Chapter 11

Yvette

There are no stars to-night!

Lalain

There are! There are! Eternally they shineBeyond this din, beyond these sulphurous clouds!And there’s a stairway, red and white and blue,By which to climb to some most famous starOf glory and of love! Yvette! Yvette!Climb thou with me unto that golden star!

There are! There are! Eternally they shine

Beyond this din, beyond these sulphurous clouds!

And there’s a stairway, red and white and blue,

By which to climb to some most famous star

Of glory and of love! Yvette! Yvette!

Climb thou with me unto that golden star!

Yvette

Rémond Lalain—

Lalain

Come thou with me, Yvette!Come thou with me from out this sluggish place!Come thou with me into the furious storm!What dost thou here, thou spirit of the wind,Restless, with deep eyes and with parted lips?Thou knowest thou hast naught to do with holy things.Tear off that white headdress! Red is thy colour!

Come thou with me, Yvette!

Come thou with me from out this sluggish place!

Come thou with me into the furious storm!

What dost thou here, thou spirit of the wind,

Restless, with deep eyes and with parted lips?

Thou knowest thou hast naught to do with holy things.

Tear off that white headdress! Red is thy colour!

Yvette

Ay, red is my colour!

Lalain

Last night, the whileI spake of War and all the place was still,A sudden vision blazed above the lights—I saw thee dance the Carmagnole!

Last night, the while

I spake of War and all the place was still,

A sudden vision blazed above the lights—

I saw thee dance the Carmagnole!

Yvette

Now, now!What whispers he to her upon the road?

Now, now!

What whispers he to her upon the road?

Lalain

To-night—ah, should I raise my eyes to-nightAnd see thee smiling there, Yvette, Yvette!Beside thy sisters in the galleries!Upon thy twilight hair the bonnet-rouge,At thy small waist a pistol and a dirk—Only the Revolution in thy soulAnd in thy heart my name, my name, Yvette!

To-night—ah, should I raise my eyes to-night

And see thee smiling there, Yvette, Yvette!

Beside thy sisters in the galleries!

Upon thy twilight hair the bonnet-rouge,

At thy small waist a pistol and a dirk—

Only the Revolution in thy soul

And in thy heart my name, my name, Yvette!

[Thunder.

It thunders now, but ‘twill be clear to-night.The moon will shine, the roads will all be white.

It thunders now, but ‘twill be clear to-night.

The moon will shine, the roads will all be white.

Yvette

The roads will all be white, the moon will shine,The poplars quiver and the eglantine,The broom and honeysuckle will be sweet,Upon the road to Vannes—

The roads will all be white, the moon will shine,

The poplars quiver and the eglantine,

The broom and honeysuckle will be sweet,

Upon the road to Vannes—

[Lightning and thunder.Lalainwalks to the doorin the wall, tries it, then with a stone from theground beats back the rusty bolt.

[Lightning and thunder.Lalainwalks to the door

in the wall, tries it, then with a stone from the

ground beats back the rusty bolt.

Lalain

An easy door!

Yvette

The moon will shine—

Lalain

I’ll go this way, ma foi!Not by the wall!

I’ll go this way, ma foi!

Not by the wall!

Yvette

The silver poplars sway!

Lalain

René de Vardes, once I did call thee friendAnd took a deal of pride in that possession!How runs the world away! ‘Twas long ago!

René de Vardes, once I did call thee friend

And took a deal of pride in that possession!

How runs the world away! ‘Twas long ago!

Yvette

Ah, ah, that fearful dream I had last night!And while I dreamed they walked beside the Loire!

Ah, ah, that fearful dream I had last night!

And while I dreamed they walked beside the Loire!

Lalain

This night he rides away. Didst know?

Yvette

I knew!

Lalain

He’s said farewell to thee, but not to her!

Yvette

Wilt thou begone!

Lalain

Ay, through this door, Yvette!‘Tis easy, as thou seest. And ah, to-night—The storm o’er past and shining bright the moonAnd the cold nuns all telling o’er their beads,How simple ‘twere—O priceless liberty!Thou wouldst not be the only one, I trow,Who may not walk beside the silver Loire!

Ay, through this door, Yvette!

‘Tis easy, as thou seest. And ah, to-night—

The storm o’er past and shining bright the moon

And the cold nuns all telling o’er their beads,

How simple ‘twere—O priceless liberty!

Thou wouldst not be the only one, I trow,

Who may not walk beside the silver Loire!

Yvette

Name of a name!

Lalain

Adieu, adieu! To-nightI’ll see thee sitting in the galleries—

Adieu, adieu! To-night

I’ll see thee sitting in the galleries—

[ExitLalain.

Yvette

Ah, how the thunder shakes the air!

[She moves to the door in the wall and replaces thebolt, then returns to the fountain.

[She moves to the door in the wall and replaces the

bolt, then returns to the fountain.

