The Other a one-act play Historical characters Chief Bouarate (1815?-1875?) A Kanak chief from
Hienghène. He was the most important and powerful man on the east coast of New
Caledonia, where the first Catholic mission was set up under Monsignor Douarre
in December 1843. Douarre Guillaume (1810-1853) Consecrated as a
Bishop in October 1842, he celebrated the first mass in New Caledonia at
Christmas 1843. It was he who led the
first Catholic mission at Balade, on the north-east coast of the island. He was to leave Balade for Pouébo and then
for the Isle of Pines in 1847. Taragnat Jean (1816-1878) A missionary with
Monsignor Douarre at Balade in 1843, and maternal ancestor of the author. A mason by trade, he was, in particular, to
take care of the material life of the mission.
Relieved of his vows in 1852, he was to settle in Noumea in 1860. Marmoiton Blaise (1812-1847) Originally from
Issac-La-Tourette in south-west France, like Jean Taragnat and Guillaume
Douarre whom he followed as coadjutor at Balade. He was to die at Pouébo in 1847, during an
attack on the mission Douarre was trying to set up. He lies buried there. The Other On the deck of a 19th century sailing ship bound for Kounié
from Balade. The protagonists are on the
deck shortly after setting sail. Captain Mr Taragnat, could I
have a word with you? Taragnat Yes, Captain, what is
it? Captain Tell me, what do you
intend to do now? Are you going to follow Douarre and settle on the Isle of
Pines? Taragnat No, Captain. I'm thinking rather of going to settle in
Australia. There are more opportunities
over there than here. They welcome
everyone with open arms and give you good land.
And you can always get into trade, as the British Empire is so vast. Bouarate suddenly appears out of nowhere and takes Taragnat aside. Ah, ha! In Australia.
So then, Taragnat, after coming and bothering us, who asked nothing of
anyone, you're now going to go and be a pain to our Aboriginal brothers. Taragnat Why, Bouarate, what
are you doing here? How did you get on
board? Noone told me that you were on
the ship. Bouarate Questions, questions.
That's the White Man for you all over. I
thought you were a little different from the other three. I am here, that's all, and I have a secret. If you behave yourself, I may let you in on
it. Taragnat Bouarate, don't play
at being clever with me. You're not back
in your village any more, here. We are
on one of the ships of His Majesty the Emperor, and I only have to say one word
for you to be thrown overboard. Bouarate Always violence, but
why can't you try to show some imagination.
I'm not here for anyone except you. Taragnat But what on earth are
you talking about? Why ever did the
Captain accept your coming along with us? Bouarate Your Captain has accepted
nothing at all. He doesn't even know
that I'm here. I'm telling you - noone
knows that I'm here, noone can see or hear me, apart from you, of course. Taragnat Come on,
Bouarate. Don't talk nonsense, would
you. You surprised me, I grant you, but
nothing more. Don't tell me you're
claiming to be a stowaway, are you? He turns to the Captain, who has gone over to Douarre after
Taragnat's short reply to his first question. Tell me, Captain, is
Bouarate accompanying us the whole way on the voyage, or do you intend putting
him off somewhere along the coast? Captain Bouarate, you
say? But there's no Bouarate here. Do you imagine for a minute I'd take one of
those men on board! Taragnat Stop pulling my leg,
can't you see him? He's right here, next
to you. Look, he's greeting Monsignor
Douarre just as we speak! Bouarate Taragnat!
Taragnat! Are you an idiot or what,
man? I'm telling you that they can't see
me, so don't carry on like that or they'll really take you for a madman, and
the Captain will put you in irons, if Douarre takes fright. Besides, even you can see me one minute and
the next you can't. He then appears and disappears several times over Now you can see me
and now you can't. And here you can see
me again, and then you can't see me any more.
Do you understand? No, you plainly still
don't understand anything. Your
Captain's powerless to do anything against me.
