [Turning to MARIA] You said the good American I MARIA I meant the other one. SCAMMON Excuse me ! I know this fellow. He likes to paint Your sweetheart. Look! [He shows the painting to GIOVANNI, who gazes at it, astonished.] GIOVANNI Maria thou ! [To NOEL] You painted this? NOEL [Nodding toward SCAMMON] For him to steal. 62 THE IMMIGRANTS SCAMMON When you were there in prison, he Passed time with her. GIOVANNI [Disturbed] Aha! MARIA Signer Noel was kind to us. GIOVANNI \Wiih vague suspicion] Aha? NOEL [To GIOVANNI] I painted her, a rough sketch, but [Handing it back to GlOVANNl] Tis yours ! All I have said is true. IVe warned. I have to say no more. [NoEL nods slightly, passes among the crowd and goes out. GIOVANNI stands looking at the painting. } THE IMMIGRANTS 63 MARIA [To GIOVANNI] What makes thee frown? He means us well. GIOVANNI [Moodily hands the painting to GIU SEPPE, who stands near. ] Aha! Yes, Yes. SCAMMON The tent is open ; Who comes for tickets? GIOVANNI Wait I Italians, My townsfolk ! We have lived together ; Together we have worked, and you Have seen me go, like many more, To prison, for our poverty: And now I say For me there is No hope, no glad to-morrow here. So I will go where this man tells Of liberty and joy for all America ! Maria, wilt Thou go with me ? MARIA [Going joyfully to hini\ Giovanni, come! 64 THE IMMIGRANTS GIOVANNI [ Turning with her to the crowd] America I : Who ll come with us ? THE CROWD [Shout ] America I SCAMMON Here comes your saint To bless your passage. Tickets, there! [From behind the tent, the float of the Liberty statue comes forth again, pulled by the donkeys, into the midst of the peo ple. On its pedestal the page-boys stand holding out tickets, which are reached for by uplifted hands in the crowd.] THE CROWD [With a great shout] America 1 Santa Liberta! CURTAIN ACT SECOND ACT SECOND Sea-fog, dense and gray, obscures the scene. Out of the dimness issue mysterious sea-sounds; hoarse whistlings of steamboats, the tolling of a bell-buoy, chuggings and sharp hoots of tugs, the sucking water-noises of a ship in motion; recur rently, the harsh, deep blare of a fog-horn. Slowly a filtering dawn-light reveals the blurred outlines of a steerage deck, the prow of an ocean liner; huge stanchions and windlasses, smooched with mist, and beyond out of the wash of gray air (on the right) the bulging of upper cabins, with ladder stairs roped of. Now and again, from the obscure background loom ghostly shapes of water-craft, glimmer slant wings of sea-gulls. Half distinguishable, grouped on the deck, amid stacked bundles and boxes, hooded in shawls and outlandish gear huddle the Immigrants. Un~ moving, expectant, patient, their faces peer through the mists beyond the prow. There an American flag, blown backward rippling, gives token of the onward motion of the vessel. 67 68 THE IMMIGRANTS In a group near the forward railing are SANDRO, MARIA, GIOVANNI, LISETTA, and GIUSEPPE. The boy and girl are seated a little apart from the others, and between the deep blasts of the fog horn, their young voices are heard singing to each other: LISETTA A ship, a ship a-sailing! Good-by, old griefs would bury us! Good-by, old ache and ailing ! To fortunes fair To fortunes fair She ll ferry us. Sail! sail! I ll be her Mermaid. GIUSEPPE Blow ! blow ! I ll be her Triton. BOTH Out of our prison of poverty We sail to the fairyland of the free ! [While they sing, the dawn light has in creased in power, permeating the fog with glowings of faint color, Watching it, the THE IMMIGRANTS 69 Immigrants now move restlessly, and a deep -murmured " Ah! " passes from group to group, like a rustling of low wind] A GROUP ON THE RIGHT Morning! the morning! A GROUP ON THE LEFT Soon the shore ! [Again the murmured "Ah!" breathes over all. Again the deep whistles and strange sea noises, out of the fog.~\ GIOVANNI Maria, dost thou hear them round us The monsters of the ocean moaning? MARIA Like lowing bulls they sound, Giovanni Old bulls that bellow in the pastures At home. GIOVANNI They are the old-world dragons Dying! Bad dreams, that follow after And call in pain, and die in the fog there. [They watch and listen.] THE GROUP ON THE RIGHT Harbor! The Harbor! 70 THE IMMIGRANTS THE GROUP ON THE LEFT Soon we ll land! MARIA [After A pause] Hark a bell tolling! GIOVANNI Lonely, lonely, It called ! I heard it call in prison. [With growing excitement ] Ah, strange! for walls and floor and rafters They made a misty ocean round me In prison there, like now and yonder ! I have been here before but dreaming. Then, then her great hand burst the fog-bank! [He springs to his feet.] Mari ! Mari ! Soon we shall see her! [He peers into the fog that begins to break.] MARIA iWho? Who, Giovanni? GIOVANNI [Kneeling] The great Madonna! THE IMMIGRANTS 71" [Gazing where he points, MARIA sinks down beside him. Seeing their action, the other Immigrants thrill with an immense murmur, and sink also to their knees. Far up, a ray of morning has broken the mys terious background and, where it parts the fog, a colossal hand appears, holding a torch, touched by the keen radiance of day. Slowly like a garment the luminous fog sweeps backward to shoulder and limbs and torse, then wholly unveils austerely beautiful the Statue of Liberty. } THE IMMIGRANTS [Pointing and gazing in wonder } Ah! Ah! " [Raising their arms as in prayer, they burst into song.} Mother holy ! Mother holy ! You have led afar Us the lone, the poor, the lowly Pilgrims of your star. By your bright and thorny brow, By your lifted hand, whose light Warned our wanderings through the night, Bend and smile upon us now ; Liberty ! America ! 