ACT IV

The interior of a church in Nantes used as a prison. Great broken windows of stained glass, purple and crimson, through which streams the sunlight. Prisoners of both sexes and all ages and conditions of life move to and fro, or lean against the pillars which support the vaulted roof. Some rest or kneel upon the steps before the altar rail. Three children play beside a broken font. Against a door at the left of the great altar lounge several turnkeys dressed in blue woollen with red liberty caps.The Marquisesits beside a pillar. She talks withDe BucandEnguerrand La Fôret.Near her areCount LouisandMlle. de Château-Gui.De L’Orientstands upon a bench beneath a shattered window.De Vardessits at a rude table writing.

A butterfly enters at the broken window and flutters through the church.

A Child

The butterfly! The butterfly!

Mlle. de Château-Gui

Oh, seeIts painted wings!

Oh, see

Its painted wings!

A Child

There! There!

Mlle. de Château-Gui

It comes my way!—I’ve caught it!—No!

An Actress(dressed as a shepherdess)

I!I have it fast, the pretty prisoner!

I have it fast, the pretty prisoner!

De L’Orient

It will not stay—

Count Louis

It soars into the roof!No! down again on yon long ray of light!—Give chase!

It soars into the roof!

No! down again on yon long ray of light!—

Give chase!

De L’Orient

Here!

Mlle. de Château-Gui

There!

The Actress

Oh, oh! It sails this way,The fairy boat—

Oh, oh! It sails this way,

The fairy boat—

De L’Orient

With freight of heart’s desire!

The Actress

I have it!

Count Louis

No, I!

[The butterfly lights upon his hand.

‘Tis youth!

De L’Orient

‘Tis gone!—

[The butterfly brushes his shoulder.

‘Tis joy!

The Actress

Fled!—Ah, ah!—‘Tis hope!

[The butterfly touches her outstretched arm, thenrises again.

[The butterfly touches her outstretched arm, then

rises again.

No longer!

[The butterfly rests upon the fair hair ofThe Marquise.

The Marquise

As I was saying, then I felt despair—

[The butterfly rises, flutters in a shaft of sunshine,then passes out of the window. The prisoners watchits flight.

[The butterfly rises, flutters in a shaft of sunshine,

then passes out of the window. The prisoners watch

its flight.

A Child

The butterfly has gone!

Mlle. de Château-Gui

Whither!

De L’Orient

‘Tis forThe blue skies and the sunny fields!

‘Tis for

The blue skies and the sunny fields!

The Actress

The flowersWe shall not gather any more!

The flowers

We shall not gather any more!

De L’Orient

High hills,The water running in the sun and shade!

High hills,

The water running in the sun and shade!

Mme. de Malestroit

A garden old beside a winding stream—Oh, death in life!

A garden old beside a winding stream—

Oh, death in life!

A Nun

It was a soul set free.By now a thousand shining leagues it’s mounted!

It was a soul set free.

By now a thousand shining leagues it’s mounted!

[The door at the left of the altar opens.

EnterGrégoire.

Mlle. de Château-Gui

Here is Grégoire!

Grégoire

Good-morrow, Citoyens!

Count Louis

Good-morrow, Gaoler.

Mlle. de Château-Gui

Ah, this place, Grégoire!It is so triste! Shall we forever stayImprisoned in a church?

Ah, this place, Grégoire!

It is so triste! Shall we forever stay

Imprisoned in a church?

La Fôret

Oh, gayer farThe Bastille or Vincennes!

Oh, gayer far

The Bastille or Vincennes!

The Actress

These frowning saints!The wind that whistles in!

These frowning saints!

The wind that whistles in!

Mme. de Malestroit

The stones so cold!

Count Louis

The Church will make us martyrs ere our time!

Mlle. de Château-Gui

And did you buy, Grégoire, the cards for ombre?

The Actress

Masks for our play?

De L’Orient

A violin?

The Actress

Wax-lights?

De Buc

The foils?

A Child

My ball, Grégoire?

Grégoire

I’ve nothing bought—The judges sit to-day. Complain to them.The church is cold! ‘Tis not so cold as Loire!The prisons are too crowded! Well, to-dayWe’ll weed them out!

