the lady of lyons-第8节
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heritage I have lostthe heritage I took unstained from thee
and my dead fathera proud conscience and an honest name。
I shall win them back yetheaven bless you！ ＇Exit。
Widow。 My dear Claude！ How my heart bleeds for him。
＇PAULINE looks down from above； and after a pause descends
Pauline。 Not here！he spares me that pain at least：
so far he is considerateyet the place seems still more desolate
without him。 Oh； that I could hate himthe gardener's son！
and yet how nobly henonono I will not be so mean a thing
as to forgive him！
Widow。 Good morning； madam； I would have waited on you if I had known
you were stirring。
Pauline。 It is no matter； ma'amyour son's wife ought to
wait on herself。
Widow。 My son's wifelet not that thought vex you； madamhe tells
me that you will have your divorce。 And I hope I shall live
to see him smile again。 There are maidens in this village；
young and fair； madam； who may yet console him。
Pauline。 I dare saythey are very welcomeand when the divorce is got
he will marry again。 I am sure I hope so。 ＇Weeps。
Widow。 He could have married the richest girl in the province；
if he had pleased it； but his head was turned； poor child！ he could
think of nothing but you。 ＇Weeps。
Pauline。 Don't weep； mother。
Widow。 Ah； he has behaved very ill； I know； but love is so headstrong
in the young。 Don't weep； madam。
Pauline。 So； as you were sayinggo on。
Widow。 Oh； I cannot excuse him； ma'amhe was not in his right senses。
Pauline。 But he alwaysalways ＇sobbing＇ lovedloved me then？
Widow。 He thought of nothing else。 See herehe learnt to paint
that he might take your likeness ＇uncovers the picture＇。 But that's
all over nowI trust you have cured him of his folly；but； dear heart；
you have had no breakfast！
Pauline。 I can't take anythingdon't trouble yourself。
Widow。 Nay； madam； be persuaded； a little coffee will refresh you。
Our milk and eggs are excellent。 I will get out Claude's coffee…cup
It is of real Sevres； he saved up all his money to buy it three
years ago； because the name of Pauline was inscribed on it。
Pauline。 Three years ago！ Poor Claude！Thank you； I think I will have
some coffee。 Oh！ if he were but a poor gentleman； even a merchant：
but a gardener's sonand what a home！Oh no；it is too dreadful！
They seat themselves at the table； BEAUSEANT opens the lattice
and looks in。
Beau。 Sosothe coast is clear！ I saw Claude in the lane
I shall have an excellent opportunity。Shuts the lattice and knocks
at the door。
Pauline。 ＇starting＇。 Can it be my father？he has not sent for
him yet？ No； he cannot be in such a hurry to get rid of me。
Widow。 It is not time for your father to arrive yet； it must
be some neighbor。
Pauline。 Don't admit any one。
＇Widow opens the door； BEAUSEANT pushes her aside and enters。
Ha！ Heavens！ that hateful Beauseant！ This is indeed bitter！
Beau。 Good morning； madam！ O widow； your son begs you will have
the goodness to go to him in the village he wants to speak to you on
particular business； you'll find him at the inn； or the grocer's shop；
or the baker's； or at some other friend's of your familymake haste。
Pauline。 Don't leave me； mother！don't leave me。
Beau。 ＇with great respect＇。 Be not alarmed； madam。 Believe me
your friendyour servant。
Pauline。 Sir； I have no fear of you； even in this house！ Go； madam；
if your son wishes it； I will not contradict his commands whilst；
at least he has still the right to be obeyed。
Widow。 I don't understand this； however； I sha'n't be long gone。
＇Exit。
Pauline。 Sir； I divine the object of your visityou wish
to exult in the humiliation of one who humbled you。 Be it so；
I am prepared to endure alleven your presence！
Beau。 You mistake me； madamPauline； you mistake me！ I come to lay
my fortune at your feet。 You must already be disenchanted with
this impostor； these walls are not worthy to be hallowed by your beauty！
Shall that form be clasped in the arms of a base…born peasant？
Beloved； beautiful Pauline！ fly with memy carriage waits without
I will bear you to a home more meet for your reception。
Wealth； luxury； stationall shall yet be yours。 I forget your
past disdainI remember only your beauty and my unconquerable love！
Pauline。 Sir！ leave this houseit is humble： but a husband's roof；