He can't even imagine that I'm on his ship. You too seem to have trouble with it, no? Taragnat pretending not to notice Bouarate Monsignor, did you
yourself know that Bouarate was to be coming along on the voyage? Or is he, Captain, is he really a stowaway? Douarre Taragnat, get a grip
on yourself. The Captain has already
told you, what have we got to do with Bouarate here? And what would he be doing here? He couldn't stay with us for very long. So stop thinking of him. He is right where he should be, with his
people, over there. You should go and
take a rest. We have stayed here for too
long, so that even you, young and strong as you are, are taking ill. Bouarate Poor white man, poor
Taragnat. I am fond of you, you know, so
listen to me carefully. Don't talk about
me to anyone anymore. Otherwise, I'll
have to abandon you to your fate, when I alone can save you - you and all your
descendants, for ever more. Because I
have a secret, I'm telling you, and I am ready, if you are good, to share it
with you. Taragnat Save me, but from
what ever? You're not even here. I am here alone and rambling. I'm going to have a rest. Monsignor is surely right. He was already right about that wretched
Marmoiton. Douarre Captain, do you think
that we might one day settle here permanently?
I'm talking about us, the Christian church. There is so much to do and I have felt a real
call from among these people. Captain But don't you
yourself say that with faith everything is possible, everything can be
achieved. They are calling you, you say,
so one day they will hear you loud and clear. Douarre Yes, of course, faith
can do anything, but contact has been so difficult. There is only this poor Taragnat who has been
able to find any favour in their eyes. Captain The fact that he
knows how to make things so well with his hands must have surely won them over
a little, don't you think? Douarre That's possible. It's a clever way of communicating. I'm sorry that he has decided to leave
us. This voyage should enable him to
take stock. Even so, claiming that this
Bouarate was here, right next to us, is surprising, wouldn't you say? Captain You know, Douarre,
anything is possible. Even losing your
head a little, once in a while, I mean. Bouarate on another part of the stage Hey, Taragnat, wake
up. I've still got some things to tell
you. You have to make the most of
it. The other two are not concerned with
you any more. Taragnat Bouarate, you
again. Leave me alone. aside Good Lord, I'm losing
my mind. I'm raving. I'm sick, I'm beginning to talk all by
myself. Bouarate You're not all
alone. I am here, take a good look
inside your mind. There's a place for me
there. Taragnat There's nothing in my
mind but the misfortune at having lost a friend. You killed Marmoiton, he who only spoke to
you of love and God. Bouarate Of love? Are you serious?! He let his pigs run around
all over the place and set his dog on people as soon as they came near. Yes, we killed him, but what of it, you were
foreigners and we had to send you a strong enough message that we wouldn't take
being robbed lying down. So, then, that
day, we lost our heads a little, as your Captain says. Taragnat He is not MY
Captain. But we didn't want to rob
you. We only came to bring you the word
of God. Bouarate The word of your God,
yes - well, why not -, our gods won't die from that. They have survived other disasters. But chances are that other men will soon
come, and I'm not sure that they'll all speak like you and Douarre. They'll be more interested in what we've got
here on earth than in heaven. Taragnat Oh my God, what's
happening to me? Here I am talking to a
shadow. Monsignor Douarre, can't you
really see anything? Bouarate has come
back to haunt me. Bouarate Be quiet or they'll
really lock you away. I'm telling you
that they can't even hear me. You're
really too unbelieving. You want proof,
is that it, well then take a good look.
He won't even see me when I go and take off his hat. Douarre's hat falls off.
The Captain tries in vain to catch it. Douarre My hat, but what the
devil?... Bouarate You see, I am
definitely on this ship, since his hat fell of.
You want further proof? This time
take a look at the Captain. He's going
to fall over. The Captain trips, turns around, looks at the ground, trying
to find out what it was he might have stumbled on, but there is nothing. Captain This deck is
cluttered. There's too much sloppiness
around here. I'm going to have to put
things in order again. Bouarate You see. And I could have had him fall overboard. But as I told you, I'm fond of you, and if
the Captain falls into the water, you will go and run aground on a reef, and
some of my cousins might eat you. Taragnat I am going to pray
and you are going to vanish. Bouarate I'll go if I have a
mind to. Your prayer will have nothing
to do with it. You're not in your chapel
here, nor are you in Rome or Jerusalem. Taragnat Go away. Bouarate No. ironically I'm enjoying myself
too much on this boat of Your Majesty, the Emperor. Taragnat Be off or I'll ...! Bouarate Or you'll what? For once I have the upper hand. And why don't you want me around? We have a lot of things to do together,
you'll see. Taragnat I don't want you
because you don't exist. I'm a little
feverish, that's all. Bouarate It's not fever that
you have. It's foresightedness. Taragnat Leave me. Bouarate I'll leave you. Farewell,
my little Taragnat. He disappears. Taragnat Finally, some peace
and quiet. I'm going back to
Douarre. He will know how to comfort me. Douarre Ah! Jean, there you
are again. So, that native of yours, did
he leave you alone? Captain That, I would really
like to see - a stowaway on my ship! Taragnat I think I'm a little
feverish, but it will pass. Tell me,
Monsignor, why do you think that our brother Marmoiton died? He who was so kind. Douarre I have no idea
really. We have to see it as a sign of
God. We still haven't been able to
convert these men over the past few months.
