Scene Three
The lights rise in
Wan's room in the monastery. It is an hour later. WAN is pacing the floor
waiting impatiently. He holds a sheet of paper in his hands which he refers
to constantly. There is a knock on the door. HE rushes to open it.
BEITESEN
I have come, sir.
WAN
Here is the poem.
I trust you
To deliver this safely.
BEITESEN
I will that, sir.
(SHE turns
to go.)
WAN
Wait!
I must have word of anything
She will do or say.
The slightest change
on her face
Or in her voice
When she reads what I
have written.
For lovers exist
On the flicker of the
eyes
And the movement of the
mouth
And the sigh upon the
lips.
BEITESEN
I shall watch and listen
closely.
WAN
Go now,
For I have waited too
long.
(BEITESEN leaves
through the door of his room. WAN continues to pace in agony. HE goes to
the window and sees BEITESEN appear from the monastery door and make her
way across the garden. HE looks down as if to say "Hurry, damnit!" The
lights rise in the Chen house. MEILAN is alone on the sofa, reading. BEITESEN
enters.)
BEITESEN
Forgive me, my mistress.
I am so sorry to disturb
you
But I have come with
a message.
It is from your cousin,
Wan Lei.
(SHE hands the paper
to Meilan, who opens it and reads. As she does, WAN, from his room, sings
the poem. BEITESEN watches closely for any alteration in Meilan's face.)
WAN
I know every leaf on the
apricot tree
Which gently guards your
window.
I know the nightingale
Who comes to rest in
the branches.
I know the stillness
of the dawn
As it vies with the sound
of the shadows
In keeping vigil.
If I could but replace
the apricot tree
And the nightingale
And the shadows
And the dawn.
(MEILAN's face does
not change expression. SHE stares out the window as BEITESEN waits for
her to speak.)
BEITESEN
Mistress?
MEILAN
There is no answer.
BEITESEN
Yes, mistress.
MEILAN
Wait!
(SHE goes to the
table, takes a quill pen and a sheet of paper and writes rapidly. SHE then
folds it and hands it to Beitesen.)
To my cousin who writes poetry,
This is my answer.
BEITESEN
(eagerly)
Oh, yes, mistress!
(SHE rushes quickly
across the garden again. WAN is now waiting for her at the monastery door.)
BEITESEN
She has sent you a message!
WAN
Quickly!
(HE snatches
it from her hands, nervously unfolds it and reads.)
Neither the apricot tree
Nor the nightingale
Nor the shadows
Nor the dawn
Will guard the willows
by the western gate
On the fourth of the
second moon.
(almost in disbelief)
Beitesen!
She will see me!
She has consented to
see me
On the fourth of the
second moon.
The fourth!
That is tomorrow!
Tomorrow, she will see
me!
But where are the willows
by the western gate?
BEITESEN
Tomorrow when the moon is
full,
I will come for you
And take you there.
WAN
She will see me!
At last she will see
me
And speak to me!
Oh, Beitesen!
(BEITESEN gazes at
the ecstatic WAN with affection.)
LIGHTS FADE
