child is twelve years old.
She has never had one hard word spoken to her
In all her life.

FIRST SOLDIER
Nor shall she now, by God!
Where is she? Bring her out!

SECOND SOLDIER
Twelve years of age!
That's ripe enough for marriage to a soldier.
[_They laugh._]

FIRST SOLDIER
She can't shoot! Look at the way she's holding it!
Duck down and make a rush for it! Come on!
[_Several of them make a rush_, RADA _steps back and shuts the door in
their faces._]

SECOND SOLDIER
Locked out, by God! We'll have to break it down.

MICHAEL
She'll keep her word. You'll never get 'em alive.

ARRAM
Never. I know that kind. You'd better clear out!

FIRST SOLDIER
Come on! We'll burst the door.
[_They put their shoulders to the door and it begins to give_. ARRAM
_makes a sign to_ MICHAEL, _urging him to interfere. A revolver shot is
heard within. The men pause, and there is another shot._]

ARRAM
By God, she's done it!
[_There is a booming of distant artillery._]

MICHAEL
Hear that! The enemy!
Making a night attack!
[_There is a loud bugle call without._]

ARRAM
There goes the bugle!
[_They all rush out, except_ NANKO, _who looks out into the night after
them, then closes the outer door, takes a crystallized plum from the
table, crosses the room and stares at the floor, near the door on the
right._]

NANKO
[_Calls aloud.]_
Rada, these plums are excellent. Don't you see
Life is a battle! Survival of the fittest!
Something red again. Trickling under the door?
Blood, I suppose. Well, I don't think it's right
To spoil a person's pleasure on Christmas Eve.
I wonder how the gramophone does work?
He said the tune that he was putting in
Was just the thing for Christmas Eve. I wonder,
I wonder what it was.

[_He picks up the box from which the record was taken and reads the
title._]

"_A Christmas Carol
Sung by the monks of St. Peter's monastery
At midnight mass, on Christmas Eve_--ADESTE, FIDELES!"

Fancy that! How wonderful!
A Christmas carol on the gramophone!
So all the future ages will be sure
To know exactly what religion was.
To think we cannot hear it! Well, no matter,
These plums _are_ excellent. Everybody's gone.
To think _I_ was the fittest, after all!
Come, Rada, you're pretending!
[_He accidentally starts the gramophone working and jumps back, a little
alarmed. He runs to the door and knocks._]
Rada! Rada!
I've started it! Subka! Subka! Do you hear?
The gramophone's working!
[_He stoops down a