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hatˇs a nice little wine。
1st SoldierHave a drink of it yourself。 ＇He turns to the third Roman soldier who is leaning on a barrel。＇ Whatˇs the matter with you？〃
3rd SoldierI got a gut…ache。
2nd SoldierYouˇve been drinking water。
1st SoldierTry some of the red。
3rd SoldierI canˇt drink the damn stuff。 It makes my gut sour。
1st SoldierYou been out here too long。
3rd SoldierHell； donˇt I know it？〃
1st SoldierSay； George； canˇt you give this gentleman something to fix his stomach？〃
Hebrew Wine…sellerI got it right here。
＇The third Roman soldier tastes the cup that the wine…seller has mixed for him。＇
3rd SoldierHey； what you put in that； camel chips？
Wine…sellerYou drink that right down； Lootenant。 Thatˇll fix you up right。
3rd SoldierWell； I couldnˇt feel any worse。
1st SoldierTake a chance on it。 George fixed me up fine the other day。
Wine…sellerYou were in bad shape； Lootenant。 I know what fixes up a bad stomach。
＇The third Roman soldier drinks the cup down。＇
3rd SoldierJesus Christ。 ＇He makes a face。＇
2nd SoldierThat false alarm！
1st SoldierOh； I donˇt know。 He was pretty good in there to…day。
2nd SoldierWhy didnˇt he come down off the cross？
1st SoldierHe didnˇt want to come down off the cross。 Thatˇs not his play。
2nd SoldierShow me a guy that doesnˇt want to come down off the cross。
1st SoldierAw； hell； you donˇt know anything about it。 Ask George there。 Did he want to come down off the cross； George？〃
Wine…sellerIˇll tell you； gentlemen； I wasnˇt out there。 Itˇs a thing I havenˇt taken any interest in。
2nd SoldierListen； I seen a lot of themhere and plenty of other places。 Any time you show me one that doesnˇt want to get down off the cross when the time comeswhen the time comes； I meanIˇll climb right up with him。
1st SoldierI thought he was pretty good in there to…day。
3rd SoldierHe was all right。
2nd SoldierYou guys donˇt know what Iˇm talking about。 Iˇm not saying whether he was good or not。 What I mean is； when the time comes。 When they first start nailing him； there isnˇt none of them wouldnˇt stop it if they could。
1st SoldierDidnˇt you follow it； George？
Wine…sellerNo； I didnˇt take any interest in it； Lootenant。
1st SoldierI was surprised how he acted。
3rd SoldierThe part I donˇt like is the nailing them on。 You know； that must get you pretty bad。
2nd SoldierIt isnˇt that thatˇs so bad； as when they first lift ˇem ＇He makes a lifting gesture with his two palms together。＇ When the weight starts to pull on ˇem。 Thatˇs when it gets ˇem。
3rd SoldierIt takes some of them pretty bad。
1st SoldierAinˇt I seen ˇem？ I seen plenty of them。 I tell you； he was pretty good in there today。
＇The second Roman soldier smiles at the Hebrew wine…seller。＇
2nd SoldierYouˇre a regular Christer； big boy。
1st SoldierSure； go on and kid him。 But listen while I tell you something。 He was pretty good in there today。
2nd SoldierWhat about some more wine？〃
＇The wine…seller looks up expectantly。 The third Roman soldier is sitting with his head down。 He does not look well。＇
3rd SoldierI donˇt want any more。
2nd SoldierJust for two； George。
＇The wine…seller puts out a pitcher of wine； a size smaller than the last one。 He leans forward on the wooden counter。＇
1st SoldierYou see his girl？〃
2nd SoldierWasnˇt I standing right by her？
1st SoldierSheˇs a nice looker。
2nd SoldierI knew her before he did。 ＇He winks at the wine…seller。＇
1st SoldierI used to see her around the town。
2nd SoldierShe used to have a lot of stuff。 He never brought her no good luck。
1st SoldierOh； he ainˇt lucky。 But he looked pretty good to me in there today。
2nd SoldierWhat became of his gang？〃
1st SoldierOh； they faded out。 Just the women stuck by him。
2nd SoldierThey were a pretty yellow crowd。 When they seen him go up there they didnˇt want any of it。
1st SoldierThe women stuck all right。
2nd SoldierSure； they stuck all right。
1st SoldierYou see me slip the old spear into him？
2nd SoldierYouˇll get into trouble doing that some day。
1st SoldierIt was the least I could do for him。 Iˇll tell you he looked pretty good to me in there today。
Hebrew wine…sellerGentlemen； you know I got to close。
1st SoldierWeˇll have one more round。
2nd SoldierWhatˇs the use？ This stuff donˇt get you anywhere。 Come on； letˇs go。
1st SoldierJust another round。
3rd Soldier＇Getting up from the barrel。＇ No； come on。 Letˇs go。 I feel like hell tonight。
1st SoldierJust one more。
2nd SoldierNo； come on。 Weˇre going to go。 Good night； George。 Put it on the bill。
Wine…sellerGood night gentlemen。 ＇He looks a little worried。＇ You couldnˇt let me have a little something on account； Lootenant？〃
2nd SoldierWhat the hell； George！ Wednesdayˇs payday。
Wine…sellerItˇs all right； Lootenant。 Good night； gentlemen。
＇The three Roman soldiers go out the door into the street。＇
＇Outside in the street。＇
2nd SoldierGeorge is a kike just like all the rest of them。
1st SoldierOh； George is a nice fella。
2nd SoldierEverybodyˇs a nice fella to you tonight。
3rd SoldierCome on； letˇs go up to the barracks。 I feel like hell tonight。
2nd SoldierYou been out here too long。
3rd SoldierNo； it ainˇt that。 I feel like hell。
2nd SoldierYou been out here too long。 Thatˇs all。
CURTAIN
BANAL STORY
SO he ate an orange； slowly spitting out the seeds。 Outside； the snow was turning to rain。 Inside； the electric stove seemed to give no heat and rising from his writing…table； he sat down upon the stove。 How good it felt！ Here； at last； was life。
He reached for another orange。 Far away in Paris； Mascart had knocked Danny Frush cuckoo in the second round。 Far off in Mesopotamia； twenty…one feet of snow had fallen。 Across the world in distant Australia； the English cricketers were sharpening up their wickets。 There was Romance。
Patrons of the arts and letters have discovered The Forum； he read。 It is the guide； philosopher； and friend of the thinking minority。 Prize short…storieswill their authors write our best…sellers of tomorrow？〃
You will enjoy these warm； homespun； American tales； bits of real life on the open ranch； in crowded tenement or comfortable home； and all with a healthy undercurrent of humor。
I must read them； he thought。
He read on。 Our childrenˇs childrenwhat of them？ Who of them？ New means must be discovered to find room for us under the sun。 Shall this be done by war or can it be done by peaceful methods？〃
Or will we all have to move to Canada？〃
Our deepest convictionswill Science upset them？ Our civilizationis it inferior to older orders of things
And meanwhile； in the far…off dripping jungles of Yucatan； sounded the chopping of the axes of the gum…choppers。 Do we want big menor do we want them cultured？ Take Joyce。 Take President Coolidge。 What star must our college s