however lowly； is； in the eyes of God and man； the temple of a
wife's honor！ Know that I would rather starveyeswith him
who has betrayed me； than accept your lawful hand； even were you
the prince whose name he bore。Go。
Beau。 What！ is not your pride humbled yet？
Pauline。 Sir； what was pride in prosperity in affliction becomes virtue。
Beau。 Look round： these rugged floorsthese homely walls
this wretched struggle of poverty for comfortthink of this！ and
contrast with such a picture the refinement； the luxury； the pomp；
that the wealthiest gentleman of Lyons offers to the loveliest lady。
Ah； hear me！
Pauline。 Oh！ my father！why did I leave you？why am I thus friendless？
Sir； you see before you a betrayed； injured； miserable woman！
respect her anguish
＇MELNOTTE opens the door silently； and pauses at the threshold。
Beau。 No！ let me rather thus console it； let me snatch from those lips
one breath of that fragrance which never should be wasted on the low
churl thy husband。
Pauline。 Help！ Claude！Claude！Have I no protector？'
Beau。 Be silent！ ＇showing a pistol。＇ See； I do not come unprepared even
for violence。 I will brave all thingsthy husband and all his race
for thy sake。 Thus； then； I clasp thee！
Mel。 ＇dashing him to the other end of the stage＇。 Paulinelook up；
Pauline！ thou art safe。
Beau。 ＇levelling his pistol＇。 Dare you thus insult a man of
my birth； ruffian？
Pauline。 Oh； spare himspare my husband！BeauseantClaudeno
no ＇faints＇。
Mel。 Miserable trickster！ shame upon you！ brave devices to terrify
a woman！ Coward！you trembleyou have outraged the lawsyou know
that your weapon is harmlessyou have the courage of the mountebank；
not the bravo！Pauline； there is no danger。
Beau。 I wish thou wert a gentlemanas it is； thou art beneath me。
Good day； and a happy honeymoon。＇Aside。＇ I will not die till I
am avenged。 ＇Exit。
Mel。 I hold her in these armsthe last embrace
Never； ah never more； shall this dear head
Be pillow'd on the heart that should have shelter'd
And has betray'd！Softsoft！ one kisspoor wretch！
No scorn on that pale lip forbids me now！
One kissso ends all record of my crime！
It is the seal upon the tomb of hope；
By which； like some lost； sorrowing angel； sits
Sad memory evermore； she breathesshe moves
She wakes to scorn； to hate； but not to shudder
Beneath the touch of my abhorred love。
Places her on a seat。 Therewe are strangers now！
Pauline。 All goneall calm
Is every thing a dream？ thou art safe； unhurt
I do not love thee；butbut I am woman；
Andandno blood is spilt？
Mel。 No； lady； no； My guilt hath not deserved so rich a blessing
As even danger in thy cause。
Enter WIDOW。
Widow。 My son； I have been everywhere in search of you； why did
you send for me？
Mel。 I did not send for you。
Widow。 No！ but I must tell you your express has returned。
Mel。 So soon！ impossible！
Widow。 Yes； he met the lady's father and mother on the road；
they were going into the country on a visit。 Your messenger
says that Monsieur Deschappelles turned almost white with anger
when he read your letter。 They will be here almost immediately。
Oh； Claude； Claude！ what will they do to you？ How I tremble！
Ah； madam！ do not let them injure himif you knew how he doated on you。
Pauline。 Injure him！ no； ma'am； be not afraid；my father！ how shall
I meet him？ how go back to Lyons？ the scoff of the whole city！
Cruel； cruel； Claude ＇in great agitation＇。 Sir； you have
acted most treacherously。
Mel。 I know it； madam。
Pauline ＇aside。＇ If he would but ask me to forgive him！
I never can forgive you； sir。
Mel。 I never dared to hope it。
Pauline。 But you are my husband now； and I have sworn to
to love you； sir。
Mel。 That was under a false belief； madam； Heaven and the laws
will release you from your vow。
Pauline。 He will drive me mad！ if he were but less proud
if he would but ask me to remainhark； harkI hear the wheels
of the carriageSirClaude； they are coming； have you no word
to say ere it is loo late？ Quick speak。
Mel。 I can only congratulate you on your release。 Behold your parents
Enter MONSIEUR and MADAME DESCHAPPELLES and COLONEL DAMAS。
M。 Deschap。 My child！ my child！
Mme。 Deschap。 Oh； my poor Pauline！what a villanous hovel this is！
Old woman； get me a chairI shall faint I certainly shall。
What will the world say？ Child； you have been a fool。
A
