the ring。 HER lip curls。＇
Sue。 ＇Murmuring deeply＇ Ah！
CURTAIN
DEFEAT
A TINY DRAMA
CHARACTERS
THE OFFICER。
THE GIRL。
DEFEAT
During the Great War。 Evening。
An empty room。 The curtains drawn and gas turned low。 The
furniture and walls give a colour…impression as of greens and
beetroot。 There is a prevalence of plush。 A fireplace on the
Left； a sofa； a small table； the curtained window is at the
back。 On the table； in a common pot； stands a little plant of
maidenhair fern； fresh and green。
Enter from the door on the Right； a GIRL and a YOUNG OFFICER in
khaki。 The GIRL wears a discreet dark dress； hat； and veil； and
stained yellow gloves。 The YOUNG OFFICER is tall； with a fresh
open face； and kindly eager blue eyes； he is a little lame。 The
GIRL； who is evidently at home； moves towards the gas jet to
turn it up； then changes her mind； and going to the curtains；
draws them apart and throws up the window。 Bright moonlight
comes flooding in。 Outside are seen the trees of a little
Square。 She stands gazing out； suddenly turns inward with a
shiver。
YOUNG OFF。 I say； what's the matter？ You were crying when I spoke
to you。
GIRL。 ＇With a movement of recovery＇ Oh！ nothing。 The beautiful
evening…that's all。
YOUNG OFF。 ＇Looking at her＇ Cheer up！
GIRL。 ＇Taking of hat and veil； her hair is yellowish and crinkly＇
Cheer up！ You are not lonelee； like me。
YOUNG OFF。 ＇Limping to the windowdoubtfully＇ I say； how did you
how did you get into this？ Isn't it an awfully hopeless sort of
life？
GIRL。 Yees； it ees。 You haf been wounded？
YOUNG OFF。 Just out of hospital to…day。
GIRL。 The horrible warall the misery is because of the war。 When
will it end？
YOUNG OFF。 ＇Leaning against the window…sill； looking at her
attentively＇ I say； what nationality are you？
GIRL。 ＇With a quick look and away＇ Rooshian。
YOUNG OFF。 Really！ I never met a Russian girl。 ＇The GIRL gives him
another quick look＇ I say； is it as bad as they make out？
GIRL。 ＇Slipping her hand through his arm＇ Not when I haf anyone as
ni…ice as you； I never haf had； though。 ＇She smiles； and her smile；
like her speech； is slow and confining＇ You stopped because I was
sad； others stop because I am gay。 I am not fond of men at all。
When you knowyou are not fond of them。
YOUNG OFF。 Well； you hardly know them at their best； do you？ You
should see them in the trenches。 By George！ They're simply
splendidofficers and men； every blessed soul。 There's never been
anything like itjust one long bit of jolly fine self…sacrifice；
it's perfectly amazing。
GIRL。 ＇Turning her blue…grey eyes on him＇ I expect you are not the
last at that。 You see in them what you haf in yourself； I think。
YOUNG OFF。 Oh； not a bit； you're quite out！ I assure you when we
made the attack where I got wounded there wasn't a single man in my
regiment who wasn't an absolute hero。 The way they went innever
thinking of themselvesit was simply ripping。
GIRL。 ＇In a queer voice＇ It is the same too； perhaps； withthe
enemy。
YOUNG OFF。 Oh； yes！ I know that。
GIRL。 Ah！ You are not a mean man。 How I hate mean men！
YOUNG OFF。 Oh！ they're not mean reallythey simply don't
understand。
GIRL。 Oh！ You are a babeea good babee aren't you？
＇The YOUNG OFFICER doesn't like this； and frowns。 The GIRL
looks a little scared。＇
GIRL。 ＇Clingingly＇ But I li…ke you for it。 It is so good to find a
ni…ice man。
YOUNG OFF。 ＇Abruptly＇ About being lonely？ Haven't you any Russian
friends？
GIRL。 ＇Blankly＇ Rooshian？ No。 ＇Quickly＇ The town is so beeg。
Were you at the concert before you spoke to me？
YOUNG OFF。 Yes。
GIRL。 I too。 I lofe music。
YOUNG OFF。 I suppose all Russians do。
GIRL。 ＇With another quick look tat him＇ I go there always when I
haf the money。
YOUNG OFF。 What！ Are you as badly on the rocks as that？
GIRL。 Well； I haf just one shilling now！
＇She laughs bitterly。 The laugh upsets him； he sits on the
window…sill； and leans forward towards her。＇
YOUNG OFF。 I say； what's your name？
GIRL。 May。 Well； I call myself that。 It is no good asking yours。
YOUNG OFF。 ＇With a laugh＇ You're a distrustful little soul； aren't
you？
GIRL。 I haf reason to be； don't you think？
YOUNG OFF。 Yes。 I suppose you're bound to think us all brutes。
GIRL。 ＇Sitting on a chair close to the window where the moonlight
falls on one powdered cheek＇ Well； I haf a lot of reasons to be
