the lady of lyons-第11节
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M。 Deschap。 If thou deem'st thus； reject him！ Shame and ruin
Were better than thy misery；think no more on't。
My sand is wellnigh runwhat boots it when
The glass is broken？ We'll annul the contract：
And if to…morrow in the prisoner's cell
These aged limbs are laid； why still； my child；
I'll think thou art spared； and wait the Liberal Hour
That lays the beggar by the side of kings！
Pauline； Nonoforgive me！ You； my honor'd father；
You； who so loved； so cherish'd me； whose lips
Never knew one harsh word！ I'm not ungrateful；
I am but human！hush！ Now； call the bridegroom
You see I am preparedno tearsall calm；
But； father； talk no more of love
M。 Deschap。 My child；
Tis but one struggle； he is young； rich； noble；
Thy state will rank first 'mid the dames of Lyons；
And when this heart can shelter thee no more；
Thy youth will not be guardianless。
Pauline。 I have set
My foot upon the ploughshareI will pass
The fiery ordeal。 ＇Aside。＇ Merciful Heaven； support me；
And on the absent wanderer shed the light
Of happier starslost evermore to me！
Enter MADAME DESCHAPPELLES； BEAUSEANT； GLAVIS； and Notary。
Mme。 Deschap。 Why； Pauline； you are quite in deshabille
you ought to be more alive to the importance of this joyful occasion。
We had once looked higher； it is true； but you see； after all；
Monsieur Beauseant's father was a Marquis； and that's a great comfort。
Pedigree and jointure！you have them both in Monsieur Beauseant。 A young
lady decorously brought up should only have two considerations
in her choice of a husband； first； is his birth honorable？ secondly；
will his death be advantageous？ All other trifling details should
be left to parental anxiety。
Beau。 ＇approaching and waving aside Madame＇。 Ah； Pauline！ let
me hope that you are reconciled to an event which confers such
rapture upon me。
Pauline。 I am reconciled to my doom。
Beau。 Doom is a harsh word； sweet lady。
Pauline ＇aside。＇ This man must have some mercyhis heart
cannot be marble。 ＇Aloud。＇ Oh； sir； be justbe generous！
Seize a noble triumpha great revenge！ Save the father；
and spare the child。
Beau。 ＇aside。＇ joyjoy alike to my hatred and my passion！
The haughty Pauline is at last my suppliant。 ＇Aloud。＇ You ask
from me what I have not the sublime virtue to granta virtue
reserved only for the gardener's son！ I cannot forego my hopes
in the moment of their fulfilment！ I adhere to the contract
your father's ruin or your hand。
Pauline。 Then all is over。 Sir； I have decided。
＇The clock strikes one。
Enter DAMAS and MELNOTTE。
Damas。 Your servant； cousin Deschappelles。 Let me introduce
Colonel Morier。
Mme。 Deschap。 ＇curtsying very low＇。 What； the celebrated hero？
This is； indeed； an honor！ ＇MELNOTTE bows； and remains in the background。
Damas ＇to Pauline＇。 My little cousin； I congratulate you。 What； no smile
no blush？ You are going to be divorced from poor Melnotte；
and marry this rich gentleman。 You ought to be excessively happy！
Pauline。 Happy！
Damas。 Why； how pale you are； child！Poor Pauline！ Histconfide in me！
Do they force you to this？
Pauline。 No！
Damas。 You act with your own free consent？
Pauline。 My own consentyes。
Damas。 Then you are the mostI will not say what you are。
Pauline。 You think ill of mebe it soyet if you knew all
Damas。 There is some mysteryspeak out； Pauline。
Pauline ＇suddenly＇。 Oh； perhaps you。can save me！ you are our relation
our friend。 My father is on the verge of bankruptcythis day
he requires a large sum to meet demands that cannot be denied；
that sum Beauseant will advancethis hand the condition of the barter。
Save me if you have the meanssave me！ You will be repaid above！
Damas。 aside。 I recantWomen are not so bad after all！
＇Aloud。＇ Humph； child！ I cannot help youI am too poor。
Pauline。 The last plank to which I clung is shivered。
Damas。 Holdyou see my friend Morier： Melnotte is his most
intimate friendfought in the same fieldsslept in the same tent。
Have you any message to send to Melnotte？ any word to soften this blow？
Pauline。 He knows Melnottehe will see himhe will bear to him
my last farewell＇approaches MELNOTTE＇ He has a stern air
he turns away from mehe despises me！Sir one word I beseech you。
Mel。 Her voice again！ How the old time comes o'er me！
