the lady of lyons-第6章
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is of poor though honest parents？ Know you not that you are wedded
to my son； Claude Melnotte？
Pauline。 Your son！ holdhold！ do not speak to me。＇Approaches MELNOTTE；
and lays her hand on his arm。＇Is this a jest？ is it？
I know it is； only speakone wordone look one smile。
I cannot believeI who loved thee soI cannot believe that thou
art such aNo； I will not wrong thee by a harsh wordSpeak！
Mel。 Leave ushave pity on her； on me： leave us。
Widow。 Oh； Claude； that I should live to see thee bowed by shame！
thee of whom I was so proud！（Exit by the staircase。
Pauline。 Her sonher son！
Mel。 Now； lady； hear me。
Pauline。 Hear thee！
Ay； speakher son！ have fiends a parent？ speak；
That thou mayst silence cursesspeak！
Mel。 No； curse me：
Thy curse would blast me less than thy forgiveness。
Pauline ＇laughing wildly＇。 〃This is thy palace； where the perfumed light
Steals through the mist of alabaster lamps；
And every air is heavy with the sighs
Of orange…groves； and music from the sweet lutes；
And murmurs of low fountains； that gush forth
I' the midst of roses！〃 Dost thou like the picture？
This is my bridal home； and thou my bridegroom。
O foolO dupeO wretch！I see it all
Thy by…word and the jeer of every tongue
In Lyons。 Hast thou in thy heart one touch
Of human kindness？ if thou hast； why； kill me；
And save thy wife from madness。 No； it cannot
It cannot be： this is some horrid dream：
I shall wake soon。＇Touching him。＇ Art flesh art man？ or but
The shadows seen in sleep？ It is too real。
What have I done to thee？ how sinn'd against thee；
That thou shouldst crush me thus？
Mel。 Pauline； by pride
Angels have fallen ere thy time： by pride
That sole alloy of thy most lovely mould
The evil spirit of a bitter love；
And a revengeful heart； had power upon thee。
From my first years my soul was fill'd with thee：
I saw thee midst the flow'rs the lowly boy
Tended； unmark'd by theea spirit of bloom；
And joy； and freshness； as if Spring itself
Were made a living thing； and wore thy shape！
I saw thee； and the passionate heart of man
Enter'd the breast of the wild…dreaming boy。
And from that hour I grewwhat to the last
I shall bethine adorer！ Well； this love
Vain； frantic； guilty； if thou wilt； became
A fountain of ambition and bright hope；
I thought of tales that by the winter hearth
Old gossips tellhow maidens sprung from kings
Have stoop'd from their high sphere； how love； like death
Levels all ranks； and lays the shepherd's crook
Beside the sceptre。 Thus I made my home
In the soft palace of a fairy Future！
My father died； and I； the peasant…born；
Was my own lord。 Then did I seek to rise
Out of the prison of my mean estate；
And； with such jewels as the exploring mind
Brings from the caves of knowledge； buy my ransom
From those twin gaolers of the daring heart
Low birth and iron fortune。 Thy bright image
Glass'd in my soul； took all the hues of glory；
And lured me on to those inspiring toils
By which man masters men！ For thee I grew
A midnight student o'er the dreams of sages。
For thee I sought to borrow from each grace；
And every muse； such attributes as lend
Ideal charms to love。 I thought of thee；
And passion taught me poesyof thee；
And on the painter's canvas grew the life
Of beauty！ Art became the shadow
Of the dear starlight of thy haunting eyes
Men call'd me vainsome madI heeded not；
But still toil'd onhoped onfor it was sweet；
If not to win； to feel more worthy thee？
Pauline。 Has he a magic to exorcise hate！
Mel。 At last； in one mad hour； I dared to pour
The thoughts that burst their channels into song；
And sent them to theesuch a tribute； lady；
As beauty rarely scorns； even from the meanest。
The nameappended by the burning heart
That long'd to show its idol what bright things
It had createdyea； the enthusiast's name；
That should have been thy triumph； was thy scorn！