‘Tis so!He is her lover! Oh, he loves her true!—What will they say and whisper all the nightThrough light and shadow on the road to Vannes?Despair!—But I’ll not stay within these walls!

‘Tis so!

He is her lover! Oh, he loves her true!—

What will they say and whisper all the night

Through light and shadow on the road to Vannes?

Despair!—But I’ll not stay within these walls!

[Knocking at the door in the wall.Yvettecrossesthe stage to the door.

[Knocking at the door in the wall.Yvettecrosses

the stage to the door.

Who is there?

Séraphine(within)

Yvette! Yvette!

Yvette

Séraphine!

Séraphine(within)

And Nanon too!

Yvette

The deputy’s sister!

Nanon

Let us in!

Yvette

I dare not.

Séraphine

What!

Yvette

Wait: I dare!

[She draws the bolts. The door opens. EnterSéraphineandNanon.The former is dressed in completecarmagnole: short skirt, rolled-up sleeves, sashof tricolour, and a bonnet-rouge. Pistols at her belt.Nanonis more soberly attired but wears the bonnet-rouge.The door closes behind them.

[She draws the bolts. The door opens. EnterSéraphine

andNanon.The former is dressed in complete

carmagnole: short skirt, rolled-up sleeves, sash

of tricolour, and a bonnet-rouge. Pistols at her belt.

Nanonis more soberly attired but wears the bonnet-rouge.

The door closes behind them.

Séraphine!

Séraphine

Chérie!

Yvette

Nanon!

Nanon

Dear Yvette!

Yvette

How gay you are! What of the Revolution?

Séraphine

It goes.

Nanon

It goes well.

Séraphine

We have a new song!Faith! ‘Tis a greater song thanÇa Ira!

We have a new song!

Faith! ‘Tis a greater song thanÇa Ira!

Yvette(sings)

Aux armes, Citoyens!Formez vos bataillons!

Aux armes, Citoyens!

Formez vos bataillons!

Séraphine

That’s it!

Nanon(looking about her)

So very triste it is in here!

Séraphine

So gay outside! All Nantes is dressed in red!There’s a procession, and then to-nightWe sit in the galleries to hear Lalain!

So gay outside! All Nantes is dressed in red!

There’s a procession, and then to-night

We sit in the galleries to hear Lalain!

[Distant music.

Hark to the fife!Formez vos bataillons!—And your feet keep not time to the music!

Hark to the fife!Formez vos bataillons!—

And your feet keep not time to the music!

Yvette

But my heart, Séraphine, my heart keeps time.

Séraphine

Ho! Your heart is in barracks, says Céleste.

Yvette

Céleste!

Nanon

And Angélique.

Yvette

Angélique!

Séraphine

Faith!Angélique is in feather now you’re gone!CriesVive la République!here in Nantes.Rides on the cannon and handles a pike;Thinks she’s in Paris and plays Théroigne,And high from the galleries applauds Lalain!

Faith!

Angélique is in feather now you’re gone!CriesVive la République!here in Nantes.Rides on the cannon and handles a pike;Thinks she’s in Paris and plays Théroigne,And high from the galleries applauds Lalain!

Angélique is in feather now you’re gone!

CriesVive la République!here in Nantes.

Rides on the cannon and handles a pike;

Thinks she’s in Paris and plays Théroigne,

And high from the galleries applauds Lalain!

Nanon

He thinks not of her; he thinks of Yvette!

Yvette

I care not of whom he thinks!

Séraphine

On a fête day,In a car triumphal see her appear!Dressed like a goddess just down from the skies,All crowned with green oak leaves, borne shoulder high—

On a fête day,

In a car triumphal see her appear!

Dressed like a goddess just down from the skies,

All crowned with green oak leaves, borne shoulder high—

Yvette

Angélique!

Séraphine(nodding)

Ah, you see you are not there!But between you and me, red does not become her!

Ah, you see you are not there!

But between you and me, red does not become her!

Yvette

I should think not!—little blonde!

Séraphine

Ah, but redBecomes you!

Ah, but red

Becomes you!

Yvette

Yes!

Séraphine

Monseigneur’s gone from Nantes.Yes, faith! I saw him ride away—

Monseigneur’s gone from Nantes.

Yes, faith! I saw him ride away—

Yvette

He’s gone!Rememb’rest thou that lady fair and proud,Madame la Marquise de Blanchefôret?

He’s gone!

Rememb’rest thou that lady fair and proud,

Madame la Marquise de Blanchefôret?

Séraphine

Ho!(ToNanon.) Rememb’rest thou the Citoyenne Blanchefôret?

Ho!

(ToNanon.) Rememb’rest thou the Citoyenne Blanchefôret?

Nanon

The proud piece! We are mire beneath her feet!Last eve her coach threw mud upon my gown!Let her beware! One day she’ll walk afoot.Let her beware! And let him too bewareWho rode last eve beside her golden coach!

