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Johnathan:

(enters, obviously upset, calling) Martha. Martha! Where are you?

Martha:

(enters) Here I am, dear. I was just tending ...

Johnathan:

I have to hire new shepherds.

Martha:

Why? What happened?

Johnathan:

I can’t find a one of them. I went out to the fields and they’re not there. Here I thought I had hard-working, honest men, and they all disappeared.

Martha:

Now, Johnathan, they might have ...

Johnathan:

(continuing) Probably working for another while drawing full pay from me.

Martha:

But, then, wouldn’t they -

Johnathan:

It’s outrageous!

Martha:

- leave at least -

Johnathan:

If I ever get my hands on them. I’ll ... (thinking)

Martha:

- one in charge?

Johnathan:

They’d probably have the gall to ask if they would get a recommendation from me, but the answer is "No." (pauses, then more emphatically, now answering his wife’s question.) No, they wouldn’t.

Martha:

(not realizing the change) They’ve always been considerate before. It seems to me they would leave one in charge, if they were also tending sheep for someone else.

Johnathan:

I already said, "No, they wouldn’t."

Martha:

(confused) Oh.

Johnathan:

Bethlehem shepherds! Supposed to be the best! And they run off and leave the sheep.

Phoebe:

(offstage, calling) Martha. Martha.

Martha:

In here, Phoebe.

Phoebe:

(still off, but now talking as if she is face to face) Martha, have you heard ...

Martha:

In here, Phoebe.

Phoebe:

... I know where you are ... Have you heard (enters) the news?

Johnathan:

How could she if you haven’t already told her?

Phoebe:

(happy - for once - to see that she can also tell Johnathan the news.) Oh, Johnathan, you’re home.

Johnathan:

Obviously. (begins to exit)

Phoebe:

Martha, the shep ... and Johnathan - the shepherds are not in the fields tonight.

Johnathan:

(to Martha, for the benefit of Phoebe) For once I told you something before she did. (exits)

Phoebe:

Johnathan, wait. There’s more. (weakly) ‘Bye, Johnathan. (enthused, as before) Martha, the shepherds aren’t in the fields tonight.

Martha:

So Johnathan has said.

Phoebe:

They are running all over Bethlehem!

Martha:

Why are they doing that?

Phoebe:

That’s what I came to tell you and Johnathan. I could imagine what he would do if he found out the shepherds left the flocks before he found out why.

Martha:

(exasperated) Why not just tell me?

Phoebe:

I will! I am! The shepherds saw some angels who told them to tell everybody what they told them.

Martha:

Phoebe. You’re impossible! Them! They! Them! Who is - who ARE - them and they and them?

Phoebe:

It’s so simple. The shep ...

Martha:

Now calm down a bit. I’ll get to know about this faster if you speak slower.

Phoebe:

(pauses while she calms down) OK. The shepherds saw some angels who told them - the shepherds - that they - the shepherds - should tell everybody what they - the angels - told them - the shepherds.

Martha:

(joins in exact timing) - the shepherds. (finally understanding it) That’s nice. (calmly) Now I understand you.

Phoebe:

(excited again) That’s nice?!? That’s great!!! They told them that the Savior was born. Our Messiah has come! As a baby!

Martha:

(it’s dawning on her) Our Messiah has come.

Phoebe:

Yes.

Martha:

Our Savior has been born - here in Bethlehem!

Phoebe:

Yes!

Martha:

Angels told the shepherds!!

Phoebe:

Yes!!

Martha:

That’s great!!!

Phoebe:

Didn’t I tell you?

Martha:

Yes!!! Where was he born?

Phoebe:

(hardly audible, afraid that the bubble might burst) In a stable.

Martha:

In a stable?! (Phoebe realizes the bubble has burst.) Oh, no!

Phoebe:

Oh, yes.

Martha:

Here I was all ready to tell Johnathan. But now, I can hardly believe it to be true. Our Messiah - born in a stable.

Phoebe:

Would angels lie?

Martha:

The devil’s angels would.

Phoebe:

But the shepherds said it was such a glorious sight. Even when one angel appeared to them, the fields seemed bathed in light. Would angels of darkness do that?

Martha:

I guess not. I hope not.

Phoebe:

And they talked about the angels singing. Not just one or two; but thousands upon thousands upon thousands of angels singing, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill to men." It seemed all of the heavens were filled with the glorious sound. And all this was out in the open.

Martha:

It must be true ... even if only one shepherd saw it.

Phoebe:

But many shepherds saw it. They are all running around Bethlehem telling everyone they meet.

Martha:

I wonder if Johnathan could believe it if he heard it from a shepherd ... someone he considers a "hired hand."

Phoebe:

He would if he truly listened. But you know Johna ... I’m sorry, dear. I didn’t mean that,

Martha:

(not affected by the remark - having accepted Johnathan as he is) I should know Johnathan. I am his wife. And I know he wouldn’t believe a shepherd’s story.

