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The Book of Bob by Seven Pillars of Wisdom [1937]

Scene One

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Scene One

Black Drapings and a Bare Stage.

Four or five elders in flowing robes and Mortor Boards denoting their office on the set of learning - seated Round a Brazier warning their skinny hands and knobbly knees.

(Coughs and brunts and shivers)

1st Elder.

(Warming his hands) Its me joints!! the herbalist tells me I ought to resign.

2nd Elder.

When a Man's in his prime--seventy to seventy five its unthinkable Kanka.

3rd and 4th.

Unthinkable!! Unthinkable!!

4th:

When we go who shall take our place? I fear for the new generation of young [unclear: me]. and the taint that has come into the temple. The very priests are corrupted, Shakah! This new thought!!! This idealism!!! Bah!!!

3rd:

Pish!!

1st:

Tush!!

4th:

Imphm!!

1st:

Retire at my age!! Ridiculous!!

2nd:

And what is this youth's name?

1st:

Bob, he is called. He was discovered reading from poisoned tablets at the temple door.

2nd:

I remember now. A crazy idolator--And calls his wretched philosophy "New Thought".

3rd:

What shall we say to him??

1st:

(Curtly) Same thing. Can't have the young priests corrupted. The tribe must be kept intact. Here he is....

(Enter Bob in loin cloth)

Bob:

Do you wish to speak to me, Sirs?

1st:

(Clearing his throat) The young Bob is it not?

Bob:

Bob, sir of Uz

2nd:

H'm yes, Uz did you say?

Bob:

The same sir, [unclear: mu] father was a [unclear: patriacn] of Uz and a philosopher too.

1st:

It has come to our ears, [unclear: faster] Bob that you circulate perfidious tablets [unclear: amongst] the youths in the schools and the temples. Some of the tablets have come into our hands-- In particular, I want to question you concerning a tract found in your possession at the time of the Feast of the Passover.

(Strikes a gong)

A slave will place it before you.

(A slave brings in an Antique which piled with five weightytablets of stone.

1st:(contd.)

Am I to understand that you were responsible for these blaspherous scribblings.

Bob:

Blasphemous scribblings, sir?? It is the writing on the wall. The venerable Marx harh a large following and his teaching will be the gospel of the priests of the future!!

The Elders creak a bit.)

2nd:

We've heard all this before young man-- this half baked intellectualism of yours, this Marxian stuff. 'Tis all in the Books of the Prophets. It won't get you very far--- there's much stuff in the books we can't practise now a days --- concubines and that sort of thing.

4th:

I've often wondered about that.

5th:

Mrs. Lazarus bore me fifteen sons-- what need have I of concubines?

lst:

The herd!! The herd!! He who rises against the herd must be turned without the herd like Nebuk-adnezzar of old, of to feed on grass!

2nd:

This new thought. 'Tis loose. The family, the page break tribe, the statusquo! Break them, and what can we substitute----------

free love and wurzel- flummery!!

All:

Pah !! [unclear: Impbr!!]

2nd:

What shall we [unclear: to] with him?

1st:

Do with him Zaroaster? Same as usual, [unclear: Deny] him entrance to the temple, deny him access to the [unclear: accredited] scribes -- [unclear: end] [unclear: him] to fatigue duty in [unclear: Nabaoth's] vineyard.

2nd:

What have you to say young man?

Bob:

Ah! What I would say will be [unclear: nild] as tribal [unclear: wisdom] in the years to come. I am young. My only crime is in my youth and with the foolgardiness of youth I have dared to question the wisdom of the patriarchs. Moses knew well the needs of the tribe but 'tis time we knew ourselves as [unclear: one] than bar-barbarous wanderers living on [unclear: the] [unclear: fringe] of the [unclear: w] wilderness. I believe in evolution though tis heresy to you. If there is no liberty in the tribe, the tribe rust be broken.

1st:

Blasphemy!! Lock him away....

Bob:

You can prepare your padded cells... you can prepare your gallows: but you will never padlock my lips -you will never dampen my spirit.

(Consternation on old men's faces slaves seize Bob and drag him away)

Bob; (contg):

Goodbye old greybeards, there is much for me to do. A little while and my time will come.

(Old men creep back to brazier huddling round)

1st:

A little while and our time will have come.

(Curtain)

Time Marches On!!!