Republic of the Philippines

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY JPLPC-MALVAR

Malvar, Batangas
______________________________________________

THE FINAL DRAMA

The Final Requirement for Philippine Literature (LIT 101)
Second Semester, A.Y. 2016-2017

SABINA
Severino Montano

Cast: Sabina - a young farm girl

Mamerto - their grandfather
Rustica - their grandmother
Cleta - Sabina's aunt
Ariston - Cleta's husband
Ursula - their young daughter, Sabina's cousin
Antero - Sabina's older brother
Mr. George Price - an American

Place: Kawakan - a small farm village near the sea coast, to the far
north of Luzon.

Time: The present, April evening. Ten o'clock.

Scene:
The living room of a rather prosperous-looking but old
farmhouse in a Kawakan, a small farm village not far from the sea.

Scene:
It is a bamboo house with sloping bamboo rafters, sturdy
teakwood post and shiny handsome floors. A spacious platform upstage
center. To the right of the platform and above it is a door leading
into Sabina's room. On the right wall is a big window with mother-of-
pearl shellpanes facing the altar table. Below this window is the main
door leading to the entrance porch. On the left wall is the door to
the kitchen. Another window, a small one, is above the altar platform,

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center. The windows are luxuriant with ferns and air plants, gleaming
under the April moonlight.

The room is almost bare of furniture, for the

villagers are used to sitting on these shiny floors. But a bamboo
couch, a heavily carved teakwood chair, a camphor chest, a cupboard
and a cane easy chair are placed about the room.
An old-fashioned oil lamp hangs from the sloping
ceiling. Another lamp, a very new one of the “Aladdin” variety, stands
conspicuously on the cupboard. This lamp, however, is not lighted.
A novena is going on as the curtain rises. The
mourners, led by Rustica, and old woman who is apart from the rest,
are kneeling on the platform facing the altar table which is lighted
with several candles. The mourners are Antero, son of the house;
Cleta, his aunt; Ariston, Cleta’s husband; and Mamerto, grandfather of
the household. The prayers are said in an emotional litany like
monotone, and more or less chanted. The cry of a turtle is heard
faintly coming from the sea. It is about ten o’clock at night; but for
prayers and the voice of the turtle, the late April evening is still.

SCRIPT:

OLD WOMAN: Death is loneliness! Death is sadness!

MOURNERS: God have mercy upon us!
OLD WOMAN: We pray, O Lord, for the soul of our departed sister,
Maria!
MOURNERS: My God! My God! Let Thou not forsake her! In the
kingdom of Thy golden city, in the realm of life eternal, receive
Maria into Thy care!
OLD WOMAN: Dark is the mist that covers us, and weak indeed is the
clay house! Look upon us, O God, who are living!
MOURNERS: God have mercy upon us!
OLD WOMAN: We also pray, O God, for Maria’s living and only
daughter, Sabina! She is but a frail jar against the mighty tides!
Spare her, O Lord, from evil!
( The old man rises and turns coldly towards the big window.)
MOURNERS: (Casting quick glances at the Old Man, their prayers
becoming faster): My God! Let Thou not forsake her from the rages of
sin and the scorching heat of hell-fire, deliver Sabina, O Lord, from
evil!
OLD WOMAN: Amen! (She makes the sign of the cross.)

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 Crossing themselves too and rising briefly, the
mourners look questioningly at the Old Man.
OLD WOMAN: What made you rise just now, Mamerto? Is it the crying of
the black turtle that worries you, she that’s grieving deeply by the
river’s mouth?
OLD MAN: No Rustica! I’m getting tired hearing you pray for
Sabina every night. Isn’t it enough that we mourn for the dead?
OLD WOMAN: It’s also a blessed thing to pray for the living,
Mamerto!
CLETA: Indeed, it’s our duty to look after Sabina! I
passed by the village store this evening, and the women are laughing.
“How’s Mr. George?” they asked me. “Is it true your Aunt Maria died
because of Mr. George?”
OLD MAN: Your Aunt Maria didn’t die of any such thing,
Cleta!
CLETA: Didn’t she? Aunt Maria herself left heavy the
day Sabina was fool enough to go out with Mr. George!
URSULA: The doctor said it was her weak heart she died
of, Mother, not Mr. George!
CLETA: Keep quiet!
OLD WOMAN: Maria’s heart was heavy that day, God save her soul! I
fear her spirit will come back if Sabina’s not careful this evening.
Mamerto, what are we to do with Sabina?
OLD MAN: Nothing, Rustica! It would be wiser if we leave
Sabina alone!
OLD WOMAN: Wiser? Once there was a strange sailor who came roaming
round this village; a clean chap he looked like. But soon one of the
young girls bore him a child. The sailor left, and the poor girl died
of sadness!
OLD MAN: Mr. George is not a sailor, Rustica!
OLD WOMAN: He is a man, nonetheless, Mamerto!
CLETA: Do you know what the women in the market are
saying? This is the night Mr. George is coming back!
ARISOTN: It’s gossip such as yours that brings the devil,
Cleta! Stop it!
CLETA: Surely, it’s no gossip, Ariston!
ARISTON: Well, what if he is coming back?

