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Karma Series (2nd Shot)
From a Collection of Crowley's Plays and Scenarios
Sadie Sinclair, 22, pretty, ambitious, spoiled by her snobbish parents (“400”)
Scene 1. Adirondacks. Sadie makes her servants “fell their position acutely.” She is walking by lakeside, meets a blind man, “A.C.”, with a child. She gives alms very haughtily, but really loves the child. A.C. compels her to see picture.
Scene 2. The Picture. Earth — seeds grow — an acorn becomes great oak. Water — seeds grow — a shower wets a king and he dies of pneumonia and his kingdom is wrecked. Air — seeds grow — a pinhole in a balloon; it falls. Fire — seeds grow — a spark sets a city ablaze. “Make sure what your True Will is; feel that; kill everything else.”
The man vanishes; she is dazed and crying.
Scene 3. She scornfully rejects a Harvard boy who earns he fees as a “guide” to tourists in summer vacation. A mysterious man, A.C. accosts her, canoe to canoe, that P.M. and shows her astral picture.
Scene 4. The Picture. Immense in starry space is the Egyptian Goddess of Justice, Mast, holding sword and scales; her crown is a feather which never stirs; nor do her scales vibrate. Men and their gods throw all sorts of things, increasingly, ultimately whole worlds, into one scale; nothing moves; and almost invisible, misty hand fills the other scale. “What will you have to pay for your refusal of love and your social pride.”
She is frightened but angry; night has fallen: she is alone on the lake. Her parents send to seek her and all make a fuss over her adventure.
Scene 5. She accepts a decrepit Grand Duke. That night he maid confesses a faux pas; the man is dead. Sadie furiously dismisses her. Maid “I prefer my shame and poverty and my baby to your rank and wealth and barrenness.” Sadie disturbed goes out. A.C. on terrace shows picture.
Scene 6. The Picture. Her maid is now old, friendless, and in poverty; her son comes from work, she's happy. Sadie in palace, same date, crowds of courtiers; leave her lonely and wretched. Sadie: “Who are you?” A.C.: “Your own True Soul.” Sadie wretched all night.
Scene 7. Sadie married, her husbands' friends snub her. Her parents visit the court; she tries to hide them, her mother in anguish. She hardens heart, hurries them off. Mother “Good-bye for ever” and shows a cancer killing her. The Harvard man Blaise Baldwin comes as attaché to Embassy. He still loves her. In her loneliness she beckons him: he refuses.
Scene 8. Intrigue at Court against her. Her younger sister Sue is in love with Baird, a nice boy, but devoted to Sadie. Sadie is trapped into being alone at night with a groom. The Exposure. Sadie puts it on Sue, who nobly confesses, her man spurns her.
Sadie saved but upset goes alone to chapel. A.C. appears as a monk and shows her a picture.
Scene 9. The Picture. Sadie at 20 petting a one-foot python; at 30 crushed by a 25 foot ditto. Sadie joyously leaving reins to her pony; it takes the bit, and bolts to a precipice.
She is scared, asks rescue. The babe Hercules shown strangling two pythons; then young Diana controlling her runaway steed.
Her distress increases; she appeals to monk. He shows Justice now standing with sword raised to smite. She trembles and faints: he vanishes. The sword falls: the picture fades.
Scene 10. Riot in the streets led by a half-crazy woman. Soldiers commanded by Basil ordered out. Basil sick of courts: he joins the rebels. Palace stormed. Grand Duke killed. Blaise vainly protests against excesses. Sadie leaves chapel, finds all in flames. Hides, hungers, offers gold and jewels for bread; none to be had. Recognised and arrested.
Scene 11. Soviets formed. Sadie made to clean streets. Blaise has escaped and disguised himself as a Red Guard. Sees her and watches. Soviets order all women mated to Red Guards. Blaise plays cards with Sadie's guard and wins her. A tender love scene — very delicate. The mob revolt against the new regime and sweep Red Guards away. The mob gets drunk. Sadie is auctioned off and sold for a bottle of whiskey. Her buyer drags her to a corner; she resists, he knocks her out. “Stay there.”
Scene 12. She sees stars from the blow; then A.C. comes to her. He is in a long white robe and radiating light like a sun. The picture. Her “family tree” one day worth a crown, another day a gallows. Her wealth one day buys her feasts and service, another won't buy a meal. Her beauty, one day calling crowds of men, another day gets the fists of a drunken navvy.
Scene 13. Red Guards thrown back across river beyond town. Basil, wild at mobs ingratitude, harangues men. Blaise helps and turns scale. They rally to the throne. Loyal regiments under Grand Duke's nephew approach from country and join them. They sweep the streets clear of the mob. Basil saves Susie. Blaise saves baby whose mother has been trampled by fleeing mob.
Scene 14. Soldiers find Sadie in a barn, recognise her, lead her (still half dazed) to steps of City Hall, where the Mayor is proclaiming the end of the revolt. All cheer her; she wakes up and bows; but her eyes fall on Blaise.
Before her stands A.C. this time with fierce eyes and a drawn sword in his hand which he brandishes; it flames and smokes.
Scene 4. The Picture. The auction table again; Sadie on it, with one rag on her. The mob is there, but also her family and the Duke's. Two bidders contest for her; one, a bloated coarse man with an ass' head blows up a bladder painted to represent the World, and bursts it; the other, a shy child veiled, offers a shut lotus bud. A.C. vanishes with the vision. Sadie bows to the Grand Duke's nephew, and presents him to the people. She descends, mingles with the crowd and takes the baby from Blaise.
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