Cao Yu's The Thunderstorm - Triceratops Home

Sister (very worldly) A nun, they take care of the sick people at the hospital. Brother,
sit down.
Brother (not listening) Hey, Sis, look, look! (bragging) Look at the new gloves Mom
bought for me.
Sister (unimpressed) I saw them, now sit down. (pulls brother down, the two of them
sitting nicely again)
[Nun A enters from the room left of the stage. Walks towards dresser at right
corner, not seeing the people in the room.]
Brother (stands up again, low voice, to sister) Another one, sis!
Sister (low voice) Shh! Don't talk. (pulls brother down again)
[Nun A opens dresser at right, and starts putting the pile of linens in the
dresser.
[Nun B enters from the room to the right. She sees Nun A, both nod quietly,
and Nun B helps Nun A put away the washing.]
Nun B (to A, curtly) It's over?
Nun A (doesn't understand) Who?
Nun B (quickly points up) Upstairs.
Nun A (perplexed) Yes, she's sleep again now.
Nun B (asks curiously) She hasn't hit anyone?
Nun A No, she just laughed for a while, and broke the glass again.
Nun B (lets out a sigh) That's fine, then.
Nun A (to B) And her?
Nun B You're talking about Downstairs? (points to the bedroom to the right) She's
always like that, crying most of the time, doesn't speak. I've been here for a
year, and I've never heard one word from her.
Brother (whisper, urgently) Sis, tell me a joke.
Sister (whisper) No, brother, listen to them talking.
Nun A (sympathetic) It's a pity; she's been here nine years, only one less than the one
upstairs, but neither of them are any better. —(happily) Oh, right, Upstairs' Mr.
Zhou came.
Nun B (surprised) What?
Nun A Today's the thirtieth day of the twelfth month by the old calendar.
Nun B (spooked) Oh, today's the 30 th? —Then Downstairs might come out today, and
come in here.
Nun A What, she's coming out here too?
Nun B Yes. (elaborating) Every year on the thirtieth day of the twelfth month,
Downstairs comes out of her room, into this room, and stands in front of this
window.
Nun A What is she doing?
Nun B Probably hoping her son will come back, he ran off one night ten years ago,
and never came back. It's sad, her husband isn't around anymore either—
(whispered) I heard he worked in Mr. Zhou's household as an errand boy—
one night he drank too much and died.
Nun A (thinks she understands) So every time Mr. Zhou comes to see his wife, he
always asks after Downstairs. —I think, Mr. Zhou will come downstairs in a bit
to see her.