Damas ＇to Madame。＇ Don't interrupt them。He is going to tell her
what a rascal young Melnotte is； he knows him well； I promise you。
Mme。 Deschap。 So considerate in you； cousin Damas！
＇DAMAS approaches DESCHAPPELLES； converses apart with hint in dumb show
DESCHAPPELLES shows him a paper； which he inspects and takes。
Pauline。 Thrice have I sought to speak； my courage fails me。
Sir； is it true that you have knownnay； are
The friend ofMelnotte。
Mel。 Lady； yes！
Myself And misery know the man！
Pauline。 And you will see him；
And you will bear to himayword for word；
All that this heart； which breaks in parting from him；
Would send； ere still for ever？
Mel。 He hath told me
You have the right to choose from out the world
A worthier bridegroom；he forgoes all claim；
Even to murmur at his doom。 Speak on！
Pauline。 Tell him； for years I never nursed a thought
That was not his；that on his wandering way；
Daily and nightly； pour'd a mourner's prayers。
Tell him ev'n now that I would rather share
His lowliest lot；walk by his side； an outcast
Work for him； beg with him；live upon the light
Of one kind smile from him；than wear the crown
The Bourbon lost！
Mel。 ＇aside。＇ Am I already mad？
And does delirium utter such sweet words
Into a dreamer's ear？ ＇Aloud＇。 You love him thus；
And yet desert him？
Pauline。 Say； that； if his eye
Could read this heart；its struggles； its temptations；
His love itself would pardon that desertion！
Look on that poor old man；he is my father；
He stands upon the verge of an abyss！
He calls his child to save him！ Shall I shrink
From him who gave me birth？withhold my hand；
And see a parent perish？ Tell him this；
And saythat we shall meet again in Heaven！
Mel。 LadyIIwhat is this riddle？what
The nature of this sacrifice？
Pauline ＇pointing to DAMAS＇。 Go； ask him！
Beau。 ＇from the table＇。 The papers are preparedwe only need
Your hand and seal。
Mel。 Stay； ladyone word more。
Were but your duty with your faith united；
Would you still share the low…born peasant's lot？
Pauline。 Would I？ Ah； better death with him I love
Than all the pompwhich is but as the flowers
That crown the victim！＇Turning away。＇ I am ready。
＇MELNOTTE rushes to DAMAS。
Damas。 ThereThis is the schedulethis the total。
Beau。 ＇to DESCHAPPELLES； showing notes＇。 These
Are yours the instant she has sign'd； you are
Still the great House of Lyons！
＇The Notary is about to hand the contract to PAULINE； when MELNOTTE
seizes it and tears it。
Beau。 Are you mad？
M。 Deschap。 How； Sir！ What means this insult？
Mel。 Peace； old man！
I have a prior claim。 Before the face
Of man and Heaven I urge it； I outbid
Yon sordid huckster for your priceless jewel。 ＇Giving a pocket…book。
There is the sum twice told！ Blush not to take it：
There's not a coin that is not bought and hallow'd
In the cause of nations with a soldier's blood！
Beau。 Torments and death！
Pauline。 That voice！ Thou art
Mel。 Thy husband！
＇PAULINE rushes into his arms。
Look up！ Look up； Pauline！for I can bear
Thine eyes！ The stain is blotted from my name。
I have redeem'd mine honor。 I can call
On France to sanction thy divine forgiveness！
Oh； joy！Oh； rapture！ By the midnight watchfires
Thus have I seen thee！ thus foretold this hour！
And 'midst the roar of battle； thus have heard
The beating of thy heart against my own！
Beau。 Fool'd； duped； and triumph'd over in the hour
Of mine own victory！ Curses on ye both！
May thorns be planted in the marriage…bed！
And love grow sour'd and blacken'd into hate
Such as the hate that gnaws me！
Damas。 Curse away
And let me tell thee； Beauseant； a wise proverb
The Arabs have；〃Curses are like young chickens；
＇Solemnly。＇ And still come home to roost！〃
Beau。 Their happiness
Maddens my soul！ I am powerless and revengeless！ ＇To MADAME。
I wish you joy！ Ha！ ha！ the gardener's son！ ＇Exit。
Damas ＇to GLAVIS＇。 Your friend intends to hang himself！ Methinks
You ought to be his travelling companion！
Gla。 Sir； you are exceedingly obliging！ ＇Exit。
Pauline。 Oh
My father； you are saved；and by my husband！
Ah； blessed hour！
Mel。 Yet you weep still； Pauline。
Pauline。 But on thy breast！these tears are sweet and holy！
M。 Deschap。 You have won love and honor nobly； sir！
Take her；be happy both！
Mme。 Deschap。I'm all astonish'd！
Who； then； is Colonel Morier？
Damas。You behold h