72 THE IMMIGRANTS Mother holy ! Mother queenly ! Khan and king and czar Cast upon our hearts obscenely Wrong and pain and war. Yet in kraal and lonely moor Camp and city, far winds blew Dreams of those who died for you, Dear redeemer of the poor- : Liberty ! America ! Mother, hear us! Mother holy! Homeless as we are, Let us share your hearth, and slowly Heal our pain and scar! Give our dreaming power to do; By our labor bless our bread; Raise our birthright from the dead; Make us flesh and blood of you, Liberty 1 America ! [GIOVANNI rises among the kneeling figures y and cries to them with exalted ex citement:] GIOVANNI Hosanna 1 We have looked upon her face ! THE IMMIGRANTS 73 We have touched the holy garments of our Dream, And she has lifted up her gracious hand And blessed us at her feet. Our faith was true I Hosanna, friends ! Hosanna to our dream ! THE IMMIGRANTS [Getting to their feet with a great shout] Hosanna 1 SANDRO [Jubilant] Now your little bundles, boys ! Come in, girls, in ! And look ye leave behind No pretty duds aboard. MARIA Giovanni, come! [MARIA and GIOVANNI go within. Gathering LISETTA and GIUSEPPE under his big arms, SANDRO pushes forward to the entrance of the steerage cabin fol lowed by the others, who disappear inside, murmuring with excitement. NOEL, who has entered above from the upper cabin, looks down from the rail, then off in the foa.~\ 74 THE IMMIGRANTS NOEL America, dear motherland of men, Age after age lodestar of immigrants, Hark to these peoples crying in the mist! Here, where you loose your cities on the sea, Leviathans of lightning spire on spire, Palace and hanging garden of the waves, Whose spacious splendors house the lords of life Here, under all, cramped in their vitals, swarm The seekers after life the slaves of toil, .With hearts of yearning. O remember these And feed the awful hunger of their hearts! [NoEL goes off, above, as GIOVANNI and MARIA reenter from below. GIO VANNI carries a box on his shoulder, MARIA a bundle in her hand. They go toward the prow and put them down.~\ MARIA [Pointing of through a rift in the fog~\ Look there, Giovanni I Towers ! the golden towers ! GIOVANNI God gives his heavenly city for our home: THE IMMIGRANTS 75 New York the new world, where all races meet In brotherhood. MARIA So high, so fair, so strong! The campaniles of the bright new world! It must be all one great cathedral. See ! GIOVANNI And my Maria dressed as she should be To enter as a bride. Come, where s thy veil, For we will go together from the ship To find a little chapel and a priest MARIA Tis in the box. GIOVANNI Then open put it on ; For there will be no holier day than this In all our lives. [Beside them Is a little traveling box. They bend together over it, and undo it. MARIA takes out a simple white veil.~\ MARIA Tis here, Giovanni. 76 THE IMMIGRANTS GIOVANNI Lift Thy face, so ! [He helps her put it on.] MARIA [Smiling up at him] Is it pretty? GIOVANNI If I saw That smile in hell, I would be happy there. [He kisses her. Enter SCAMMON, from the lower cabin. He approaches them >. a sheet of paper in his hand.] MARIA [To GIOVANNI] Where shall we go, after the chapel? GIOVANNI [Gayly] Ah, We ll find a little vineyard in the land That nestles near those towers, and work, Work, my Mari , in the fresh new-world fields Together, and each festa day I ll buy thee New gowns like a grand lady. THE IMMIGRANTS 77 MARIA And LisettM And wine-cakes too for Papa ! GIOVANNI Aye, Lisett , Seppe, and Papa Sandro all ! We ll live Like crickets in the clover, all together ! SCAMMON [Grinning ] Like crickets in the mowing-machine ! Hello ! [With a laugh, he holds out his sheet of paper to GIOVANNI.] The immigration officer he wants you. GIOVANNI Me? SCAMMON You. GIOVANNI Before we land? SCAMMON [Nodding ] You ll find him yonder. 78 THE IMMIGRANTS GIOVANNI Wait here, Maria. [He goes inside. ~\ MARIA [Calling after him} Come back soon, Giovanni ! SCAMMON [ Approaching her} A salt wind and a sunny voyage Are paint and cream for the complexion ! The red, red roses, little sister, I see they re all in bloom this morning. MARIA Why do they send now for Giovanni ? SCAMMON [Smiling } Your veil, my dear, is so becoming! MARIA [Growing anxious} Why do they want him ? Tell me, tell me ! SCAMMON Poor Johnny I Hi ho, tis a pity. You see, Giovanni s been in prison. THE IMMIGRANTS 79 MARIA Yes -yes? SCAMMON So, in America The law, it says that if a fellow Has ever served a time in prison MARIA [ Tensely] Well, well? SCAMMON He must not pass the border. t They will not let him land. MARIA Giovanni I My God I You mean they will not let him Enter your country ? SCAMMON He s forbidden. MARIA [Rushing toward the lower cabin, is stopped by SCAMMON.] Giovanni ! Let me go ! Giovanni ! SCAMMON Hold on ! Don t run and make a noise there. 