Robert Coover - Public Burning

Pay the price we demand, or forfeit your lives!

JAMES

( hastening to stem the rising tide of her indignation )

Come, come, I have not said anything of the sort, you are misinterpreting me!

ETHEL

On the contrary, I have understood you far too well. So here is our answer:

( Aria nobile: ) We will not be intimidated by the threat of electrocution into saving their faces!

Nor will we encourage the growing use of undemocratic police-state methods by accepting a shabby, contemptible little deal in lieu of the justice that is due us as citizens!

That is for Hitler Germany, not for the Land of Liberty!

A truly great, truly honorable nation has the obligation to redress grievances, not to demand tribute of those who have been wronged for grudgingly sparing their lives — lives that should never have been placed in jeopardy at all!

( JAMES is beginning to flounder in earnest now, the mask of nonchalant authority slipping, revealing his very real discomfiture .)

JAMES

But we are trying to help you by seeking your cooperation!

ETHEL

( unmoved )

Say what you will, camouflage it, glamorize it, whitewash it, in any way you choose, but this is coercion, this is pressure, this is torture!

( She points to the clock cheerfully ticking away her life .)

Let me say to you in all sobriety you will come to me at ten minutes of eleven p.m. on Thursday, June 18, and the fact of my innocence will not have changed in the slightest!

JAMES

ETHEL( Asides: ) She must be crazy to reject life when it is there for the taking!

Ar-r-humph!

— for a price, of course!

Nevertheless one has to respect her stand! I feel sorry for him!

Just another cog in a wheel, doing a lousy thankless job!

Wanting so desperately to convince me that he is impartial and finding it increasingly difficult to maintain an untenable position against a virile and dedicated honesty!

JAMES

( throwing up his hands in despair, calling for the TURNKEY)

Bring Mr. Rosenberg in, please!

CHORUS

( while awaiting JULIUS’S entrance )

All this has taken place in no atmosphere of hysteria or ferocity!

It has been a cold judicial search for the right course!

The first issue was whether wartime treason was to be condoned!

The Rosenbergs betrayed their country in the most vicious possible manner!

Their crime was one of the most heinous in American history!

Mrs. Rosenberg asked that her life be spared so that she might see her sons grow to manhood!

This plea was made in the face of the fact that by her actions

Mrs. Rosenberg has sent sons of many American mothers to their deaths in Korea

before they could reach the full flower of manhood!

In Korea there are 24,214 American dead, who died largely because of the Rosenbergs!

Without American atomic secrets the Communists would never have dared risk war in the Far East!

There is always the possibility

that Soviet Russia may unleash

a surprise atomic attack on the United States

to wipe out hundreds of thousands of lives

and destroy military potential!

The Rosenbergs committed an enormous crime

against the 150 million people of the United States!

— Indeed against all free peoples!

We are sorry for the young sons of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg!

But we can find no tears for their parents!

They should have died months ago!

( The time is 12:30 p.m. when the TURNKEY ushers JULIUS in. The Overture is struck one more time, as though through an echo chamber …)

JAMES

Now let me entreat you once more to cooperate!

I even promise to enlist the aid of my good friend, Gordon Dean, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission!

JULIUS

( wonderfully poised and forthright )

( Aria: ) How can America stoop to such tactics and hope to command the continued respect and affection and support of our friends!

It is simply unthinkable!

How can this nation afford to let such villainy go unchallenged and be indelibly recorded to the everlasting shame of incoming generations!

Just imagine!

Even if it were true and it is not, my wife is awaiting a horrible end for having typed a few notes!

A heinous crime “worse than murder,” no doubt! and deserving of the extreme penalty! while the most atrocious and wanton killers known to civilization, the Nazi war criminals, are being freed daily!

( Ensemble: )

JAMES

ETHEL

JULIUS

What you’re saying is not germane. Please, if you would only agree to cooperate, something could be worked out! There just won’t be any other way! (

Repeat

)

Of course, a hearing based on new evidence is not germane! After all, we might actually be able to prove our claims! But it is germane for the Government of a great nation to victimize two helpless people just because a world controversy has developed as to their guilt, and to tell them in effect “to knuckle under or die!”

Wouldn’t it be more advantageous to the United States to let us live? Doesn’t your coming here at the behest of the Attorney General indicate that the handling of this case has cost us a good deal of prestige on the other side? Obviously, it would be much less costly to give us the opportunity to prove our innocence!

( JAMES turns away wearily as the WARDEN enters. It is 1:00 p.m. )

WARDEN

What is this all about?

JULIUS

Mr. Brownell sent Mr. Bennett to tell us if we cooperated with the Government he would recommend clemency to the President.

( Aside to audience: ) You will note that the Warden was not present when the offer was made!

JAMES

( to the Warden )

Please expedite any messages they might care to send me!

( Aria: ) Good-bye, Julius!

Good-bye, Mrs. Rosenberg!

( He turns to go .)

ETHEL( Aria da capo: ) Grant us our day in court, Mr. Bennett!

Let us live that we may prove our innocence!

That’s the decent way, the American way!

( JULIUS is led some distance away . JAMES watches ETHEL a moment, then follows JULIUS until they are out of earshot of ETHEL.)

JAMES

( in a stage whisper )

Your only hope, Julius, lies in cooperation! Let me bring some people who are familiar with the case and you can submit to answering questions of what you know about this!

JULIUS

Why, this would be like “brainwashing,” Mr. Bennett!

JAMES

( timidly )

Well, could I — would you like me to come back another time?

JULIUS

( pointedly )

Yes, if you can bring me some good news!

( JAMES exits. JULIUS crosses to ETHEL for their final duet sequence, the WARDEN, the TURNKEY, and the MATRON forming a silent trio in the background .)

JULIUS

Our very lives and most cherished principles are at stake here, and I am glad we met the test well!