The Blacks by Jean Genet

Author:Jean Genet
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grove Atlantic
Published: 2024-04-10T00:00:00+00:00

FELICITY (imitating the old mother): Ma-a-arie! A-a-almonds! Beware of the night, child. All cats are black in the dark, and one forgets to give the evening almond to one's old mother. (A pause.) Tell your sister Susan to come in.

VILLAGE (assuming the voice of a woman): Susan! Susan! Where are you?

SNOW (who has run behind the catafalque, where she is hidden): Why, I'm here. I'm in the garden.

VILLAGE (holding back the Mask, who seems to want to go toward the catafalque, and still imitating a woman's voice): Are you all alone in the garden?

THE MISSIONARY (to Archibald): Your cue, Archibald. (Archibald runs to the left wing, from which he now seems to be entering very casually, whistling as he walks. However, he merely imitates the movement of walking and actually remains where he is.)

SNOW: I'm all alone, all by myself. I'm playing knuckle-bones.

VILLAGE (still in a woman's voice): Be careful, Susan, watch out for prowlers. It hasn't been safe in these parts ever since they began recruiting aviators in Guiana.

VOICE OF SNOW: In Guiana! Aviators!

VILLAGE (voice of the recital): In Guiana, you slut! . . . suns revolve about the earth, eagles swoop down on our battlefields . . . so let's close the window. She acted as if she didn't understand. Gallantly I closed the window. Snow was falling on the town.

VIRTUE (rushing toward him in a panic): Stop it!

BOBO (still fixed in a movement of departure, but turning her head to blurt out the following): Look at how he's carrying on. He's foaming. He's fuming. It’ s a mirage!

VIRTUE: Village, Village, please, I'm asking you, stop.

VILLAGE (looking at Virtue): The limpidity of your blue eyes, that tear gleaming at the comer, your heavenly bosom . . .

VIRTUE: You're raving. Whom are you talking to?

VILLAGE (still looking at Virtue): I love you and I can't bear it any longer.

VIRTUE (screaming): Village!

SNOW (peeping out from behind the catafalque just long enough to say the following): But, my dear, it has nothing to do with you, you might have realized it.

VILLAGE (turning slowly to the Mask, who mechanically goes on with his knitting): Your feet, the soles of which are the color of periwinkles, your feet, which are varnished on top, walked along the pavement . . .

VIRTUE: You've already said that to me. Stop talking.

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