8o THE IMMIGRANTS You ll only make it worse for Johnny If you go talking. Wait, and listen! You let me fix it. MARIA How can you help us ? Why did you never tell us yonder In Italy? SCAMMON Your friend the artist How could I know that he would blab it, Giovanni s secret? MARIA What ! He told them - Signer 1 Noel? SCAMMON Who else ! The devil Fetch him ! But leave it all to me, now ! Sure, it may take a little time to Deport him back to Naples MARIA [Breathlessly] Naples I SCAMMON A month, say Then we ll plan it better Next time he crosses. In the meanwhile THE IMMIGRANTS Look! do you see the city shining? Yonder I have a cozy lodging Where you can wait for him, and rest you After the voyage MARIA [Appalled] And let Giovanni Go back alone ! SCAMMON You ll have to stay here ; You ve got no ticket. MARIA [Beseechingly] Give me another; Let me go back with him ! SCAMMON My kiddie, In Italy, you said you d do me A little favor. YouVe forgotten? MARIA [Aloof] No ; I remember. SCAMMON Then I ll ask it; 82 THE IMMIGRANTS [He approaches her with insidious gal lantry. ] Red, red lip And a smile to snare, Trailing slip Of black, black hair, Charming tip Of chin in the air, Curving hip, Glance like a whip, Tang and flare Of a tacking ship Sure, for a sip Of your wild-wine savor ! Red, red lip, Rose mouth rare, Do me fair One little favor I MARIA [Drawing back] I do not understand, sir. What ? SCAMMON One little favor! This: THE IMMIGRANTS 83 Just for the flavor Kiss! [He seizes her suddenly and kisses her. She staggers back with a sharp cry. ] MARIA Ah ! Ah ! Maria Virgin, he has lied ! God I He has spat upon our holy dream ! [On the upper deck NOEL appears. He springs down the ladder, as SCAMMON presses closer to MARIA, who stares at him, dazed. } SCAMMON Eyes, dark eyes, And girl behind them, You drive a fellow Drunk, to look Deeper, deeper Through the lashes ! What s a veil for? Lift it, kiddie, For another Kiss to [He takes hold of her veil. With a scream, she tears it fiercely off, and holds it away from himJ\ 84 THE IMMIGRANTS MARIA Ha! Not that ! NOEL [Seizing SCAMMON by the shoulders, flings him backJ\ Once more ! Once more you scatter poison in your trade. SCAMMON So-ho, there! You are in this Jack-pot, too? You re beat, my boy. I hold four aces here. The scoop is mine. NOEL [Pointing to the cabin door~\ Go! SCAMMON [With an ugly glance"] Bluff ! She s mine, I say ! [He moves toward MARIA. NOEL in tervenes. They seize each other and strug gle. With strong clutch, NOEL overpow ers SCAMMON, hurling him on the deck. } NOEL Poor crawling bunkum ! THE IMMIGRANTS 85 SCAMMON \With bravado, rising] I ll show you aces yet! [He goes of. MARIA, who has gazed at the struggle, bewildered, goes now to NOEL -passionately as a child .] MARIA Giovanni they will take him from me. Help us! NOEL Be calm, my dear. Now tell me : What has hap pened? MARIA He said Giovanni cannot go ashore Because he was in prison. Tis your law, He said. Oh, is it a lie ? NOEL [Gravely] It is the law. MARIA No, no ! But see the towers ! The tall bright towers Beautiful there ! How can he leave them now ! Help us, signore ! [She clings to him. ] 86 THE IMMIGRANTS NOEL I will try, dear child. [He puts his arms protectingly about her. GIOVANNI enters downcast. Seeing them, he starts and pauses, staring J\ GIOVANNI The dream it fades. Ah, fog and ocean bell Lonely, lonely, they call ! MARIA [Seeing him, gives an eager cry.] Giovanni ! [She hastens toward him.] GIOVANNI [Darkly] Ha! Where is your veil? MARIA [Not heeding] The good signore, he Has come to give us comfort. GIOVANNI In his arms. THE IMMIGRANTS 87 MARIA [Pausing at his strange look] He came GIOVANNI [With a kindling glance at NOEL] He came before the good signore ! MARIA He will not let them keep you. GIOVANNI [Quickly-] So you knew! MARIA He knows about the prison. GIOVANNI He knows well, I see! MARIA [With coming tears ] Giovanni, courage! [She moves to embrace him. He draws back, speaking sharply.] GIOVANNI Where s your veil ? 88 THE IMMIGRANTS MARIA [Reassuringly] Ah, no ! I did not let him touch it. GIOVANNI No? You took it off first ! MARIA [Pointing to the veil] There. GIOVANNI [Approaches her, his eyes gleaming. ] A kiss? To give A kiss, ah? MARIA [Quivering] Yes. [She turns away and takes up the veil] But now forget ! GIOVANNI Forget I [He bursts into harsh laughter] Aha ! Forget forget he kissed my bride, The good signore ! THE IMMIGRANTS 89 MARIA [dppalled] No! NOEL [To GIOVANNI] You have mistaken - GIOVANNI Mistaken, much mistaken ! Yes, my God, I will forget. MARIA [ Trying to make htm listen] Not him ! It was the other. GIOVANNI Yes, yes forget a veil torn off, a kiss, A friend betrayed to prison, a dear bride Consoling, ah, a good signore MARIA [Wildly] Stop! Giovanni, hear me ! Scammon, it was Scammon! GIOVANNI Aye, Scammon, Scammon ! Long ago he told me How it would be. 90 THE IMMIGRANTS [To NOEL] You painted well, signore ! Upon her knees you painted her so lovely, Praying, in tears ! I kept your painting. See ! [Pointing at MARIA, who has sunk upon her knees, clutching him.~\ Still, still she prays. MARIA Giovanni, hear me, hear me I NOEL [To GIOVANNI] Wait! You are wrong most wrong! GIOVANNI Wrong, yes ! but now I will be right. I will forget forget You are the good signore, such great artist American and me, and me, a jail-bird Caged in the rotting dark, with a dead dream To fill my nostrils. See now! Even a jail-bird Can venture to salute a grand signore And strike his proud false face [Crumpling MARIA S veil in his hand, he strikes NOEL on the face.] like sol THE IMMIGRANTS 91 [ There is silence breathless. NOEL stands immovable and calm; his eyes gaze straight before him. MARIA, still on her knees, with lifted hands, watches fearfully. GIOVANNI, who has recoiled, looks at him f slowly awed.] NOEL [Quietly, after a pause] Giovanni, The lie of Scammon struck that blow not you. [He looks at GIOVANNI with gentle ness. Slowly MARIA rises, and holds out her arms toward GIOVANNI. For a mo ment GIOVANNI stares from NOEL to MARIA; then with a great sob he goes to her arms.] MARIA [With tears] My boy bore too much pain. GIOVANNI His will be done I God sent us both the good signore. [They turn to NOEL, about to kiss his hand, but he moves away with a faint smile] 92 THE