230
COHN: I don't shoot people!
JOAN: In any case life isn't a hole!
JULES FEIFFER
FIRST VOICE: You want to know where the hole is?
SECOND VOICE: In your head!
COHN: Look -
(a long exasperated pause)
Who are they?
JOAN: My voices?
(Cohn nods)
They're my voices.
COHN:
(restraining himself)
What have you got inside there? A tape
recorder?
JOAN.:
(crosses herself)
You pitiful man.
(places a hand on his
shoulder)
We must be on our way. Are these rags all you own?
COHN: I don't leave here.
JOAN: But you must come with me–
COHN: No!
JOAN : To see the Emperor!
COHN: Emperor -
(quickly back-pedals) and bangs into the trunk.
WISEM'AN'S
legs kick up in the air under the rug.)
I'll make a con–
tribution -(
reaches into his pocket)
JOAN: I want you!
COHN: I live here. I stay here. Take the trunk! It's a gift!
JOAN: My mission
is
to bring you, among others, before the Em–
peror. It is your duty to follow me.
COHN:
(retreats behind curtain)
I never leave here. Ask anyone.
They never see me leave here. They don't know me. Ask anyone
if they know me. They'll say "Who?"
JOAN: You must do as I say!
COHN: I have to go with you to see the Emperor. What Emperor?
What for? To tell him the sky is falling?
JOAN: The sky is not falling.
COHN:
(sarcastic)
Thank God!
JOAN:
It
is missing.
COHN:
(comes out from behind curtain with change of clothes)
What's
missing?
JOAN: The sky is missing! We must find the Emperor to give him the
wonderful news that the sky is missing and that mankind's path to
heaven is at last unblocked and unimpeded, and that God calls on
His Highness, the Emperor, to build a thousand spaceships and
put on them two of every kind and blast off for heaven. Before
the holocaust.
