Frog

CHEN MEI: Hear my report, Your Honour: My name is Chen Mei, I am from Northeast Gaomi Township. I lost my mother when I was a girl and grew up alone with my older sister. We took jobs at a toy factory, where there was a fire that killed my sister and destroyed my face…

GAO MENGJIU: Remove your veil, Chen Mei, and let me see the damage.

CHEN MEI: I cannot remove it, Magistrate Bao.

GAO MENGJIU: Why not?

CHEN MEI: With it on I am human, if I remove it I am a demon.

GAO MENGJIU: When I decide a case, Chen Mei, I follow the letter of the law. With that veil over your face, how am I supposed to know you are who you say you are?

CHEN MEI: Will you tell them all to cover their eyes, Your Honour?

GAO MENGJIU: Cover your eyes, all of you.

CHEN MEI: I will let you see, Magistrate. It is a bitter life I lead!

Chen Mei puts the baby down, removes the veil, and covers her face with both hands.

Gao makes a sign to the front of the hall. Little Lion rushes forward and picks up the baby.

LITTLE LION: (sobs) My darling, Jinwa, my little Jinwa, let Mama take a look at you… Tadpole, come look, what’s wrong with Jinwa… that crazy woman has killed my baby!

CHEN MEI: (screams and madly rushes towards Little Lion) My baby… Your Honour, she has stolen my baby…

The yamen clerks stop her.

Gugu slowly enters.

TADPOLE: Gugu is here.

LITTLE LION: Gugu, tell me what’s wrong with Jinwa.

Gugu pinches and rubs the child in places. The baby cries. Tadpole hands Little Lion a nursing bottle. She puts the nipple in the baby’s mouth. The crying stops.

CHEN MEI: Don’t let her feed my baby, Your Honour. That milk is toxic. I have milk, Your Honour… I’ll squeeze some out for Your Honour if you do not believe me.

Chen Bi and Li Shou enter.

CHEN BI: (pounds a crutch on the floor) Fairness, I demand fairness!

GAO MENGJIU: (sorrowfully) Cover your face, Chen Mei.

CHEN MEI: (terrified, she grabs the veil and covers her face) I have frightened you, Your Honour. I am so sorry.

GAO MENGJIU: Chen Mei, your case has fallen into my hands, so I must get to the bottom of it.

CHEN MEI: Thank you, Your Honour.

Tadpole and Yuan Sai try to bundle Little Lion off the stage.

GAO MENGJIU: (bangs his shoe on the table) Stop right there! No one leaves until I have handed down my judgement. Watch them, yamen clerks.

The director gives a sign to Gao, who pretends not to have seen it.

GAO MENGJIU: Chen Mei, you insist that the baby is yours. Then I ask you, who is the father?

CHEN MEI: He is a high official, a rich man, a powerful man.

GAO MENGJIU: No matter how high, how rich, or how powerful, he must have a name.

CHEN MEI: I do not know his name.

GAO MENGJIU: When were you married?

CHEN MEI: I have never been married.

GAO MENGJIU: Oh, a child out of wedlock. Then when did you and he… in bed?

CHEN MEI: I do not understand, Your Honour.

GAO MENGJIU: Ah! When did you sleep with him? What do they say — make love? Understand?

CHEN MEI: I have never slept with a man, Your Honour, I am a virgin.

GAO MENGJIU: Ah! Now I am confused. How could you be pregnant and have a baby if you have never slept with a man? Are you ignorant of basic biological knowledge?

CHEN MEI: Your Honour, every word of what I say is the truth (points to the group that includes Little Lion) With a syringe they…

GAO MENGJIU: A test tube baby.

CHEN MEI: No, not a test tube baby.

GAO MENGJIU: I understand. It’s the sort of artificial insemination they use for livestock.