THE GODDESS OF REASON. A Drama. Tall izmo, $2.00, net. Postage extra. AUDREY. With Illustrations in color. Crown 8vo, $1.50. PRISONERS OF HOPE. With Frontispiece. Crown Svo, {1.50. TO HAVE AND TO HOLD. With 8 Illustra tions by HOWARD PVLK, E. B. THOMPSON, A. W. BBTTS, and EM LBN McCoNNBLL. Crown 8ro, $1.50. HOUGHTON MIFFLIN & CO. BOSTON AND NEW YORK. THE GODDESS OF REASON A DRAMA IN FIVE ACTS GODDESS REASON MARY JOHNSTON BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY MDCCCCVII COPYRIGHT 1907 BY MARY JOHNSTON ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Published May TO THE HOUSEHOLD AT WOODLEY THIS DRAMA IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED DRAMATIS PERSONM RENE-AMAURY DE VARDES, Baron of Morbec REMOND LALAIN, Deputy from Vannes THE ABBE JEAN DE BARBASAN COUNT Louis DE CHATEAU-GUI CAPTAIN FAUQJJEMONT DE Buc MELIPARS DE L'ORIENT ENGUERRAND LA FORET THE VIDAME DE SAINT-AMOUR THE ENGLISHMAN GREGOIRE RAOUL THE HUNTSMAN A SERGEANT OF HUSSARS YVETTE THE MARQUISE DE BLANCHEFORET MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI MME. DE VAUCOURT MME. DE MALESTROIT MME. DE PONT A L'ARCHE viii DRAMATIS PERSONM SISTER FIDELIS CELESTE SISTER SIMPLICIA ANGELIQJJE SISTER BENEDICTA SERAPHINE NANON AN ACTRESS Guests of De Vardes; Peasants; Lackeys; Soldiers; Nuns; Young Girls ; The Mob at Nantes; Partici pants in the Fete of the Goddess of Reason; Republican Commissioners ; National Soldiers ; Women of the Revo lution; Royalist Prisoners; Gaolers; Judges; Execu tioners; etc. t etc. TIME 1791-1794 ACT I. The Chateau of Morbec in Brittany. ACT II. The Garden of the Convent of the Visi tation in Nantes. ACT III. A Square in Nantes. ACT IV. A Church in Nantes used as a Prison. ACT V. Scene I. A Judgment Hall in Nantes. Scene II. The Banks of the Loire. THE GODDESS OF REASON AC r i The Chateau of Morbec in Brittany. A formal garden and a wide terrace with stone balustrade. In the background the chateau, white and peak-roofed, with great arched doors. Beyond it a distant prospect of a Breton village and of the sea beating against a dangerous coast. To the left a thick wood, to the right a perspective of garden alleys, fountains, and flowering trees. On the terrace a small table set with bread, fruit, and wine. In the angle formed by the level of the terrace and the wide stone steps leading into the garden the statue of a nymph, its high and broad pedestal draped with ivy. Scattered on the terrace and steps a litter of stones, broken cudgels, rusty and uncouth weapons. The sun shines, the trees wave in the wind, the birds sing, the flowers bloom. It is a summer morning in the year 1791. Enter from one of the garden paths a lackey and REMOND LALAIN. LALAIN wears a riding dress with a tricolour cockade. LAL AI N SAY to Monsieur the Baron of Morbec, Remond Lalain, the Deputy from Vannes, In^haste is riding north, but hath drawn rein 2 THE GODDESS Hearing to-day of Baron Henri's death And audience craves that he may homage pay To Morbec's latest lord ! THE LACKEY I go, monsieur ! [Exit the lackey. LA LAI N These gloomy towers ! [He muses as he paces the garden walk before the terrace. Mirabeau is dead! Gabriel Riquetti, dead, I salute thee, Great gladiator ! Who treads now the sand That yesterday was trod by Mirabeau ? Barnave, Lameth, ye are too slight of frame ! There 's Lafayette. No, no, mon general! Robespierre ? Go to, thou little man ! Jean Paul Marat, dog leech and People's Friend ? Wild beast to fight with beast ! Faugh ! Down, Marat ! Who stands this course, why, that man 's emperor ! Now how would purple look upon Marat ? Jacques Danton ? Danton ! Hot Cordelier ! Dark Titan forging to a Titan's end ! Shake not thy black locks from the tribune there, Nor rend the heavens with thy mighty voice ! 'T is not for thee, the victor's golden crown, The voice of France \fThe doors of the chateau open. Enter three lackeys bearing a great gilt chair, which they place with ceremony at the head of the steps which lead from the terrace into the garden. ? OF REASON 3 FIRST LACKEY (stamping with his foot upon the terrace) The gilded chair place here ! We always judge our peasants from this chair, We lords of Morbec ! North terrace, gilt chair ! SECOND LACKEY Baron Henri sat here the day he died ! FIRST LACKEY Now Baron Rene takes his turn ! [They place the chair. L A L A i N (as before) Danton ! Why not Lalain? It is as good a name ! Mirabeau 's dead ! Out of my way, Danton ! THIRD LACKEY (gathering up the stones which He upon the terrace) I '11 throw these stones into the shrubbery ! SECOND LACKEY (lifting a rusty scythe from the steps] This scythe I '11 fling into the fountain ! FIRST LACKEY (his hands in his pockets) He! One sees quite well that we have stood a siege ! \The lackeys gather up the stones, the sticks, the broken and rusty tools and weapons. LA LAIN Where lives the man who doth not worship Might ? O Goddess All-in-All ! make me thine own, 4 THE GODDESS As the bright moon did make Endymion ; And I will rim thy Phrygian cap with stars, And give thee for thy cestus the tricolour ! Enter GREGOIRE. GREGOIRE Monsieur Lalain ! L A L A i N (waving his hand) My good Gregoire ! GREGOIRE (to the lackeys) Despatch ! Monseigneur will be here anon ! [He glances at the stones, etc. Rubbish ! Away with 't ! [Passing the statue of the nymph, he strikes it with his hand. Will you forever smile ? Stone lips that long have smiled at bitter wrong ! You might, my dear, have lost that smile last night ! FIRST LACKEY Last night was something like ! SECOND LACKEY (throwing the stones one by one into the shrubbery] Sangdieu ! last night My heart was water ! GREGOIRE Ah, poltroon ; your heart ! OF REASON 5 THIRD LACKEY (making play with a broken stick) Our baron 's a swordsman ! His rapier flashed ! FIRST LACKEY Keen as the blade of the Sieur de Morbec ! And that is a saying old as the sea ! SECOND LAC KEY Hard as the heart of the Sieur de Morbec ! And that was said before the sea was made ! [They laugh. THIRD LACKEY (pointing to L A L A i N) What 's he ? GREGOIRE The advocate Remond Lalain. THIRD LAC KEY A patriot ? GREGOIRE Hotter than Lanjuinais! THIRD LACKEY What does he at Morbec ? GREGOIRE How should I know ? His home was once within the village there, And now and then he visits the cure. FIRST LAC KEY The cure ! He visits Yvette Charruel ! LALAIN (as before) Mirabeau and I were born in the south. 6 THE GODDESS Oh, the orange flower beside the wall ! And the shaken olives when Mistral wakes ! GREGO i RE Once they were friends, Baron Rene and he; The Revolution came between FIRST LACKEY (He sends a pike whirling into the shrubbery] Long live The Revolution ! GRGOI RE My friend, 't will live Without thy bawling ! THIRD LACKEY (arranging the bottles upon the small table] So ! The red wine here, The white wine there ! (I'o a fallen bottle?) Stand up, Aristocrat ! LAL AIN The sun is high ! [He approaches the terrace and addresses the nearest lackey. How long must I await The pleasure of Monsieur the Baron here ? THE LACKEY Monsieur ? LAL AIN Go, fellow, go ! and to him say, Remond Lalain OF REASON 7 THE LACKEY I go, monsieur ! [Exit the lackey. LA LA IN 'T is well, Rene de Vardes, to keep me waiting thus ! [GR GOIRE pours wine into a glass and descending the steps offers it to LALAIN. GRGOI RE The old vintage, Monsieur Lalain ! L A L A I N Thanks, friend. The day is warm. \He raises the glass to his lips. Laughter and voices from the winding garden paths. What 's that ? GREGOIRE (shrugging) More guests, no doubt ! The count, the vidame, and the young marquise ! All Morbihan felicitates Morbec, And brings our baron bonbons and bouquets, As if there were no hunger and no frost ! \A distant sound from the wood of harsh and com plaining voices. LALAIN And that ? GREGOIRE Soldiers and huntsmen beat the woods; For half the village is in hiding there, 8 THE GODDESS Having assayed last night to burn Morbec ! As if *t would burn ! This time the soldiers came ! Mon Dieu ! the times are bad. L A L A i N (abruptly) All the village ! Did Yvette Charruel GREGOIRE (shrugging) Yvette ! FIRST LACKEY (from the