[To Saverny.] She must have a companion 'mongst these men.
SAVERNY.
And seldom travel round the world alone.
LAFFEMAS (aside).
If I can't capture that false actor here.
He's taken now—no doubt of that! [Goes out.
SAVERNY (watches the exit of Laffemas: aside).
I've done a foolish thing.
[Taking Gracieux aside, who all this time has stood in a corner gesticulating and running over his lines: in a whisper.
Who is that ladySitting within the shadow there?
[Indicating the door of the barn.
GRACIEUX.
[Solemnly.] My lord, I do not know her name. Ask him,
This lord, her noble friend.
[Exits on the side of the park.
SCENE VII
Didier, Saverny
SAVERNY (turning toward Didier).
Tell me— 'Tis strange how hard he looks at me!
Upon my soul, 'tis he! My man! [Loud to Didier.] If you
Were not in prison, I should say that you
Resemble a—
DIDIER.
That you had the exact appearance of—
His blood be on his head!—a man whom two
Short words of mine put in a tomb.
SAVERNY.
Are Didier!
DIDIER.
SAVERNY.
Who were somewhere, a certain night! 'Tis you
To whom I owe my life!
[He opens his arms. Didier draws back.
DIDIER.
I felt so sure I took it back.
SAVERNY.
You saved me—did not kill me! Let me know
What I can do for you. Do you desire
A second—brother—a lieutenant? Speak!
What will you have—my blood, my wealth, my soul?
DIDIER.
[Saverny gives him the portrait; he looks at it, speaking with bitterness.
Yes, there's her brow, her black eyes, her white neck;Above all, there's her candid glance! How like!
SAVERNY.
DIDIER.
SAVERNY (bowing, and making an affirmative sign).
You whom she loves and chooses 'mongst us all.
You are a happy man.
DIDIER (with loud and mocking laugh).
SAVERNY.
And loves no one but men of family.
Of such a mistress one can well be proud!
It's honorable, and it gives one style.
'Tis in good taste. If men ask who you are
They say, "Beloved of Marion de Lorme."
[Didier gives him back the portrait; he refuses it.
No, keep the portrait; since the lady's yours,It should belong to you. Keep it, I pray.
DIDIER.
SAVERNY.
So you are my successor! One might say,
As King Louis succeeded Pharamond.
The Brissacs, both of them, supplanted me.
[Laughing.] Then, yes, the Cardinal himself came next,
Then little D'Effiat, then the three Sainte-Mesmes,
The four Argenteans! In her heart you'll find
The best society. [Laughing.] A little numerous.
DIDIER (aside).
SAVERNY.
To be quite frank with you, I pass for dead,
And in the morning shall be buried. You
Must have escaped police and seneschals.
Your Marion can manage everything!
You joined a strolling company by chance;
What a delightful history!
DIDIER.
It is a history!
SAVERNY.
She probably made love to all the jailers.
DIDIER (in a voice of thunder).
SAVERNY.
Oh, joke incredible!—of Marion!
A man jealous of Marion! The poor child!
Don't go and scold her!
DIDIER.
It was a demon! Oh, my God!
[Enter Laffemas and Gracieux. Didier goes out; Saverny follows him.
SCENE VIII
Laffemas, Gracieux
GRACIEUX (to Laffemas).
I do not understand you!
[Aside.] Humph! A costume
Of Alcaid and a figure of police;
Small eyes, adorned with big eyebrows! I think
He plays the part of Alguazil in this
Locality.
LAFFEMAS (pulling out his purse).
GRACIEUX (drawing near, low to Laffemas).
Chimène has interested you. You wish
To know—
LAFFEMAS (low, smiling).
GRACIEUX.
Her lover?
LAFFEMAS.
GRACIEUX.
LAFFEMAS (impatiently).
GRACIEUX.
LAFFEMAS (approaching him eagerly).
GRACIEUX (with profound obeisance).
LAFFEMAS.
[Laffemas, disappointed, turns away with annoyance; then he comes back and shakes his purse in Gracieux's eyes and ears.
Know you the sound of ducats?GRACIEUX.
