George Bernard Shaw a penn State Electronic Classics Series Publication

on the back in its place.)
RICHARD
. I come, sir, on your own invitation. You left
word you had something important to tell me.
ANDERSON
. I have a warning which it is my duty to give
you.
RICHARD 
(quickly rising). You want to preach to me. Ex-
cuse me: I prefer a walk in the rain. (He makes for his coat.)
ANDERSON 
(stopping him). Don’t be alarmed, sir; I am no
great preacher. You are quite safe. (Richard smiles in spite of
himself. His glance softens: he even makes a gesture of excuse.
Anderson, seeing that he has tamed him, now addresses him
earnestly.) Mr. Dudgeon: you are in danger in this town.
RICHARD
. What danger?

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30
The Devil’s Disciple
ANDERSON
. Your uncle’s danger. Major Swindon’s gallows.
RICHARD
. It is you who are in danger. I warned you—
ANDERSON 
(interrupting him goodhumoredly but authori-
tatively). Yes, yes, Mr. Dudgeon; but they do not think so in
the town. And even if I were in danger, I have duties here I
must not forsake. But you are a free man. Why should you
run any risk?
RICHARD
. Do you think I should be any great loss, Minister?
ANDERSON
. I think that a man’s life is worth saving, who-
ever it belongs to. (Richard makes him an ironical bow. Ander-
son returns the bow humorously.) Come: you’ll have a cup of
tea, to prevent you catching cold?
RICHARD
. I observe that Mrs. Anderson is not quite so
pressing as you are, Pastor.
JUDITH 
(almost stifled with resentment, which she has been
expecting her husband to share and express for her at every in-
sult of Richard’s). You are welcome for my husband’s sake.
(She brings the teapot to the fireplace and sets it on the hob.)
RICHARD
. I know I am not welcome for my own, madam.
(He rises.) But I think I will not break bread here, Minister.
ANDERSON 
(cheerily). Give me a good reason for that.
RICHARD
. Because there is something in you that I re-
spect. and that makes me desire to have you for my enemy.
ANDERSON
. That’s well said. On those terms, sir, I will
accept your enmity or any man’s. Judith: Mr. Dudgeon will
stay to tea. Sit down: it will take a few minutes to draw by
the fire. (Richard glances at him with a troubled face; then sits
down with his head bent, to hide a convulsive swelling of his
throat.) I was just saying to my wife, Mr. Dudgeon, that
enmity—(she grasps his hand and looks imploringly at him,
doing both with an intensity that checks him at once) Well,
well, I mustn’t tell you, I see; but it was nothing that need
leave us worse friend—enemies, I mean. Judith is a great
enemy of yours.
RICHARD
. If all my enemies were like Mrs. Anderson I
should be the best Christian in America.
ANDERSON 
(gratified, patting her hand). You hear that,
Judith? Mr. Dudgeon knows how to turn a compliment.
The latch is lifted from without.
JUDITH 
(starting). Who is that?

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31
GB Shaw
Christy comes in.
CHRISTY 
(stopping and staring at Richard). Oh, are YOU
here?
RICHARD
. Yes. Begone, you fool: Mrs. Anderson doesn’t
want the whole family to tea at once.
CHRISTY 
(coming further in). Mother’s very ill.
RICHARD
. Well, does she want to see ME?
CHRISTY
. No.
RICHARD
. I thought not.
CHRISTY
. She wants to see the minister—at once.
JUDITH 
(to Anderson). Oh, not before you’ve had some tea.
ANDERSON
. I shall enjoy it more when I come back, dear.
(He is about to take up his cloak.)
CHRISTY
. The rain’s over.
ANDERSON 
(dropping the cloak and picking up his hat from