terrace) Yvette ! SECOND LACKEY I warrant monseigneur will hang Yvette ! [LALAIN pours the wine upon the ground and throws the glass from him. It shatters against the balustrade. Laughter and 'voices. Guests appear in the garden walks , the women in swelling skirts of silk or muslin^ pondered hair and large hats ; the men in brocade and silk with cane swords , or in hunting dress. A LADY (curtseying) Monsieur le Vicomte ! A GENTLEMAN (bowing) Madame la Baronne ! MME. DE MALESTROIT A heavenly day. ENGUERRAND LA FORET No cloud in the sky. OF REASON 9 THE VIDAME (saluting a gentleman] Count Louis de Chateau-Gui ! COUNT Lo ui s Ah, monsieur ! [Presents his snuff-box. MME. DE PONT A L'ARCHE For laces I advise Louise. Fichus ? The Bleeding Heart above the flower shop. THE VIDAME A lettre de cachet. To Vincennes he went ! MME. DE MALESTROIT But ah ! what use of laces or fichus ! We emigrate so fast there 's none to see ! THE ENGLISHMAN I quote a great man my Lord Chesterfield : " Exist in the unhappy land of France All signs that history hath ever shown " MME. DE PONT A L'ARCHE The Queen wore carnation, Madame, pale rose, The Dauphin L AL AIN What do I in this galley ? (To GREGOIRE.) I '11 walk aside ! [Exit LALAIN. COUNT Louis (to GREGOIRE) Was that Remond Lalain? io THE GODDESS GRGOIRE It was, Monsieur le Comte. COUNT Louis Ah, scelerat ! THE Vi DAME The talked-of Deputy for Vannes ? LA F6 RET Tribune Eloquent as Antony ! COUNT Loui s Demagogue ! THE ENGLISHMAN I heard him in the Jacobins. He spoke, And then they went and tore a palace down ! COUNT Louis Stucco ! Enter, laughing, MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI, MELIPARS DE L'ORIENT, and CAPTAIN FAUQUEMONT DE Buc. DE L'ORIENT has in his hand a -paper of verses. My daughter and De L'Orient, Captain Fauquemont de Buc ! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI Messieurs, mesdames ! The poet and his verses ! THE COMPANY Ah, verses ! OF REASON ii COUNT Louis Who is the fair, Monsieur de L'Orient ? Lalage or La'is or little Fleurette ? Men sang of Celestine when I was young, Ah, Celestine, behind thy white rose tree ! D E L' O RIENT I do not sing of love, Monsieur le Comte ! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI He sings of this day DE Buc The Eve of Saint John. DE L'ORIENT It is a Song of Welcome to De Vardes ! DE Buc But yesterday poor Colonel of Hussars ! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI To-day Monsieur the Baron of Morbec ! DE L' O RIE NT Mars to Eellona leaves the tented field. DE Buc That 's Bouille at Metz ! Kling ! rang our spurs De Vardes' and mine from Verdun to Morbec ! DE L'ORIENT The warrior hastens to his native weald. 12 THE GODDESS COUNT Louis Would I might see again Henri de Vardes ! DE Buc It would affright you, sir ! The man is dead. COUNT Loui s Ah, while he lived it was as did become A nobleman of France and Brittany ! He was my friend; together we were young! From dawn to dusk, from dusk to dawn again, We searched for pleasure as for buried gold, And found it, too, in days when we were young! From every flint we struck the golden sparks, We plucked the thistle as we plucked the rose, And battle gave for every star that shone ! O nymphs that laughing fled while we pursued ! O music that was made when we were young ! O gold we won and duels that we fought ! On guard, monsieur, on guard! Sa ! sa ! A touch I What shall we drink ? Where shall we dine ? Mafoi ! There *s a melting eye at the Golden Crown ! The Angel 'pours a Eur gundy divine ! Come, come, the quarrel 's o'er ! So, arm in arm ! O worlds we lost and won when we were young ! O lips we kissed within the jasmine bower ! O sirens singing in the clear moonlight ! With Bacchus we drank, with Apollo loved, With Actseon hunted when we were young ! The wax-lights burned with softer lustre then. The music was more rich when we were young. Violet was the perfume for hair powder, OF REASON 13 Ruffles were point and buckles were brilliant And lords were lords in the old land of France ! We did what we would, and lettres de cachet, Like cooing doves they fluttered from our hands ! DE L' O R i E NT Our tribute take, last of a noble line ! COUNT Loui s Women ! There will come no more such women ! DE L ' O R i E NT The laurel and the empress rose we twine. Co UNT Louis And Henri 's gone ! And now his cousin reigns, Rene de Vardes that hath been years away ! The King is dead. Well, well, long live the King ! They say he 's brave as Crillon, handsome too, With that bel air that no De Vardes 's without! Enter MME. DE VAUCOURT followed by the ABBE JEAN DE BARBASAN. MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI Monsieur 1'Abbe ! DE Buc Madame de Vaucourt ! MME. DE VAUCOURT (with outspread hands] You Ve heard? Last night they strove to burn Morbec ! ALL What? 14 THE GODDESS MME. DE VAUCOURT The peasants ! COUNT Loui s Again ! DE Buc Ah, I am vexed. Messieurs, mesdames, the Baron of Morbec Silence enjoined, or the tale I 'd have told! The abbe is so bold THE ABBE" De Buc 's so proud ! And just because he brought us help from Vannes ! The red Hussars to hive the bees again ! THE ENGLISHMAN The seigneur and his peasants are at odds ? THE ABBE" Slightly! COUNT Louis (complacently) Henri was hated ! Hate descends With the land. DE L'ORIENT There is a girl of these parts COUNT Lo ui s Eh? DE L'ORIENT She plays the firebrand. OF REASON 15 COUNT Louis Bah! DE L' ORIENT She hath *"* The loveliest face ! COUNT Louis Hm! THE ABB I am unscathed. De Vurdes is slightly wounded ! ALL Oh! COUNT Louis Morbleu ! And how did it happen, Monsieur 1'Abbe? THE ABB Behold us at our ease in the great hall, De Vardes and I, a-musing o'er piquet ! Voltaire beside us, for we read "Alzire," A wine as well, more suave than any verse ; A still and starlit night, soft, fair, and warm ; Wax-lights, and roses in a china bowl. He laid aside his sword and I my cap, All tranquilly at home, the Two Estates! He held carte blanche, I followed with quatorze. The roses sweetly smelled, the candles burned, At peace we were with nature and mankind. A crash of painted glass ! a whirling stone ! 16 THE GODDESS A candle out ! the roses all o'erturned ! The thunder of a log against our doors ! A clattering of sabots ! a sudden shout ! Morbec, Morbec, it is thy Judgment Night ! Admission, admission. Aristocrats ! Red turns the night, the servants all rush in. Sieur ! Sieur ! the lackeys moan and wring their hands. Give, give! the terrace croaks. Burn, Morbec, burn ! The great bell swings in the windy tower Till the wolves in the forest pause to hear. Fall, Morbec, fall! France has no need of thee ! Upsprings a rosy light! a smell of smoke! Mischief 's afoot ! The Baron of Morbec Lays down his cards and takes his rapier up, Hums Le Sein de sa Famille, shuts Alzire, Resignedly rises COUNT Louis (rubbing his hands) Expresses regret That monsieur his guest THE ABB Should be incommoded And turns to the door. I levy the tongs. The seneschal Gregoire hauls from the wall An ancient arquebus ! The lackeys wail, And nothing do, as is the lackey's wont ! Again the peasants thunder at the door ! Open, De Vardes ! Oh y hated of all names ! 