That very hourwhen passion； turn'd to wrath；
Resembled hatred mostwhen thy disdain
Made my whole soul a chaosin that hour
The tempters found me a revengeful tool
For their revenge！ Thou hadst trampled on the worm
It turn'd and stung thee！
Pauline。 Love； sir； hath no sting。
What was the slight of a poor powerless girl
To the deep wrong of this most vile revenge？
Oh； how I loved this man！a serf！a slave！
Mel。 Hold； lady！ No； not slave！ Despair is free！
I will not tell thee of the throesthe struggles
The anguishthe remorse： No； let it pass！
And let me come to such most poor atonement
Yet in my power。 Pauline！
（Approaching her with great emotion； and about to take her hand。
Pauline。 No； touch me not！
I know my fate。 You are； by law； my tyrant；
And IO Heaven！a peasant's wife！ I'll work
Toildrudgedo what thou wiltbut touch me not；
Let my wrongs make me sacred！
Mel。 Do not fear me。
Thou dost not know me； madam： at the altar
My vengeance ceasedmy guilty oath expired！
Henceforth； no image of some marble saint；
Niched in cathedral aisles； is hallow'd more
From the rude hand of sacrilegious wrong。
I am thy husbandnay； thou need'st not shudder；
Here； at thy feet； I lay a husband's rights。
A marriage thus unholyunfulfill'd
A bond of fraudis； by the laws of France；
Made void and null。 To…night sleepsleep in peace。
To…morrow； pure and virgin as this morn
I bore thee； bathed in blushes； from the shrine；
Thy father's arms shall take thee to thy home。
The law shall do thee justice； and restore
Thy right to bless another with thy love。
And when thou art happy； and hast half forgot
Him who so lovedso wrong'd thee； think at least
Heaven left some remnant of the angel still
In that poor peasant's nature！
Ho！ my mother！ ＇Enter Widow。
Conduct this lady（she is not my wife；
She is our guest；our honor'd guest； my mother）
To the poor chamber； where the sleep of virtue；
Never； beneath my father's honest roof；
Ev'n villains dared to mar！ Now； lady； now；
I think thou wilt believe me。 Go； my mother！
Widow。 She is not thy wife！
Mel。 Hush； hush！ for mercy's sake！
Speak not； but go。
＇Widow ascends the stairs； PAULINE follows weepingturns to look back。
Mel。 ＇sinking down＇。 All angels bless and guard her！
ACT IV。SCENE I。
The cottage as beforeMELNOTTE seated before a tablewriting implements；
etc。… …（Day breaking。）
Mel。 Hush； hush！she sleeps at last！thank Heaven； for a while she
forgets even that I live！ Her sobs； which have gone to my heart
the whole； long； desolate night； have ceased！all calmall still！
I will go now； I will send this letter to Pauline's father：
when he arrives； I will place in his hands my own consent to the divorce；
and then； O France！ my country！ accept among thy protectors；
thy defendersthe peasant's Son！ Our country is less proud
than custom； and does not refuse the blood； the heart； the right
hand of the poor man。
Enter Widow。
Widow。 My son； thou hast acted ill； but sin brings its own punishment。
In the hour of thy remorse； it is not for a mother to reproach thee。
Mel。 What is past is past。 There is a future left to all men； who have
the virtue to repent； and the energy to atone。 Thou shalt be proud of thy
son yet。 Meanwhile； remember this poor lady has been grievously injured。
For the sake of thy son's conscience； respect； honor； bear with her。
If she weep； consoleif she chide； be silent。 'Tis but a little
while moreI shall send an express fast as horse can speed
to her father。 Farewell！ I shall return shortly。
Widow。 It is the only course left to theethou wert led astray；
but thou art not hardened。 Thy heart is right still； as ever it
was when； in thy most ambitious hopes thou wert never ashamed
of thy poor mother。
Mel。 Ashamed of thee； No； if I yet endure； yet live； yet hope；
it is only because I would not die till I have redeemed the noble
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； mad