Phoebe:

But would he listen to you?

Martha:

He might.

Phoebe:

(excited again) Oh. I almost forgot! There are more strange things about this night!

Martha:

For instance?

Phoebe:

When the bright light and singing came, the sheep were not frightened! And another thing ... (pauses)

Martha:

Yes. (pause) Go ON!

Phoebe:

Some shepherds returned to the fields soon after they had left, and it seemed like all the sheep were there. They weren’t sure, yet. But it seemed that way.

Martha:

Phoebe. How do you get so much information?

Phoebe:

I listen a lot.

Martha:

How do you have time to listen when ... (trails off)

Phoebe:

When I talk so much?

Martha:

(hesitatingly) Well. Yes.

Phoebe:

Remember. I tell it fast.

Johnathan:

(off stage, absolutely disgusted) Martha! (Martha goes to "door." Johnathan expects to cross half way into room on first syllable and reacts to Martha standing at "door" on his second syllable.) MARTH ... oh. (Johnathan continues with full attention on Martha and does not realize Phoebe is still in the room. He is still disgusted.) Martha. Do you know where those shepherds are? They’re running all over town telling everybody that our Messiah has come, that he was born in a stable!

Martha:

(does not realize she is speaking, and joins in, syncronized,) ... in a stable.

Johnathan:

(continues; does not realize Martha has joined in) ... and that they were told this by an angel.

Martha:

(as before) ... an angel.

Johnathan:

(realizes Martha spoke, but continues in disgusted tone) ... and soon many angels made the heavens echo as they sang: "Glory to God ... (fades off)

Martha:

(syncronized, as before) ... Glory to God in the highest and on earth (now becomes aware she is speaking alone and becomes more and more helpless about her situation) peace ... good ... will ... to ... men.

Johnathan:

How did you know?

Martha:

(turns aside to let Johnathan "discover" Phoebe)

Johnathan:

Phoebe! (crosses somewhat to her) I should have guessed.

Phoebe:

I was just leaving, Johnathan. (Speaks as she crosses to exit; but she is stopped at "door" when she hears her name.)

Johnathan:

Phoebe. Tell me. Why is it that you seem to know everything before anyone else?

Phoebe: (unable to resist this opportunity) Perhaps it’s because I listen a lot to what others say. (quickly exits) ‘Bye.

Johnathan:

(recovering, but saying it to thin air) But you seem to find time to tell everybody else about things! You’re not listening then!

Martha:

(calmly) Johnathan. Phoebe’s not here.

Johnathan:

I know that.

Martha:

(pause) Johnathan. You seem a little upset.

Johnathan:

(still raving) Why shouldn’t I be? I hire shepherds to take care of the flocks; they leave the sheep alone in the fields; they run all over Bethlehem with some fool story about angels and light and singing and stables and being commanded to tell everybody where the Messiah is born! Shepherds should remember their place! (slight pause, then correcting himself) ... their responsibility. It’s not their responsibility to tell anyone anything. Especially not where the Messiah is born - they should leave that to the rabbis and priests. Their place is with the sheep.

Martha:

But if they were commanded by God ...

Johnathan:

By angels!

Martha:

(acknowledges) Who were sent by God ... shouldn’t they obey?

Johnathan:

Not when it interferes with their responsibility to ... (indicates himself, but catches himself before he says "me.")

Martha:

Is that so terrible that they would rather obey God?

Johnathan:

But how can I tell if they made up the story? We’ve been waiting so long for the Messiah. I almost wish it were true. But what proof is there that it is true?

Martha:

(quietly) Tell me something. Did you lose any sheep over it?

Johnathan:

(again disgusted) Did I lost any sheep over it? I’ve been up half the night trying to track down our shepherds, running all over Bethlehem, and you ask me if I’ve lost any sheep o ... (stops) Did you say "sheep"? (relaxes) Oh. Sheep. (then, thankfully) Martha. Martha. You know just what to say to get me out of an ugly mood. (pauses, thinking) How did you know?

Martha:

(all innocence) I have ways of finding out.

Johnathan:

Phoebe? (knows the answer, even with no indication from Martha) Phoebe.

Martha:

Think of it, Johnathan. Sheep without a shepherd for half the night and not one of them lost.

Johnathan:

It is rather ... unusual.

Martha:

(pressing a little) Unusual enough to believe that it is true, even if your hired shepherds tell you that our Savior is born?

Johnathan:

Do you believe it?

Martha:

Yes. (pause) Do you?

Johnathan:

I almost can. I almost want to. But he’s just a baby. How can a person believe in a Savior as a baby? I grant you, the events make it seem as if he is a person to watch. But I need proof. (He begins to exit with Martha.) I guess I’ll wait and see as he grows up.

Martha:

(at "door") How long will you wait? (both exit)