It's a terrible shame. Our
brother paid for it with his life. Taragnat The simple fact that
we're here might have irritated them a little.
Maybe they didn't want any part of our religion or our being here? And there was that dog. Captain Irritate them? Dogs?
Oh, come on, Taragnat. Listen
rather to your superior who sees only the hand of God at work. He is absolutely right. These men can't have given much thought to it
before acting. More often than not,
instinct is what guides them. It's true
they have a moral code and rules for living, but they don't have that respect
for life which bestows on us a greatness of soul unrivalled anywhere else. Douarre Even so, Captain,
that's going a bit far. Those men are
our brothers, whatever you say about it and whatever they may do. In other times we too killed, for our own
protection, I grant you. But without
much discrimination either. Captain That is quite
possible, but one day those brothers will have all gone. Just like in Australia, where your Taragnat
wants to go. Twenty years from now the
Tasmanians will have all vanished, so for those from around here it will surely
be the same. Douarre Captain, I can't follow
you there. Captain Whether you follow me
or not, that's the way it is. Taragnat Monsignor, I feel
like retiring. I'm going to try and get
some sleep. Douarre That's right. Go ahead, and don't think any more about that
Bouarate. He's a good man, I'm sure,
whatever our Captain might say. I think
highly of him, myself. But you must
forget him. Bouarate suddenly bobbing up behind Taragnat Instinct, come off
it. Does he think we're animals, that
man? I should have thrown him in the
brink just now! Taragnat What? You here again, Bouarate! But you swore to me you'd go away. Douarre Oh, so you're on
about that again, Jean. Why don't you go
back and lie down? Bouarate I didn't swear to do
anything, my friend. Why don't you take a look at these clouds here,
instead. Can you really see them? Try to imagine what they will be like in just
a little while. Taragnat I can see them just
as they are, fine clouds that you can hardly make out. They are so high, so fine, that you could
pass them by and never see them. Bouarate Do you think yourself
a poet? What I can see is much closer to
the truth. They are terrible bearers of
tidings without any pity or concern for little men like you who have ventured
forth in the footsteps of their chiefs into our inhospitable lands. Taragnat Are you going to tell
me that they are an omen of wind and rain?
Why, Bouarate, you're not now going to claim that you give orders to the
elements. Bouarate No. I don't give orders to nature, but I do know
men's hearts, and I can tell you that some, here, are preparing for a hell of a
storm. They are going to have to face up
to their own savagery, which won't be any less than what they credit us Kanaks
with. the previous four exchanges are said at the same time as the
following ones. Both dialogues are
carried on in parallel at opposite sides of the stage Douarre Tell me, Captain, don't you feel there's a chance of the
weather taking a turn for the worse? It
seems to me as if the wind is getting a little fresher. Captain I say, being a man of the Church hasn't stopped you from
having a mariner's flair. It's true,
Douarre, that the wind is stiffening, but no need to worry, my ship will hold
good. Don't forget it's been sailing the
seas for over forty years. Douarre You can't know with absolute certainty, though... Captain interrupting Douarre Trust me. And to be
perfectly honest with you, a solid squall wouldn't make me unhappy. It's in adversity, whether it be war or a
storm, it's all one, that a ship's captain shows his mettle. At such times his knowledge and courage can
be gauged. Let this wind come up, we'll
be able to get through. Taragnat These are just
ramblings on your part. Just like me,
for that matter. I ramble on, talking to
myself, imagining someone giving orders to the wind and the rain. angrily But get out of my
mind, will you, Bouarate! Bouarate You are still having
doubts about my really being here. Well,
just a take a look at your two friends.
A good, close look, especially the Captain. He lifts up his head and what does he
see? You too are lifting up your
head. You'll keep me laughing the whole
way, really you will. He sees the little
romantic clouds change into big cumulus ones and the wind springing up and the
storm which will be upon us in a little while, and then he'll be in a stir
about trying to save his boat. Come on, let's go
further on to find shelter for ourselves.
I've got to have a word with you.
