the lady of lyons-第6节
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'tis the way with people of quality。
M。 Deschap。 But
Mme。 Deschap。 Hold your tongue！Don't expose yourself！
Beau。 I will bring the priest in a trice。 Go in all of you and prepare；
the carriage shall be at the door before the ceremony is over。
Mme。 Deschap。 Be sure there are six horses； Beauseant！ You are very
good to have forgiven us for refusing you； but you seea prince！
Beau。 And such a prince！ Madam； I cannot blush at the success of so
illustrious a rival。＇Aside。＇ Now will I follow them to the village；
enjoy my triumph； and to…morrow； in the hour of thy shame and grief；
I think； proud girl； thou wilt prefer even these arms to those of
the gardener's son。 （Exit。
Mme。 Deschap。 Come； Monsieur Deschappelles； give your arm to her
highness that is to be。
M。 Deschap。 I don't like doing business in such a hurry；
'tis not the way with the house of Deschappelles & Co。
Mme。 Deschap。 There； now； you fancy you are in the counting…house；
don't you？
＇Pushes him to PAULINE。
Mel。 Stay； stay； Paulineone word。 Have you no scruple； no fear？
Speakit is not yet too late。
Pauline。 When I loved thee； thy fate became mine。 Triumph or danger
joy or sorrowI am by thy side。
Damas。 Well； well； prince； thou art a lucky man to be so loved。
She is a good little girl in spite of her foibles make her as happy
as if she were not to be a princess ＇slapping him on the shoulder＇。 Come；
sir； I wish you joyyoung tenderlovely；zounds； I envy you！
Mel。 ＇who has stood apart in gloomy abstraction＇。 Do you？*
（* On the stage the following lines are added：
〃Do you？ Wise judges are we of each other。
'Woo； wed； and bear her home！ So runs the bond
To which I sold myself；and thenwhat then？
Away？I will not look beyond the hour。
Like children in the dark； I dare not face
The shades that gather sound me in the distance。
You envy meI thank youyou may read
My joy upon my browI thank you； sir！
If hearts had audible language； you would hear
What mine would answer when you talk of ENVY！〃
ACT III。SCENE I。
The exterior of the Golden Leontime； twilight。 The moon rises
during the scene。
Enter Landlord and his Daughter from the Inn。
Land。 Hahaha！ Well； I never shall get over it。
Our Claude is a prince with a vengeance now。 His carriage breaks
down at my innhaha！
Janet。 And what airs the young lady gives herself！ 〃Is this the best
room you have； young woman？〃 with such a toss of the head。
Land。 Well； get in； Janet： get in and see to the supper：
the servants must sup before they go back。 ＇Exeunt。
Enter BEAUSEANT and GLAVIS。
Beau。 You see our princess is lodged at lastone stage more；
and she'll be at her journey's endthe beautiful palace at the foot
of the Alps！haha！
Gla。 Faith； I pity the poor Paulineespecially if she's going
to sup at the Golden Lion ＇makes a wry face＇。 I shall never forget
that cursed ragout。
Enter MELNOTTE from the Inn。
Beau。 Your servant； my prince； you reigned most worthily； I condole
with you on your abdication。 I am afraid that your highness's
retinue are not very faithful servants。 I think they will quit
you in the moment of your fall 'tis the fate of greatness。
But you are welcome to your fine clothesalso the diamond snuff…box；
which Louis XIV。 gave to your great…great…grandmother。
Gla。 And the ring； with which your grandfather the Dodge of Venice
married the Adriatic。
Mel。 I have kept my oath； gentlemensay； have I kept my oath？
Beau。 Most religiously。
Mel。 Then you have done with me and mineaway with you！
Beau。 How； knave？
Mel。 Look you； our bond is over。 Proud conquerors that we are；
we have won the victory over a simple girl compromised her honor
embittered her lifeblasted； in their very blossoms； all the
flowers of her youth。 This is your triumph；it is my shame！
＇Turns to BEAUSEANT。＇ Enjoy thy triumph； but not in my sight。
I was her betrayerI am her protector！ Cross but her path
one word of scorn； one look of insultnay； but one quiver of that
mocking lip； and I will teach thee that bitter word thou hast graven
eternally in this heartRepentance
Beau。 His highness is most grandiloquent。
Mel。 Highness me no more！ Beware！ Remorse has made me a new being。
Away with you！ There is danger in me。 Away！
Gla。 ＇aside＇。 He's an awkward fellow to deal with：