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CLETA: Sabina will want to light that lamp again in
this house, instead of the candles.
ARISTON: What lamp?
CLETA: (Indicating the lamp on top of cupboard) That
new lamp there, brought by Mr. George the day Aunt Maria died!
ARISTON: And what’s so terrible about lighting that lamp?
CLETA: The village will be noisy with gossip in the
morning.
ARISTON: Don’t be foolish!
OLD WOMAN: Where is Sabina?
URSULA: I’ll look into her room, Grandma.
CLETA: Stay in the corner there, and be quiet. You are too young to
meddle in in such things!
ARISTON: What is the matter?
CLETA: Why, she’s taking off her mourning this very minute!
URSULA: Mother! I don’t like my black dress.
CLETA: Close your sinful mouth
OLD WOMAN: It’s a bad enough for her not to come to prayers these nine
nights.
URSULA: Grandma! Grandma!
ARISTON: What is it now?
URSULA: She’s combing her hair before the looking glass!
OLD WOMAN: It’s a bad omen to look into the glass, Cleta. This will be
a night of evil.
CLETA: Quiet! She’s coming now! Oh, my God the Lamp! Hide the lamp!
Antero.
SABINA: (cheerfully but simply). Good evening to you all. Your
blessing, Grandpa. I’m glad to see you Grandpa! Isn’t dark enough for
prayers in this house without closing the windows?
CLETA: The prayer is over Sabina!
ANTERO: Sabina, are you deaf? Don’t you touch the window!
( Silence, Sabina leaves the windows alone)
SABINA: I’m sorry, Grandma! Ii only wanted to let in the light of the
moon.

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CLETA: And what is it you are looking for?
SABINA: The lamp that was brought from the city….. Oh here it is!
ANTERO: Drop the lamp Sabina!
OLD MAN: You can’t blame a girl from wanting things brighter in a dark
house, son.
(Sabina look for a watch)
ANTERO: Why don’t you answer us? (Another silence)
CLETA: We are talking to you, Sabina!
SABINA ( Coldly) : And what if he returning tonight, Aunt Cleta?
OLD WOMAN: Leave that lamp alone, child. Its wisdom to be careful.
SABINA: Im tired of sadness in this dark house, Grandma!
OLD WOMAN: If you don’t listen to us, you’ll be lonely.
SABINA: Its your years wont to stand the brightness of the lamp,
Grandma for your life nearly broken! I’ll light the lamp.
CLETA: its useless to waste breath over a stubborn girl who won’t
listen.
ANTERO (Jumping toward her sister) : For Gods sake, will you listen or
not?
ARISTONI ( Holding antero back) : Antero! Take it easy!
ANTERO (Insistely) : What was happened, we are asking you!
OLD MAN: You have no need to raise a hand against your sister, son!
ANTERO: My only sister! God what a shame!
SABINA ( Resentfully) : I’ve no call but to be happy, Antero!
ANTERO: Happy? Its you’re doings that drove Mother to her grave?
OLD WOMAN ( Kindly) : Sabina, what is it that has happened between
you and Mr, George ?
CLETA: Whatever it was, the whole village is jeering and laughing!
SABINA ( breaking down helplessly): Stop it, all of you! Stop it!
You’ll drive me crazy with your wailing.
ANTERO: For God sake, will you listen or not.
SABINa: No! No I wont listen! You cant destroy my little share of
happiness now.
ANTERO: ( shocked) Do you realize what are you saying.

