The Goddess of Reason 45

The Goddess of Reason 45

Have done!

 

COUNT LOUIS

 

Anjou, Lorraine!

 

THE CROWD

 

Ah—h—h!

 

COUNT LOUIS

 

Bourbon and Valois!

 

[_Uproar in the hall._ MLLE. DE CHÂTEAU-GUI

_clings to her father’s arm_.

 

Forbidden words! Well, well, my child, I’m done!

My breath is out.—Forbidden words! Ma foi!

‘Tis to my taste to deal in contraband!

 

[_The First Judge rings the bell violently. The tumult

subsides._

 

A GAOLER

 

Château-Gui, take place beside the priest!

 

THE ABBÉ

 

Ah,

Monsieur le Comte!

 

COUNT LOUIS

 

Monsieur l’Abbé!

 

[_He offers his snuff-box._

 

FIRST JUDGE

 

The next.

 

_Enter_ YVETTE. _The crowd murmurs as it makes way._

 

THE CROWD

 

Yvette Charruel!

 

A MAN

 

Goddess of Reason!

 

[YVETTE _mounts the stair to the gallery and sits beside_

SÉRAPHINE.

 

CÉLESTE

 

So pale!

 

ANGÉLIQUE

 

No rose?

 

NANON

 

Only her lips are red.

 

CÉLESTE

 

So heavy-eyed?

 

YVETTE

 

I have not slept.

 

A YOUNG GIRL (_near her_)

 

Oh, oh,

Thy voice! ‘Tis like a violin playing!

 

ANGÉLIQUE

 

I know thou didst not sleep.—How looked the Loire

Beneath the moon last night?

 

YVETTE

 

Much as ‘twill look

Beneath the moon to-night.

 

[_With her chin upon her hand she studies the throng

below._

 

SÉRAPHINE

 

The prisoners—

 

YVETTE

 

Who rises there?

 

FIRST JUDGE

 

Thou ci-devant, De Vardes!

 

THE CROWD

 

De Vardes! De Vardes! Aristocrat! De Vardes!

 

DE VARDES

 

Rémond Lalain—

 

LALAIN

 

René de Vardes.

 

DE VARDES

 

This court—

Pray you conceive it is some greensward trim,

My cartel sent, received, the duel fought,

And thou the victor, since so wags the world,

Heart’s blood of mine upon thy rapier dark!

And I the vanquished in the sight of men,

Drowsing to death upon the bloody sod.

And all this folk but seconds, witnesses,

They are not here, nor there; we are the men!

Now, seeing death hath some prerogative,

I charge thee stand, antagonist! nor leave

This sunny field with thy triumphant friends

Until I bid thee go!

 

LALAIN

 

I hear!

(_To the crowd._) Silence!

 

DE VARDES

 

When I do think that once I called thee friend,

My wonder grows! The orchard’s blooming now

Where we did lie at length on summer eves

The while the mavis sang and sea winds blew,

And to the nodding clover droned the bee,—

Two striplings couched beneath an apple tree,

Talking of knights at arms and paladins

And what we each would dare in worthy cause!

That brow of thine was not so swarthy then,

Thine eyes were frank, we read from the same book

The deeds of Palmerin and Amadis.

Then up we lightly rose and went our way,

Hand touching hand,—Orestes, Pylades!

I, Jonathan the Prince, and David thou!

The figure holds, for Jonathan will die,

But wilt thou mourn him, David? No, I say!—

Nor o’er his kingdom shalt thou reign, Rémond!

 

LALAIN

 

René—

 

DE VARDES

 

I am, monsieur, the Baron of Morbec!

 

THE CROWD

 

Ah!

 

LALAIN

 

Silence!

(_To_ DE VARDES.) As thou wilt! He is long dead

That youth thou namest David.

 

DE VARDES

 

Ay, Citoyen,

He slew himself. I see his punishment.

 

LALAIN