I’ve nothing bought—

The judges sit to-day. Complain to them.

The church is cold! ‘Tis not so cold as Loire!

The prisons are too crowded! Well, to-day

We’ll weed them out!

De Buc

So!

Grégoire

You are warned! Prepare!Make your farewells—the time is very short!

You are warned! Prepare!

Make your farewells—the time is very short!

[ExitGrégoire.

De Buc

Strike camp!

De L’Orient

The open road!

Count Louis

Who goes?

La Fôret

Who stays?

Mlle. de Château-Gui

Our comedy!—we cannot have it now!

The Actress

Oh, we will rearrange the parts!

[De Vardesfolds his letter and rises from the table.

De Vardes

We’ll play,Though all the world is sliding ‘neath our feet!

We’ll play,

Though all the world is sliding ‘neath our feet!

De Buc

The world’s a stage—

The Nun

De profundis clamaviAd te Domine!

De profundis clamavi

Ad te Domine!

Enter theAbbé Jean de Barbasan,pale, wounded, and withdisordered dress.

Enter theAbbé Jean de Barbasan,pale, wounded, and with

disordered dress.

Mlle. de Château-Gui

Monsieur l’Abbé!

De Vardes

Ah!De Barbasan, we feared for you!

Ah!

De Barbasan, we feared for you!

The Abbé

Morbleu!I am reprieved! Lambertye proved my friend!It seems that once I saved the villain’s life!—Pure accident!—stumbled on him in a ditch,Played the Samaritan!—so now I’m spared,Come forth like Daniel from the lions’ den,That Judgment Hall of theirs across the way!Lions! They are not lions, they are wolves,Hyenas, tigers, and baboons. Faugh!

Morbleu!

I am reprieved! Lambertye proved my friend!

It seems that once I saved the villain’s life!—

Pure accident!—stumbled on him in a ditch,

Played the Samaritan!—so now I’m spared,

Come forth like Daniel from the lions’ den,

That Judgment Hall of theirs across the way!

Lions! They are not lions, they are wolves,

Hyenas, tigers, and baboons. Faugh!

De Buc

So!They are hungry yet?

So!

They are hungry yet?

The Abbé

Oh, they are portents!And portents are the folk that fill that hall!Not women they who sit aloft and knit;Not men, those scarecrow visages below;For robed judges, wolves at Lammas tide,And Nantes the winter forest for the pack!—But ah, the deer at bay, the little lambs!—The earth gives ‘neath their feet, they face the Loire!

Oh, they are portents!

And portents are the folk that fill that hall!

Not women they who sit aloft and knit;

Not men, those scarecrow visages below;

For robed judges, wolves at Lammas tide,

And Nantes the winter forest for the pack!—

But ah, the deer at bay, the little lambs!—

The earth gives ‘neath their feet, they face the Loire!

[A confused sound from the square without the window;voices, menacing and execrating, a cry, thensilence.

[A confused sound from the square without the window;

voices, menacing and execrating, a cry, then

silence.

De Vardes

One has not gained the Loire!

The Abbé

Ah, oftentimes,They fall before they reach the Judgment Hall!There in the street, before that fatal door—Both youth and age, fair women and brave men.Their blood cries to another judgment seat!From yonder window you may see it all!

Ah, oftentimes,

They fall before they reach the Judgment Hall!

There in the street, before that fatal door—

Both youth and age, fair women and brave men.

Their blood cries to another judgment seat!

From yonder window you may see it all!

The Marquise

We will not look!

Count Louis

Fie, fie, De Barbasan!There is a time for everything! Not now,Nor in this place is’t meet or debonairTo speak of ravening wolves or stricken deer!To work, my friend! You find us much concernedAbout this play of Molière’s! We giveLe Bourgeois Gentilhomme.

Fie, fie, De Barbasan!

There is a time for everything! Not now,

Nor in this place is’t meet or debonair

To speak of ravening wolves or stricken deer!

To work, my friend! You find us much concerned

About this play of Molière’s! We give

Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme.

The Marquise

You’ll play Jourdain?Béjart had promised us, but then he went.He’s not returned.

You’ll play Jourdain?

Béjart had promised us, but then he went.

He’s not returned.