LAFFEMAS (aside).
[To Gracieux.] Do you see this purse?
GRACIEUX.
LAFFEMAS.
GRACIEUX.
LAFFEMAS (jingling the gold in his face).
GRACIEUX (grabbing the purse from him).
[With theatrical tone to Laffemas, who listens anxiously.
My lord, if your back boreJust in the center a great hump, as big
As is your belly, and if those two bags
Were filled with louis, sequins, and doubloons,
In that case—
LAFFEMAS (eagerly).
GRACIEUX (putting the purse into his pocket).
The whole of it, and I would say—
[With profound obeisance.
I thank you;You are a gentleman!
LAFFEMAS (aside, furious).
GRACIEUX (aside, laughing).
LAFFEMAS (aside).
On what to do, if any one suspects.
'Tis a conspiracy. They'll all be dumb;
Accursed gypsy devils!
[To Gracieux who is going away.
Give me backMy purse!
GRACIEUX (turning around, with tragic tone).
What will the world think of us, pray, if you
Propose and I agree to anything
So infamous as sell for gold a life,
My soul? [Turns to go.
LAFFEMAS.
My money!
GRACIEUX.
And we have no accounts to settle.
[He salutes him and re-enters barn.
SCENE IX
LAFFEMAS (alone).
The wretched juggler! Pride in such base souls!
If you some day should fall into my hands
Unoccupied with better sort of game—
But this will not find Didier! Now, I can't
Take all this crowd and put them to the torture.
This is worse work than hunting needles in
A haystack. Faith! a chemist's crucible
Bewitched I ought to have, which, eating up
The lead and copper, would reveal at last
The golden ingot hid by much alloy.
Go to the Cardinal without my prize?
[Striking his brow.
That's it! The clever thought! Oh, joy! He's mine![Calling through the barn door.
Ho, gentlemen, comedians! one word, please.[The actors crowd out of the barn.
SCENE X
The same. Comedians, among them Marion and Didier; afterward Saverny, afterward Marquis de Nangis
SCARAMOUCHE (to Laffemas).
LAFFEMAS.
My lord the Cardinal commissioned me
To find good actors, if there may be such
Within the provinces, to act the plays
Which he constructs in hours of leisure when
Allowed by State affairs. In spite of care
And earnest thought, his theater declines,
And is no credit to a cardinal-duke.
[All the actors press eagerly forward. Saverny enters, and watches the scene with curiosity.
GRACIEUX (aside, counting his money).
He's robbed me!
LAFFEMAS.
That I may know your talents and may choose.
[Aside.] If he gets out of that, this Didier's sharp.
[Aloud.] Are you all here?
[Marion stealthily approaches Didier and tries to lead him off.
GRACIEUX (going up to them).
MARION.
[Didier leaves her and joins the actors; she follows him.
GRACIEUX.
To have new clothes, get every day a feast,
To speak the Cardinal's verses every night,
A happy lot!
[All the actors take their places before Laffemas. Marion and Didier among them. Didier does not look at Marion; his eyes are bent on the ground; his arms are folded underneath his cloak. Marion watches him anxiously.
GRACIEUX (at head of troupe, aside).
Recruited actors for the Cardinal?
LAFFEMAS (to Gracieux).
GRACIEUX (with a low bow and a pirouette which shows off his hump).
Among the troupe. This piece I know the best.
[He sings.
Enormous wigs are spread.
Out of that fleece, in due time, come
Chains, gallows, tortures dread.
Whenever one called president
Shall shake his bigger head.
Wash, powder, and pomade
The hair which bald heads steal from beards,
Let them be combed and frayed
In shape of a right gorgeous wig—
Your magistrate is made.
Hurled wildly at the bench.
A killing kind of mixing up
Of Latin and bad French—"
LAFFEMAS (interrupting him).
Be still!
GRACIEUX (laughing).
LAFFEMAS (to Scaramouche).
SCARAMOUCHE (bowing).
"The Lady of Honor," sir, I open thus.
[Declaiming.