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CLETA: Since it your wish, we shall go. Come, Ursula! But whatever
happens to you from now on, don’t you ever call upon us! Are you
coming, Ariston?
ARISTON: Don’t be so hard on the poor girl, Cleta!
CLETA: Don’t come if you don’t want to! You can stay! You’d best be
coming along, Grandma!
ANTERO: Sabina, You’re a heartless fool!
OLD WOMAN : Come the cool night will calm your anger, son!
SABINA: Oh Grandpa! Grandpa!
OLD MAN: Don’t cry.
SABINA: Am I wrong, Grandpa? Am I very much mistaken?
OLD MAN: Outside love, nothing lives, Sabina! That’s what a wise man
said long ago. Surely, whatever the heart feels richly must be right!
SABINA: I’m trying to build me a nest, trying to weave threads of
laughter through it,
OLD MAN: Well, don’t cry!
SABINA: I mustn’t cry, for Mr. George is coming back tonight. Mr.
George is coming back!
OLD MAN: Mr. George promised you that?
SABINA: Many times, Grandpa!
OLD MAN: Are you happy now?
SABINA: Yes, again and again he has told me!
SABINA (Confidingly, Softly): We were there still when the twilight
was coming . . . he lying happily on the warm sand, and me very happy
beside him!
OLD MAN: (Answering her reverie with his): Yes child. What else can be
more beautiful than that?
SABINA: Then I haven’t done wrong? People like me haven’t done wrong?
OLD MAN (very Kindly): When you’re happy at last? . . . No, Sabina!
Surely, its wrong to know happiness when the glorious beginnings come!
Or if it is, perhaps love itself is a mistake, and maybe. . . Man
couldn’t be forgiven.
SABINA: But the people. . . They’re so selfish, Grandpa!
OLD MAN: Yes, indeed, men can be funny sometimes.
SABINA: And miserly with their loves, Grandpa!

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OLD MAN: Look to your heart, for it is your own best counsel! It’s the
best safest way to be happy! (Rising) Good night, my child!
SABINA: They say it’s ill omen to go by the back door at night!
OLD MAN: I don’t believe in omens! . . . Well, goodnight again!
SABINA (Cheerfully): Is there great need for us to be locking the gate
, Antero?
ANTERO: Are you so set on waiting?
SABINA: Don’t begin that all over again. Antero! Would you have me
growing old, like a sour old maid?
ANTERO: That’s not the trouble!
SABINA: It is! You should be well pleased I’m happy at last, after
doing my goodly share of hard work these long years since Father Died!
ANTERO: If you should fall into disgrace, what are we to do, your own
kin, who’ll bear the brunt of your chosen shame forever?
SABINA: Shame? Is it a shame to be happy?
ANTERO: Can’t you appreciate what it is to have a name?
SABINA: I love him so, Antero! I love him!
ANTERO: All right, but you know nothing about him whatsoever. Its only
three months you’ve known him!
SABINA: I don’t care about that!
ANTERO: It’s your duty to care!
SABINA: Mr. George loves me! I know he does!
ANTERO: I don’t care what your wild heart tells you! What I care about
is your own good self, do you hear me?
SABINA: He’s good to me Antero! Mr. George Is a good man.
ANTERO: I warn you he’ll leave you like thunder!
SABINA: No, no, he won’t. He won’t!
ANTERO: Oh yes he will!
SABINA: (DREAMILY) Mr. George and I will be married someday.
ANTERNO: Get married to him then, if you can! But if you know I’ll
show both of you where to enjoy your pleasures.
SABINA: You will not! You dare not! Oh let’s not quarrel!
ANTERNO: You stay away from the lamp!
SABINA: (Quietly) It’s my own lamp. Surely I’ll light it!
ANTERNO: Give me that lamp!

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SABINA: Let go the lamp, Anterno! Please let it go! You’ll break the
lamp.
ANTERNO: I don’t care! It’s this devil of a lamp itself giving you
such foolish notions about love.
SABINA: Give the lamp! It’s my lamp!
ANTERNO: (Wrestling he seizes the lamp and smashes it against the
floor) There goes your devil of a lamp! You fool!
SABINA: I’ll open the gate.
ANTERNO: Think of the scandal you fool.
Mr. George: (at the gate) Sa-bi-na! open the gate! Sabina are you
there?
SABINA: Yes, Mr. George, I’ve been waiting! (Then to Anterno, wildly)
He’s coming around the backyard through the garden. He is coming now.
Can you hear me? Mr. George himself is coming up!
(Anterno slaps her fiercely, throwing her to the floor. She
utters Stifled cry.)