'The new is as the old ! Death to De Vardes I The log strikes full, and now a panel breaks; In comes a hand that brandishes a pike ; OF REASON 17 A voice behind, We 've come to sup with thee I For thou hast bread and we have none, De Vardes I THE ENGLISHMAN * Ha, ha! ha, ha! ha, ha! COUNT Louis You laugh, monsieur? THE ABBE I like calmness myself. Calm of the sea, Calm skies, the calm spring, and calmness of mind ! A tempest 's plebeian ! So I admired Rene de Vardes when he walked to the door And opened it ! Behold the whole wolf pack, As lean as 't were winter ! canaille ail ! Sans-culottes and tatterdemalions, Mere dust of the field and sand of the shore ; Humanity's shreds would follow the mode, And burn the chateau of their rightful lord ! De Vardes' peasants in fine. Mort aux tyrans! A bas Aristocrat ! Vive la fatrie! Vive la Revolution I In they pressed, Gaunt, haggard, and shrill, and full in the front Young and fair, conceive ! dark-eyed and red-lipped A fury, a maenad, a girl called DE L' O RIENT Yvette ! THE A B B So they named her, the peasants of Morbec, Named and applauded the dark-eyed besom ! i8 THE GODDESS When, De Vardes' drawn rapier just touching Her breast-knot of blue as she stood in his path, Up went her brown hand, armed with a sickle ! De Vardes is a known fencer, 't is lucky ! His wound is not deep, and in the left arm ! THE VIDAME She may hang for that ! How high I forget The gallows should be COUNT Louis (offering his snuff-box) Monsieur le Vidame, Thirty feet, I believe! THE VIDAME But not in chains Co UNT Loui s No ! It was the left arm. DE L'ORIENT What did De Vardes ? THE AB B De Vardes, with Liancourt and Rochefoucauld, Holds that the peasant doth possess a soul ! I think it hurt him to the heart that he, New come to Morbec, and unknown to these, His vassals of the village, field, and shore, Should be esteemed by them an enemy, A Baron Henri come again, forsooth ! But since 't was so, out rapier ! parry ! thrust ! Diable ! he 's a swordsman to my mind ! OF REASON 19 The maenad with the sickle he puts by; Runs through the arm a clamourer of corvee, Brings howling to his knees a sans-culotte, And strikes a flail from out a claw-like hand ! They falter, they give way, the craven throng! The women cry them on; they swarm again. His bright steel flashes, rise and fall my tongs! But the lackeys are naught, and Gregoire finds A flaw in his musket ; he will not fire ! Pardieu ! the things this Revolution kills ! There is no faithfulness in service now ! Our peasants grow bold. Ma foi ! we 're at bay ! De Vardes and De Barbasan, rapier, tongs ! Wild blows and wild cries, blown smoke and a glare, And the girl Yvette with her reaping hook Still pushed to the front by the women there ! Upon De Vardes' white sleeve the blood is dark, And his breath comes fast ! I see the event As 't will look in print in Paris next week, In L'Ami du Peuple or Journal du Roil " The Vain Defence of an Ancient Chateau ! When we Burn so Much, why not Burn the Land ? " And I break with my tongs a young death's-head That 's bawling What think you ? Vive la R'epublique. COUNT Louis Death and damnation ! THE ABBE So I said ! And then, Quite, I assure you, in time's very nick, The saint De Vardes prays to smiled on him ! 20 THE GODDESS A thunder clap ! Pas de charge I En avant ! Captain Fauquemont de Buc and his Hussars ! DE Buc Warned by the saint, we galloped from Auray ! THE AfiBi Like the dead leaves borne afar on the blast, Or like the sea mist when the sun rises, Or like the red deer when the horn 's sounded, Like anything in short that 's light o' heel, Vanished our peasants ! The women went last; And last of all the maenad with the eyes ! Jesu ! She might have been Jeanne d'Arc, that girl ! The man who captures her has a hand full ! To the deep woods they fled, are hunted now. De Vardes and I gave welcome to De Buc, Put out the fire, attended to our wounds, Resumed our cards, and finished our Ahire The Chateau of Morbec stands, you observe ! [The company applauds. MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI But who was the saint ? DE Buc Ah, here is De Vardes ! Enter DE VARDES. He is dressed in slight mourning and carries his arm in a sling. THE GUESTS Monsieur the Baron of Morbec ! OF REASON 21 D E VAR DE s Welcome, The brave and the fair, my old friends and new ! Welcome to Morbec ! COUNT Louis Ah, your wounded arm ! Our regret is profound ! D E VAR D E s It is nothing. The fraternal embrace of the people ! COUNT Louis Oh, the people ! MME. DE VAUCOURT The people ! DE L' O RI E NT The people ! COUNT Loui s My friend, permit us to hope you will make Of the people a signal example ! DE VARDES They are misguided. CO UNT LOUIS Misguided ! Morbleu ! DE VARDES I will talk to them. 22 THE GODDESS COUNT Louis Monsieur le Baron, Let your soldiers talk with a bayonet's point, Your bailiffs with a rope MME. DE VAUCOURT But what good saint Brought warning to Auray ? DE L'ORIENT I guess that saint ! \A lackey appears upon the terrace. THE LAC KEY Madame la Marquise de Blancheforet ! THE GUESTS Ah! La belle marquise ! Enter THE MARQUISE. DE Buc The saint ! D E VARD E s My neighbour fair, And to De Barbasan and me last night A guardian angel [He greets THE MARQUISE. Madame la Marquise ! THE MARQUISE Monsieur le Baron ! ('To the company.) Messieurs, mesdames ! OF REASON 23 D E VA R D E s From Blancheforet to Auray through the night This lady rode THE MARQUISE (with gayety) Ah, how I rode last night, To Auray through the dark ! This way it was : I overheard two peasants yestereve As in a lane I sought for eglantine. "How long hath Morbec stood?" said one. "Too long! But when to-morrow dawns 't will not be there ! And we were born, I think, to burn chateaux ! Ten, by the village clock forget it not ! " THE A B B Ah, ay, the while I dealt the clock struck ten. THE MARQUISE It was already dusk. Like grey death moths They slipped away ! I knew not whom to trust, For in these times there 's no fidelity, No faithful groom, no steadfast messenger ! My little page brought me my Zuleika. I knew the red Hussars were at Auray, And that 't was said they loved their colonel well ! So to Auray came Zuleika and I ! DE Buc We thought it was Dian in huntress dress ! DE VARDES How deeply am I, Goddess, in thy debt ! No gold is coined wherewith I may repay ! [Music within. 24 THE GODDESS THE MARQUISE Give me a rose from yonder tree ! [Laughing voices within. MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI More guests, They 're on the south terrace ! D E L* O RIENT Violins too ! Ah, the old air [He sings. 'There lived a king in Ts, In Ts the city old! Beside the sounding sea He counted oer his gold. DE VARDES Let us meet them. [He gives his hand to THE MARQUISE. Exeunt COUNT Louis, THE ABBE, DE Buc, DE L'ORIENT, etc. GREGOIRE approaches DE VARDES. GR GO i RE Monseigneur Monsieur the Deputy ! D E VAR D E s Ah! Say to monsieur I'm not at leisure now. [Exeunt DE VARDES and THE MARQUISE. 'The terrace and garden are deserted save for GREGOIRE, who seats himself in the shadow of the balustrade. OF REASON 25 GREGOIRE Humph ! Monseigneur 's not at leisure. \_He draws a Paris journal from his Docket and r e ads , following the letters with his forefinger. What news ? What says Jean Paul Marat, the People's Friend ? [A cry from the wood and the sound of breaking boughs. YVETTE and SERAPHINE enter the garden. RAOUL THE HUNTSMAN'S voice within. THE HUNTSMAN Hilloa ! Hilloa ! Hilloa ! [YVETTE and SERAPHINE turn towards one of the garden alleys. Laughter and voices. YVETTE Go not that way ! SERAPHINE There is no way ! THE HUNTSMAN (within) Hilloa! Hilloa! SERAPHINE We 're caught ! YVETTE The terrace there ! Behind the stone woman ! \They cross the garden to the terrace. SERAPHINE (She stops abruptly and points to the table) Bread ! 26 THE GODDESS THE HUNTSMAN (nearer) Hilloa! Hilloa! [YVETTE and SERAPHINE turn from the table and hide behind the tall, ivy-draped pedestal of the statue. GREGOIRE looks up from his paper and sees them. Enter RAOUL THE HUNTSMAN. THE H UNTS MAN This way they came ! GRGOIRE {jerking his thumb over his shoulder] Down yonder path ! plump to the woods again ! THE HUNTSMAN The Hussars from Auray have twenty rogues ! G R GOI RE Indeed ! THE HUNTSMAN These two and my bag 's full ! [Exit THE HUNTSMAN. G RGOI RE Diable ! \_He reads aloud. Weary at last of intolerable wrong, The peasants of Goy in Normandy rose And burned the chateau. Who questions their right ? [He folds his paper. Saint Yves ! this stone is much harder than Goy ! [He looks fixedly at the statue and raises his voice. Ma'm'selle who would smile at the trump of doom, OF REASON 27 I think that all the village will be hanged ! And at its head that brown young witch they call Yvette Reenter DE VARDES and THE MARQUISE. DE VARDES (/o G R E G o i R E) Begone ! [Exit GREGOIRE. DE VARDES and THE MARQUISE rest beside the statue, YVETTE listening. Why, what 's a soldier for ? But pity me, pity me, belle Marquise ! Since pity is so sweet ! THE MARQUISE I'm sure it is A fearful wound ! D E VAR D E s A fearful wound indeed ! But 't is not in the arm ! THE MARQUISE No, monsieur? DE VARDES No! The heart ! I swear that it is bleeding fast ! And I have naught wherewith to stanch the wound. Your kerchief THE MARQUISE Just a piece of lace ! 