IMMIGRANTS NOEL Come! If I may give you proof I am your friend, Follow me I GIOVANNI [Following him, dazed] Where, signore? NOEL [Pausing at the foot of the rope ladder] To my cabin. MARIA [With a look of hope] The upper deck! NOEL [To GIOVANNI] When Scammon comes to find you Here in the steerage, I will hide you yonder ; [He points above.] In my own cabin, smuggle you to shore ! Here, put this coat around you. [He takes off his great coat, and throws it about GIOVANNI. GIOVANNI S face lights with emotion. He turns and kisses MARIA, then follows NOEL up the ladder] THE IMMIGRANTS 93 GIOVANNI Still I am dreaming ! [On the lower rungs, suddenly he is seized from below by SCAMMON, who en ters through the lower cabin door.] SCAMMON [Stridently] Wake up, then! MARIA [With a muffled cry] Ah, be quick ! SCAMMON A smuggling game ! [He is followed by an Official, and sev eral men. Dragging down GIOVANNI, he points from him to NOEL, addressing the men.] Him there, and him ! [The men seize both. The Official di rects the men to handcuff them. From the other lower door, GIUSEPPE enters, fol lowed by SANDRO and LISETTA and soon by many others.] 94 THE IMMIGRANTS THE OFFICIAL The immigrant take care Of this one ! You, the other fellow. Quickly ! NOEL Who gave you orders, sir? GIOVANNI Let go! GIUSEPPE Heigh, there! What s wrong? [Calling] Ho, Papa Sandro I MARIA Save him ! LISETTA [To SANDRO, rushing forward with GIUSEPPE] Come! SANDRO [Bewildered] So are we landing? MARIA Help! [The fog again is clearing. The Immi- THE IMMIGRANTS 95 grants begin to pour out of the doors upon the deck, hurrying with their bundles, call ing to one another.] THE IMMIGRANTS Ashore I Ashore ! [GIOVANNI is dragged away, gagged. MARIA fights fiercely with the men. Sev eral hold her back.] MARIA Ah, cowards 1 bullies ! rats of hell ! r My boy, Give me my boy, Giovanni ! THE OFFICIAL [Pointing to GIOVANNI and NOEL] Take them in ! [ The men force them to the door] NOEL [Calls to MARIA.] Take heart, child ! I will bring him back to you. SCAMMON I ll keep you safely, kiddie, till he comes ! [NOEL and GIOVANNI are forced within] 96 THE IMMIGRANTS MARIA Ah, Yirgin I Save me, and Giovanni ! SCAMMON [Jubilantly] Aces! [He waves to her, tossing a kiss. As she cries out, SANDRO, GIUSEPPE and LlSETTA surround her. The clearing fog begins now to reveal 4 though still vaguely the outlines of the tall buildings of Manhattan, towering near by above the waters. The Immigrants, staring and gesticu lating in excitement, point to the shore, shouting in a chorus of great cries:] THE IMMIGRANTS The shore! New York! The city! Towers and towers ! The new world I Towers towers of the new world ! CURTAIN ACT THIRD ACT THIRD An alley in the slums of New York: a stifling night in midsummer. Dimly lighted, the squalid street swarms with forlorn figures women in shawls ) bare-headed; scant clothed children; men frowsy and listless; old and young restive with the heat. Bowed shapes slouch in dingy door ways; gaunt mothers, crooning, fan little babies; pale faces, in upper windows, gaze down panting. By gutters and littered steps, others are sleeping. From the left foreground rises a tall building, disappearing in the dark above. Behind this a side-alley leads, left, off the scene. The main alley slants in shadow to the right background. Here, above the lower roofs, the glare of the city suffuses the night sky. Far up in the centre of this opening, glitters an electric sign a stark advertisement, outlining in white light an image of the Bartholdi statue, beneath which blaze the words:, LIBERTY STORAGE VAULTS In the tall building, left, shadows of women, 99 ioo THE IMMIGRANTS seated with heads bowed sewing, are cast dimly from within through the dirty whitewashed panes. Under these windows a lead pipe with rickety faucet drips water to the gutter. Here at times a child or grown person drinks from the tap, or lets the water run on bare wrists and arms. When the scene opens, there is little definite sound above the hum of the surrounding city, and the murmur of the restive people, who stand or move exhausted. By a heap of refuse, a woman rocking her baby sings faintly. THE WOMAN Lo-lo, by-lo, my bambino ! Papa bring a pretty candle, Mamma make a little festa. Lo-lo, by-lo [She breaks off with a moan] SEVERAL WOMEN Ah ah! A WOMAN Look now, the pretty soul ! ANOTHER Poor dear, She ll bury him; the milk was bad. THE IMMIGRANTS toi A GIRL [From an upper window, begins singing gayly to the popular Italian tune:] O Margueri A YOUNG MAN [Below] Shut up, you there ! You make a fellow dream of home. THE GIRL [More faintly ] O Margueri [She stops wearily. By the side alley SANDRO enters with GIUSEPPE. Both are worn-looking and despondent. They go to the door of the tall building and stop on the step.] SANDRO Here, Seppe, sit; Our girls are late to-night. GIUSEPPE Lisett Is working overtime, she said. SANDRO Too sick she is! 102 THE IMMIGRANTS GIUSEPPE God knows! They broke The sweat-shop strike; she d lose her job. SANDRO And me can get no job but sweat I [Mopping his brow} Sweat water by the gallon : Saints, To sweat some wine ! GIUSEPPE This heat is hell. SANDRO iWas twenty more died yesterday. GIUSEPPE Hardly my wages pay the rent To house us in that rotten hole. [He starts up, with hands clenched."