SABINA: It’s alright now. You can have the front gate to yourself. It
doesn’t matter now! He is here! He is coming himself.
ANTERNO: Go ahead, wallow in the mud with him you reckless little fool
(Mr. George enters cheerfully from the back door.)
Mr. George: Well, well, How’s little Sabina this evening?
SABINA (Running too him) : Mr. Geoge! Mr. Geoge! I’ve been waiting!
Mr George (Embracing her warmly) : I sure feel grand to see you,
Sabina!
SABINA: I’m so glad you’re back, just as you promised me!
MR.GEORGE: I thought about you an awful lot myself.
SABINA: I was afraid you wouldn’t return to kawakan.
MR.GEORGE: I can’t forget Kawakan . It’s the place for me.
SABINA: You must now and be comfortable, Mr. George.
MR.GEORGE: You’re very thoughtful, Sabina. I like you, and I like this
farm.
MR.GEORGE (THOUGHTFULLY) : The women I know are kind, but you’re so
much kinder! God knows how much I’ve missed you.
SABINA: I’ve missed you too, Mr. George.
SABINA: Mr. George?
Mr. GEORGE: Yes, My dearest?
SABINA: Will you always love me?
MR. GEORGE: Always! Forever and always!

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SABINA (After a while, timidly) : Will you. . . let me keep that
love?
MR. GEORGE: It’s all yours, sweet! I never knew what that love meant
until I met you, Sabina!
SABINA (SIMPLY) : It’s myself I offer gladly, Mr. George.
MR.GEORGE: My little brown Sabina! Can’t it be like this always?
SABINA : Forever, Mr. George ! Our love will last forever!
SABINA: Mr. George, I wish to tell you a dream I’ve been dreaming!
I want to come to the City with you.
MR.GEORGE: Cities can be tiring, Sabina! City folks can be so tiring!
SABINA: Is that true, Mr. George?
MR.GEORGE: Very true, dear.
SABINA: Do they tire you, Mr. George?
MR. GEORGE: Indeed they do.
SABINA: Then I don’t want to tire you.
MR. GEORGE: I’m happy here Sabina! Come… don’t you think it’s time to
go to sleep?
SABINA: Just as you wish, Mr. George. I’ll have your room ready in a
minute.
She goes into her room, but she comes back quickly with a silver
sewing box.
SABINA: Before we say goodnight, there’s something I want to show you.
MR.GEORGE: Yes, dear, what is it?
SABINA (As she takes out several embroidered handkerchiefs from the
box); I’ve work them all myself, Mr. George, every night while you
were away.
MR. GEORGE (Taking the handkerchief): Sabina, they’re lovely. “To Mr.
George” Well! Well!
SABINA: I’m glad you like them. They are for you Mr. George. There’s a
little thought I wove into each letter, Mr. George!
MR.GEORGE: Darling, I cannot thank you! You’re the sweetest thing.
SABINA: I kept thinking about you and I will be married some day. And
I’ll bring a child into that house and many more if I am able.
MR.GEORGE: Sweetheart.
SABINA: There’s just one thing I want to show you. (She shows him a
baby’s lace bonnet.) For the gift itself I’ll bring you into that
house.

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MR.GEORGE: (Trying not to show confusion): Sabina! Do you mean… are
you…
SABINA: Oh! I’m glad I told you!
MR.GEORGE: That’s wonderful darling! (Silence) Sabina, have you told
anyone?
SABINA: I’ve told no one, Mr. George!
MR. GEORGE: Are you sure, Sabina?
SABINA: I’m very sure, Mr. George!
MR.GEORGE: Then don’t tell anyone… not yet… not for just a while yet…
will you dear?
SABINA: If you wish it, I shall tell no one… Aren’t you happy, Mr.
George!
MR. GEORGE (Distractedly): Yes, yes, of course, my dearest!
SABINA (Thoughtfully): I’m so glad you’re happy. And I am so happy
were to be married.
MR.GEORGE: Come close to me, darling, there’s something awful
difficult I want to tell you. We cannot get married.
SABINA: (Looking at him in consternation): What? Why?... You don’t
mean what you’re saying!
MR. GEORGE: I do. I’m already married, Sabina!
SABINA (Stupified): You’re telling me a lie!
MR.GEORGE: I’m telling you the honest truth, dear.
SABINA: Then, it’s…
MR.GEORGE: Yes, it’s true.
SABINA (Brokenly): Oh!... Oh!... It’s true then? What Antero said is
true then!... There something else?... Someone else between us!
MR.GEORGE: She can’t come between us! I promise you! Somehow, I’ve
never known her, my wife.
SABINA (Turning-away defeatedly) You’ve cheated me! You’ve lied to
me..
MR.GEORGE: I didn’t want to lose you, that’s why! Honest, I didn’t…
SABINA: You lied!... You lied!... Oh, you’ve cheated me!
MR.GEORGE: Dearest I couldn’t help it!
SABINA (Softly intensely): You’ll never know what it is to love!
MR.GEORGE: I never knew love until I met you!