"'Naught is so fine,' said once a Queen of Spain,'As bishop at the altar, soldier in
The field, unless it is a girl in bed,
Or robber on the gallows—'"
[Laffemas interrupts Scaramouche with a gesture and signs to Taillebras to speak. Taillebras makes a profound obeisance, then draws himself up.
TAILLEBRAS (with emphasis).
Sir, I am Taillebras. From Thibet, sir,
I come; I've punished the great Khan, I've captured
The Mogul—
LAFFEMAS.
[Low to Saverny, who stands beside him.
A beauty,Eh, this Marion!
TAILLEBRAS.
If you prefer, I will be Charlemagne,
The Emperor of the West.
[Declaiming with emphasis.
"Strange destiny!O Heaven, I appeal to you! Bear witness
Unto my woe. I must despoil myself,
Surrender my beloved one to another.
I must endow my rival, fill his heart
With joy, while my poor stomach stings with grief.
Thus, birds, you can no more perch in the woods;
Thus, flies, you can no more buzz in the fields;
Thus, sheep, you can no longer wear your wool;
Thus, bulls, you can no longer raze the plains."
LAFFEMAS.
[To Saverny.] Listen, the fine verses! "Bradamante"
By Garnier; what a poet!
[To Marion.] 'Tis your turn,
My beauty. First, your name.
MARION (trembling).
LAFFEMAS.
He has killed a man in duel—
MARION (terrified).
LAFFEMAS (maliciously).
MARION (aside).
LAFFEMAS.
MARION (half turned toward Didier).
Your life and honor are of no avail,
If ever I have loved you, Roderick,
Defend yourself to save me from Don Sancho.
Fight valiantly against the fearful fate
Which must surrender me to one I hate.
Shall I say more? Go; your defense shall be
Your right to force my duty, seal my lips!
If love for me still in your brave heart lies,
Go win this combat, for Chimène is prize."
[Laffemas rises gallantly and kisses her hand. Marion is pale; she looks at Didier, who remains motionless with eyes on the ground.
LAFFEMAS.
Upon the secret fibers of our heart.
You are adorable.
[To Saverny.] You can't deny
Corneille is not worth Garnier, after all.
'Tis true, his verses have a finer ring
Since he's belonged unto the Cardinal-Duke.
[To Marion.] What a complexion! What fine eyes! Good God!
This is no place for you! You're buried here.
Sit down!
[He sits and makes sign to Marion to sit beside him; she draws back.
MARION (low to Didier, with anguish).
LAFFEMAS (smiling).
[Didier repulses Marion, who staggers terrified to the bench where Laffemas sits, and falls upon it.
MARION (aside).
LAFFEMAS (smiling at Marion, with an air of reproach).
[To Didier.] Now, sir, your turn. What is your name?
DIDIER (with gravity).
MARION, LAFFEMAS, SAVERNY.
DIDIER (to Laffemas, who laughs triumphantly).
Send all of them away. You've got your prey.
Your prisoner himself takes up his chain.
This joy has cost you a great deal of work.
MARION (running to him).
DIDIER (with a freezing look).
Madame!
[She starts back and falls crushed upon the bank: to Laffemas.
I've watched you creeping close to me,You demon! In your eyes I've seen that glare
Of hell fire which illuminates your soul.
I might have 'scaped your trap—a useless thing;
But to see cunning wasted thus grieved me.
Take me, and get well paid for treachery.
LAFFEMAS (with concentrated rage, trying to laugh).
DIDIER.
LAFFEMAS.
But with the Cardinal I'll write a play.
It is a tragedy: you have a part.
[Marion screams with horror. Didier turns from her with contempt.
Don't turn your head in such a lordly way.We will admire your acting, never fear!
Come, recommend your soul to God, my friend.
MARION.
[At this moment Marquis de Nangis passes across the back of the stage, in the same attitude, with his escort of Halberdiers. Marion's cry arrests him; pale and silent he turns to the characters.
LAFFEMAS (to Marquis de Nangis).
Lend me your escort. The murderer escaped
Our vigilance, but we've recaptured him.
MARION (throwing herself at Laffemas's feet).
LAFFEMAS (with gallantry).