} O God, if I could kill something To save Lisett . SANDRO And poor Mari ! They work too long, my little girls. Hark! [A bell, with chimes, strikes the hour. THE IMMIGRANTS 103 SANDRO rises, counting the strokes on his fingers.] Ten o clock! Now they ll be coming. [The seated shadows, thrown on the fanes, rise and disappear from the win dows. Soon after, through the doorway come forth forlorn groups of young girls, who merge with the crowd and semi-dark ness. Among them, inconspicuous, comes MARIA with her arms about LISETTA, who droops against her. Even in the half- light, their altered, pale looks are visible. As they come slowly out, SANDRO and GIU SEPPE move forward.] GIUSEPPE [Eagerly] Lisetta! MARIA [With a gesture of warning] Hush. ^[Leading her gently] A little way, Sister. Tis cooler out of doors. [With a stifled cry] Papa ! she s fainted. 104 THE IMMIGRANTS [Supporting LlSETTA, MARIA sinks down with her upon the steps, while SANDRO and GIUSEPPE hover above them.} SANDRO Ha, my pet, Look up: here s Papa. GIUSEPPE Hold her head Lower. MARIA Fetch water ! There the tap. [She points to the faucet under the win dows. GIUSEPPE hurries to it, fills his hollowed hands and returns.] Over her face! [GIUSEPPE dashes the water, hurries again to the tap, fills a tin cup taken from his pocket and comes back.] SANDRO [Weeping big tears } My pretty flower! Lisett , my little humming bird ! [Several persons come round them, dully curious .] THE IMMIGRANTS 105 A MAN Halloa, what s happened there? A WOMAN Oh, nothing; Only another one = a girl. ANOTHER WOMAN What did they say ? ANOTHER Her lungs ! the heat ! [They disperse wearily. ] MARIA [Soothingly to LISETTA] So, so ! She s looking up. [Holding the tin cup] Some water ! Drink, my Lisetta ! LISETTA [Sipping, she sits up and murmurs faintly.] Water cool Water ! Maria, listen ! [She smiles, with a gesture mysterious. ] Seppe, Be very quiet; listen! Dripping, Dropping, dripping can you hear it? io6 THE IMMIGRANTS GIUSEPPE I hear it, little one. LISETTA [Beckoning] Ah, but lower, Your heads down lower ! Papa, Seppe, So:- softly! You might startle em. So! Now peep between my fingers yonder! [She nods toward the rickety faucet.] There, do you see? SANDRO I see a gutter- Tap, and water dripping. LISETTA [Joyfully] Dripping, Dropping, dripping, from their mossy Shoulders, under the almond blossoms ! See how they play behind the rainbows, And slip their shining limbs through bubbles. She swims so fast, he blows his sea-horn! Aha, but he can never catch her For all his splashing, for you see, dears, [She murmurs sadly:] They re made of stone they re made of stone. THE IMMIGRANTS 107 GIUSEPPE [To MARIA, his voice trembling] She means the Mermaid and the Triton ! LISETTA [Pensively] Boy of stone, girl of stone Can never marry, can never marry. [Brightening] Don t mind, for they can play together. And that s a secret. Seppe, dear, I know your secret now. GIUSEPPE [Hoarsely] What is it? LISETTA Don t tease. You made me pay my fine. I cannot kiss you twice. A boat! A little boat with sails, with sails ! But, O I found it out too late ^-* We sailed her the wrong way. GIUSEPPE How so? io8 THE IMMIGRANTS LlSETTA We sailed her west, to find the pot Of gold but O, the sun had set So dark, so dark: The great Madonna, She could not tell us where to find it. She told us we must sew and sew Stitches and stitches, but the night It used to be so hot, twas hard Even to breathe. SANDRO [Breaks down, blubbering } My babe! My babe! LISETTA You know, the great Madonna s house It really is so dirty there And cramped for room and little to eat I m sure she must be very poor. But what you ll hardly quite believe The little children never sing! GIUSEPPE O fire of hell! If I could throw A bomb, and burst her rotten house To pieces ! MARIA Hush! THE IMMIGRANTS 109 SANDRO [Weeping aloud] My darling bird ! LISETTA Now, Seppe, Papa, dears, don t cry! Just wait I haven t told the best! The pot of gold guess where it lay All the long while ! MARIA [Where, dear? LISETTA Twas hidden Under the fountain, right at home ! So now, you see, our little boat We ll sail her home again! Come, Seppe! Quick, Papa Sandro, your guitar ! Play us " Rosella, Giovanniello ! " And sing it, Papa, while we dance All on the deck. SANDRO [Groaning] What shall I do? MARIA Play! Play! Pretend! no THE IMMIGRANTS [Drying his eyes with the back of his hand, SANDRO strikes a pose as if he were holding a guitar , an d assumes a forlorn ap pearance of jollity. } SANDRO [Thrumming the vacant air with his fingers, sings:~\ O Rosella, Giovanniello ! Come away to San Qucntino! He is dancing down from heaven Where his laughing angels are [His voice grows husky; he stops sing ing but continues to thrum pathetically, his tears streaming down, while merry strains of the imaginary dance tune sound elusively in the night. ] LlSETTA Dance with me, Seppe ! How we sail, And dance, and dance and sail! SANDRO [Sings] Where his laughing angels are : San Quentino he s a good fellow When he twangs his sweet THE IMMIGRANTS in [SANDRO breaks down; the dance tune ceases. ] LISETTA Don t stop ! Vineyards the vineyards ! Home once more ! So ever afterwards they lived Happily all together. GIUSEPPE [To MARIA] Look! Lookl is she fainting? MARIA No, but tired. Her eyes they close. She ll sleep. LISETTA \With shut eyes ] Mari>, It is so cool to be at home. At home, the water always drips, The fountain children spout and play: Dripping listen ! dropping, dripping, Cool, so cool! SANDRO \_Sobbing~\ Ah ah! ii2 THE IMMIGRANTS MARIA [Motioning silence] She is Asleep. [She takes SANDRO S coat from under his arm, where he carries it, and lays it, folded, under LISETTA S head.] We ll let her sleep outdoors. She needs the air. GIUSEPPE [Harshly] Air, air I A loaf Of bread that breathes an oven s sweat Breathes sweeter than my darling. Wait! I