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SABINA (Remorsefully): Oh, I can’t believe anything you say now! (She
sobs bitterly, but softly)
MR.GEORGE: Dearest, you must listen to me! You’ve got to believe me!
SABINA: I can’t be happy now. There’s an emptiness lying between us
now, a wide, black, silent darkness!
MR. GEORGE: Others can’t come between our love!
SABINA: Perhaps they’re not misers after all! Yes I can hear them
shouting! Outside love, all is death!
MR. GEORGE: Sabina, for God’s sake listen to me!
SABINA (Moving away): No! No!. It’s all so strange!
MR GEORGE: What are you saying to me? Think only of our love! Think of
our love!
SABINA: And what of me? What is to become of me? What shall I ever
tell them now?
MR GEORGE: Yes Sabina! Our love! Our love!
SABINA: I’m scared of them, Mr George! I’m afraid of the dark-ness!
MR GEORGE: I’m here, don’t be afraid! You must get a little rest now.
SABINA: I’m all right, to promise to come back!
MR GEORGE: That’s good, That’s the girl. ( He Goes)
( But It is Antero who appears. She recoils fearfully from him
)
SABINA: Oh, it’s only you, Antero. I thought it was Mother.
ANTERO (Coldly): A nice time for you to think of Mother! There’s no
use now! I don’t care if your conscience bothers you now!
SABINA (Blankly): YES! Antero, yes! ( Antero starts for the kitchen
door) Antero, listen to me!
ANTERO: Don’t you tell me anything! Get married if you can quickly.
The sooner you leave this house, the better. Go to the city with him,
if you can! I don’t care!
SABINA (Holding on to him): No. no Antero.! I know now that I was
wrong!. Listen to me! (She clings to him.
ANTERO: So it’s no, is it? ( He pushes her abruptly away; she falls.)
MY God, don’t come to me! Don’t talk to me! Don’t you dare tell any
of us anything! ( He goes to the kitchen leaving her on the floor.)
SABINA: Antero, listen to me! Antero, come back! ( She’s cries
pitifully.) It’s all right now! I was wrong, Antero! I only wanted to
tell you were right. I was wrong.

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ANTERO: Sabina! Sabina, where are you?
MR GEORGE: I heard a shot, Antero! What is it?
MR GEORGE: For God’s Sake where’s Sabina? (He rushes to the
bedroom.) Sabina! Why?
MR GEORGE: Call the doctor, Quick Antero!
ANTERO: There’s no Doctor in the village!
SABINA: I’m not afraid any more, Mr George!
MR GEORGE: Don’t Talk!
SABINA: Mr. George!
MR GEORGE: Darling, forgive me.
SABINA: Will you think of me. Always?
SABINA ( With an effort) : Tell the traders.. you knew of a dark
woman.. who was faithful, Mr. George!
MR GEORGE: Sabina, don’t leave me! Don’t Leave me!
SABINA: I shall be waiting, Mr. George.. on a sand hill by the sea…
I shall be waiting forever… (She dies.)
MR GEORGE (Sobbing) : Sabina!... It’s all my fault!
CLETA: What Happened? (She suddenly realizes Sabina is dead and cries
hysterically.) Grandma! She’s dead!
(The others try to quiet her. The old woman approaches
Sabina’s body and begins mourning, The men place the bamboo couch in
front of the altar, the women take a white blanket from the room, and
spread it on the couch.)
OLD WOMAN (Praying) : It’s an evil night! It’s an evil night, Mr.
George!
CLETA (Calling out to Mr George) : Mr George! Please leave our Sabina
alone!
OLD WOMAN (Lamenting) : It’s evil night, Mamerto.
OLD MAN : Her death but her new life just begun Rustica! Her life’s
bigger than our pretty lives now! Ours will be the sadness now ours
will be the loneliness forever! And we shan’t be happy. Till our
selfish hearts have learned to love truly forever.
They start to pray again. A brilliant shaft of moonlight falls on
Sabina’s body as the men carry her out, praying as the go.
(A bamboo flute is heard far away. Once more we hear
the turtle crying. )

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