come away； Beauseant。
Beau。 I know the respect clue to rank。 Adieu； my prince。
Any commands at Lyons？ Yet holdI promised you 200 Louis on
your wedding…day； here they are。
Mel。 ＇dashing the purse to the ground＇。 I gave you revenge；
I did not sell it。 Take up your silver； Judas； take it。
Ay； it is fit you should learn to stoop。
Beau。 You will beg my pardon for this some clay。 ＇Aside to
GLAVIS。＇ Come to my chateauI shall return hither to morrow；
to learn how Pauline likes her new dignity。
Mel。 Are you not gone yet？
Beau。 Your highness's most obedient； most faithful
Gla。 And most humble servants。 Ha！ ha！ ＇Exeunt BEAUSEANT and GLAVIS。
Mel。 Thank heaven I had no weapon； or I should have slaln them。
Wretch！ what can I say？ Where turn？ On all sides mockerythe very boors
within＇Laughter from the Inn＇。'Sdeath； if even in this short absence
the exposure should have chanced。 I will call her。 We will go hence。
I have already sent one I can trust to my mother's house。
There； at least； none can insult her agonygloat upon her shame！
There alone must she learn what a villain she has sworn to love。
＇As he turns to the door enter PAULINE from the Inn。
Pauline。 Ah！ my lord； what a place！ I never saw such rude people。
They stare and wink so。 I think the very sight of a prince；
though he travels incognito； turns their honest heads。
What a pity the carriage should break down in such a spot！
You are not wellthe drops stand on your browyour hand is feverish。
Mel。 Nay； it is but a passing spasm；the air
Pauline。 Is not the soft air of your native south
How pale he is！indeed thou art not well。
Where are our people？ I will call them。
Mel。 Hold！ II am well。
Pauline。 Thou art！Ah！ now I know it。
Thou fanciest； my kind lordI know thou dost
Thou fanciest these rude walls； these rustic gossips；
Brick'd floors； sour wine； coarse viands； vex Pauline；
And so they might； but thou art by my side；
And I forget all else。
Enter Landlord； the Servants peeping and laughing over his shoulder。
Land。 My lordyour highnessWill your most noble excellency choose
Mel。 Begone； sir！ ＇Exit Landlord laughing。
Pauline。 How could they have learn'd thy rank？
One's servants are so vain！nay； let it not
Chafe thee； sweet prince！a few short days and we
Shall see thy palace by its lake of silver；
Andnay； nay； spendthrift； is thy wealth of smiles；
Already drain'd； or dost thou play the miser？
Mel。 Thine eyes would call up smiles in deserts； fair one。
Let us escape these rustics： close at hand
There is a cot； where I have bid prepare
Our evening lodgmenta rude； homely roof；
But honest； where our welcome will not be
Made torture by the vulgar eyes and tongues
That are as death to Love！ A heavenly night！
The wooing air and the soft moon invite us。
Wilt walk？ I pray thee； now；I know the path；
Ay； every inch of it！
Pauline。 What； thou！ Methought
Thou wert a stranger in these parts？ Ah； truant；
Some village beauty lured thee；thou art now
Grown constant？
Mel。 Trust me。
Pauline。 Princes are so changeful！
Mel。 Come； dearest； come。
Pauline。 Shall I not call our people To light us？
Mel。 Heaven will lend its stars for torches！ It is not far。
Pauline。 The night breeze chills me。
Mel。 Nay； Let me thus mantle thee；it is not cold。
Pauline。 Never beneath thy smile！
Mel。 ＇aside。＇ O Heaven！ forgive me！ ＇Exeunt
SCENE II。
MELNOTTE'S cottageWidow bustling abouta table spread for supper。
Widow。 So； I think that looks very neat。 He sent me a line；
so blotted that I can scarcely read it； to say he would be here
almost immediately。 She must have loved him well indeed to have
forgotten his birth； for though he was introduced to her in disguise；
he is too honorable not to have revealed to her the artifice；
which her love only could forgive。 Well； I do not wonder at it；
for though my son is not a prince； he ought to be one； and that's
almost as good； ＇Knock at the door。＇ Ah！ here they are。
Enter MELNOTTE and PAULINE。
Widow。 Oh； my boythe pride of my heart！welcome； welcome！
I beg pardon； ma'am； but I do love him so！
Pauline。 Good woman； I reallywhy prince； what is this？does the old
lady know you？ Oh； I guess； you have done her some service。
Another proof of your kind heart？ is it not？
Mel。 Of my kind heart； ay！
Pauline。 So you know the prince？
Widow。 Know him； madam？Ah
