1 (Silas begins pacing. There is a sudden noise offstage left, followed by an exclamation. Silas advances cautiously toward exit. He exits. Silas returns holding Betsy by the collar. She wears a man’s coat and hat. Silas points at his captive, who huddles, shivering and afraid.)
2 SILAS: Now, my sly fellow, just what is your business here? (Silas advances toward captive, examines the face closely, and then whistles in surprise.) You’re a girl!
3 BETSY: Y-yes. My name is Betsy.
4 SILAS: So the British are using females now to do their nasty work!
5 BETSY: (With spirit.) What do you mean?
6 SILAS: My meaning should be clear. Here you are, creeping about the camp on a night as cold as King George’s heart, and dressed as a man, too! It’s as plain as a dish of beans that you’re bent on mischief.
7 BETSY: That’s not true.
8 SILAS: (He whistles loudly.) That will bring somebody here who’ll take you to General Washington.
9 BETSY: (Cringing.) I swear to you that I’m not a spy!
10 CALEB: What’s wrong, Silas? I heard your signal. (Looking at
Betsy.) And who is this?
11 SILAS: A female dressed as a man, Caleb.
12 CALEB: (Going to Betsy and examining her closely.) I told you the countryside was swarming with spies. I’ll bring the General to her. He’s not far from here now. And his wife is with him.
13 (Caleb exits.)
14 BETSY: I wish he’d hurry, then.
15 (Caleb enters, followed by General Washington and Martha Washington.)
16 WASHINGTON: (Looking at Betsy.) And who is this? Is this war now being fought by women?
17 SILAS: She’s a spy, sir.
18 WASHINGTON: Hm-m. (To Betsy.) And what have you to say for
yourself, young woman?
19 BETSY: I am not a spy, sir.
20 MARTHA: You certainly don’t look like a spy.
21 WASHINGTON: If you’re not a spy, what are you? And what are you doing here?
22 BETSY: (Defiantly.) I can’t say, sir.
23 WASHINGTON: (A bit impatiently.) Surely, if your presence here is entirely innocent, you can tell us about it. (More gently.) I don’t bite, child.
24 BETSY: (Beginning to cry.) I—I can’t say.
25 MARTHA: (Gently.) Why can’t you tell us why you are here?
26 BETSY: Because—well, because someone would get into trouble if I did.
27 MARTHA: But can’t you see that you’re in even greater trouble yourself?
28 WASHINGTON: Please—let’s get to the business at hand. You had better come with us, young woman.
29 MARTHA: Wait, George. (Leading Betsy right.) Let’s go over here, and you can whisper your secret to me.
30 BETSY: (Obviously relieved.) I will! (She starts whispering to Martha, who smiles and nods with increasing signs of approval.)
31 WASHINGTON: Do you know anything of a soldier named Sam Howard? He’s missing from his quarters.
32 SILAS: (Hesitating.) W-well, sir—
33 WASHINGTON: I see. He has deserted, and you don’t want to give
him away.
34 CALEB: Sam has gone back to his farm, sir. It’s only a few miles from here.
35 WASHINGTON: (Shaking his head.) If only we can get through this bitter winter. It does things to a man, weakens the very moral fiber of him.
36 (Martha and Betsy walk to center.)
37 MARTHA: George—this young woman is no spy.
38 WASHINGTON: Indeed—then what is she?
39 MARTHA: I’ll tell you privately, George. There is no reason for her secret to be shared by the entire army.
40 WASHINGTON: (Dubiously.) But, surely—
41 MARTHA: (Irritated.) George, certainly you don’t doubt the word of
your own wife.
42 WASHINGTON: (To Silas and Caleb.) Give her something warm to drink.
43 (Silas, Caleb and Betsy go toward right. Before they exit, Betsy speaks.)
44 BETSY: Thank you with all my heart. (The three exit.)
45 (Sam Howard enters quietly and pauses hesitantly.)
46 WASHINGTON: Who goes there? (Sam goes center, surprised at
the sight of Washington.) Your face is familiar.
47 SAM: (Saluting.) Sam Howard, sir.
48 WASHINGTON: I heard you had gone back to your farm.
49 SAM: I couldn’t do it, sir.
50 WASHINGTON: Good lad!
51 SAM: You see, sir, I have been worried about my wife. She hasn’t been well, and then there is the baby to care for.
52 MARTHA: Your Betsy is here. She came near to being taken as a spy.
53 SAM: What is she doing so far from home?
54 WASHINGTON: You’re not the only one who would like to solve
that mystery.
55 MARTHA: (To Sam.) When Betsy received your last letter, Sam—
56 SAM: (Sighing, ruefully.) I said a lot of foolish things in that letter.
57 MARTHA: When Betsy received it, she had a suspicion you might be planning to desert the army. So she walked a good eight or ten miles to see you tonight.
58 SAM: Poor Betsy—in all this cold.
59 MARTHA: She wanted to persuade you to stay. She says that she is over her sickness, and that she can manage things on the farm. Her mother and father have come to stay with her.