afraid all my time。 I am dreadfully nervous now； I am not trusding
anybody。 I suppose you haf been killing lots of Germans？
YOUNG OFF。 We never know； unless it happens to be hand to hand； I
haven't come in for that yet。
GIRL。 But you would be very glad if you had killed some。
YOUNG OFF。 Oh； glad？ I don't think so。 We're all in the same boat；
so far as that's concerned。 We're not glad to kill each othernot
most of us。 We do our jobthat's all。
GIRL。 Oh！ It is frightful。 I expect I haf my brothers killed。
YOUNG OFF。 Don't you get any news ever？
GIRL。 News？ No indeed； no news of anybody in my country。 I might
not haf a country； all that I ever knew is gone； fader； moder；
sisters； broders； all； never any more I shall see them； I suppose；
now。 The war it breaks and breaks； it breaks hearts。 ＇She gives a
little snarl＇ Do you know what I was thinking when you came up to
me？ I was thinking of my native town； and the river in the
moonlight。 If I could see it again I would be glad。 Were you ever
homeseeck？
YOUNG OFF。 Yes； I have beenin the trenches。 But one's ashamed
with all the others。
GIRL。 Ah！ Yees！ Yees！ You are all comrades there。 What is it
like for me here； do you think； where everybody hates and despises
me； and would catch me and put me in prison； perhaps。 ＇Her breast
heaves。＇
YOUNG OFF。 ＇Leaning forward and patting her knee＇ Sorrysorry。
GIRL。 ＇In a smothered voice＇ You are the first who has been kind to
me for so long！ I will tell you the truthI am not Rooshian at all
I am German。
YOUNG OFF。 ＇Staring＇ My dear girl； who cares。 We aren't fighting
against women。
GIRL。 ＇Peering at him＇ Another man said that to me。 But he was
thinkin' of his fun。 You are a veree ni…ice boy； I am so glad I met
you。 You see the good in people； don't you？ That is the first thing
in the worldbecausethere is really not much good in people； you
know。
YOUNG OFF。 ＇Smiling＇ You are a dreadful little cynic！ But of
course you are！
GIRL。 Cyneec？ How long do you think I would live if I was not a
cyneec？ I should drown myself to…morrow。 Perhaps there are good
people； but； you see； I don't know them。
YOUNG OFF。 I know lots。
GIRL。 ＇Leaning towards him＇ Well nowsee； ni…ice boyyou haf
never been in a hole； haf you？
YOUNG OFF。 I suppose not a real hole。
GIRL。 No； I should think not； with your face。 Well； suppose I am
still a good girl； as I was once； you know； and you took me to your
mother and your sisters and you said： 〃Here is a little German girl
that has no work； and no money； and no friends。〃 They will say： 〃Oh！
how sad！ A German girl！〃 And they will go and wash their hands。
＇The OFFICER； is silent； staring at her。＇
GIRL。 You see。
YOUNG OFF。 ＇Muttering＇ I'm sure there are people。
GIRL。 No。 They would not take a German； even if she was good。
Besides； I don't want to be good any moreI am not a humbug； I have
learned to be bad。 Aren't you going to kees me； ni…ice boy？
She puts her face close to his。 Her eyes trouble him； he draws back。
YOUNG OFF。 Don't。 I'd rather not； if you don't mind。 ＇She looks at
him fixedly； with a curious inquiring stare＇ It's stupid。 I don't
knowbut you see； out there； and in hospital； life's different。
It'sit'sit isn't mean； you know。 Don't come too close。
GIRL。 Oh！ You are fun＇She stops＇ Eesn't it light。 No Zeps
to…night。 When they burnwhat a 'orrble death！ And all the people
cheer。 It is natural。 Do you hate us veree much？
YOUNG OFF。 ＇Turning sharply＇ Hate？ I don't know；。
GIRL。 I don't hate even the EnglishI despise them。 I despise my
people too； even more； because they began this war。 Oh！ I know that。
I despise all the peoples。 Why haf they made the world so miserable
why haf they killed all our liveshundreds and thousands and
millions of livesall for noting？ They haf made a bad world
everybody hating； and looking for the worst everywhere。 They haf
made me bad； I know。 I believe no more in anything。 What is there
to believe in？ Is there a God？ No！ Once I was teaching little
English children their prayersisn't that funnee？ I was reading to
them about Christ and love。 I believed all those things。 Now I
believe noting at allno one who is not a fool or a liar can
believe。 I would like to work in a 'ospital； I would like to go and
'elp poor boys like you。 Because I am a German they would throw me
out a 'undred times； even if I was good。 It is