28 THE GODDESS D E VARDES 'T will serve. THE MARQUISE (giving her handkerchief] Well, there ! Now tell me of last night. DE VARDES Last night ! Why, all this tintamarre was but a dream, Fanfare of fairy trumpets while we slept. A night it was for love-in-idleness, And fragrant thoughts and airy phantasy ! There was no moon, but Venus shone as bright ; The honeysuckle blew its tiny horn To tell the rose a moth was coming by. Clarice-Marie ! sang all the nightingales, Or would have sung were nightingales abroad ! Husky hush ! the little waves kept whispering. The ivy at your window still was peeping; You lay in dreams, that gold curl on your breast ! THE MARQUISE No, no ! You cheat me not, monsieur ! Last night I did not sleep ! DE VARDES Nor I! THE MARQUISE Miserable brigands ! DE VARDES No, not brigands ! Just wretched flesh and blood. THE MARQUISE You pity them? OF REASON 29 D E VAR DE s " - Ay. THE MARQUISE Were I a seigneur, Lord of Morbec DE VARDES Were I a poor fisher, Sailing at sunrise home from the islands, Over the sea, and all my heart singing ! And you were a herd girl slender and sweet, With the gold of your hair beneath your cap, And you kept the cows and you were my douce, And you waved your hand from the green cliff head When the sun and I came up from the sea ! And there was a seigneur so great and grim Who walked in his garden and said aloud, " How many fish has he taken for me ? Which of her cows shall I keep for myself ? I leave him enough to pay for the Mass The day he is drowned, and the girl shall have The range of the hills for her one poor cow ! Why should the fisher fret, the herd girl weep ? There is no reason in a serf's dull heart ! I might have taken all. It is my right ! " La belle Marquise, what would the herd girl do ? And should the fisher suffer and say naught ? THE MARQUISE There is no fisher nor no herd girl here. How fair the roses of Morbec, monsieur ! 30 THE GODDESS D E VARDES Ay, they are lovely queens. They know it too ! I better like the heartsease at your feet. THE MARQUISE It is a peasant flower ! Sieur de Morbec, Have you never loved ? DE VARDES How fair is the day ! For loving how fit ! *T is the Eve of Saint John. THE MARQUISE Yes. DE VARDES Last year I loved on this very day. Take the omen, madame ! THE MARQUISE We had not met, You and I ! DE VARDES Ah, 't is true ! We had not met ! And so, fair as you are, you were not there, In Paimpont Wood, on the Eve of Saint John? THE MARQUISE No! D E VAR DBS I wonder who was ! It is haunted ! THE MAR Q u i SE In Paimpont Wood! OF REASON 31 DE VARDES On the Eve of Saint John I rode from Morbec here to Chatillon, And through the wood of Paimpont fared alone. It is a forest where enchantments thrive, And a fair dream doth drop from every tree ! The old, old world of bitterness and strife Is remote as winter, remote as death. It was high noon in the turbulent town; But clocks never strike in the elfin wood, And the sun's ruddy gold is elsewhere spent. The light was dim in the depths of Paimpont, Green, reverend, and dim as the light may be In a sea king's palace under the sea. The wind did not blow ; the flowering bough Was still as the rose on a dead man's breast. On velvet hoof the doe and fawn went by; In other woods the lark and linnet sang ; A stealthy way was taken by the fox; The badger trod upon the softest moss ; And like a shadow flitted past the hare. Without a sound the haunted fountain played. The oak boughs dreamed; the pine was motionless; Its silver arms the beech in silence spread; The poplar had forgot its lullaby. It was as still as cloudland in the wood, For in a hawthorn brake old Merlin sleeps, And every leaf is hushed for love of him. There through the years they sleep and listless dream, The wood of Paimpont and the wizard old. They dream of valleys where the lilies blow; They dream of woodland gods and castles high, 32 THE GODDESS Of faun and Pan and of the Table Round, Of dryad trees and of a maiden dark That Vivien whom old Merlin once did love, Vivien le Gai whose love was poisonous ! THE MARQUISE I Ve heard it said by women spinning flax, " Who wanders in Paimpont wanders in love ; Let him who loves in Paimpont Wood beware ! " D E VA R DE s Ah, idle word! Oh, many silver bells Since Vivien's day have rung, Beware, beware ! And rung in vain, for in every clime Lies Paimpont Wood, dawns the Eve of Saint John ! THE MARQUISE And in the forest there whom did you love ? DE VARDES I do not know. I have not seen her since, Unless unless I saw her face last night ! Y v E T T E (behind the base of the statue} Oh! D E VA R D E s Did you not hear a voice? THE MARQUISE 'T is the wind. You 're riding through the wood to Chatillon. DE VARDES It was a lonely forest, deep and vast, A secret and a soundless trysting-place, OF REASON 33 Where one might meet, nor be surprised to meet, From out his past, or from his life to come, A veiled shape, a presence bitter-sweet, A thing that was, a thing was yet to be ! It seemed a fatal place, a destined day. Down a long aisle of beechen trees I rode, And came upon a small and sunny vale, And there I met a face from out a dream, An ancient dream, a dark and lovely face. Give me your fan of pearl and ivory ! \_He takes the fan from THE MARQUISE. I '11 turn enchanter, use it for my rod, And make you see, Marquise, the very place ! [He points with the 'fan* Here sprang the silver column of a beech; There, mossy knees of a most ancient oak; Yonder a wall of thickest foliage rose; And here a misty streamlet flowed With a voice more low than the dying fall Of a trouvere's lute in Languedoc, And on its shore the slender flowers grew; Upon a foxglove bell hung papil 'Ion ; And all around the grass was long and fine. Within this sylvan space, ah, ages since ! The white-robed Druids in the cold moonlight Had reared an altar stone of wondrous height; The fane was there, the Druids were away. All fragrant was the air, and sunny still, On the Eve of Saint John 't is ever so ! Above, the sky was blue without a cloud; The sun stood sentinel o'er the haunted wood. And there she lay, the woman of a dream, 34 THE GODDESS Against the Druid Stone, amid the bloom ; Her eyes were on the stream; she leaned her ear; From far away the trouvere played to her; In flakes of gold the sunlight blessed her hair; Her lips were red; she seemed a princess old; Mid purple bloom she lay and gazed afar, In the magic wood on a magic day, Listening to hear the mighty trouvere play. Was she a princess or a peasant maid ? I do not know, pardie ! She may have been That Vivien who wrought old Merlin wrong. I cannot tell if she were rich or poor ; I only saw her face ; I only know I loved the dream I met in Paimpont Wood As I did ride last year to Chatillon On Saint John's Eve. \_He lays the fan upon the table. So I have loved, Marquise ! THE MA RQU i s E What did your pretty dream ? DE VARDES As other dreams; She fled ! THE MARQUISE And you pursued ? D E VA R D E s Yes, but in vain ! Trouble no dream that is dreamed in Paimpont ! The wood closed around her ; she vanished quite. It must have been that evil Vivien, Since you, Marquise, have never trod the wood ! OF REASON 35 THE MARQUISE Would I have fled ? D E VAR DBS Why, then, without doubt It was Vivien ! But yet do you know 'T is the Eve of Saint John, and here, last night, I dreamed that I saw my dream again ! \he hand and arm of the statue fall, broken, to the ground at the feet of THE MARQUISE. THE MARQUISE Ah! DE VARDES (pushes the marble aside with his foot] It is nothing ! The stone was cracked last night. Some crack-brained peasant had no better mark ! THE MARQUISE 'T is a pr'esigne ! I feel it. DE VAR DE s You shudder ! THE MARQUISE One trod near my grave ! I 'm suddenly cold ! D E VA R DE s The sun never shines on this terrace! THE MARQUISE No! 