the lady of lyons-第4章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
am I humpbackeddeformedhideous？ Widow。 You！
Mel。 A cowarda thiefa liar？
Widow。 You！
Mel。 Or a dull foola vain； drivelling； brainless idiot？
Widow。 No； no。 Mel。 What am I thenworse than all these？
Why； I am a peasant！ What has a peasant to do with love？
Vain revolutions； why lavish your cruelty on the great？ Oh that we
we； the hewers of wood and drawers of waterhad been swept away；
so that the proud might learn what the world would be without us！
＇Knock at the door。
Enter Servant from the Inn。
Servant。 A letter for Citizen Melnotte。
Mel。 A letter！ from her perhapswho sent thee？
Servant。 Why； MonsieurI mean CitizenBeauseant； who stops to dine
at the Golden Lion； on his way to his chateau。
Mel。 Beauseant！＇Reads＇。
〃Young man； I know thy secretthou lovest above thy station：
if thou hast wit； courage； and discretion； I can secure to thee
the realization of thy most sanguine hopes； and the sole condition I
ask in return is； that thou shalt be steadfast to thine own ends。
I shall demand from thee a solemn oath to marry。 her whom thou lovest；
to bear her to thine home on thy wedding night。 I am serious
if thou wouldst learn more； lose not a moment； but follow the bearer
of this letter to thy friend and patron；CHARLES BEAUSEANT。〃
Mel。 Can I believe my eyes？ Are our own passions the sorcerers
that raise up for us spirits of good or evil？ I will go instantly。
Widow。 What is this； Claude？
Mel。 〃Marry her whom thou lovest〃〃bear her to thine own home。〃
Oh； revenge and love； which of you is the stronger？＇Gazing
on the picture。＇ Sweet face； thou smilest on me from the canvas：
weak fool that I am； do I then love her still？ No； it is the vision
of my own romance that I have worshipped： it is the reality to
which I bring scorn for scorn。 Adieu； mother： I will return anon。
My brain reelsthe earth swims before me。＇Looks again at
the letter。＇ No； it is not a mockery； I do not dream！ ＇Exit。
ACT II。SCENE I。
The Gardens of M。 DESCHAPPELLEs' house at Lyonsthe house seen
at the back of the stage。
Enter BEAUSEANT and GLAVIS。
Beau。 Well； what think you of my plot？ Has it not succeeded
to a miracle？ The instant that I introduced his Highness
the Prince of Como to the pompous mother and the scornful daughter；
it was all over with them： he camehe sawhe conquered：
and； though it is not many days since he arrived； they have already
promised him the hand of Pauline。
Gla。 It is lucky； though； that you told them his highness travelled
incognito； for fear the Directory （who are not very fond of princes）
should lay him by the heels； for he has a wonderful wish to keep
up his rank； and scatters our gold about with as much coolness
as if he were watering his own flower…pots。
Beau。 True； he is damnably extravagant； I think the sly dog does it
out of malice。 How ever； it must be owned that he reflects credit on
his loyal subjects； and makes a very pretty figure in his fine clothes；
with my diamond snuff…box。
Gla。 And my diamond ring！ But do you think he will be firm to the last？
I fancy I see symptoms of relenting： he will never keep up his rank；
if he once let out his conscience。
Beau。 His oath binds him！ he cannot retract without being
foresworn； and those low fellows are always superstitious！
But； as it is； I tremble lest he be discovered： that bluff
Colonel Damas （Madame Deschappelles' cousin） evidently suspects him：
we must make haste and conclude the farce： I have thought of a plan
to end it this very day。
Gla。 This very day！ Poor Pauline： her dream will be soon over。
Beau。 Yes； this day they shall be married； this evening；
according to his oath； he shall carry his bride to the Golden Lion；
and then pomp； equipage； retinue； and title； all shall vanish at once；
and her Highness the Princess shall find that she has refused the son
