_A Girl, sits crouched over her knees on...

A Girl, sits crouched over her knees on a stile close to a river. A Man with a silver badge stands beside her, clutching the worn top plank. The Girl’s level brows are drawn together; her eyes see her memories. The Man’s eyes see The Girl; he has a dark, twisted face. The bright sun shines; the quiet river flows; the Cuckoo is calling; the mayflower is in bloom along the hedge that ends in the stile on the towering path.

The Girl: God knows what ‘e’ll say, Jim.

The Man: Let ‘im. ‘E’s come too late, that’s all.

The Girl: He couldn’t come before. I’m frightened. ‘E was fond o’ me.

The Man: And aren’t I fond of you?

The Girl: I ought to ‘a waited, Jim; with ‘im in the fightin’.

The Man: (Passionately) And what about me? Aren’t I been in the fightin’ -- earned all I could get?

The Girl: (Touching him) Ah!

The Man: Did you -- ? (He cannot speak the words.)

The Girl: Not like you, Jim -- not like you.

The Man: Have a spirit, then.

The Girl: I promised him.

The Man: One man’s luck’s another’s poison.

The Girl: I ought to ‘a waited. I never thought he’d come back from the fightin’.

The Man: (Grimly) Maybe ‘e’d better not ‘ave.

The Girl: (Looking back along the tow-path) What’ll he be like, I wonder?

The Man: (Gripping her shoulder) Daisy, don’t you never go back on me, or I should kill you, and ‘im too.

(The Girl looks at him, shivers, and puts her lips to his.)

The Girl: I never could

The Man: Will you run for it? ‘E’d never find us!

(The Girl shakes her head.)

The Man: (Dully) What’s the good o’ stayin’? The world’s wide.

The Girl: I’d rather have it off me mind, with him home.

The Man: (Clenching his hands) It’s temptin’ Providence.

The Girl: What’s the time, Jim?

The Man: (Glancing at the sun) ‘Alf past four.

The Girl: (Looking along the towing-path) He said four o’clock. Jim, you better go.

The Man: Not I. I’ve not got the wind up. I’ve seen as much of hell as he has, any day. What like is he?

The Girl: (Dully) I dunno, just. I’ve not seen him these three years. I dunno no more, since I’ve known you.

The Man: Big or little chap?

The Girl: ‘Bout your size. Oh! Jim, go along!

The Man: No fear! What’s a blighter like that to old Fritz’s shells? We didn’t shift when they was comin’. If you’ll go, I’ll go; not else.

(Again she shakes her head.)

The Girl: Jim, do you love me true?

(For answer The Man takes her avidly in his arms.)

I ain’t ashamed -- I ain’t ashamed. If ‘e could see me ‘eart.

The Man: Daisy! If I’d known you out there, I never could ‘a stuck it. They’d ‘a got me for a deserter. That’s how I love you!

The Girl: Jim, don’t lift your hand to ‘im! Promise!

The Man: That’s according.

The Girl: Promise!

The Man: If ‘e keeps quiet, I won’t. But I’m not accountable -- not always, I tell you straight -- not since I’ve been through that.

The Girl: (With a shiver) Nor p’raps he isn’t.

The Man: Like as not. It takes the lynch pins out, I tell you.

The Girl: God ‘elp us!

The Man: (Grimly) Ah! We said that a bit too often. What we want we take, now; there’s no one else to give it us, and there’s no fear’ll stop us; we seen the bottom of things.

The Girl: P’raps he’ll say that too.

The Man: Then it’ll be ‘im or me.

The Girl: I’m frightened.

The Man: (Tenderly) No, Daisy, no! The river’s handy. One more or less. ‘E shan’t ‘arm you; nor me neither. (He takes out a knife.)

The Girl: (Seizing his hand) Oh, no! Give it to me, Jim!

The Man: (Smiling) No fear! (He puts it away) Shan’t ‘ave no need for it like as not. All right, little, little Daisy; you can’t be expected to see things like we do. What’s life, anyway? I’ve seen a thousand lives taken in five minutes. I’ve seen dead men on the wires like flies on a flypaper. I’ve been as good as dead meself a hundred times. I’ve killed a dozen men. It’s nothin’. He’s safe, if ‘e don’t get my blood up. If he does, nobody’s safe; not ‘im, nor anybody else; not even you. I’m speakin’ sober.

The Girl: (Softly) Jim, you won’t go fightin’ in the sun, with the birds all callin’?

The Man: That depends on ‘im. I’m not lookin’ for it. Daisy, I love you. I love your hair. I love your eyes. I love you.

The Girl: And I love you, Jim. I don’t want nothin’ more than you in all the world.

The Man: Amen to that, my dear. Kiss me close!

Galsworthy, John, “The Sun,” The Works of John Galsworthy, Delphi Classics, pp. 7578-7583.