the little dream-第1章
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The Little Dream
An Allegory in six scenes
BY JOHN GALSWORTHY
CHARACTERS
SEELCHEN; a mountain girl
LAMOND; a climber
FELSMAN; a glide
CHARACTERS IN THE DREAM
THE GREAT HORN |
THE COW HORN | mountains
THE WINE HORN |
THE EDELWEISS |
THE ALPENROSE | flowers
THE GENTIAN |
THE MOUNTAIN DANDELION |
VOICES AND FIGURES IN THE DREAM
COWBELLS
MOUNTAIN AIR
FAR VIEW OF ITALY
DISTANT FLUME OF STEAM
THINGS IN BOOKS
MOTH CHILDREN
THREE DANCING YOUTHS
THREE DANCING GIRLS
THE FORMS OF WORKERS
THE FORMS OF WHAT IS MADE BY WORK
DEATH BY SLUMBER
DEATH BY DROWNING
FLOWER CHILDREN
GOATHERD
GOAT BOYS
GOAT GOD
THE FORMS OF SLEEP
SCENE I
It is just after sunset of an August evening。 The scene is a
room in a mountain hut; furnished only with a table; benches。
and a low broad window seat。 Through this window three rocky
peaks are seen by the light of a moon which is slowly whitening
the last hues of sunset。 An oil lamp is burning。 SEELCHEN; a
mountain girl; eighteen years old; is humming a folk…song; and
putting away in a cupboard freshly washed soup…bowls and
glasses。 She is dressed in a tight…fitting black velvet bodice。
square…cut at the neck and partly filled in with a gay
handkerchief; coloured rose…pink; blue; and golden; like the
alpen…rose; the gentian; and the mountain dandelion; alabaster
beads; pale as edelweiss; are round her throat; her stiffened。
white linen sleeves finish at the elbow; and her full well…worn
skirt is of gentian blue。 The two thick plaits of her hair are
crossed; and turned round her head。 As she puts away the last
bowl; there is a knock; and LAMOND opens the outer door。 He is
young; tanned; and good…looking; dressed like a climber; and
carries a plaid; a ruck…sack; and an ice…axe。
LAMOND。 Good evening!
SEELCHEN。 Good evening; gentle Sir!
LAMOND。 My name is Lamond。 I'm very late I fear。
SEELCHEN。 Do you wish to sleep here?
LAMOND。 Please。
SEELCHEN。 All the beds are fullit is a pity。 I will call Mother。
LAMOND。 I've come to go up the Great Horn at sunrise。
SEELCHEN。 'Awed' The Great Horn! But he is impossible。
LAMOND。 I am going to try that。
SEELCHEN。 There is the Wine Horn; and the Cow Horn。
LAMOND。 I have climbed them。
SEELCHEN。 But he is so dangerousit is perhapsdeath。
LAMOND。 Oh! that's all right! One must take one's chance。
SEELCHEN。 And father has hurt his foot。 For guide; there is only
Mans Felsman。
LAMOND。 The celebrated Felsman?
SEELCHEN。 'Nodding; then looking at him with admiration' Are you
that Herr Lamond who has climbed all our little mountains this year?
LAMOND。 All but that big fellow。
SEELCHEN。 We have heard of you。 Will you not wait a day for father's
foot?
LAMOND。 Ah! no。 I must go back home to…morrow。
SEELCHEN。 The gracious Sir is in a hurry。
LAMOND。 'Looking at her intently' Alas!
SEELCHEN。 Are you from London? Is it very big?
LAMOND。 Six million souls。
SEELCHEN。 Oh! 'After a little pause' I have seen Cortina twice。
LAMOND。 Do you live here all the year?
SEELCHEN。 In winter in the valley。
LAMOND。 And don't you want to see the world?
SEELCHEN。 Sometimes。 'Going to a door; she calls softly' Hans!
'Then pointing to another door' There are seven German gentlemen
asleep in there!
LAMOND。 Oh God!
SEELCHEN。 Please? They are here to see the sunrise。 'She picks up
a little book that has dropped from LAMOND'S pocket I have read
several books。
LAMOND。 This is by the great English poet。 Do you never make poetry
here; and dream dreams; among your mountains?