'T was an air from the Forest of Paimpont Came over me ! [Voices within. DE L'ORIENT sings. 36 rHE GODDESS D E L' O RI E NT In Ys they did rejoice, In Ys the wine was free ; 'The Ocean lent its voice Unto that revelry ! THE MARQUISE Oh, come away ! Let us find the violins and the sun ! There are other woods than Paimpont. Come away ! [Exeunt DE VARDES and THE MARQUISE. Y v E T T E (leaves the shadow of the statue] 'T was he ! That horseman who did waken me That Saint John's Eve I strayed in Paimpont Wood ! Our Lady - SERAPHINE (from the statue) Saint Yves ! There is bread ! [YVETTE takes from the table a loaf of bread and throws it to SERAPHINE, who springs upon it like a famished wolf. Ah h h ! [Setting her teeth in the loaf. [YVETTE, about to lay her hand upon another round of bread, sees the fan lying upon the cloth. She leaves the bread and takes up the fan. It opens in her hand. Y VETTE Oh! [She sits in the great chair and waves the fan slowly to and fro. Were I a lady fair and free, 1 would powder my hair with dust of gold, OF REASON 37 I would clasp a necklace around my throat, Of jewels rare, and a gown I would wear, Blue silk like Our Lady of Toute Remede ! My shoes should be made of golden stuff, And a broidered glove should dress my hand, My hand so white that a lord might kiss ! I would spin fine flax from a silver wheel, I would weave a web for my bridal sheets, I would sing of King Gradlon under the sea, Were I a lady fair and free ! Enter GREGOIRE. SERAPHINE (from the statue) Yvette ! Yvette! YVETTE Peace, peace ! GREGOIRE What have you there ? YVETTE A fan. So long I've wanted one ! GR GO i RE A fan, forsooth ! You cannot eat a fan, drink it, wear it ! YVETTE I would look on 't. One day at Vannes the deputy's sister Showed me a fan, but it was not like this ! 38 THE GODDESS Oh, not like this with these wreaths of roses, These painted clouds, this fairy ship ! G R GO i RE The price Would keep a peasant from starvation ! And belike it fell from the lifted hand Of Madame la Marquise de Blancheforet ! [The fan breaks in YVETTE'S hand. SfRAPHiNE (leaving the statue) Thou evil-starred ! Y V ETTE What have I done ? GRGOIRE Diantre ! Now you will be beaten as well as hanged ! Y VETTE She called us miserable brigands ! Enter DE VARDES. S R A P H I NE Saint Yves! Saint Herve ! Saint Herbot ! DE VARDES (/0 G R G o i R E) Voices ? GR GO i RE Monseigneur? D E VAR DES The fan of Madame la Marquise. OF REASON 39 GRE GOI RE Monseigneur? DE VARDES (perceiving Y v E T T E and SERAPHINE) What will you have, good people ? SERAPHINE Saint Guenole ! Saint Thromeur ! Saint Sulic ! He did not see us in the dark last night ! [DE VARDES regards them more closely. GREGOIRE Seraphine Robin Yvette Charruel They are not bad folk, monseigneur ! SERAPHINE No, faith ! [DE VARDES studies the name written upon a playing card which he holds in his hand. DE VARDES (to GREGOIRE) Say to Monsieur the Deputy from Vannes That I await him here. [Exit GREGOIRE. DE VARDES looks intently at YVETTE. YVETTE It was so beautiful, The fan I took it in my hand it broke ! Si R A P H i NE All that she touches breaks ! DE VARDES (to YVETTE) Wast ever thou In the Forest of Paimpont? 40 THE GODDESS Y V E TTE Oh, monseigneur ! Last Eve of Saint John, by the Druid Stone ! D E V A R DE S Ah! [He takes thefanfromYvETTEs hand and examines it. Beyond all remedy ! Well, 't is done. Do not tremble so! Y v ETTE I tremble not ! Enter LALAIN. SERAPHINE (to YVETTE) Here 's Monsieur Lalain ! YVETTE I care not, I ! DE VARDES Ah, Remond Lalain! LALAIN (stiffly) Monsieur DE VARDES A moment, pray, Until I Ve spoken with these worthy folk ! LALAIN (coldly) Monsieur the Baron's pleasure ! \He moves aside y but in passing speaks to YVETTE. Yvette! Yvette ! OF REASON 41 YVETTE Monsieur the Deputy ? LA LAIN Too fair art thou ! Beware ! This is the Seigneur of Morbec ! YVETTE I know. L A LAIN He is the foe of France ! YVETTE I know. DE VARDES (to SERAPHINE) Your business, well ? SERAPHINE (stammering) Our business, monseigneur ? Oh, give me help, Saint Yves le Veridique ! Our business? Saint Michel ! Well, since we 're here ! Monseigneur, was the pullet plump and sweet ? DE VARDES The pullet ? YVETTE Our pullet, monseigneur. LAL AI N Distrained for rent ! SERAPHINE And Lisette, monseigneur? May we enquire for Lisette's health ? DE VARDES Lisette ? 42 THE GODDESS Y V E TT E Our cow, monseigneur. L AL AI N Taken for taxes ! SfRAPHINE It was the best Lisette ! Y VETTE She followed me Through the green lanes, and o'er the meadows salt. Her breath was sweet as May ! DE VARDES It would please you To have your cow again ? YVETTE Oh, monseigneur ! Monseigneur, I 'm the herd girl of Morbec ! L A L A i N (aside) They gaze into each other's eyes ! DE VARDES What is Thy name ? YVETTE Yvette. SlRAPHINE Ay, ay, 't is so ! Yvette. Called also The Right of the Seigneur ! OF REASON 43 D E VAR D E s The Right of the Seigneur ! SERAPHINE ^nodding) Just so. L A L A i N (aside) Recall Just one of a great seigneur's privileges ! Baiser des mariees, in short, my friend ! SERAPHINE holy Saints ! the night that she was born ! The thunder pealed, the sea gave forth a cry, The forked lightnings played, the winds were out ! And in the hut her mother lay and wailed, And called on all the saints, the while Jehan (That was her mother's husband, monseigneur), He stood and struck his heel against the logs. Up flew the sparks, for all the wood was drift, Salt with the sea, and every flame was blue. 1 held the babe Yvette, show monseigneur The mark beneath the ear ! YVETTE No! SERAPHINE Stubbornness ! 'T is there ! L AL AI N A birthmark a small blue flower ! 44 THE GODDESS D E VARDES Ah! S R A P H i N E Ay ! a little mark. Jehan Charruel ! He was a violent man, the sea breeds such ! He cursed Yvonne upon her pallet there, So pale she was, and dying with the tide ! He cursed the saints, the purple mark, the babe, And some one else I dare not name L A L A i N I dare ! Henri-Etienne-Amaury de Vardes, Late Baron of Morbec ! SE R A P H INE Then out he goes, A-weeping hard Jehan into the night. Ouf ! how it blew ! The sea ran high, he met it in the dark, Was drowned ! Yvonne went with the ebb. Behold Yvette ! [SERAPHINE retreats to the table, where she furtively drinks from a half-emptied wineglass. LALAIN/C/- lows her and the two talk together. D E VARDES That purple flower, that violet By nature limned upon thy slender throat, From north to south, from east to west 't is known ! A De Vardes bore that mark at Poitiers. The marshal, Hugues the Fair, and black Arnaud, The late baron Why, what hast thou to do OF REASON 45 With burning down chateaux to make a light To show the Morbihan that purple flower ? Y v ETTE Our Lady of Thorns ! DE VAR DE s Herd girl too fair ! And vision of Paimpont, fair as I dreamed ! How fair was thy errand last night ? > YVETTE Monseigneur ! D E VAR DBS In the ashes of Morbec what shouldst thou find? YVETTE We only wished to make a little light A little light to let the neighbours know That we were hungry ! DE VARDES What neighbours hast thou ? YVETTE Normandy and Maine, Anjou and Poitou, The sea, the sky, and somewhat far away, The Club of the Jacobins at Paris. D E VA RDE s Thy father was a nobleman of France ! YVETTE 1 never had a father, monseigneur ! I had a mother, and she loved, they say, 46 THE GODDESS She dearly loved the fisherman Jehan ! When for the dead I pray, I pray for them. DE VARDES How old art thou ? Y v ETTE How old ? Ah, let me see ! [She counts upon her fingers. The year the hailstones fell and killed the wheat; The year the flax failed and we made no songs; The year I begged for bread; the bitter year We buried Louison who died of cold, And Jacques was hanged who shot the seigneur's deer; The Pardon of Sainte Anne I had a gown ; Came Angelique from Paris, told us how The wicked Queen was smiling, smiling there; Justine pined away, they shot Michel If, Down fell the Bastille, I learned Ca Ira; The deputy came to the cure's house, Beside the deep blue sea I walked with him. A day there was at Varines, a glorious day, When music played, and every banner waved, And all the folk went mad and