of a Marquis； to marry the son of a gardener。Oh； Pauline！ once loved；
now hated； yet still not relinquished； thou shalt drain the cup
to the dregs；thou shalt know what it is to be humbled！
Enter from the house； MELNOTTE； as the Prince of Como； Ieading
in PAULINE； MADAME
DESCHAPPELLES； fanning herself； and COLONEL DAMAS。
＇BEAUSEANT and GLAVIS bow respectfully。 fully。 PAULINE and
MELNOTTE walk apart。
Mme。 Deschap。 Good morning； gentlemen； really I am so fatigued
with laughter； the dear Prince is so entertaining。 What wit he has！
Any one may see that he has spent his whole life in courts。
Damas。 And what the deuce do you know about courts；
cousin Deschappelles？ You women regard men just as you buy books
you never care about what is in them； but how they are bound
and lettered。 'Sdeath； I don't think you would even look at your
Bible if it had not a title to it。
Mme。 Deschap。 How coarse you are； cousin Damas！quite the manners
of a barrackyou don't deserve to be one of our family；
really we must drop your acquaintance when Pauline marries。
I cannot patronize any relations that would discredit my future
son…in…law； the Prince of Como。
Mel。 ＇advancing＇。 These are beautifui gardens； madame； （BEAUSEANT and
GLAVIS retirewho planned them
Mme。 Deschap。 A gardener named Melnotte； your highness
an honest man who knew his station。 I can't say as much for his son
a presuming fellow； who；ha！ ha！ actually wrote versessuch doggerel！
to my daughter。
Pauline。 Yes； how you would have laughed at them； Prince！ you；
who write such beautiful verses！
Mel。 This Melnotte must be a monstrous impudent person！
Damas。 Is he good…looking？
Mme。 Deschap。 I never notice such canaillean ugly； mean…looking clown；
if I remember right。
Damas。 Yet I heard your porter say he was wonderfully like his highness。
Mel。 ＇taking snuff＇。 You are complimentary。
Mme。 Deschap。 For shame； cousin Damas！like the Prince； indeed！
Pauline。 Like you！ Ah； mother； like our beautiful prince！
I'll never speak to you again； cousin Damas。
Mel。 ＇aside＇。 Humph！rank is a great beautifier！ I never passed
for an Apollo while I was a peasant； if I am so handsome as a prince；
what should I be as an emperor！ ＇Aloud。＇ Monsieur Beauseant；
will you honor me？ ＇Offers snuff。
Beau。 No； your highness； I have no small vices。
Mel。 Nay； if it were a vice； you'd be sure to have it； Monsieur Beauseant。
Mme。 Deschap。 Ha！ ha！how very severe！what wit！
Beau。 ＇in a rage and aside＇。 Curse his impertinence！
Mme。 Deschap。 What a superb snuff…box！ Pauline。 And what
a beautiful ring！
Mel。 You like the boxa trifleinteresting perhaps from associations
a present from Louis XIV。 to my great…great grandmother。
Honor me byaccepting it。
Beau。 plucking him by the sleeve。 How！what the devil！
My boxare you mad？ It is worth five hundred louis。
Mel。 ＇unheeding him； and turning to PAULINE＇。 And you like this ring？
Ah； it has； indeed a lustre since your eyes have shone on it
placing it on her finger。 Henceforth hold me； sweet enchantress；
the Slave of the Ring。
Gla。 ＇pulling him＇。 Stay； staywhat are you about？
My maiden aunt's legacya diamond of the first water。
You shall be hanged for swindling； sir。
Mel。 ＇pretending not to hear＇。 It is curious； this ring；
it is the one with which my grandfather； the Doge of Venice；
married the Adriatic！
（Madame and PAULINE examine the ring。 Mel。 ＇to BEAUSEANT and
GLAVIS＇。 Fie； gentlemen！ princes must be generous？＇Turns to DAMAS；
who watches them closely。＇ These kind friends have my interest
so much at heart； that they are as careful of my property as if it
were their own！
Beau and Gla。 ＇confusedly＇。 Ha！ ha！very good joke that！
＇Appears to remonstrate with MELNOTTE in dumb show。
Damas。 What's all that whispering？ I am sure there is some juggle here：
hang me； if I think he is an Italian after all。 Gad； I'll try him。
