FRANCIS: [pushing her away slightly] Betsheb, I have to tell you something.

She grabs him and smothers his face with quick kisses. He pushes her away, annoyed.

This is serious!

BETSHEB doesn’t notice his annoyance.

BETSHEB: The belle she spoonin’ the gent. ’E whoopin’.

She grabs him again.

FRANCIS: [angrily] No!

Almost immediately he is annoyed with himself for getting angry. She looks hurt and confused.

Listen. [Touching his uniform] You remember what I told you this uniform meant? I am in the army. Australia is at war with Germany and Italy. We have to fight to protect ourselves. To protect you, to save you from hurt, our families from hurt.

VOICE: [off] Mr Morris, the taxi’s here!

FRANCIS: [calling] Tell him I won’t be a moment. [To BETSHEB] I joined up to fight because we have to. And now I know I must fight for you, for Stef. The Germans are demons. Do you understand any of this?

She nods, but it’s clear she doesn’t.

I’m being shipped out tomorrow. Europe. Remember the map of the world we looked at? Well, I’m going to Europe. I won’t be seeing you for some time. Goodbye.

BETSHEB: [shocked] ‘Goodbye’?

FRANCIS: But not for long. I knew a couple of days ago but couldn’t tell you. Too much of a coward. This dress is my going-away present for you. And this.

He gives her a wrist watch.

You can watch the hands move, learn to tell the time. You wind it, make it go like this.

BETSHEB is still shocked and pays little attention.

BETSHEB: ‘Goodbye’?

The taxi horn beeps.

FRANCIS: I must go. I’ll write letters. William said he’d read them to you.

BETSHEB: Nowt ‘Goodbye’.

FRANCIS: I have to; it’s my duty.

BETSHEB: Nowt ‘Goodbye’!

He kisses her.

FRANCIS: This hurts me too. I love you… do you understand?

BETSHEB: Nowt ‘Goodbye’.

He begins to go, then stops briefly to pat STEF on the head.

FRANCIS: Goodbye, Stef.

STEF laughs and rolls over and over. FRANCIS pauses to look back at BETSHEB. She looks at him, confused and hurt. The taxi horn beeps again: he must go. He exits.

BETSHEB: [quietly] Nowt ‘Goodbye’. [Crying out, throwing away the watch] Nowt ‘Goodbye’!

SCENE FOUR

The asylum gardens, early evening. WILLIAM, in dinner jacket, sits on the bench upstage. He watches STEF, MAC, AYRE and BETSHEB downstage. All of the group wear asylum clothes. MAC sleeps curled up. STEF examines his shoe by himself. BETSHEB half cradles AYRE, chewing bits of bread and, like a sparrow feeding its young, passing the chewed bread into AYRE’s mouth. AYRE is fading, but she is desperate to live long enough to pass on their language and memories to BETSHEB. It is difficult for AYRE to get the words out.

AYRE: Demon ’ollarin’ in glommen time.

BETSHEB: Demon ’ollarin’ in glommen time.

Silence.

AYRE: Sprits o’ rack ’n’ cat, doomtime.