The Vampire Cat.

by Gerard Van Etten.

THE VAMPIRE CAT

SCENE. _At R. is a dressing table, upon it a steel mirror, toilet articles, and two lighted candles with ornate shades. R. U. a section of shoji leads to another room, this section is now closed. At R. C. a large section of shoji is open, giving a view of the garden. To the R.

of this entrance is a small shrine and Buddha. At L. of the room is a sleeping mat and head rest. By the head rest a lantern, now unlighted.

Down L. is an open section of shoji leading to the_ PRINCE'S _apartments. Just above it stands a screen. As the curtain rises the_ PRINCE _is standing R. C. looking out into the garden._ RUITEN _is down R. and_ BUZEN _slightly above him._ BUZEN _crosses L._

PRINCE. [_Comes down between_ RUITEN _and_ BUZEN.]

Settle for me tonight My sicknesses and my fears-- [_To_ BUZEN.] Settle them for me, Sir Buzen, councillor crafty.

[_To_ RUITEN.] Settle them for me, Priest Ruiten, the prayerful.

RUITEN. So are we trying in all ways Thy pain to relieve Yet nought seems availing.

PRINCE. Wracked is my body With tortures unending Born of the dreams That are surging forever Backward and forward Thru my brain, weary.

BUZEN. [_Indicating door L._] Around thy bed each night Have I placed thy samurai In number one hundred To guard thy sleep--

RUITEN. Zealously have I prayed In the temple called "Miyo In,"

And during the night hours Have knelt at thy house shrine Praying to Buddha, the lord of the world.

PRINCE. Yet have I not slept Entirely untortured.

Slow are thy prayers In fruit bearing.

RUITEN. Slow because contending with evil-- [_Approaches Prince._]

With evil in form strange and subtle.

Over this house hangs a spirit Ne'er resting and ready always for dire deeds.

PRINCE. Such a spirit there must be--but what?

RUITEN. Evil takes many forms but the form of a cat Is favored by many devils.

PRINCE. [_Startled, the others watch him closely._] A cat--aye, truly And if a cat stalked here That evil thing must we kill.

RUITEN. Yet such is their power malignant That they take other forms than the forms of cats-- Even human forms.

PRINCE. Ha!--And the spirit that visits me?

Mayhap that-- Only twice hath it failed of its visit.

BUZEN. And those lost visits, when?

PRINCE. The last two nights.

BUZEN. [_Swelling with pride._] Then, oh Prince, the cure may be found.

Better than prayers is the cure [_Eyeing_ RUITEN.]

For prayers have not ears--have not eyes-- Have not weapons--better than prayers is it.

PRINCE. Tell me this cure. It is grudged, Sir Priest?

RUITEN. [_Bowing._] A cure for my lord could not be grudged.

PRINCE. Well spoken. Say on, Sir Buzen.

BUZEN. First I must beg clemency For thy hundred samurai For faithful they are to the bone, yet--

PRINCE. Yet? Why clemency? For what?

BUZEN. On guard, they slept.

PRINCE. Slept?

BUZEN. Aye. Soundly as though deep in saki.

PRINCE. And none roused?

BUZEN. They were as dead From shortly after the hour of ten Until dawning.

Awakening they knew they had slept Yet knew not when the poppy was thrown in their eyes.

Even as one man none knew And were deep amazed and full of shame.

Each night it was the same.

PRINCE. [_Angrily._] So, they slept.

While I, on my couch, Through the hours writhed-- Writhed and twisted-- Weakening ever-- Not sleep, yet dreaming-- Oh, horrible dreams.

RUITEN. Of what were these horrible dreams?

What was their substance?

PRINCE. [_Mystified at the memory._] There would come a soft stealing-- As of draperies hushed and lifted For silence in walking; Like soft, silken draperies Wrapped about stealthy limbs.

Then a shape clothed for sleep As women are clothed-- Sinuous and vague in movement, Then taking form slowly-- The form--a lie!--a lie! [_Covers his face and goes upstage._]

RUITEN. The form?

PRINCE. [_Turns._] O Toyo!

RUITEN.

BUZEN. [_Rubbing their hands._] Ah!

PRINCE. [_Comes down R._, RUITEN _and_ BUZEN _are together a little L._]

Came she to me-- Leaned o'er me-- Caressed me Yet soothed not.

Her lips to mine-- Her lips but not sweet.

Then here on my throat Would she place them And all my life seemed to smother-- Out of me flowed the life-blood In a deep stream Like a tide Forced by the G.o.ds, Against its will, To flow far away and yet farther.

BUZEN. So does a vampire Sucking her victim Draw from him His blood and his marrow.

PRINCE. Guard thy words!-- As my strength ebbed She drew back Red-lipped and smiling, Smiling and laughing Though her laughter was silent.