Twist of Gold Read Online Free PDF Page A

we alone?
         SEAN looks around him.
    SEAN: Yes.
    ANNIE: Why do we always leave everyone behind? Why does everyone we love have to leave us?
    SEAN: Donnelly left us his fiddle. Said we should play it and dance to it – and we will. And whenever we do, we shall remember him.
         He opens the case and takes out the fiddle. It rattles. He shakes it: it rattles some more. He looks inside the fiddle.
    ANNIE: What is it Sean?
    SEAN: ’Tis the torc. ’Tis the golden torc. The two of them hid it for us, Annie: Mr Blundell and Fiddler Donnelly.
    ANNIE: And we’ll never be able to thank them.
         They let this thought sink in.
        I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse.
    SEAN: Then let’s find one!
         They walk along the beach.
    ANNIE: ’Merica is quite different from Ireland.
    SEAN: Do you think?
    ANNIE: Well look: more trees grow here than I’ve ever seen in my life. And they’re all great tall trees – not bent and stunted by the
     wind like back home. And the leaves shine scarlet and gold.
         Some of the leaves fall like snowflakes around them.
        Beautiful.
         They hear a rustling in the leaves.
        Listen. Did you hear that?
         The rustling gets louder.
    SEAN: (To the rustling.) It’s only us: Sean and Annie O’Brien! Who’s there?
         More rustling.
        We’re from the ship. Who are you?
         And a PIG lets out an almighty squeal which frightens the living daylights out of SEAN and ANNIE before it goes grunting off.
    ANNIE: (Laughing.) ’Tis a pig, a ’Merican pig! And you were so scared!
    SEAN: Wasn’t.
    ANNIE: Yes you was.
    SEAN: So were you. Let’s follow it.
    ANNIE: Why?
    SEAN: Because if it’s anything like an Irish pig, its nose will be taking it home. And its home will be a farm. And a farm will have food. And
     people.
    * * *
         They follow it and come to a village – where dogs yap at them.
    ANNIE: How do we know they’ll be friendly?
    SEAN: We don’t.
         The hiss of geese and cackle of hens scattering. And then a group of VILLAGERS approach, one holding a gun. Both sides keep a
     wary distance.
    ANNIE: Is this Boston, ’Merica?
         A VILLAGER sniggers.
         (Raising her voice and ar-ti-cu-la-ting slow-ly to foreigners) We Are Loo-king For Bos-ton, ’Me-ri-ca…
         The VILLAGERS all laugh.
    VILLAGER: Hell no! This ain’t Boston! Boston’s a mite bigger’n this.
         The VILLAGERS laugh again.
    VILLAGER: You gone and got yourself lost in them woods, I guess. Why, you ain’t more’n little children!
    ANNIE: We’re not little …
    VILLAGER: What’s your ma and pa doing lettin’ you run wild out in them woods? Where you from anyhow? You ain’t from hereabouts.
    SEAN: We come from Ireland. And the ship we were on went on the rocks in the storm.
         The smiles vanish – the gun is raised.
    VILLAGER: Ireland? You on one of them migrant ships?
    SEAN: Yes.
    VILLAGER: Did you have the sickness on board?
    ANNIE: The malady of the sea, some of them had.
    VILLAGER: I knew it! A plague ship. You keep your distance, do you hear? Don’t come any closer.
         The gun is cocked.
    SEAN: What’s the matter? Why are you looking at us like that?
    VILLAGER: ’Cos you got the plague, that’s why. Git back, else I’ll shoot. And that’s a promise.
    SEAN: But we need food. And water. Won’t you give us some water?
    VILLAGER: You got any kin-folk, any family?
    ANNIE: Of course we have! We’ve come to ’Merica to look for our father. Perhaps you know him? Patrick O’Brien’s his name. Big
     fellow.
         The VILLAGERS chuckle again.
    SEAN: Can you tell us how far it is to Boston?
    VILLAGER: Fifteen miles – twelve if you keep to the coast road.
         The VILLAGERS confer in whispers.
    ANNIE: Hey, what are you all whispering about?
    VILLAGER: We’re thinking it wouldn’t be right for us to have you walking all the way to Boston on an empty stomach, not with night coming