The proud piece! We are mire beneath her feet!

Last eve her coach threw mud upon my gown!

Let her beware! One day she’ll walk afoot.

Let her beware! And let him too beware

Who rode last eve beside her golden coach!

Yvette

Ha, ha! ha, ha!

[Music and voices in the street. Impatient knockingat the door in the wall.

[Music and voices in the street. Impatient knocking

at the door in the wall.

Voices

Holà, Aristocrats!Nanon! Séraphine!

Holà, Aristocrats!

Nanon! Séraphine!

Nanon

Our friends await us.

Séraphine

We have business with the smith upon the quai,Where by the old dovecot he fashions pikes!

We have business with the smith upon the quai,

Where by the old dovecot he fashions pikes!

Voices

Allons, enfants de la patrie!

Nanon

Come, come away! We’ll leave the nun aloneTo say her beads for black Aristocrats!How triste to be for aye in prison here!

Come, come away! We’ll leave the nun alone

To say her beads for black Aristocrats!

How triste to be for aye in prison here!

Yvette(angrily)

Prison! I am no prisoner, I!

Nanon

Then come with us into the merry streets!

Séraphine

‘Twill be a heavy storm—all are within.How easy ‘twere to slip away with us!

‘Twill be a heavy storm—all are within.

How easy ‘twere to slip away with us!

Yvette

No, no!

Voices

Citoyennes! Citoyennes!

Nanon

Ma’m’selle!

Yvette

Ma’m’selle!

Nanon

Aristocrat!

Yvette

Aristocrat!

Séraphine

Well—kept by an Aristocrat—

Yvette

You lie.

Séraphine(angrily)

Saint Yves! I lie! Do I? O Seigneur Dieu!This is Yvette, the herd girl of Morbec!This is Yvette, the daughter of Yvonne!This is that same Yvette who swore one dayThat rather would she meet the blight of hellThan take one favour from a seigneur’s hand!Once you were hungry! Go you hungry now?You went in rags. Where is your ragged gown?Barefoot—what’s that about that throat of thine?I swear it is a jewel!—and we pineFor bread, we women of the Revolution!

Saint Yves! I lie! Do I? O Seigneur Dieu!

This is Yvette, the herd girl of Morbec!

This is Yvette, the daughter of Yvonne!

This is that same Yvette who swore one day

That rather would she meet the blight of hell

Than take one favour from a seigneur’s hand!

Once you were hungry! Go you hungry now?

You went in rags. Where is your ragged gown?

Barefoot—what’s that about that throat of thine?

I swear it is a jewel!—and we pine

For bread, we women of the Revolution!

[Yvetteunclasps the jewel from her neck and letsit fall.

[Yvetteunclasps the jewel from her neck and lets

it fall.

I lie, do I? Diable! Just prove I lie!This night we make a little noise in NantesShall show Aristocrats who is in danger!Lalain will speak and all the bells will ring,And Angélique will deck herself in red!Steal through yon door, be of us evermore!I lie, do I? Then show me that I lie!

I lie, do I? Diable! Just prove I lie!

This night we make a little noise in Nantes

Shall show Aristocrats who is in danger!

Lalain will speak and all the bells will ring,

And Angélique will deck herself in red!

Steal through yon door, be of us evermore!

I lie, do I? Then show me that I lie!

Yvette

In Nantes where do you lodge?

Séraphine

With AngéliqueUnder the Lanterne, Sign of the Hour Glass.

With Angélique

Under the Lanterne, Sign of the Hour Glass.

Voices

Nanon! Nanon! You are missing the sights!

[Distant music.

Other Voices

Allons, enfants de la patrie,Le jour de gloire est arrivé!

Allons, enfants de la patrie,

Le jour de gloire est arrivé!

Nanon

Come, come away!

[Séraphineunbars the door in the wall. It swingsopen.

[Séraphineunbars the door in the wall. It swings

open.

Séraphine

Faith! One can see the Loire!‘Tis fine to walk beside it ‘neath the moon!

Faith! One can see the Loire!

‘Tis fine to walk beside it ‘neath the moon!

Yvette

Oh!—

Voices

Tremblez, tyrans! et vous perfides,—

Nanon

Away! Away!

Yvette

I’ll go—I’ll go with you.Ye fruit trees and thou fountain, fare ye well!

I’ll go—I’ll go with you.

Ye fruit trees and thou fountain, fare ye well!

[ExeuntYvette,Séraphine,Nanon.The doorswings to. Lightning and thunder.Sister Fidelisappears in the convent door.

[ExeuntYvette,Séraphine,Nanon.The door

swings to. Lightning and thunder.Sister Fidelis

appears in the convent door.

Voices(dying away)

Aux armes, Citoyens!Formez vos bataillons!

Aux armes, Citoyens!

Formez vos bataillons!

CURTAIN

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