ll go and see the good folks yonder In the settlement, and ask if they Will let her sleep upon their roof. MARIA That s right. Go with him, Papa. I ll Wait for you here. SANDRO Don t leave her, child. Sing low, and let the water drip Her little golden gutter-fountain ! Oh, Lord, the nights at home the nights at home! THE IMMIGRANTS 113 {With GIUSEPPE, he goes off right, rub bing his eyes, and sniffling deep sobs. MARIA remains sitting on the steps, under a street lamp LISETTA lying beside her. She smooths the young girl s dress about her, and caresses her brows, singing low:~\ MARIA In the great Madonna s house Are many doors: Angels dark, angels bright, Float by me down the candle-lighted floors. But one in gray, who glides about, Blows my candle out Blows my candle out, Singing: Rest! Little soul, rest! Sleep is best. [She pauses, looking away wistfully; then resumes, more low:] In the great Madonna s house Are day and night: Fairies glad, fairies grim, Water strange flowers with woe and with de light. n 4 THE IMMIGRANTS But one who wears a star of blue Fills my cup with dew, Fills my cup with dew, Singing: Rest! Little flower, rest! Sleep is best. \_C easing, MARIA sits staring before her, seeing only her thoughts. Thus she does not see where, among the forlorn denizens of the alley, a man, dressed in spruce white suit of silk and Panama hat, has entered and watched her. The man is SCAMMON. Before MARIA has ceased singing, he has spoken low to several among the people, pointing back along the alley. Following his gesture, some have already gone in that direction. Now he speaks to those remaining, and points again.] SCAMMON Free drinks ! Iced drinks around the corner ! A ricky in your lemonade ! [Muttering, most of the people move of and disappear. The space near the steps where MARIA sits is deserted. THE IMMIGRANTS 115 SCAMMON approaches her, but she neither sees nor hears. He bears himself jaun tily, and has evidently had his snack of liquor. Peering toward her, he sings, puffing a cigar in his pauses.] I met her, mooning on the street Down Broadway to the Bowery: I stood my kid a fiver treat, But she she wouldn t stand for it Not she ! " Nothing doing! Nothing doing! " The kiddie sang to all my cooing! I told her : " Let s be moving on Down Broadway to the Bowery. Let s try a Nicolodeon! " But she she wouldn t wink at one, Not she ! " Nothing doing! Nothing doing! " It s all I won for all my wooing! \_Standing in front of MARIA, he moves his hand across the line of her set gaze. Starting, she looks at him, with slow recog nition. } MARIA Scammon ! You ! n6 THE IMMIGRANTS SCAMMON That s me! Who else, Kiddie ? What did you take me for A Christmas angel off his beat, Or a postcard Valentine? [He laughs, and puffs his cigar. } MARIA [Dully ] What brings you? [Rising, stands over LlSETTA.] Don t wake her she s asleep. SCAMMON [Looking closer, starts and changes his tone.~\ Lisetta ! Christ, how the pretty rose is wilted ! What do you let her look like that for? MARIA [Grimly] Me let her I SCAMMON Sure, it s all your doing. I offered fair to set you both up In town here, with a cozy lodging Lifts, call-boys, baths, electric lighting, THE IMMIGRANTS 117 Park windows, jolly cool apartments, And motor rides and theatre parties ! You turned me down. What made you do it? [MARIA leans against the lamp-post, and looks penetratingly at SCAMMON.] MARIA Both of us ha ! SCAMMON Yes, both. Oh, come now! A bid like that ain t on the market To go abegging. Gad, IVe dealt in You immigrants by dozens, hundreds ! I never made a better offer: Two sisters, guaranteed together. Why don t you take me up ? MARIA [Bitterly} Together ! Lisetta mine ! SCAMMON Look what youVe made her ! She ll never fetch bids from another Now. You, though you have kept your flavor. n8 THE IMMIGRANTS Maria, come away, I tell you, And leave this stifling, stinking alley For jolly sights and cool sea-breezes. MARIA [Fiercely] Go, go, go ! Go now ! SCAMMON [With a laugh] Nothing doing, Again ! Why then, so long, my dearie ! [Tossing his cigar away, he lights a fresh one, and strolls leisurely away, glanc ing back at her, as he lilts his song again:] I lit myself a new cigar Down Broadway to the Old Coquette. Says I : " The drinks on me they are I " But she, she wouldn t cross the bar Not yet! " Nothing doing! Nothing doing! " It s chew the rag, and keep on chewing. [As his song ceases in the dimness, MARIA sinks down again by LISETTA, with passionate cry.] THE IMMIGRANTS 119 MARIA Giovanni ! My Giovanni ! SCAMMON [Peering back, pauses and returns. ] Beg your pardon ! Who are you waiting for ? MARIA [Deeply] Giovanni. SCAMMON So! Then you ll have long to wait, my dear. MARIA May be; Yet he will come Giovanni. The good sig- nore, Noel, he said to me " Keep heart, for I Will bring him back to you." SCAMMON The good signore Might be mistaken, kiddie. I heard news This morning, at the immigration house. 