60 WASHINGTON: (Thoughtfully.) So that is why young Betsy attempted to break through the lines tonight. I see now why she was reluctant to discuss her mission.
1. What is significant about Martha’s approach to talking with Betsy?
A It causes George Washington to change the way he speaks to
others.
B It allows Martha to show Betsy that her presence at the camp is unnecessary.
C It allows Betsy to keep her motive hidden from George Washington.
D It causes Betsy to feel comfortable sharing her reason for being near the camp.
2. In line 6, the playwright uses the comparison “it’s as plain as a dish of beans” most likely to emphasize that —
A. Betsy is dressed like a common farmer
B. Betsy appears weary and hungry from her journey
C. Betsy is obviously doing something suspicious
D. Betsy’s presence is insignificant
3. How does the historical time period affect the plot?
A. By making Sam regret what he wrote to Betsy in a letter
B. By forcing Silas to ask for help in dealing with a problem
C. By leading Martha to need to speak to George away from others
D. By causing Betsy to have to travel in order to communicate with Sam
4. What is a central message in this play?
A. Sometimes it is difficult to correct a mistake.
B. It is important to rely on others for help.
C. Understanding a situation may take time and patience.
D. Ignoring advice from others can have harsh consequences.
5. How does the playwright develop George Washington’s character through the dialogue in lines 37 through 42?
A. By revealing that Washington does not believe in keeping secrets from his soldiers
B. By demonstrating that Washington considers the opinion of his wife
C. By suggesting that Washington is suspicious of anyone unfamiliar to him
D. By showing that Washington depends on his wife to identify spies
……………
1. What is significant about Martha’s approach to talking with Betsy?
D. It causes Betsy to feel comfortable sharing her reason for being near the camp.
2. In line 6, the playwright uses the comparison “it’s as plain as a dish of beans” most likely to emphasize that —
C. Betsy is obviously doing something suspicious
3. How does the historical time period affect the plot?
D. By causing Betsy to have to travel in order to communicate with Sam
4. What is a central message in this play?
C. Understanding a situation may take time and patience.
5. How does the playwright develop George Washington’s character through the dialogue in lines 37 through 42?
B. By demonstrating that Washington considers the opinion of his wife
d
1. The significant about Martha’s approach to talking with Betsy is that it allows Betsy to keep her motive hidden from George Washington. This is seen in line 29 when Martha suggests they go somewhere else for Betsy to whisper her secret to her.
2. In line 6, the playwright uses the comparison "it's as plain as a dish of beans" most likely to emphasize that Betsy is obviously doing something suspicious. This implies that her behavior and appearance are clearly indicating that she is up to no good.
3. The historical time period affects the plot by causing Betsy to have to travel in order to communicate with Sam. In line 57, it is mentioned that Betsy walked a good eight or ten miles to see Sam on the night she was caught near the camp. This shows that the historical context of the Revolutionary War and the difficulties of communication at the time are driving the actions of the characters.
4. A central message in this play is that understanding a situation may take time and patience. This is shown through Betsy's reluctance to reveal her motive, Martha's persistence in talking to her privately, and Washington's willingness to listen and understand.
5. The playwright develops George Washington's character through the dialogue in lines 37 through 42 by demonstrating that Washington considers the opinion of his wife. In line 40, Washington expresses his doubts about keeping Betsy's secret from the entire army, but Martha asserts her credibility and asks him not to doubt her word. This shows that Washington values and trusts his wife's judgment.
1. To answer the first question, we can look at the dialogue between Martha and Betsy in lines 29-30: "Let’s go over here, and you can whisper your secret to me." This shows that Martha approaches Betsy in a private and understanding manner, creating a safe space for Betsy to share her motives without fear of judgment or punishment.
The correct answer is D. It causes Betsy to feel comfortable sharing her reason for being near the camp.
2. To answer the second question, we can analyze the use of the simile "it’s as plain as a dish of beans" in line 6. This comparison emphasizes the obviousness of Betsy's suspicious behavior, suggesting that her presence and actions are clear indications of her involvement in something mischievous.
The correct answer is C. Betsy is obviously doing something suspicious.
3. To answer the third question, we need to consider how the historical time period affects the plot. In this case, Betsy's need to travel in order to communicate with Sam highlights the challenges and limitations of communication during the Revolutionary War.
The correct answer is D. By causing Betsy to have to travel in order to communicate with Sam.
4. To determine the central message in this play, we can reflect on the themes presented. The play highlights the importance of understanding a situation, as demonstrated by Martha's patient and compassionate approach to getting Betsy to reveal her motives.
The correct answer is C. Understanding a situation may take time and patience.
5. To analyze how the playwright develops George Washington's character, we can examine his dialogues with Martha in lines 37-42. Washington's willingness to listen to his wife's opinion and consider her judgment demonstrates that he values and respects her input, showcasing his characteristics of open-mindedness and collaboration.
The correct answer is B. By demonstrating that Washington considers the opinion of his wife.