Then I'll be off. They are not
worth my making an effort for. Taragnat How can I believe
you? They are going to take me for a
madman and let it be known all over that Taragnat's come down with the fever. Bouarate Be quiet a bit, will
you, and stop moaning. There are more
important things at hand. This is what I
have to tell you. We will never again
leave each other. Neither you nor I, nor
any of your family, nor any of mine. We
will always be with everyone who comes here to live. Even if that other madman imagines that we
will vanish, he is mistaken, because I will never disappear from your
mind. From your mind! Do you understand? Taragnat Good Lord, protect
me, I will end up believing that you really are here, because I can't have such
a thought all by myself. To think that a
spirit is living in me! To believe that
a storm can spring up just because an old man decides it! Protect me, my God, if you can still hear me. Bouarate Ah, there you are
starting to believe in me now. And yet,
I'm not supposed to be here, am I?
You're not saying anything?
Really nothing to tell me? Well,
then, rest assured, you're right! No,
I'm not here, not physically. The proof
is, your friends can't even see me. I
only exist in your mind. In your
mind. Do you get it now? Taragnat But are you here or
aren't you, so that I can know once and for all? Bouarate I'm telling you that
I'm not here, that I am not going to go to be bothered coming on board this
boat. I am only in your mind, and you'll
never be able to get me out. This is what
you have to understand, that is the secret, we are to be together forever. If you understand that, and if your family
understands it, it will be saved. Taragnat Saved? But saved from what? Is there supposed to be some danger
threatenening us? Bouarate Saved from yourself,
saved from your desire to have done with us, with what disturbs you, and that
in the simplest way possible. That is
the danger threatening you, your wanting to get rid of us, wanting to live as
if soon we were not to be here any more.
Like the other madman over there, he doesn't even realise that the
Tasmanians he talks about are already dwelling in his conscience and that they
will still be living in the conscience of his own children a century from
now. Because, you see, never again will
I disappear. Neither a canon shot nor
the stroke of a pen will make me disappear.
You have to get used to living with me.
Ah! Taragnat, do you understand this mystery? I am here, and at the same time still at home
tending my own garden. So, I must be in
your mind. There is no other possibility,
and you're not about to do away with your mind, are you? So, it is useless to want to get rid of
me. What a splendid revelation that
is. Don't you think so, Taragnat? Taragnat I don't understand
anything, but know this, that I have no wish to get rid of you. Live your life, Bouarate, and I will live
mine, here or elsewhere, I don't know yet.
For the time being, I am going off to my cabin, alone, quite simply, as
you can see. Bouarate And you, you can see
that I am still with you. You are going
off to your cabin? Good idea. But you think you have got away and yet here
you are talking to me. What do you think
about that? The magic is really working,
wouldn't you say? It is here to
stay. It will work its spell, whether
you are here or at the other end of the earth. Taragnat Go away, Bouarate,
please. I am tired. This dream is becoming too heavy to
bear. Leave me, I need to sleep. This boat is becoming unbearable for me. The Captain is talking of dying out, of war,
power and arms. Douarre is talking about
God, who apparently wanted Marmoiton's death as the supreme test of our
commitment to His glory, but what about me?
Who comes to talk to me about what I like and what I want, about a
simple life, at peace with the whole earth?
Noone. So I invent you, Bouarate,
I dream you up and feel less alone. What
madness, what a terrible dream! Bouarate I am going, little
Jean, but do not think that this is only a bad dream. We are bound to each other. I will engrave my presence on each and every
one of your thoughts, even the most secret of them, every thought of yours and
your descendants, for ever and ever. You
wanted to set foot on this land, to live here and have your God live here - much good may it do you. And, into the bargain you got its sons and
daughters. They are here, they are truly
at home, they are with you. In future,
you would do well to listen to your mind rather than your will, your mind knows
that it no longer lives alone. Ah, Taragnat, do not
be sad. I have a surprise in store for
you. Of all my brothers claiming to live
on in your mind, I am the appointed one.
I, Bouarate, am the one you
are going to rub shoulders with day in and day out. I will be your conscience and your
doubt. Right at this very minute, you
can see what feat I am capable of, so realise how lucky you are! I am with you, and for ever more. We are going to live out a great
adventure. We are going to be glorious
heroes, you and I! So there. Life is beautiful, your boat is gliding
nicely across the water with our trade wind, and the beaches are beautiful. You shall see. Together, we will not be bored! |