120 THE IMMIGRANTS MARIA [Starting up] About Giovanni? You have news of him? Is is he well? SCAMMON Now, kiddie, don t you cry. Giovanni he is dead. MARIA [Slowly ] Giovanni dead ! SCAMMON In Italy. He died of fever there Last month. His friend, Noel, he buried him. MARIA Giovanni dead ! SCAMMON* The case is changed, you see. Giovanni dead, he cannot want you now. You need not wait for him. A friend in time Can take his place save you and poor Lisett . My offer still holds good. MARIA [Motionless] Giovanni dead ! THE IMMIGRANTS 121 SCAMMON No tears, my kid that s gamey ! So, by Gad, A knockout punch and still you re in the ring! You see now how it works : This rotten hole, The sweltering night, the sweat-shop all day long, The little sister wilting hour by hour You see now how this little hell can change, All in a moment, to a happy time Of rest, gay sights and coolness. So, my girl! No gush ! By God, but you re magnificent ! Your eyes they re shining lovelier in this alley Than under your own olives, and you bloom White as a lily from, this pile of dung. Now you are free, by Christ, I love you more Than all your vineyard wines. My honey, look! [He shows, from his pocket, a great heap of greenbacks^ Here s stuff that s better than bright olive leaves : Bills, bills, green bills ! they ll thatch your roof, my rose, My sweet Mari ! I love you. Now you are free [With sudden flash of steel, MARIA stabs him. He falls, with a low groaning. ] Ah Ah [A pause of silence follows. ] 122 THE IMMIGRANTS MARIA [Looking at him on the ground] Now I am free ; yes, now. You said it, Scammon, And I have made it so. [She glances at the knife; puts it back in her bosom, and looks at her hands.] The vineyard wines! At home the grapes are spurting in the vats. They make our hands red. [She stoops and feels of the body.] When the pulp is crushed, It lies so still, and throbs. The wine the wine Is pressed. So still ! Giovanni lies so still Across the sea now. Ah, to lie with him ! [At her side her hand touches the bundle of greenbacks; she lifts and stares at them } murmuring slowly :] Across the sea ! These, these can take me there ! [Gathering and pressing them to her heart.] The bills ah, " better than bright olive leaves ! " Home, home ! Lisetta mine, thou shalt go home To thy cool fountain. [She goes to LISETTA and bends over her.] THE IMMIGRANTS 123 Money, money! See: The great Madonna she has sent us riches To take us home together. Wake, my pet, And I will show thee, waking, brighter dreams Than sleep can show thee. Wake, my poor tired lamb ! Lisetta, wake ! Tis sister ; look, dear ; wake ! [She turns LISETTA S face, pauses, and starts up with a shrill cry: } Lisetta ! [She buries her face. Outside the voices of GIUSEPPE and SANDRO call ex citedly:"] GIUSEPPE Heigh, Maria! SANDRO Ho, MariM [They enter, right, and hurry toward her.] GIUSEPPE See what we bring you from the settlement. [Behind them in the dimness follow two others NOEL and GIOVANNI.] i2 4 THE IMMIGRANTS GIOVANNI [Rushing forward] Maria! MARIA [Gazing at him] No! [He embraces her. She droops against him ) with a low sob.] Giovanni ! GIOVANNI Now till now I Dear God, look down and see our happiness. [He holds her close to him, caressing.] SANDRO And see the good signore ! NOEL [Drawing SANDRO away] Hush not now ! GIOVANNI Noel, our friend Noel has brought me home. MARIA [Looking in his eyes] Home? THE IMMIGRANTS 125 GIOVANNI To thy heart. MARIA Home home is in our dreams, Not here. GIUSEPPE [Looking where LlSETTA lies ] Is she asleep? MARIA [Lifting her arms in prayer] O dear Madonna, Give her cool sleep, and happy, happy dreams ! [Turning to the others, she says, low and simply :] Lisett is dead. THE OTHERS Dead! GIUSEPPE [Falling beside her"] Ah, no ! My Lisetta ! SANDRO [Joining him there~\ Little one! 126 THE IMMIGRANTS GIUSEPPE [To NOEL] Bring a doctor. NOEL [At her side, shakes his head] Tis too late. GIUSEPPE God, God! SANDRO Iddio! [They bow beside the body.] GIOVANNI [To MARIA] Dead ! When was this ? MARIA Now, She lay beside me, and I did not know. [Pointing] He came. GIOVANNI [Peering] What s there that body? THE IMMIGRANTS 127 MARIA That r - was Scammon. GIOVANNI Scammon I Here ! [Starting to look } Him, the scoundrel MARIA Wait, Giovanni! [While she speaks, the body of SCAM MON stirs. Unseen by the others, fur tively he raises his head, listens, then low ers it again. ~\ Listen! The great Madonna on her brow She wears a crown of rays, but they are thorns, And we must wear them for her dear Son s sake, Like her. I, too, have worn them in this land. Ah, when we watched her from the mighty ship Lifting her hand to bless the glad blue waves, We did not know, Giovanni, how she would shine Yonder! [She points at the electric advertise ment.^ all twinkling in her cold white stars To mock us, in this choking street of pain; But so it is : her thorns her thorns are sharp. 128 THE IMMIGRANTS GIOVANNI Maria Wait! MARIA [Looking toward SCAMMON] He came, like her, to mock us, To mock us with white clothes and cool sea winds, Clean food and quiet rest and days of laughter, Lisett and me. He said how you had died In Italy. He told us to come away Together leave the sweatshop, the hot night, The labor all day long, and live with him, Lisett , and me together, ah, he bid These these [She throws the bills scattering to the ground.] GIOVANNI You ! then you killed him ? MARIA [Showing her knife~\ So ! with that. GIOVANNI [ Taking it~\ His blood still wet. My hands too! Mine be red! THE IMMIGRANTS 129 [He wipes the blade upon them; then turns to the body.] God ! that I might have stuck you, swine, myself ! Let s see if you be warm. Ha, look it moves. {With a low groan, SCAMMON starts partly up, drags himself, and tries to stag ger to his feet.] God praise ! / ll give the blow. SCAMMON [Shrilly ] Help! Help! Police! GIOVANNI [Stabbing him fiercely] To hell! [ScAMMON falls dead. At his last cry, people flock back into the alley and look { from the windows. Several scream and shout:] VOICES Fight! fight! A fight! [GIUSEPPE, who has wildly followed GIOVANNI, seizes now the knife from his hand, and stabs the body of SCAMMON again.] 