Scene 1
Scene as in Act One. The Street, some weeks later.
A fine sunny morning with church bells ringing. Some of the villagers are standing outside
the church door. The street is deserted till Ellen and Grimes's new boy, John, come
in against the stream of villagers crossing towards the church. Ellen is carrying a workbasket.
She sits down between a boat and a breakwater and takes her knitting from the
basket. One or two late-comers cross and hurry into the church.
Ellen
Glitter of waves
And glitter of sunlight
Bid us rejoice
And lift our hearts on high.
Man alone
Has a soul to save,
And goes to church
To worship on a Sunday.
(The organ starts a voluntary in church, off.)
Shall we not go to church this Sunday
But do our knitting by the sea?
I'll do the work, you talk.
(Hymn starts in church.)
Chorus (off)
Now that the daylight fills the sky
We lift our hearts to God on high
That he in all we do or say
Would keep us free from harm to-day.
Ellen
Nothing to tell me,
Nothing to say? Then shall I
Tell you what your life was like?
See if I'm right. I think
You liked your workhouse with its grave
Empty look. Perhaps you weren't
So unhappy in your loneliness?
When first I started teaching
The life at school to me seemed bleak and empty
But soon I found a way of knowing children -
Found the woes of little people
Hurt more, but are more simple.
(She goes on with her work. John says nothing.)
Chorus
May he restrain our tongues from strife
And shield from anger's din our life
And guard with watchful care our eyes
From earth's absorbing vanities.
Ellen
John, you may have heard the story
Of the prentice Peter had before.
Chorus
So we, when this day's work is done
And shades of night return once more.
...Amen.
Ellen
But when you came, I
Said, Now this is where we
Make a new start. Every day
I pray it may be so.
(Morning prayer begins and the Rector's voice is heard from the church.)
Rector
Wherefore I pray and beseech you, as many as are here present, to accompany me with
a pure heart and humble voice, saying after me, Almighty...
Congregation
Almighty and most merciful Father; We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost
sheep.
(The church service continues through the ensuing scene.)
Ellen
There's a tear in your coat. Was that done
Before you came?
Badly torn.
(Mrs. Sedley stops to listen on her way to church.)
That was done recently.
Take your hand away.
Your neck, is it? John, what
Are you trying to hide?
Rector and Choir (in church)
O Lord, open Thou our lips;
And our mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
O God make speed to save us;
O Lord make haste to help us.
(Ellen undoes the neck of the boy's shirt.)
Ellen
A bruise.
Well...it's begun.
Rector and Choir
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning is now...
Ellen
Child, you're not too young to know
Where roots of sorrow are
Innocent you've learned how near
Life is to torture.
Rector and Choir
Praise ye the Lord;
The Lord's name be praised.
Scene as in Act One. The Street, some weeks later.
A fine sunny morning with church bells ringing. Some of the villagers are standing outside
the church door. The street is deserted till Ellen and Grimes's new boy, John, come
in against the stream of villagers crossing towards the church. Ellen is carrying a workbasket.
She sits down between a boat and a breakwater and takes her knitting from the
basket. One or two late-comers cross and hurry into the church.
Ellen
Glitter of waves
And glitter of sunlight
Bid us rejoice
And lift our hearts on high.
Man alone
Has a soul to save,
And goes to church
To worship on a Sunday.
(The organ starts a voluntary in church, off.)
Shall we not go to church this Sunday
But do our knitting by the sea?
I'll do the work, you talk.
(Hymn starts in church.)
Chorus (off)
Now that the daylight fills the sky
We lift our hearts to God on high
That he in all we do or say
Would keep us free from harm to-day.
Ellen
Nothing to tell me,
Nothing to say? Then shall I
Tell you what your life was like?
See if I'm right. I think
You liked your workhouse with its grave
Empty look. Perhaps you weren't
So unhappy in your loneliness?
When first I started teaching
The life at school to me seemed bleak and empty
But soon I found a way of knowing children -
Found the woes of little people
Hurt more, but are more simple.
(She goes on with her work. John says nothing.)
Chorus
May he restrain our tongues from strife
And shield from anger's din our life
And guard with watchful care our eyes
From earth's absorbing vanities.
Ellen
John, you may have heard the story
Of the prentice Peter had before.
Chorus
So we, when this day's work is done
And shades of night return once more.
...Amen.
Ellen
But when you came, I
Said, Now this is where we
Make a new start. Every day
I pray it may be so.
(Morning prayer begins and the Rector's voice is heard from the church.)
Rector
Wherefore I pray and beseech you, as many as are here present, to accompany me with
a pure heart and humble voice, saying after me, Almighty...
Congregation
Almighty and most merciful Father; We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost
sheep.
(The church service continues through the ensuing scene.)
Ellen
There's a tear in your coat. Was that done
Before you came?
Badly torn.
(Mrs. Sedley stops to listen on her way to church.)
That was done recently.
Take your hand away.
Your neck, is it? John, what
Are you trying to hide?
Rector and Choir (in church)
O Lord, open Thou our lips;
And our mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
O God make speed to save us;
O Lord make haste to help us.
(Ellen undoes the neck of the boy's shirt.)
Ellen
A bruise.
Well...it's begun.
Rector and Choir
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning is now...
Ellen
Child, you're not too young to know
Where roots of sorrow are
Innocent you've learned how near
Life is to torture.
Rector and Choir
Praise ye the Lord;
The Lord's name be praised.