Oliver Cromwell Part 16
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THE SCENE CLOSES
SCENE VII
_CROMWELL'S house in London. The morning of January 30, 1649, the day of the King's execution._
_Outside the window can be seen the grey winter gloom, brightened by fallen snow. The room, in which a fire is burning, is empty, and for a time there is silence. Then from a near street comes the soft sound of m.u.f.fled drums._
_BRIDGET runs in, and goes to the window, opening it. Then she goes back to the door, and calls._
_Bridget:_ Mother.
(She goes back to the window.)
_Elizabeth_ (coming in): Yes.
_Bridget:_ It is the King. He is pa.s.sing down to Whitehall.
_Elizabeth:_ Don't look, child.
_Bridget:_ I can see nothing but the pike-heads. The people seem very still. You can hear nothing but the drums.
(A little later MRS. CROMWELL comes in. She goes to a chair by the fire.)
_Mrs. Cromwell:_ Oliver has just sent from Whitehall for his great coat. I've sent Beth with it.
_Bridget:_ The King has just pa.s.sed, grandmother.
_Elizabeth:_ He has gone into Whitehall.
_Mrs. Cromwell:_ Men will pity him. He had no pity.
_Bridget:_ Do you think father is right, grandmother? Saying that it had to be?
_Mrs. Cromwell:_ Yes, I do think so.
_Elizabeth:_ He betrayed his own people. It was that.
_Mrs. Cromwell:_ There could be no safety or hope while he lived.
_Bridget:_ Yes. He betrayed his own people. That's it.
_Mrs. Cromwell:_ Kings must love, too.
_Elizabeth:_ When your father wanted to give him back his throne, a little simple honesty in the King would have saved all. But he could not come to that.
_Bridget:_ The drums have stopped.
_Mrs. Cromwell:_ Is Henry with your father?
_Bridget:_ Yes.
_Mrs. Cromwell:_ What is the time?
_Elizabeth:_ Nearly one o'clock.
_Bridget:_ It must be past one.
_Mrs. Cromwell:_ Oliver will be the foremost man in England.
_Bridget:_ Henry says he could be king.
_Elizabeth:_ That he would never be. I know.
_Mrs. Cromwell:_ He will have to guide all.
_Bridget:_ Don't you wish it could have been done without this, grandmother?
_Mrs. Cromwell:_ When the world labours in anger, child, you cannot name the hour.
_Bridget:_ But Henry thinks it is right, too.
_Mrs. Cromwell:_ If this be wrong, all was wrong.
_Bridget:_ Yes. Thank you, grandmother. That is what I wanted. It was necessary.
_Elizabeth:_ Henry meant to come back before the end, didn't he?
_Bridget:_ He said so.
_Mrs. Cromwell:_ It's very cold.
_Bridget:_ I think it will snow again.
_Elizabeth:_ What are the drums beating again for?
_Bridget:_ Perhaps--I don't know. Will you have another shawl, grandmother?
_Mrs. Cromwell:_ No, thank you.
(IRETON comes in.)
_Bridget:_ Has anything happened?
_Ireton:_ Not yet. In a minute or two. At half-past one. It's three minutes yet.
Oliver Cromwell Part 16
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Oliver Cromwell Part 16 summary
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