130 THE IMMIGRANTS GIUSEPPE [Madly] Let me! let me! Kill more ! more ! Come, throw bombs and kill them all. They kill our souls ! They kill our souls ! VOICES He s dead! Murder! They re fighting! Knives! They re bleeding ! Fight ! [A police officer enters, blows a shrill whistle, and beats on the pavement with his club; then, confronted by GIOVANNI, GIUSEPPE and others of the people, hastens off.~\ GIOVANNI [Silencing them] People ! my people ! Hear me. I have killed him, Scammon. Look there he lies. You know him well. VOICES We know him, curse him ! Scammon ! THE IMMIGRANTS 131 GIOVANNI I have killed him, The one who stole our hearts across the sea To sell for these \He crumbles in his hands some of the greenbacks and scatters them. Some from the crowd seize them; others scramble and gather up those remaining on the ground.~\ VOICES Ha, money ! Grab the money ! GIOVANNI Take it, yes, take the devil s price ! for he Has paid you for your souls, and you are poor. I hold a better bargain in my hands. Look here : his blood ! For this for this I came Across the seas! This, friends, is Liberty! VOICES Liberty ! Viva ! GIOVANNI [Pointing to the electric sign] Santa Liberta ! Behold her there ! Pray to our saint, my people, My people wandering in the promised land ! 132 THE IMMIGRANTS Is she not glorious in this summer night Her starry robe, her frosty jeweled crown? Is it not fair, this shrine where we must kneel? Are we not happy, we, to worship her? [ The crowd stares upward and murmurs savagely.] Look round you, friends. Once, under almond trees, I saw your faces in the April noon. Still, still, those faces in the August night I know them ah, but would they know them selves? Look round you: Here, here is our Promised Land ! THE PEOPLE \With a great growl of rage] Down with the Promised Land! GIOVANNI Ha ! you begin To feel, to think! But who are you, are we, To feel and think? You are not men, with hearts And minds and passions. You are cogs and wheels., Cogs, wheels and levers in the great machine The roaring soul-machine, America, THE IMMIGRANTS 133 You cogs and wheels, who owns the great ma chine ? [The People murmur again savagely.] Is it, then, God? Ah, God, dear friends, His world Is sweet and small: He grows in little things No bigger than a poor man s heart. What, then? If God is prisoned in a poor man s heart, Who is it makes a cog and wheel of Him? Who is it mocks the eternal God and tries To crush his life-blood in a blind machine ? THE PEOPLE [Growing wilder] Who? Show him! Who? GIOVANNI Who made you what you are Of what you were ? Who put you in this slum To rot at soul and die in body here? THE PEOPLE [Fiercely] Scammon! Ha, Scammon! i 3 4 THE IMMIGRANTS GIOVANNI Scammon, and I killed him ! Did I do well? THE PEOPLE Viva Giovanni I NOEL [Stepping through the crowd~\ Friends! Giovanni I GIOVANNI You, Noel? NOEL Scammon is dead; But if you killed a thousand Scammons, still A thousand thousand would survive him. GIOVANNI How? Where? NOEL In that little place where God is growing: Poor man his heart. GIUSEPPE [Fiercely] Scammon! Revenge on all Like Scammon ! THE IMMIGRANTS 135 NOEL We are all like Scammon, boy The less or more, who knows? GIOVANNI [Impatient] Shall we not break The foul machine he served? NOEL Yes, break it, break it As a hatching bird its shell from the inside. [A shrill whistle sounds from the right.] GIOVANNI Friends, the police ! Who ll fight them with me ? GIUSEPPE I! THE PEOPLE Fight them ! Fight them ! MARIA [Rushing to his side] Brave Giovanni mine! [A squad of police throng in, clubbing. 136 THE IMMIGRANTS The people scream and shout. Some fall and others flee; a crowd of them fight with knives and sticks.] AN OFFICER Strike! Clear the street, there! Take him! There s the man ! [GIOVANNI is seized by one of the po lice, but fells him, and leaps upon a wooden stoop above the crowd, MARIA climbing beside him.] GIOVANNI Police ! THE PEOPLE [Shout] Giovanni ! GIOVANNI Officers! AN OFFICER Wait ! Hear him. GIOVANNI You are the angels of the Promised Land. [Pointing to the sign] The great Madonna look ! She laughs she laughs ! THE IMMIGRANTS 137 THE PEOPLE [With a great shout~\ Down! Down! Police! Fight! Fight! [An officer shoots the people fall back, break away and run indoors. GIO VANNI, MARIA, GIUSEPPE and others are seize d.~\ THE OFFICER To prison with them. On, there ! THE PEOPLE [Groaning and hissing from the windows] Prison ! Prison ! GIOVANNI With you, Mari ! MARIA Together now, Giovanni! [They are dragged out together. The street is left almost deserted. Only beside the body of LISETTA, bowed over, SANDRO prays dumbly. By the body of SCAMMON two officers stand on guard, in the dimness. Between the two bodies, stands NOEL. } He gazes after MARIA and GIOVANNI, then looks upward toward the glittering electric image. } 138 THE IMMIGRANTS NOEL In misery together ! O Liberty, When will you cease in darkness to destroy The souls that seek you ? THE END UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY, BERKELEY THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW Books not returned on time are subject to a fine of 50c per volume after the third day overdue, increasing to $1.00 per volume after the sixth day. Books not in demand may be renewed if application is made before expiration of loan period. UG J J983 OCT 24 1*2? DEC1 1931 25m-7, 2f oio/i: LIBRARY USE TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED LOAN DEPT. THIS BOOK IS DUE BEFORE CLOSING TIME ON LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW 1 ? 5-xbC-u LD ,, ..,, 9 "64 -9PM Tj r> fi?A oom Q q General Library (B7o!rtt>wi2A Univarsicy of California