ain't on oith and I ain't in heaven, get me? I'm in de middle tryin' to
separate 'em, takin' all de woist punches from bot' of 'em. Maybe dat's
what dey call hell, huh? But you, yuh're at de bottom. You belong!
Sure! Yuh're de on'y one in de woild dat does, yuh lucky stiff! [_The
gorilla growls proudly._] And dat's why dey gotter put yuh in a cage,
see? [_The gorilla roars angrily._] Sure! Yuh get me. It beats it when
you try to tink it or talk it--it's way down--deep--behind--you 'n' me
we feel it. Sure! Bot' members of dis club! [_He laughs--then in a
savage tone._] What de hell! T' hell wit it! A little action, dat's our
meat! Dat belongs! Knock 'em down and keep bustin' 'em till dey croaks
yuh wit a gat--wit steel! Sure! Are yuh game? Dey've looked at youse,
ain't dey--in a cage? Wanter git even? Wanter wind up like a sport
'stead of croakin' slow in dere? [_The gorilla roars an emphatic
affirmative. YANK goes on with a sort of furious exaltation._] Sure!
Yuh're reg'lar! Yuh'll stick to de finish! Me 'n' you, huh?--bot'
members of this club! We'll put up one last star bout dat'll knock 'em
offen deir seats! Dey'll have to make de cages stronger after we're
trou! [_The gorilla is straining at his bars, growling, hopping from
one foot to the other. YANK takes a jimmy from under his coat and
forces the lock on the cage door. He throws this open._] Pardon from de
governor! Step out and shake hands! I'll take yuh for a walk down Fif'
Avenoo. We'll knock 'em offen de oith and croak wit de band playin'.
Come on, Brother. [_The gorilla scrambles gingerly out of his cage.
Goes to YANK and stands looking at him. YANK keeps his mocking
tone--holds out his hand._] Shake--de secret grip of our order.
[_Something, the tone of mockery, perhaps, suddenly enrages the animal.
With a spring he wraps his huge arms around YANK in a murderous hug.
There is a crackling snap of crushed ribs--a gasping cry, still
mocking, from YANK._] Hey, I didn't say, kiss me. [_The gorilla lets
the crushed body slip to the floor; stands over it uncertainly,
considering; then picks it up, throws it in the cage, shuts the door,
and shuffles off menacingly into the darkness at left. A great uproar
of frightened chattering and whimpering comes from the other cages.
Then YANK moves, groaning, opening his eyes, and there is silence. He
mutters painfully._] Say--dey oughter match him--wit Zybszko. He got
me, aw right. I'm trou. Even him didn't tink I belonged. [_