The Abbé

Nor will, I think. But, yes,I’ll take the part; I’ll speak in prose to youTo whom I else would speak in poetry!

Nor will, I think. But, yes,

I’ll take the part; I’ll speak in prose to you

To whom I else would speak in poetry!

The Marquise(with a curtesy)

Monsieur Jourdain, your prose is ravishing!—I’m Dorimène.

Monsieur Jourdain, your prose is ravishing!—

I’m Dorimène.

De Buc

And I Dorante!

Mlle. de Château-Gui

Lucille.

Mme. de Malestroit

Nicole!

The Actress

I am, Monsieur Jourdain, your wife!

La Fôret

Your son-in-law the Turk!

De Vardes

Behold, monsieur,Your fencing master!

Behold, monsieur,

Your fencing master!

De L’Orient

Yourmaître de danse.Imagine, pray, you hear my violin:La, la—The minuet!—La, la, la!

Yourmaître de danse.

Imagine, pray, you hear my violin:

La, la—The minuet!—La, la, la!

[He plays an imaginary violin. The prisoners hesitate,laugh, then begin to step a minuet. The childrenand the gaolers watch them.De Vardesdoesnot dance. He leans against a pillar to the left.

[He plays an imaginary violin. The prisoners hesitate,

laugh, then begin to step a minuet. The children

and the gaolers watch them.De Vardesdoes

not dance. He leans against a pillar to the left.

Enter a turnkey,Céleste,Angélique,Nanon,andSéraphine.

Enter a turnkey,Céleste,Angélique,Nanon,and

Séraphine.

Séraphine(crossing herself)

Eh! Eh! They dance!—Well, what a thing it isTo be a noble born!

Eh! Eh! They dance!—Well, what a thing it is

To be a noble born!

Céleste(jealously)

We dance as well!

Séraphine

Ay, the Carmagnole!

Angélique

‘Tis a swifter dance!Why came we here? I never liked this church,They are too gay of heart, these ci-devants!Let’s to the Judgment Hall, or to the Loire.

‘Tis a swifter dance!

Why came we here? I never liked this church,

They are too gay of heart, these ci-devants!

Let’s to the Judgment Hall, or to the Loire.

Céleste

Séraphine would come—

Séraphine

Patience, Citoyennes,No haste! I’ve just a little word to speakUnto monseigneur there.

Patience, Citoyennes,

No haste! I’ve just a little word to speak

Unto monseigneur there.

Céleste

Monseigneur!

Séraphine

Oh,The Citoyen Vardes! You know my tripping tongue.

Oh,

The Citoyen Vardes! You know my tripping tongue.

Nanon(to the turnkey)

Where is that ci-devant men once did callLa belle Marquise?

Where is that ci-devant men once did call

La belle Marquise?

The Turnkey

‘Tis she who dances there,Fair-haired and dressed in violet.

‘Tis she who dances there,

Fair-haired and dressed in violet.

Nanon

AwhileI’ll watch her dance.

Awhile

I’ll watch her dance.

Céleste

Their cheeks are pale.

Angélique

They smile.I would not smile if I were they.

They smile.

I would not smile if I were they.

[Nanon,Céleste,andAngéliquewatch thedancers.SéraphineapproachesDe Vardes.

[Nanon,Céleste,andAngéliquewatch the

dancers.SéraphineapproachesDe Vardes.

Séraphine(in a low voice)

Monseigneur!

De Vardes

Séraphine Robin, I believe?

Séraphine

Saint Yves!Now just to think! Monseigneur knows my name!—Eh! Morbec was my home for many a year.When all is said and done, Home is just Home,Hut or château—and always the De VardesWere lords of Morbec did they good or ill!Most like ‘twas ill—but they were proper men!And when they smiled we always said ‘twas day;And old men say—but it was long ago—A baron lived was named René the Good!Saint Gil! Monseigneur gave us back Lisette.Saint Maudez! ‘Tis a dangerous thing, but see!

Saint Yves!

Now just to think! Monseigneur knows my name!—

Eh! Morbec was my home for many a year.

When all is said and done, Home is just Home,

Hut or château—and always the De Vardes

Were lords of Morbec did they good or ill!