rang the bells ! Vive la Revolution ! Vive Mirabeau ! Vive Remond Lalain ! I wept when 't was o'er, Last summer was so fair ! I wandered far, One day I wandered through a darksome wood 'Twas on the Eve of good Saint John, I know! DE VARDES Ah Y VETTE The summer fled, the light, the warmth did go, OF REASON 47 The winter came that was so> cruel coid, Cold as the dead ! And hunger, monseigneur, With bread at the chateau ! Died Baron Henri. The summer came again, the roses bloomed, The roses bloomed, but they were not for us ! For us the dank seaweed, the thorny furze. The lark sang well, but ah, it sang too high ! We could not lift our hearts to heaven's gate; We only heard the wind moan at our door. We cried to the saints, but they took no heed! One told us what they did at Goy and Vannes, At Goy and Vannes, pardieu ! they helped themselves ! We heard there had come a new lord to Morbec, A soldier and a stranger to us all ! Three days have gone since I did sit alone Upon the cliff edge in the waving grass ; The mew and curlew cried, the night wind blew, And in the sunset glow red turned Morbec ! I thought of my mother, I thought of France, I looked at the chateau cruel and high, And as I was hungry I ate my black bread! I think, monseigneur, that I am nineteen. D E YARD E s Pauvre petite ! Y v ETT E Ah, poor indeed ! D E VARD E s How dark Thine eyes ! Yv ETTE My mother's were darker, they say ! 48 THE GODDESS D E YARD E s Thy face is the face of a picture there. YVETT E I know the Duchess Jeanne, who died for love. D E YARD E s Did Vivien teach thee magic in the wood ? Y v ETTE Monseigneur ? D E YARD E s Pauvre petite! Y V E TTE O Our Lady ! The roses smell so sweet [LALAIN comes forward. LAL AIN I pardon crave, But I must sup to-night at Rennes. Please you, Release this peasant girl ! Affairs there are Of which I 'd speak D E YARD E s Ay, presently! LAL AI N Now! D E YARD E s Monsieur! LALAIN Citoyen Rene-Amaury Vardes OF REASON 49 . D E VARD E s Is that, monsieur, the latest Paris mode ? Citoyen Rene-Amaury Vardes, The De left off, our hats (Glances at LALAIN) left on ! L A L A i N (removing his hat) Monsieur The Baron of Morbec ! DE VARDES (bowing) Monsieur The Deputy for Vannes ! \_Laughter and voices within. Enter from the chateau THE MARQUISE and MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI with DE L'ORIENT and DE Buc. DE L'ORIENT (sings) Then spake the king ofTs Above the song and shout , Bring here the golden key 'That keeps the ocean out I THE MARQU is E Monsieur le Baron, My lost fan ! Y v E T T E (aside) Oh me ! D E VA RD E s Madame la Marquise, I will give you a fan that 's to my taste ; By Watteau painted, mounted by Laudet, 50 THE GODDESS Fragile and fine, an Adonis of fans ! This that I broke I will keep for myself. [Pockets the fan. Forgive the mere accident! Yv ETTE Ah! SRAPHINE (from the table) Ah h h ! L A L A i N (aside) Gods! If/ forgive! THE MA RQUIS E At Blancheforet, monsieur, The Watteau, Laudet, Adonis of fans, I '11 take from your hand D E YARD E s I ride there anon, (Aside.} But not through the Forest of Paimpont And not on the Eve of Saint John. TH E MARQUI s E Come soon, My garden is sweetest in June. DE L'ORIENT (sings) In Ts they sing no more, In Ts the city old ! I'he waves are rolling o'er king and all his gold. OF REASON 51 MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI Look at my fan, Monsieur le Baron! [LALAIN crosses to YVETTE. LALAIN Hast thou forgot, hast thou forgot, Yvette, Thy part, thy lot, the very name they give thee ? This is Morbec, this is the brazen castle! There are no roses here. YVETTE So generous He was! LALAIN Generous! Oh, well are you called The Right of the Seigneur ! YVETTE (passionately) Give me not that Detestable name! LAL AI N So meek under wrongs YVETTE Oh! LALAIN So quick to forget Yv ETTE Oh! LALAIN La patrie Sworn oaths the tricolour 52 THE GODDESS Yv ETTE Anger me not 1 LALAIN On your lips fa Ira ! but in your heart Richard, O mon Rot ! Yv ETTE 'T is false ! LALAIN And I and I Yvette ! YVETTE Speak not to me ! LALAIN You gaze at that man ! I tell you he wooes Madame la Marquise de Blancheforet! [YVETTE crosses to THE MARQUISE, DE VARDES, and the guests. YVETTE (to THE MARQUISE) Madame! 1 broke the fan ! I would pay if I might. I would keep your cows, or spin your flax TH E MARQUI s E The fan ! You broke the fan not monsieur there ! YVETTE No, I! TH E MARQUIS E Sainte Genevieve! OF REASON 53 Enter COUNT Louis, THE VIDAME, MME. DE VAUCOURT, etc. S ERAPHINE Yvette! COUNT Louis La belle Marquise! [S RAPHINE draws YVETTE back to the base of the statue. COUNT Louis, THE MARQUISE, and the guests talk together. LALAIN crosses to DE VARDES. LALAIN Rene de Vardes ! D E YARD E s Remond Lalain! LALAIN This day I bury our friendship of old ! DE VARDES So! LALAIN I owe to you a thousand louis Which I '11 repay, monsieur! D E YARD E s I doubt it not. LALAIN Touch not the girl Yvette ! D E YARD E s At last the heart of the matter ! I see You have been through the Forest of Paimpont. 54 THE GODDESS L ALAIN Or touch at your peril ! DE VARDES Monsieur! LALAIN Oh, if You lay your hand upon your sword, monsieur, I 'm for you there ! D E VARD E s Art mad, or drunk with power, Monsieur the favourite of the Jacobins ? LALAIN There '11 come a day when to be Jacobin Is something more, monsieur, than to be king! i D E VARD ES Indeed ! \_A Sergeant of Hussars appears on the terrace and salutes. Sergeant ! THE SERGEANT My Colonel ! DE VARD E s Well, your report. THE S ERGE ANT My Colonel, wood and shore we 've searched since dawn, And twenty bitter rogues we Ve found, no less ! OF REASON 55 They crouched behind the tall grey stones, or lay Prone in the furze, or knelt at Calvaries! Two women remain [He stares at YVETTE and SERAPHINE. S E RAPHINE O Saint Thegonnec ! Saint Guirec ! Saint Servan ! YVETTE O Our Lady! Enter THE ABBE. THE ABBE De Vardes, your precious peasants [He sees YVETTE. Who is here? The De Mericourt, the maenad, I swear ! Who wounded De Vardes ! Yv ETTE Oh!- MME. DE VAUCOURT The Egyptian ! S E RAPH INE Monseigneur, monseigneur, she 's none of mine ! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI The poor girl ! S E RAPHINE Ah, mademoiselle, it is The innocentest creature ! 56 THE GODDESS THE A B B i (touches Y v E T T E upon the cheek) Good-morning, My dear ! Co UNT LOUIS Hm m m! pretty ! THE VIDAME Certainly the gallows Should be thirty feet high. COUNT Louis Hm m m ! Something less, Monsieur le Vidame ! LA LAIN Diable! D E V A R D E s (to the sergeant) Where are your captives ? THE S E RG EANT My Colonel, I have them safely here ! Ha ! you within ! [Enter from the hall of the chateau soldiers and huntsmen with peasants, men and women; some sullenly submissive, others struggling against their bonds. They crowd the terrace before the great doors. 'The guests of DE VARDES to the right and left upon the terrace, the stairs, and in the garden. YVETTE and SERAPHINE beside the statue; LALAIN near them; DE VARDES with his hand upon the great chair. MME. DE VAUCOURT Oh, the brigands ! OF REASON 57 COUNT Louis (rubbing his hands) Here, Sergeant, range them here, Upon the terrace ! And take the great chair, De Vardes ! Ma foi ! We will teach them, the rogues ! Monsieur 1'Anglais, have you peasants at home Plague you at times ? Word of a gentleman ! It seems like old days and Henri again ! [The soldiers thrust their prisoners forward with the butts of their muskets. A MAN Monseigneur ! ANOTH E R Monseigneur ! A WOMAN Madame la Marquise ! My father was your father's foster brother ! TH E MARQUI s E Is that a reason you should burn chateaux ? A YOUNG WOMAN Where 's Yvette Charruel ? YVETTE Here, Angelique ! SERAPHINE (aside to ANGELIQUE) Of course ! Betray the girl ! I knew you would. AN OLD WOMAN Yvette said God would have mercy ! I faint 58 THE GODDESS D E VARDES (/#/ drums upon the table with his hand. YVETTE unpins the tricolour cockade from her breast ', gazes upon it for a moment L , then throws it from her. 