A priest enters, followed by two men carrying a very small pine box. A man, Tom MacLeish, followed by a young girl, Myra MacLeish, and a woman, Mrs. Petrova follow them. Tom, who is distraught, goes to the side of the coffin and sinks to his knees beside it, sobbing. Myra, with the help of Mrs. Petrova, goes to the other side and kneels as well. She reaches out to find and we become aware that she is blind. Another man, Honus MacLeish, Tom’s brother, stands farther away. He clutches his hat nervously. When the music finishes, the priest steps forward.
PRIEST. You will have to forgive me… This gives me no great pleasure… I have spent far too much time in this cemetery…burying little children… For this reason I will keep it brief. Little Rose MacLeish, three years old, was taken from us for reasons that God only knows…I do not. Lord take this little child into your heart, and watch over her like you will the rest of the children. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.
(The congregation utters “Amen.” The priest goes to Tom and places his hand on his shoulder.)
PRIEST. Mr. MacLeish, I’m sorry for your loss…Rose was a sweet girl…if the church can do anything…I’m sorry Tom.
(A woman steps toward them delicately. She speaks with a thick Russian accent.)
MRS PETROVA. Mr. MacLeish, we must get home to check on your wife and the little baby Michael. Come child.
(She helps Myra up and ushers her to SR where the priest offers them his condolences. Tom slowly descends to his knees and puts his hand on the little pine box. He grabs the roses and squeezes it. The lone man, Honus, steps forward.)
HONUS. Tom? I’m sorry about little Rosie…she was so sweet…It’s a terrible thing… this diphtheria. Saoirse’s strong — she’ll get over it. I see you found one of the last roses. It’s fitting Tom. …I…uh…Tom…I know this is a bad time…but you’re my older brother and you said I should come to you for anything…I uh…wouldn’t ask now but…there’s going to be trouble…Tom I did something bad… I
TOM. (Locked in his own grief, he struggles to speak.) What do you want Honus?
HONUS. When we came out here Tom…you said you’d help me no matter what.
TOM. What is it Honus?
HONUS. I’m in trouble. They’re gonna find out Tom…they know… I’d give it back…but… they already know! You know it wouldn’t matter to the Bandi Brothers…(Frantic.) Could you just take it and hide it for me? Then I wouldn’t have it on me…and…Tom, I’ll split it with you…you want to help Myra get her sight back? This is the way, Tom.
TOM. Honus? What…what are you talking about?
HONUS. It was just sitting there, Tom…in the mine office. I went there like you said to collect wages… and they were setting there. Little gold bags of dust. Nobody was around Tom. I think they were in the outhouse. Can you imagine? There was twenty, I think. Just setting there! I don’t know why I did it, Tom! Something came over me…and before I knew it… I grab one… and I’m running out the door, stuffing it down my pants…I don’t know what I was thinking.
TOM. Honus? What are you saying?
HONUS. It’s just one little bag…but you know it won’t matter. I can’t take it back. You know they wouldn’t care…they’d still…
TOM. You…stole a bag gold dust… from the Bandi’s? My god Honus!
HONUS. I know it’s bad…that’s why I need your help.
TOM. They’ll kill you…they’ll…they’ll kill us…Honus? What have you done? Do you know what that’s worth?
HONUS. I know I shouldn’t…I’m stupid…I…but you gotta help me, Tom! It’s already done…I can’t give it back and I can’t just get rid of it…It could help us…it could help Myra, Tom.
TOM. Leave me out of it Honus! I don’t want any part of it.
HONUS. Please Tom…you promised you’d watch out for me!…I don’t know what they know…but they’ll figure it out! Please! I can’t have it on me. They’ll throw me down a mine shaft. Like they did Bill Oliver…Tom… he hit every timber on the way down…
TOM. (Growing angry.) Honus, enough! You should have thought of it before you took their dust.
HONUS. I know…but there were loads of bags. Just sitting there, Tom. I didn’t think they’d miss one. Anyway, it’s like you said they get all of it…and leave us with nothing Tom. You said it yourself. It ain’t right.
TOM. Right or not, you stole a thousand dollars’ worth a gold dust, Honus. I think they’ll want to find it! And what would you have me do, Honus?
HONUS. Just take it for a day or two and hide it for me. They won’t think of you Tom…not if I don’t have it.
TOM. Take it into the forest and hide it there…or throw in the river…
HONUS. The forest is a dark place Tom…I don’t want to lose it now…I can’t just get rid of it… It can get us out of here Tom…and help Myra’s eyes…Tom…Listen. Help me…like you promised…
TOM. (He crushes the rose in his hand.) I don’t want any part of it! Now clear off so I can mourn my daughter in peace.
HONUS. Tom…
TOM. Be off!
(Honus looks at him pleadingly, and then he leaves. Myra returns to her father.)
MYRA. (Timidly.) Why were you arguing with Uncle Honus, papa?
TOM. It was nothing. Just mine business. (He looks at the crushed rose in his hand and tries to put it back together.)
MYRA. Papa is Mama going to die too? Like little Rose?
TOM. (Rising, sensing her grief.) No, baby. She won’t. Nobody else is dying.
(He begins to lead her away. She stops and looks back toward the coffin.)
MYRA. I miss little Rosie, papa.
TOM. Me too.
(He looks at the crumbled rose, unable to fix it. The lights fade to black. “A Russian Gypsy Waltz” begins to play.)