Most like ‘twas ill—but they were proper men!

And when they smiled we always said ‘twas day;

And old men say—but it was long ago—

A baron lived was named René the Good!

Saint Gil! Monseigneur gave us back Lisette.

Saint Maudez! ‘Tis a dangerous thing, but see!

[She takes from her bosom a silken purse.

Eh, monseigneur, ‘tis yours! Take it! Quick, quick,Before Céleste—the baggage!—turns her head!

Eh, monseigneur, ‘tis yours! Take it! Quick, quick,

Before Céleste—the baggage!—turns her head!

[She thrusts the purse into his hand.

De Vardes

From whom?

Séraphine

Look in it! You will see. ‘Tis gold.

De Vardes

Gold!

Séraphine

And something more.—Here is Angélique!

Angélique

Aristocrat—That ring upon thy finger—

Séraphine

Out!

De Vardes

Not yet, Citoyenne!

Angélique

Then afterwards!I’ll have it at the trenches or the Loire!

Then afterwards!

I’ll have it at the trenches or the Loire!

[She rejoinsCélesteandNanon.They watch thedancers.

[She rejoinsCélesteandNanon.They watch the

dancers.

De L’Orient

Nicole—Lucille—Cléonte—

Séraphine

My errand’s done—Look in the purse, monseigneur, look at once!

My errand’s done—

Look in the purse, monseigneur, look at once!

De L’Orient

La, la, la, la!

De Vardes

I have no need of gold.

Séraphine

Look, monseigneur!

De Vardes

Again, from whom?

Séraphine

A friend.

De Vardes

I have no friend in Nantes. Take back thy purse!

Séraphine

It is not mine, the pretty, silken thing!I swore that I would leave it, so I will!And I was told to tell you, “Look within.”

It is not mine, the pretty, silken thing!

I swore that I would leave it, so I will!

And I was told to tell you, “Look within.”

[Nanonapproaches.

Nanon

In Nantes one is Suspect when one is seenWhispering in shadows with Aristocrats!

In Nantes one is Suspect when one is seen

Whispering in shadows with Aristocrats!

Séraphine

Nothing I said you might not hear, Nanon!Come, come away!(ToDe Vardesas she turns from him.) Monseigneur, have a care!

Nothing I said you might not hear, Nanon!

Come, come away!

(ToDe Vardesas she turns from him.) Monseigneur, have a care!

[Séraphine,Nanon,Céleste,andAngéliquewatch the dancers. A grating sound is heard withoutthe door to the left of the altar. The turnkeysmove aside, the door opens and discloses a passagelined with gaolers and soldiers.

[Séraphine,Nanon,Céleste,andAngélique

watch the dancers. A grating sound is heard without

the door to the left of the altar. The turnkeys

move aside, the door opens and discloses a passage

lined with gaolers and soldiers.

EnterGrégoirewith three or four Patriots. They weargreat boots, plumed hats, sashes of tricolour, sabres andpistols.

EnterGrégoirewith three or four Patriots. They wear

great boots, plumed hats, sashes of tricolour, sabres and

pistols.

De L’Orient

La, la, la, la, la!

Grégoire

The list for the day.

[The dance ceases.

Céleste

Now, now we’ll see the birds drop one by one!

Angélique

It is what I love!

Grégoire(He descends the step from the choir)

The list, Citoyens!You whom I name pass out at yonder door.Across the square the judges sit—

The list, Citoyens!

You whom I name pass out at yonder door.

Across the square the judges sit—

De Buc

Just so!Who leads?

Just so!

Who leads?

Grégoire

Citoyen, you!

De Buc

Promotion, by God!—Messieurs, mesdames, I have marching orders!(To the Actress andMlle. de Château-Gui.) I cannot play Dorante! Is’t not a shame?De L’Orient there must take my part—Adieu!(ToThe Marquise.) Ah, Dorimène, you’ll let me kiss your hand?

Promotion, by God!—

Messieurs, mesdames, I have marching orders!

(To the Actress andMlle. de Château-Gui.) I cannot play Dorante! Is’t not a shame?

De L’Orient there must take my part—Adieu!

(ToThe Marquise.) Ah, Dorimène, you’ll let me kiss your hand?

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