'The women about her watch her greedily. S E RAPH IN E Name of a name ! Yvette ! OF REASON 213 Y V ETTE I like white best. S E RAP HI N E Saint Gildas ! Saint Maudez ! Yv ETTE I ever loved The fleur-de-lis ! S E RAPHINE Saint Yves le Veridique ! Y v E T T E (She rises) God and the King I [Uproar in the hall. All turn toward the gallery. A JUDGE Who cried that ? A BRETON SAILOR Sainte Vierge ! Yvette Charruel ! L ALAIN No! D E VARD E s Mon Dieu ! THE CROWD Yvette Yvette Charruel ! S E RAP HIN E Saint Servan ! Saint Linaire ! 214 THE GODDESS Y V ETTE I denounce the Citoyen Remond Lalain ! THE CROWD Ah! NANON Ah, let me get at her ! LALAI N Citoyens ! Heed her not she 's mad ! The next prisoner ! Yv ETTE I denounce Carrier and Lambertye ! Chicanneau, Sarlat, Petit-Pierre, and Gaye, The Company of Marat, the hideous deaths, The Noyades and the Dragonades of Nantes ! I tell you that the blood you shed must stop ! One cannot sleep at night with thinking on 't. You put to sleep, O God ! too many ! TH E C ROWD Ah! A VOICE There is no God ! nor ever was in Nantes ! ANOTH E R Voic E She has spoken against the Republic ! YVETTE There was a glory in the morning sky, Where now is naught but miserable red ! A trumpet blew, but we have listened since OF REASON 215 To the false jingle of a tambourine ! There stood a mighty judge, robed, calm and proud, Where is he now ? I see but murderers ! A Voic E But murderers ! Y V ETTE I denounce the Republic ! [Uproar. THE CROWD Oh, harlotry ! No, blasphemy ! Down, down ! The Bar ! the Judgment Bar ! The river ! Death ! The Loire ! Yv ETTE I am coming. [She descends the stair. Men and women clutch her and thrust her forward to the bar. I am here ! I am Yvette, called *Right of the Seigneur. My mother was the peasant girl, Yvonne ; My father was the Baron of Morbec. I am tired of Ca ira, Carmagnole, I would sleep with the Loire for my pillow ! THE CROWD Ah h h ! LAL AIN A head beside thine on that pillow ! D E YARD E s Mon Dieu ! YVETTE Perhaps, Citoyen ! 216 THE GODDESS A VOICE I denounce Yvette Charruel ! OTH E R Voic E s And I! And I! And I! C UR TAIN SCENE II The banks of the Loire. Night. Branching trees ; between their trunks is seen the river. There is a full moon, but a drifting mist obscures the scene. In the background, upon the river bank, dimly appears a crowd of the condemned, men, women, and children, soldiers and executioners of the Company of Marat. From this throng comes a low, con tinued, confused sound of command, entreaty, distress, and lamentation. In the foreground the condemned form into groups or move singly to and fro. * Enter YVETTE from the shadow of the trees. A SOLDIER (following her) HOLA ! Give us not the slip ! Y V ETTE Thou soldier ! There is no gold could make me flee this place ! How long dost think before they throw me in ? THE SOLDIER A little while ! \He returns to the river. YVETTE sits upon the earth at the foot of a tree, and with her chin upon her hand watches those who come and go. OF REASON 217 Yv ETTE He comes not yet ! O Our Lady! I would not drown till I have seen him once ! A WOMAN (passing with a man) How shines the moon! Did we not always say, We two would die by such a moon as this ? Rememberest thou THE MAN Rememberest thou that night, That Versailles night within the Orangerie? * THE WOMAN Rememberest thou [They pass. A SOLDIER (calling to another) To bind them hand and foot, We need more rope! THE SECOND SOLDIER Just thrust them in the stream With bayonets! A CRY FROM THE RIVER Misericorde ! \A child with flowers in her hand speaks to YVETTE. THE CHILD I 'm tired YVETTE Rest here, thou little bird! 2i8 THE GODDESS THE CHILD My name 's Aimee. I did not know that flowers grew at night. Is that the moon? YVETTE It is the silver moon! Aimee 's a pretty name. My name 's Yvette. THE CH ILD Kiss me, Yvette I '11 look now for Ursule ! YVETTE Who is Ursule ? THE CHILD My bonne Adieu, Yvette ! child passes on. VOICES FROM THE RlVER Helas! Helas! Misericorde ! [A nun advances from the shadow. She is in ecstasy, her hands clasped, her eyes raised. THE NUN The skies open : heaven appears ! Heaven my home ! O for the wings of the dove, The eagle's speed ! The gates of pearl are opening, My harp is strung. The Virgins come to meet me. Sainte Agnes, Sainte Claire ! Our Lady stoops to greet me. OF REASON 219 My father smiles. My brothers two I see there ! Who is that one Who kneels and to me beckons ? 'T is he I loved ! What radiance grows, what splendour? Who waiting stands ? Light ! O Light ! O Christ my Lord ! Heaven my home ! Love ! O Death, come quickly ! 1 would be gone ! \_A soldier touches her on the arm. THE SOLDIER Thy time it is ! \he nun regards him with a radiant and dazzling smile, then turns and moves swiftly before him to the river. THE Voi c E s Woe, woe ! Misericorde ! YVETTE Heaven my home ! Shall I see heaven then ? Oh me ! so much of ill thou 'st done, Yvette ! Alas ! Alas ! What if I cannot win To heaven ! but must ever weeping stand With all the lost and strain my eyes to see The form I love move 'neath the living trees, And all in vain, so great the distance is ! Not see him ! O Our Lady, let me in ! TH E Voi c E s Woe, woe ! I die ! I die ! O countrymen ! 220 THE GODDESS YVETTE O God, and is it true I murdered her, That lady high, that fair, so fair Clarice ? O God ! I would that she were happy here, Alive and laughing, gay of heart again ! O God ! I do repent me of my sin ! THE Voic E s Ayez pitie ! [From a group of the condemned is heard the voice of THE ABBE. THE ABBE Miserere mei Deus Secundum magnam misericordiam tuam! THE CONDEMNED (kneeling) Have mercy, O God ! VOICES FROM THE RlVER Misericorde ! [YVETTE kneels. THE ABBE In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum y Redemisti me Domine Deus veritatis ! THE COND EMN ED O God, receive our souls ! VOICES FROM THE RlVER Woe, woe ! We die ! SOLDIERS That one is swimming there ! Your musket ! Fire ! \_A musket shot. OF REASON 221 Ha, ha! Ha, ha ! THE ABBE Dulcissime Domine Jesu Christe, Per virtutem sanctissimae Passionis tuae Recipe me in numerum electorum tuorum ! THE CONDEMNED O Christ, receive our souls ! O Christ who died ! THE ABBE Maria, Mater gratiae, Mater misercordiae, 'Tu me ab hoste protege, et hora mortis suscipe ! THE CONDEMNED O mother of God ! Voic E s Misericorde ! THE ABBE Omnes sancti Angeli, et omnes Sancti Inter cedite pro me, et mihi succurrite ! VOIC E S Misericorde ! SOLDIERS Petit- Pierre ! Andre ! 'T is time for yonder folk beneath the trees ! THE ABBE Ego te absolvo a peccatis tuts, In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen ! \jThe condemned arise from their knees. 222 THE GODDESS THE SOLDIERS Come your ways ! [THE ABBE and the condemned vanish into the mist upon the river bank. Vo ICES Ayez pitie ! [YVETTE rises from her knees. She plucks the yellow broom that grows beneath the trees. YVETTE And if I may I will her servant be, And I will bring her posies every day! THE VOICE s We die ! SOLDIERS So, two and two ! Ha, ha ! [There appears in mid-stream on the river Carrier's festal barge. It is lit from stem to stern. There is music aboard, singing and revelry of men and women. LAUGHTER FROM THE RIVER Ha, ha! Ha, ha ! Ha, ha! THE VOICE s They laugh ! They sing ! \A sound of singing from the passing barge. A WOMAN'S VOICE Fair Chloris bathed her in the flood ', Toung Damon watching, trembling stood. Behind the frailest hawthorn wall! The month was May OF REASON 223 A MAN'S VOICE No, Prairial ! THE WOMAN'S VOICE Her ivory limbs they gleamed and turned, Toung Damon s heart so hotly burned, Into the stream he leaped therefor ! It seemed July THE MAN'S VOICE No, Thermidor ! [The barge -passes. VOICES FROM THE RlVER O hearts so hard ! OTHE R VOICE s Oh, woe ! Adieu ! Adieu ! \_An old woman speaks to YVETTE. THE OLD WOMAN They Ve drowned my son, my sailor son Michel ! Oh, oh, my heart ! he 's drifting out to sea ! YVETTE Poor mother ! THE OLD WOMAN Oh, to and fro he sailed, he sailed ! The Indies knew him and the Northern Seas ! He 'd bide at home a bit, then off he 'd go, Another voyage make, strange things to see ! Then home he 'd come and of his travels tell. Oh, oh, my son, my sailor son Michel ! [The old woman passes on. * 224 rHE GODDESS Enter SERAPHINE. S E RAPHINE I 've sought her here, I 've sought her there, in vain ! And perilous it is to seek one here ! YVETTE Seraphine ! S E RAPHINE Yvette ! YVETTE Where is monseigneur ? SERAPHINE (weeping) I know not, I ! Saint Lazaire and Saint Jean ! I nursed thee ere thou wast so high ! YVETTE Poor Seraphine ! Dear Seraphine ! SERAPHINE Alack! They 're watching there ! YVETTE Oh, then away ! 