Masque of the Red Death.pdf - Alex Broun

19
THE MASKED FIGURE TURNS SUDDENLY ON THE PRINCE. THE
LIGHT SUDDENLY CHANGES TO BLOOD RED.
THE PRINCE GASPS WITH A SHARP INTAKE OF BREATH. THE
DAGGER FALLS TO THE FLOOR.
ACTOR 3:
The dagger dropped
THE PRINCE SLUMPS TO THE GROUND.
ACTOR 4:
ACTOR 2:
ACTOR 3:
ACTOR 4:
gleaming upon the sable carpet,
And beside it
prostrate in death
the Prince Prospero.
SILENCE. THE ACTORS RECOIL IN HORROR.
ACTOR 2:
ACTOR 3:
ACTOR 4:
ACTOR 2:
ACTOR 3:
ACTOR 4:
ACTOR 2:
ACTOR 3:
ACTOR 4:
ACTOR 2:
ACTOR 3:
ACTOR 4:
Summoning the wild courage
Of despair,
A throng of the revellers
Threw themselves
Into the black chamber,
and seizing the mummer,
gasped
in unutterable horror
at finding the
grave-cerements
and corpse-like mask
untenanted by any tangible form.
THE FIGURE HAS VANISHED..
ACTOR 2:
ACTOR 3:
ACTOR 4:
And now the revellers
each in turn
acknowledged the true identity