Free Home is the Hunter by Helen MacInnes

you. But now you see a touch of what they really are.
    ERYX
(Enters from the yard. He carries a spear in his hand.)
    Come on, you! We’re going hunting. We’ll find a deer, up the Green Mountain. We’re tired of eating stewed slop.
    MELAS
    I’m staying here.
(He walks back to the table, sits down.)
    ERYX
    You’re coming with us. You don’t stay here alone. Get that?
    MELAS
    A trick—
(He crashes his fist on the table.)
    ERYX
(Injured innocence)
    A trick? I’m playing no trick—we’re just going out hunting on the Green Mountain. That’s all.
    MELAS
    Nothing but a god-damned trick.
(He reaches for the wine.)
    ERYX
    You’re drunk. What do you think you’re celebrating anyway? Get out of that chair!
    MELAS
    Leave me alone.
(He drinks and waves ERYX aside.)
    I’ve some thinking to do.
    ERYX
    You?
(He laughs, but then falls silent as MELAS rises suddenly and stares at the door which leads to PENELOPE ’s room. ERYX looks at CLIA , who is obviously afraid.)
    What’s been going on?
    CLIA
    Nothing... it’s nothing. Just a silly story that Amaryllis invented. And he believed her!
(She tries to sound amused.)
    ERYX
    Just a silly story, eh? And aren’t you going to share it with the rest of us, Melas? Or do I have to hear it from Amaryllis herself?
    MELAS
    Then get set for a shock. Penelope has been ripping out that embroidery, night after night.
    ERYX
    WHAT?
    MELAS
(His voice rising)
    She never meant to finish it. She’s turned weeks into months, months into years. We’ve been swindled, all of us.
    CLIA
(Quickly)
    I tell you, Amaryllis is crazy with jealousy, she’s—
    ERYX
    Sure, sure. Jealousy is a liar. But it can also tell a sharp truth when it chooses.
(He takes a step forward, threateningly.)
    MELAS
    Don’t waste your time on her. She’d swear blue is yellow to protect Penelope. But she gave away the truth when she rushed at Amaryllis.
    HOMER
    That isn’t any proof at all. It would never stand up in court.
    MELAS
    I’ve got enough proof. I saw the embroidery today. Now I know why it was such a god-damned mess.
(To CLIA )
    Get your mistress down here!
( CLIA doesn’t move.)
    All right, I’ll fetch her myself. I’ll teach her a new trick or two.
(He springs toward the steps, but ERYX is even quicker. He catches MELAS roughly by the arm and swings him around. MELAS whips out his short sword. ERYX raises his spear watchfully.)
    ERYX
(Extremely dangerous, now, although his voice is quiet enough)
    We’re all in this. Don’t forget that!
    HOMER
(Watching them face each other, about to fight)
    That could always be one solution. Go ahead, gentlemen!
(To ERYX )
    But drop that spear and use your sword. Equal weapons, you know.
    ERYX
(To MELAS )
    The old boy made a point there. Why fight? Not much future in that for either of us.
    MELAS
    Sure—especially when I’m the best swordsman around here. Go on! Equal weapons—if you dare!
(A man’s shadow falls over the threshold. A beggar stands there, hesitant. It is ULYSSES , dressed in his tattered wool cape, his traveller’s hat pulled well down over his forehead, his shoulders drooping, his whole appearance that of age and weakness. No one pays the slightest attention to him, as he stands humbly by the left side of the door.)
    ERYX
    Use your brains! If you are crazy enough to pick a fight, what then? Either you kill me, or I kill you—
    HOMER
    What’s wrong with that?
    ERYX
    —but there are nine other men left. Is the winner going to fight them all, too? Will they wait to be picked off, one by one?
    MELAS
(Lowers his sword)
    All right, then. But I’m going to wait no longer. Let Penelope choose now.
(He walks back to the head of the table.)
    ERYX
    Choose? Just how will she choose?
    MELAS
(Shrugging his shoulders, one hand on the master’s chair)
    I’ll agree to stick by her decision.
    ERYX
    Isn’t that generous of you? You think you’re her favourite!
(He faces MELAS angrily, again, his spear ready.)
    MELAS
(Ready with his sword, but confident and