Page:Plunder (Perlman).djvu/22

16

Judge him, Masters. Judge severely. This is not one who breaks merely one of your laws. He rejects power, turns his back on wealth. He scorns leisure and will not do business. He would burn the entire dossier that contains your laws. Call his laughter envy, or derision, even spite. But know, oh mighty judges, that his laughter undermines: Your benches, this court, and everything you stand for.

MOSES BURUMBA

We have accepted enough! In the fields we are horses and cattle; in the factories haulers and pushers. In the mines we are worms who crawl in and bury ourselves to dig out their stones.

MOKSA I agree with Burumba. We are becoming like animals. The living day is no longer filled with man's fashioning his soul into the world. It is impossible to express ourselves in the mines. I came with many dreams, but they are shattered. Here I spend all my time, my energy, my life underground--the dreams are lost; and still I have no food; my wife is pregnant, and my daughter seeks among them what I cannot give her.

BURUMBA If we act, we must act together. Whoever acts by himself is lost.

SERVUS NERIANA Take care not to let things get out of hand.

BURUMBA Ah yes, we must take care. Neriana does not want to miss being appointed foreman.