SEELCHEN。 'Slowly shaking her head' See! It is the full moon。
While they stand at the window looking at the moon; there enters
a lean; well…built; taciturn young man dressed in Loden。
SEELCHEN。 Hans!
FELSMAN。 'In a deep voice' The gentleman wishes me?
SEELCHEN。 'Awed' The Great Horn for to…morrow! 'Whispering to him'
It is the celebrated London one。
FELSMAN。 The Great Horn is not possible。
LAMOND。 You say that? And you're the famous Felsman?
FELSMAN。 'Grimly' We start at dawn。
SEELCHEN。 It is the first time for years!
LAMOND。 'Placing his plaid and rucksack on the window bench' Can I
sleep here?
SEELCHEN。 I will see; perhaps
'She runs out up some stairs'
FELSMAN。 'Taking blankets from the cupboard and spreading them on
the window seat' So!
As he goes out into the air。 SEELCHEN comes slipping in again
with a lighted candle。
SEELCHEN。 There is still one bed。 This is too hard for you。
LAMOND。 Oh! thanks; but that's all right。
SEELCHEN。 To please me!
LAMOND。 May I ask your name?
SEELCHEN。 Seelchen。
LAMOND。 Little soul; that meansdoesn't it? To please you I would
sleep with seven German gentlemen。
SEELCHEN。 Oh! no; it is not necessary。
LAMOND。 'With。 a grave bow' At your service; then。
'He prepares to go'
SEELCHEN。 Is it very nice in towns; in the World; where you come
from?
LAMOND。 When I'm there I would be here; but when I'm here I would be
there。
SEELCHEN。 'Clasping her hands' That is like me but I am always
here。
LAMOND。 Ah! yes; there is no one like you in towns。
SEELCHEN。 In two places one cannot be。 'Suddenly' In the towns
there are theatres; and there is beautiful fine work; anddancing;
andchurchesand trainsand all the things in booksand
LAMOND。 Misery。
SEELCHEN。 But there is life。
LAMOND。 And there is death。
SEELCHEN。 To…morrow; when you have climbedwill you not come back?
LAMOND。 No。
SEELCHEN。 You have all the world; and I have nothing。
LAMOND。 Except Felsman; and the mountains。
SEELCHEN。 It is not good to eat only bread。
LAMOND。 'Looking at her hard' I would like to eat you!
SEELCHEN。 But I am not nice; I am full of big wantslike the cheese
with holes。
LAMOND。 I shall come again。
SEELCHEN。 There will be no more hard mountains left to climb。 And
if it is not exciting; you do not care。
LAMOND。 O wise little soul!
SEELCHEN。 No。 I am not wise。 In here it is always aching。
LAMOND。 For the moon?
SEELCHEN。 Yes。 'Then suddenly' From the big world you will
remember?
LAMOND。 'Taking her hand' There is nothing in the big world so
sweet as this。
SEELCHEN。 'Wisely' But there is the big world itself。
LAMOND。 May I kiss you; for good…night?
She puts her face forward; and he kisses her cheek; and;
suddenly; her lips。 Then as she draws away。
LAMOND。 I am sorry; little soul。
SEELCHEN。 That's all right!
LAMOND。 'Taking the candle' Dream well! Goodnight!
SEELCHEN。 'Softly' Good…night!
FELSMAN。 'Coming in from the air; and eyeing them' It is coldit
will be fine。
LAMOND still looking back goes up the stairs; and FELSMAN waits
for him to pass。
SEELCHEN。 'From the window seat' It was hard for him here。 I
thought。
He goes up to her; stays a moment looking down then bends and
kisses her hungrily。
SEELCHEN。 Art thou angry?
He does not answer; but turning out the lamp; goes into an inner
room。
SEELCHEN sits gazing through the window at the peaks bathed in
full moonlight。 Then; drawing the blankets about her; she
snuggles doom on the window seat。
SEELCHEN。 'In a sleepy voice' They kissed meboth。 'She sleeps'
The scene falls quite dark
SCENE II
The s