Chapter 1 of 1 · 1460 words · ~7 min read

Part 1

Transcriber’s Note: Words and phrases in italics are surrounded by _underscores_; those in blackletter font are surrounded by ~tildes~.

THE DUQUESNE CHRISTMAS MYSTERY

AS WRITTEN BY THOMAS WOOD STEVENS TO BE ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF DUQUESNE PENNSYLVANIA XXIII DECEMBER MCMXVI

[Illustration: colophon]

WITH DECORATIONS BY HARRY LAWRENCE GAGE

[Illustration: decorative banner]

BEFORE US _is a steep hillside, crossed midway by a paved road. Up the center of the hill are stairways of stone, with wide landings; at the top, blocking out the stars, is a dark building with crenellated turrets. Beside the roadway is a windowless hut--a mere blind wall--and at each side of this wall the stairways ascend. Below is a playing field, and beyond this, further down, a river, with great mills beside it, where even at Christmastide the loud forges are flaming._

_From the high turrets a sound as of many trumpets floats down. Then a light breaks on the level above the roof of the hut, and one sees dimly three figures, grave, majestic, imperative--the Prophets Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah._

ISAIAH

List ye, as it is written, so spake I Isaiah: For the Lord Himself shall send Ye forth a sign; a virgin shall conceive, And bear a son, and ye shall call his name Immanuel.... And to thy light shall come Gentiles, and kings unto the brightness of Thy risen star.

MICAH

List ye, as it is written, so spake I, Micah, prophet of God’s will: Thou, Bethlehem, though thou be little among The thousands of Judah, out of thee shall come Him who shall rule in Israel, whose path Hath from of old been destined, everlasting.

HOSEA

List ye, as it is written, so spake I, Hosea: When Israel was a child I loved him well, and for his sake I called My son out of dark Egypt.

ISAIAH

So spake we, prophets of the wandering years, Lifting our hearts in hope to beat with God. List ye, for He hath wrought our visions out, And He hath sent His Son to feed His flock Like to a shepherd. He hath gathered home The lambs unto His bosom. Praise His name.

_The three Prophets disappear. Below, on the hillside, three Eastern Kings are seen approaching._

JASPAR

Stay, brothers and princes. The star is lost.

BALTHASAR

Now for twelve nights it hath burned clear.

MELCHOIR

And floated on before to guide our steps. Here is some evil thing that it should fade.

BALTHASAR

Some evil near. Stay we our course. The star That westward we have trailed from Araby And your bright orient kingdoms, will not fail Until the prophecies we read of old Be new fulfilled. But peril to the Child Might dim its fire.

JASPAR

Yea, in the ancient scrolls Are dangers written deep. The star-flame blows Back at the heavy tread of mailed feet.

_Below, on the stairway, Herod appears, and comes slowly up followed by guards and counsellors._

MELCHOIR

What gleam of helmets yonder, and of gold?

BALTHASAR

Some lord is this, whose rule is not as ours.

JASPAR

Hail, Prince, and peace, and light unto thy path!

HEROD

What stranger kings are these who come unknown, Unbidden, to my realm?

BALTHASAR

From out the East We come, Melchoir, and Jaspar, King of Taurus, And he who speaks you here, Balthasar Prince of Araby. We are come to seek A Child new-born whose mystic star we found As prophets had foretold from long ago, A Child born to be King of the Jews. We come With gifts to greet and worship Him. Say thou Where is this Child?

HEROD

King of the Jews, ye say. I know Him not.

JASPAR

Who art thou, good my lord?

HEROD

Forgive mine evil courtesy, sir princes, But I am troubled.... Herod is my name, a king In this lean land of Judah. Speak you fair, And say again--this star--these prophecies?

JASPAR

The star hath led us westward, wondering on; The prophecies name Bethlehem, a town Little in Judah, whence shall come a King To rule in Israel, anoint of God.

HEROD

I knew it not. I have no child.... But when First saw ye this new star?

BALTHASAR

Twelve nights ago. ’Tis like the Child was born that night.

HEROD

Yea, very like, and have ye told me all?

BALTHASAR

All that hath been revealed. We wait Here with our gifts. The star may burn again.

HEROD

My greetings, Princes. Freedoms of my realm Be yours. But this I pray you, when you find The Child indeed, bring me straight word of it. For I would worship also.

JASPAR

Peace be thine.

_Herod goes down the stair, and pauses at the central landing, his spearmen and counsellors about him._

HEROD

Dreams and seditions! When these kings return, These dark intruding Magi, with their babe, Bring them before me. They adventure far But I will send them on a longer quest.

A COUNSELLOR

Whither wilt send them, Tetrarch?

HEROD

Unto death. For all their dreams are treason ’gainst my house.

COUNSELLOR

And if they do not find the child?

HEROD

Still--death. For they have mocked me, searching.

COUNSELLOR

And the child?

HEROD

Hear ye my sentence: if they find this child, He dies. And if they find him not, but slip Out of my hands unrecompensed, then all Men children of this young child’s year, shall die, That he escape not.

COUNSELLOR

These be bloody words.

HEROD

I have my prophets too. Wouldst flout their law And mine? Set on.

_Herod and his people move slowly down the stairways into darkness. In radiance above the center appears the Messenger Gabriel._

GABRIEL

The watchers of the skies, God’s messengers, Keep ward upon this land to-night. The tyrant Speaketh true: the olden words shall fall Like blades of harvest on the innocents And Rachael weep, and weep uncomforted. So it is written. But the child they seek Dies not, but waits his agony, serene Amid the singing of the morning stars.

_The Gloria in Excelsis is heard afar off. At the left, on the hillside, a faint light glows upon a group of watching shepherds. As the light brightens, they hear the heavenly voices, see the angel, and, struck with awe, fall upon their knees._

GABRIEL

~Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.~

_The shepherds gather wondering, as the heavenly messenger disappears and the chorus echoes into silence._

FIRST SHEPHERD

Saw ye, my brothers?

SECOND SHEPHERD

Yea truly, and marveled.

THIRD SHEPHERD

And lo, our people come now from the hills With wonder upon them.

SECOND SHEPHERD

Let the sheep graze alone. The Lord his hand Is over us and all our flocks to-night.

FIRST SHEPHERD

This we have seen is in God’s will. And men Hearing of us this strange new word, will come From far to kneel adoring,--all such men As we who toil and watch. Not unto captains Of wrath, high lords, and governors of cities Did he speak, but unto simple folk he came And cried his tidings of great joy. To us God’s messenger doth pledge a Saviour Christ, And they who toil and watch, shall know of it.

_He turns toward the windowless wall at the center._

~Let us go now unto Bethlehem and see the thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.~

_Again the trumpets sound, and a mighty music of voices aspires as the thronging messengers of heaven appear along the central causeway. Before them, above the windowless wall, a star swings magically into flame. The Shepherds and the Eastern Kings move toward the star, enwrapt and silent._

_Now the wall seems suddenly to vanish. In its place, filled with a golden radiance, is the manger, and Mary the Mother holding the Child._

_The Shepherds kneel in adoration; and the Kings lay at her feet their gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh._

_Up from below come slowly the men and women of the nations who dwell in the city, they too kneeling till the stairways are dark with them; and all the while the music swells with a great gladness._

_The vision fades, and the people turn singing to the darkness below, where the forges are clanging._

_And now the Tree on the playing field breaks into light, and down the stone stairways patter the feet of many children, trooping with song to dance around its glistening spire._