'Tis I should kneel at yours.
MARION (on her knees, clasping her hands).
Have mercy upon others, if some day
You hope a jealous judge, more powerful
Than you are, will be merciful to you!
LAFFEMAS (smiling).
Ah, madame, reign at balls and shine at fêtes,
But do not preach us sermons. For your sake,
I would do anything; but he has killed—
It is a murder.
DIDIER (to Marion).
You lie! it was a duel.
LAFFEMAS.
DIDIER.
LAFFEMAS.
[To Marion.] Blood calls
For blood; this rigor troubles me— I wish—
But he has killed—killed whom? The young marquis,
Gaspard de Saverny,
[Indicating Marquis de Nangis.
Nephew to him,That worthy old man there. A rare young lord;
The greatest loss for France and for the King.
Were he not dead, I do not say that I—
My heart is not of stone, and if—
SAVERNY (taking a step forward).
You think is dead is living. I am he!
[General astonishment.
LAFFEMAS (starting).
There is his coffin.
SAVERNY (tearing off his false mustache, his plaster, and black wig).
Who recognizes me?
MARQUIS DE NANGIS (as if awakening from a dream, starts, and with a great cry throws himself into his nephew's arms).
It is my child! [They remain locked in each other's arms.
MARION (falling upon her knees and lifting her eyes to heaven).
DIDIER (coldly, to Saverny).
MARION (still on her knees).
You have protected him!
DIDIER (continuing, without listening to her).
Could he have caught me in his trap? Think you
My spur could not have crushed the spider's web
Which he had made to catch a gnat? Henceforth
I ask no other boon than death. This is
No friendly gift from you, who owe me life!
MARION.
LAFFEMAS.
Is it certain that this is the Marquis?
MARION.
LAFFEMAS.
MARION (indicating Marquis de Nangis, who is still holding Saverny in his arms).
LAFFEMAS.
MARION.
Can question such a close embrace?
MARQUIS DE NANGIS (turning around).
If it is he—Gaspard, my son, my soul?
[To Marion.] Did he not ask if it was he, madame?
LAFFEMAS (to Marquis de Nangis).
He is Gaspard de Saverny?
MARQUIS DE NANGIS (with intensity).
LAFFEMAS.
Gaspard de Saverny, in the King's name.
Your sword!
[Surprise and consternation among the characters.
MARQUIS DE NANGIS.
MARION.
DIDIER.
Yes, two were needed. 'Tis the least, to bring
This Roman Cæsar one head in each hand.
MARQUIS DE NANGIS.
LAFFEMAS.
All who survive a duel fall beneath
The ordinance. Give me your sword.
DIDIER (looking at Saverny).
SAVERNY (drawing his sword and presenting it to Laffemas).
MARQUIS DE NANGIS (stopping him).
Save me! I mete out justice high and low.
Our sire the King would be no more than guest.
[To Saverny.] Give up your sword to none but me.
[Saverny hands him his sword, and clasps him in his arms.
LAFFEMAS.
That is a feudal right quite out of date.
The Cardinal might blame me for it, but
I would not willingly annoy you—
DIDIER.
LAFFEMAS (bowing to Marquis de Nangis).
By loaning me your guard and prison, sir.
MARQUIS DE NANGIS (to his Guards).
I forbid any one to stir a step.
LAFFEMAS (with voice of thunder).
Of the secret tribunal, Criminal-
Lieutenant to the Cardinal. Conduct
These men to prison. Four of you mount guard
Before each door. You're all responsible.
It would be rash to disobey when I command
You to go here or there or do a deed.
If any hesitate, it is because
His head annoys him.
[The Guards, terrified, drag the two prisoners off in silence, Marquis de Nangis turns away indignant and buries his face in his hands.
MARION.
[To Laffemas.] Have pity!
If in your heart—
LAFFEMAS (low to Marion).
I'll tell you something—
MARION (aside).
His smiles are terrible. He has a gloomy,
Treacherous soul.
[Turning with desperation to Didier.
Didier!DIDIER (coldly).
MARION (shuddering at the tone of his voice).