Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

Rada - A Drama of War in One Act by Alfred Noyes
page 20 of 25 (80%)
[_Who is crouching over the fire again._]
Certainly, Rada! Military training!
Life is a battle.

RADA
You hear, drunk as you are,
Up to your necks in blood, you hear this fool,
This poor old fool, piping his dreary cry;
And through his lips, and through his softening brain,
You and the men that buy you, statesmen, kings,
Teach the poor sheep of the world that war is good.
Go! Take your manhood out of this. Or else----
[_She threatens to shoot._]
I have one bullet for the child, and five
To share between you and myself!

FIRST SOLDIER
O, Christ,
A speech!
[_They fall back before the revolver as she raises it._]

RADA
If you have children of your own,
Listen to me ... The child is twelve years old.
She has never had one hard word spoken to her
In all her life.

FIRST SOLDIER
Nor shall she now, by God!
Where is she? Bring her out!
DigitalOcean Referral Badge