The Goddess of Reason 16
[_Laughing voices of young girls. Enter from the
convent_ SISTER FIDELIS _and_ SISTER SIMPLICIA
_with a cluster of young girls, pupils of the nuns or
refugees from Royalist families. They seat themselves
upon the wide steps of the fountain._ YVETTE
_leans against the basin and plays in the water with
her hand_.
A YOUNG GIRL (_to_ YVETTE)
We’re telling stories!
ANOTHER
Finish thine, Louise!
LOUISE
‘Tis told. The beau prince wed the belle princesse,
And they lived happily ever after!
A YOUNG GIRL
Whose turn now?
ANOTHER
Tell us a story, Yvette!
YVETTE (_turning from the fountain_)
_Beneath the halfway tree,
‘Tween Josselin and Pontivy,
Suddenly, out of the dark,
I heard a grey wolf bark!
Hoée! Hoée! Hoée!_
_The snow was on the ground,
The shadows all around,
Laid a finger on my lip,
As I stood, hand on hip,
Listening the grey wolf bark.
Hoée! Hoée! Hoée!
Beneath the halfway tree,
‘Tween Josselin and Pontivy!_
_A little child came by.
“Yvette, the wolf is nigh!
Yvette, take thou me up,
I’ve neither bite nor sup!”
Hoée! Hoée! Hoée!_
_The child came to my arm.
He was so fair and warm!
The child came to my arm,
I kept him safe from harm!
Hoée! Hoée! Hoée!_
_A light grew round his head,
I felt all cheered and fed.
“Yvette, have thou no fear!
Who giveth aid, to me is dear!”
Hoée! Hoée! Hoée!
The child no longer pressed,
White snow lay on my breast!_
_The grey wolf ran away,
Hoée! Hoée! Hoée!
There broke a splendid day,
Beneath the halfway tree,
‘Tween Josselin and Pontivy!_
SISTER FIDELIS
A miracle?
YVETTE
I do not know.
A YOUNG GIRL
I liked best
The beau prince and the belle princesse.
ANOTHER GIRL
Oh,
Thou’rt an Aristocrat!
[_The young girls return to their embroidery._ YVETTE
_plays in the water of the fountain with her hand_.
YVETTE
Gold fish, gold fish,
How are the fish of Quiberon?
A YOUNG GIRL
Were I
A fairy prince, then my princess should be
Madame la Marquise de Blanchefôret!
ANOTHER
If I
Were a princess, I would have for my prince
Monsieur le Baron de Morbec.
[YVETTE _turns from the fountain_.
A THIRD GIRL
They say
That in all France there’s none more brave than he!
And far and near she’s called La Belle Marquise!
A little while and there’ll a wedding be!
THE FIRST
But then, the poor Yvette! He is, you know,
Her prince!
[_They laugh._
YVETTE
Oh, mockery!
SISTER FIDELIS
Hush, children, hush!
Monsieur le Baron is her benefactor!
SISTER SIMPLICIA
He plucked her from the dreadful world outside!
SISTER FIDELIS
He placed her here beneath Our Lady’s care.
SISTER SIMPLICIA
In everything he is her truest friend!
SISTER FIDELIS
But for his condescension, ah, who knows
What in these fearful days might be her lot!
Here in this fold she’s safe.
YVETTE (_aside_)
Alas! alas!
A YOUNG GIRL
Oh, she is fairer than the fairy queen!
Clarice de Miramand and Blanchefôret!
YVETTE (_aside_)
Is she so fair? Is she so fair indeed?
I broke her fan—now she will break my heart!
A YOUNG GIRL
He is a knight like Lancelot!
YVETTE
Oh me!
She is the Queen, she is that Guinevere!
[_Distant music. The noise of footsteps and voices in
the street beyond the wall._
A YOUNG GIRL
Oh, outside the wall what is there passing?
SISTER FIDELIS (_severely_)
We have nothing to do with outside the wall.
A YOUNG GIRL (_indicating the door in the wall_)
Might we open the door a little way?
SISTER FIDELIS
The blessed saints forbid!
[_From the street are heard the drums and fifes of
passing National troops. The bayonets of the soldiers
are visible above the wall._
VOICES (_in the street_)
_Allons, enfants de la patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé!_
A YOUNG GIRL
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