Free Twist of Gold by Michael Morpurgo Page A

twist of gold
     beneath his jerkin.
    ANNIE : Oh, Sean. The Colonel died trying to get back our torc from the bounty hunter.
    RED INDIAN CHIEF : I have no use for gold, as you know. But you have been searching for gold for a ‘divil’ of a long time, so I was wondering
     if you would like to buy this gold from me.
    SEAMUS FINN : Buy?
    RED INDIAN CHIEF : Exchange it for some of your bear-skins.
    SEAMUS FINN : Let me see this gold of yours.
         The RED INDIAN CHIEF brandishes the golden torc.
    ANNIE : Sean!
    SEAN : (To ANNIE .) Sh!
    SEAMUS FINN : (Rubbing his chin.) No, that’s not the kind of gold I’m after.
    ANNIE : Seamus Finn!
         SEAN gives ANNIE a prod with his elbow.
    SEAMUS FINN : No. Gold’s worth little if it’s been fashioned for the white man’s vanity. It’s raw gold I’m after, pure
     gold.
    RED INDIAN CHIEF : Well, if you change your mind…
         ANNIE can contain herself no longer.
    ANNIE : Buy it, Mr Finn, no matter what the cost. ’Tis our torc, you can’t let it go. Men have died trying to save it for us. We’ll pay
     you back.
         The RED INDIAN CHIEF smiles. SEAMUS FINN ’s shoulders slump.
    SEAMUS FINN : Oh, Annie. Do you imagine I didn’t know it was your torc and that you’d want it back? I was just about to persuade the old
     divil that it might be worth a few pelts, nothing more. The last thing I wanted was for him to know we’d pay him the earth for it. Annie, you’re the sweetest thing, but when it
     comes to matters of business you’ve got the brain of a donkey.
    RED INDIAN CHIEF : So I suggest that you give me your entire collection of pelts, Mr Finn. You will not find a golden torc like this every day of the
     week, believe me. And you would not want to disappoint the young lady, now, would you?
         SEAMUS FINN reluctantly hands over his pile of skins – and the RED INDIAN CHIEF hands over the
     golden torc to ANNIE .
    ANNIE : Thank you, Seamus; thank you sir.
         The RED INDIAN CHIEF pulls a fierce face.
    RED INDIAN CHIEF : Boo!
         And he laughs and leaves with the other INDIANS .
    SEAMUS FINN : (To ANNIE .) You’ll be the ruin of me.
    ANNIE : I’m sorry.
    SEAMUS FINN : Never be sorry for what’s past. Let’s just call it a little disaster . Be happy, and think to the future.
    ANNIE : Can we go and find Father now?
    SEAMUS FINN : Well, there’s little else for us to stay for. So why not?
    SEAN : What shall we do with our pans?
    SEAMUS FINN : We’ll wash them out one last time, and then we’ll pack them away for good.
         They wash the pans out – and SEAN stares at what he finds in the bottom of his.
    SEAN : Annie. Could I be looking at the torc please? Would you let me have it a moment?
         ANNIE hands it over.
    ANNIE : I don’t want it anyway. It’s killed many a good man and ruined others. It has a curse on it, Sean, I know it has.
    SEAMUS FINN : It’s not me day, is it? I’m getting old, that’s what be happenin’. I only look in the mirror once a year – a
     man keeps younger that way; or maybe he just thinks he does. No gold, no pelts, and now no fun with you twos.
    SEAN : Oh, I don’t know Seamus. Will you take a look at what I’ve found.
         And he reveals a golden nugget the size of his fist, shaped like a jagged boot. SEAMUS FINN stares in wonder. He can hardly
     bring himself to touch it. Then he picks it up and cradles it like an egg.
    SEAMUS FINN : Holy Mary, Mother of God.
         He falls to his knees.
         (To SEAN + ANNIE .) Oh you darlins, you little darlins! I’ve seen enough fool’s gold
     to know that this is the real thing!
    SEAN : And there’s plenty more where that came from – a whole streak of gold along the river bed.
    SEAMUS FINN : Forget Kerry! There’ll be enough to buy all of Ireland! But I’m not a greedy man. Half of Ireland will do!
         They pack up their gold and violin case and so on, and make their way to Grass Valley.
    * * *
        So we’ll