HUGH CAPET--- (_Hurrying out right._)
Going to have another'n.
JACQUES--The soldier had a bad night. In his fever
He picks the sheets, mumbling: "Saints, send him down,"
And: "Listen, men!" and things like that. And once,
Jumps him clean out of bed and cries out: "There!"
As he had run the woodman through and through,
And wipes his sword like on his pants, and then,
As though he felt his wound, falls back and pop!
The wind or something blows the light out and
We hear the banshee singing in the storm,
Wild--wild. I fear the bell with toll 'fore night.
(_They go out._)
_SCENE TWO--The open space in front of the church. In the
corner of the fence, left, the top of the poplar tree,_
_broken off by the wind during the night, hangs out in the_
_street almost brushing the ground. To the right of the_
_steps is a large wooden cross which was blown from the_
_steeple. It lies sidewise, hazing been split off at the
bottom. The gate into the church yard is slightly ajar, as_
_though some one had lately passed through, and against the
dark grass the taller of the white grave markers lean as
though the wind had been among them. Over the low fences
where one looks back into the church yard on the one side
and into an open space on the other, is seen yellow light
from the side windows of the church, pouring out into the
gloom. From within, comes the sound of the service._
CONGREGATION--His spear was lifted over Acre, Lord,
And his right arm hath made the heathen quail.
FATHER BENEDICT--And he hath spread thy glory through the East.
CONGREGATION--And he hath spread thy glory through the East.
FATHER BENEDICT--Let not the flags be draped that fluttered high
Above the strongholds of the Infidel.
CONGREGATION--Let not the flags be draped that fluttered high
Above the strongholds of the Infidel.
FATHER BENEDICT--Let not the scorners from the mountain tops
Look down and see the dark procession go;
But lift him up and lift up trembling, Lord.
CONGREGATION--Let not the scorners from the mountain tops
Look down and see the dark procession go;
But lift him up and lift up trembling, Lord.
FATHER BENEDICT--Keep death off, Lord, until the gates of death
Receive the accursed hand that laid him low.
CONGREGATION--Keep death off, Lord, until the gates of death
Receive the accursed hand that laid him low.
FATHER BENEDICT--Let not thine enemies triumph over thee.
Thunder it, brethren, so that God may hear.
CONGREGATION--Let not thine enemies triumph over thee.
FATHER BENEDICT--The mountains are afraid of thee, O Lord.
Shake their wild tops and shake the heathen down.
CONGREGATION--The mountains are afraid of thee, O Lord.
Shake their wild tops and shake the heathen down.
FATHER BENEDICT--So shall thy Church with loud hosannas ring.
CONGREGATION--So shall thy Church with loud hosannas ring.
FATHER BENEDICT--World without end.
CONGREGATION-- World without end.
FATHER BENEDICT-- Amen.
PIERRE--(_Far to the left._) Haro! haro!
FATHER BENEDICT--Accept, O eternal Father, the offering that is
here made to Thee by Thy minister, in the name of us all here
present. It is as yet only bread and wine, but by a miracle of
Thy power and grace will shortly become the body and blood--
PIERRE--(_Drawing nearer._) Help, help! Oh, help!