_Marion, Didier; afterward Gracieux, Saverny,
afterward Laffemas_
DIDIER (_with bitter laugh, after a long silence_).
Is't bad enough?
My Marion, have I dragged you low enough?
You wished to follow me? My destiny
Precipitates itself and crushes you,
Bound to its wheel! What are we come to now?
I told you so!
MARION (_trembling and clasping her hands_).
Do you reproach me, love?
DIDIER.
Oh, may I be accursed! Cursed first by Heaven,
Then cursed 'mongst men: cursed throughout all my life;
Cursed more than we are now, if a reproach
Shall ever leave my lips for you! What matter
Though all the earth abandon me, you're mine!
You are my savior, refuge, all my hope!
Who duped the jailer, filed my chains for me?
Who came from heaven to follow me to hell?
Who was a captive with the prisoner,
An exile with the fugitive? Ah, who,
Who else had heart so full of love and wit,
Heart to sustain, console, deliver me?
Great, feeble woman, have you not saved me
From destiny, alas! and my own soul?
Had you not pity on my nature, crushed?
Have you not loved one whom all others hate?
MARION (_weeping_).
It is my joy to love you--be your slave.
DIDIER.
Leave me your eyes, dear; they enrapture me!
God willed, when placing soul within my flesh,
A demon and an angel should guide me.
Yet he was merciful; his love concealed
The demon, but the angel he revealed.
MARION.
You are my Didier, master, lord of me!
DIDIER.
Your husband, am I not?
MARION (_aside_).
Alas!
DIDIER.
What joy,
When we have left this country far behind,
To have you, call you wife as well as love!
You will be willing?--answer.
MARION.
I will be
Your sister, and my brother you shall be!
DIDIER.
Oh, no! Refuse me not that ecstasy
Of knowing, in God's sight, you're mine alone!
You're safe to trust my love in everything.
The lover keeps you for the husband, pure!
MARION (_aside_).
Alas!
DIDIER.
If you knew how things torture me!
To hear that actor talk, affront you thus!
It is not least among our wretched woes
To see you mixed with jugglers such as these,
A chaste, exquisite flower 'mid this filth--
You, 'mongst these women steeped in infamy!
MARION.
Be prudent, Didier!
DIDIER.
God! I struggled hard
Against my anger! He said "thou" to you,
When I, your love, your husband, hardly dare
For fear of tarnishing that virgin brow--
MARION.
Be pleasant with them; it means life to you,
And me as well.
DIDIER.
She's right. She's always right.
Although each hour brings us increasing woe,
You lavish on me love and joy and youth!
How happens it these blessings come to me,
When royal kingdoms were small pay for them--
To me, who give but anguish in return?
Heaven gave you--yes; but hell binds you to me.
For us to merit this unequal fate,
What good can I have done? What evil you?
MARION.
My only blessings come from you, my love!
DIDIER.
If you say that you think it, but it's wrong!
Oh, yes, my star of destiny is bad.
I know not whence I come, nor where I go.
My whole horizon's dark. Love, hark to me!
There's time yet; you can leave me and go back.
Let me pursue the gloomy route alone.
When all is ended and I'm tired out,
The couch that's waiting will be cold--ice-cold,
And narrow; there's not room enough for two.
Go back!
MARION.
That couch, dark, and mysterious,
I'll share it with you; that at least is mine.
DIDIER.
Will you not listen? Can't you understand?
You're tempting Providence to cling to me!
The years of anguish, love, may be so long
Your sweet eyes may grow sightless, just from tears.
[_Marion lets her head fall on her hands._
DIDIER.
I swear I draw the picture none too strong.
Your future frightens me. I pity you!
Go back!
MARION (_bursting into tears_).
It were more kind to kill me, Didier,
Than to talk thus! [_Weeping._] O God!
DIDIER (_taking her in his arms_).
My darling, hush!
So many tears! I'd shed my blood for one.
Do what you will! Come, be my destiny,
My glory, life, my virtue, and my love!
Answer me now. I speak! Sweet, do you hear?
[_He seats her on a bank of turf._
MARION (_withdrawing herself from his arms_).
You've hurt me!
DIDIER (_kneeling to her_).
I, who'd gladly die for her!
MARION (_smiling through her tears_).
You made me cry, you cruel man!
DIDIER.
My beauty!
[_Sits on the bank beside her._
Just one sweet kiss upon your forehead, pure
As is our love!
[_He kisses her forehead. They look at each other with ecstasy._
Yes, look at me! Look thus,
Look harder; look until we die of looking!
GRACIEUX (_entering_).
Dona Chimène is wanted in the barn.
[_Marion rises hastily from Didier's side. At the same time that
Gracieux enters, Saverny comes in; he stands in the background and
looks attentively at Marion without seeing Didier, who remains
sitting on the bank and is hidden by a bush._
SAVERNY (_back, without being seen, aside_).
Faith, it is Marion! What brings her here?
[_Laughing._] Chimène!
GRACIEUX (_to Didier, who is about to follow Marion_).
Oh, no! stay there, my jealous friend,
I want to tease you!
DIDIER.
Devil take you!
MARION (_low to Didier_).
Hush!
Restrain yourself.
[_Didier re-seats himself; she enters the barn._
SAVERNY (_still back, aside_).
What makes her roam the country in this fashion?
Can he be the gallant who succored me?
Who saved my life? Didier! It is indeed!
LAFFEMAS (_enters in traveling costume, and salutes Saverny_).
I take my leave, sir!
SAVERNY (_bowing_).
You are going away? [_He laughs._
LAFFEMAS.
What makes you laugh?
SAVERNY.
A very silly thing.
I'll tell you. Guess whom I have recognized
Among those jugglers who have just arrived.
LAFFEMAS.
Among those jugglers?
SAVERNY (_laughing still more_).
Yes. Marion de Lorme!
LAFFEMAS (_with a start_).
Marion de Lorme!
DIDIER (_who has been looking at them fixedly all the time_).
Hein? [_He half rises from the bank._
SAVERNY (_still laughing_).
I would like to send
That news to Paris. Are you going there?
LAFFEMAS.
I am, and I will spread the news, trust me!
But are you sure you recognize her?
SAVERNY.
Sure?
Hurrah for France! We know our Marion.
[_Feeling in his pocket._
I think I have her portrait--tender pledge
Of love! She had it done by the King's painter.
[_Giving Laffemas a locket._
Look and compare them.
[_Indicating the barn door._
See her, through that door,
In Spanish costume, with green petticoat.
LAFFEMAS (_looking from the locket to the barn_).
'Tis she--Marion de Lorme! [_Aside._] I have him now!
[_To Saverny._] She must have a companion 'mongst these men.
SAVERNY.
It's likely. Such fair ladies are not prudes,
And seldom travel round the world alone.
LAFFEMAS (_aside_).
I'll guard this door. It will go hard, indeed,
If I can't capture that false actor here.
He's taken now--no doubt of that! [_Goes out._
SAVERNY (_watches the exit of Laffemas: aside_).
I think
I've done a foolish thing.
[_Taking Gracieux aside, who all this time has stood in a corner
gesticulating and running over his lines: in a whisper._
Who is that lady
Sitting within the shadow there?
[_Indicating the door of the barn._
GRACIEUX.
Chimène?
[_Solemnly._] My lord, I do not know her name. Ask him,
This lord, her noble friend.
[_Exits on the side of the park._