'T is death to weep for one who dies ! Away ! * SERAPHINE (weeping) Oh, oh ! When thou wast but a little thing Thou hadst the coaxing ways ! Alack ! Alack ! YVETTE Poor Seraphine ! OF REASON 225 ^ S E RAPH IN E Dost mind the sunny path Up the steep cliff to chapel in the woods ? Y VETTE I mind I mind To thy warm hand I clung, A little child. Now I must walk alone ! S E RAPH INE Oh, oh ! And thou wast Goddess yesterday, The fairest Goddess ever seen, they say ! YVETTE Speak not of that ! A VOICE (calling) Seraphine ! Seraphine ! Yv ETTE It warns, that voice ! Adieu, adieu, adieu ! Thou must begone ! S E RAP H IN E If I do look at thee I '11 stay forever here ! Adieu ! Adieu ! Oh well-a-day! Oh well, oh well-a-day! [Exit SERAPHINE. YVETTE So late it grows, so long I 've waited here ! I feel the morning air ! Will he not come ? O God ! what if they Ve slain him otherwhere ? Ha ! Death is busy far and near to-night ! They may have shot him yonder by the sea ! He may have sunk above, below this place ! 226 rHE GODDESS Though Gregoire swore to me it would be here, Here where they brought me would they bring him too, And ere the set of moon we would be gone ! God ! The cries of drowning men I 've heard, But not his voice among them ! No, no, no ! He '11 make no moan, he will die loftily ! Ah, God ! only to see him ere I drown ! THE VOICE s Misericorde ! SOLDIERS Prenez garde ! Hake la ! A MAN' s Voic E 1 die who fought for France in bloody fields ; At Lille I fought, at Bordeaux, Avignon ! YVETTE A soldier ! [Another voice sings hoarsely. THE VOICE Tremblez, tyrans ! et vous perfides, Uopprobre de tous les partis ! Tremble*, vos projets parricides Viennent enfin recevoir leur prix ! Tout est soldat pour vous combat tre [The voice dies. Yv ETTE A soldier ! ANOTH E R VOICE Diantre ! A whiff of grapeshot now, OF REASON 227 A sabre-cut, or e'en a trampling charge ! But this cold death r * , [The voice dies. YVETTE A soldier ! ANOTH E R VOICE Baste ! I '11 tell The Due de Biron YVETTE All soldiers ! Enter DE VARDES and GREGOIRE. GREGOIRE I tell you truth, monsieur D E VARD E s So dense the throng I have looked up and down for this long hour, This hour so long, this hour so fatal short, Seeing it is my latest hour of life, And that I cannot find her whom I seek ! GREGOIRE She is not dead, monsieur ! D E VARD E s So many are ! GREGOIRE I would have known. 228 rHE GODDESS D E VARD E s Some aeons past thou wast A serviceable fellow ! Get thee gone ! And if thou findest her, I '11 give thee thanks, I have no gold GR EGOI RE Monsieur le Baron D E VARD E s Go! [Exit GREGOIRE. And if I find her not, if time shall fail, Then through thy labyrinth, Eternity, Love's silken clue shall lead me safe at last YVETTE Monseigneur ! [DE VARDES turns. D E VARD E s Yvette ! \fTwo soldiers of the Company of Marat pass beneath the trees. THE FIRST SOLDIER 'T is near the cockcrow ! What devil's work we 've had, and have ! THE SECOND SOLDIER Courage ! There are not so many now ! Then home and sleep ! [They pass. D E VA RD E s Oh, rest thee on thy lover's breast, my heart ! OF REASON 229 My life, my love, my dear, my Duchess Jeanne ! Oh, 'neath the moon thou 'rt like a lily flower ! Y V ETTE Rene, Rene ! D E YARD E s Thy lips ! [They kiss. No, no, thou 'rt not That Vivien whom I did call thee once. She was an evil fay; thou 'rt pure and good ! Nor art thou that fair piteous Duchess Jeanne Who died for love, whose look thou wearest now ! Thou never wast that woman star-begirt, Whom they did hail as Goddess here in Nantes. No Goddess thou, thou wan and broken flower ! This is green Morbec, thou 'rt the herd girl there And I thy fisher, home from out the west. My heart, my love, my silver rose, my douce! Y VETT E The flowers drifting from the fragrant trees ! Unearthly light [They kiss. D E VARD E s Now come, Eternity ! VOICES FROM THE RlVER It is so sad to die ! No, no, 't is sweet ! Adieu, adieu ! SOLDIERS So, down ! Ha, ha! Les Noces Republicaines ! 230 THE GODDESS D E VARD E s Les Noces Republicaines ! Y V ETTE 'T is what they call this death SOLDIERS So near the dawn ! Here are the tricot euses. VOICES OF WOMEN Not yet they Ve done ! Diantre ! So many weddings in one night ! Here are the girls from Carrier's barge at last ! OTH E R Voic E s Petit-Pierre! Andre! SOLDIERS Celeste Nanon ! Zephine, 'Toinette ! THE WOMEN Vive le son ! vive le son ! Dansons la Carmagnole ! A TRICOTEUSE 'T is light enough to knit ! I '11 sit me down. Fi ! how the grass is trampled here ! A SOLDIER Lalain and Lambertye A WOMAN We left them there Upon the barge, Lalain and Lambertye; OF REASON 231 And they were drinking deep, and dicing too, And Lalain had his arm round Angelique ! \*They laugh. D E VARD E s Seest thou not through yonder trees the stone, The Druid Stone where I did see thee first When thou didst lie asleep upon the grass ? How long I stood and looked, thou dost not know ! YVETTE Beside the stream I slept and dreamed of thee ! I knew it not, but sure I dreamed of thee, For in my sleep I thought I saw a king ! D E VARD E s O love! YVETTE It is Morbec arises there ! The sands that stretch above the idle waves, And all the little shells upon the shore ! D E VARD E s The convent bell is ringing ! Seest thou not The fountain old, the fruit trees in the sun? Yv ETTE Oh, life was never made for happiness ! The hour 's too short, the wine spills from the cup, The blossom 's shaken ere we know 't is sweet ! VOICES FROM THE RlVER Misericorde ! 232 THE GODDESS A SOLDIER Those two have waited long ! Hi ! Petit- Pierre, 't is time to marry them - D E YARD E s This Saint John's Eve we '11 walk in other woods ! And we will find and name a castle fair, And rose and heartsease we will plant thereby ! Here ends this road, but we must onward go. There is a longer hour, a deeper cup ! The blossom 's gone, but we shall see the fruit. And life was made for happiness, my douce! A VOICE FROM THE RlVER Mourir pour la patrie, Mourir pour la France. D E YARD E s It is a hymn of Chenier's. France ! France ! Not since the days of Clovis hast thou lacked Strong sons to die for thee, thou Lioness ! But now thy own brood hast thou eaten up, And in the desert shalt thou roar alone, Seeing the hunters nearer, nearer creep ! They '11 snare thee fast, they '11 make of thee a show ! France, France ! and yet thy sons shall ransom thee ! A SOLDIER A length of rope, Andre ! ANOTH E R Petit-Pierre YVETTE They come ! OF REASON 233 D E VARDES I will go first. YVETTE ' T is not their way ! They '11 bind us fast together, throw us in Bound fast together D E VARD E s Is it so ? Why, then We are together still, my heart, my life ! We will not struggle as we sink to rest. A SOLDIER Man and woman, come your ways ! SECOND SOLDIER The river Waits, your marriage bed is spread ! \*The knitting women sing from the river bank. THE WOM EN We are the tricot euses I Our wool we knit beneath the sun and moon I Knit I knit! knitting every one! We are the tricot euses I 'The skein we knit is ravelled out full soon! Knit! knit! the knitting now is done ! YVETTE The light is growing in the east ! My heart It is so full I cannot speak to thee ! 234 GODDESS OF REASON D E VARD E s Put them thine arms about my neck, Yvettc, And lay thy head upon thy lover's heart, And veil thine eyes with all thy shadowy hair. Now let them bind us with what cords they will, The spirit moves unbound, triumphant, free, Not through the Loire, but through a vaster stream ! Oh, it is something dimly great to die ! And then to die together, is 't not sweet ? And not through illness, age, decrepitude, But the armed man is ready for new wars. And thou Y V ETTE I hear the lark ! A SOLDIER Come, come away ! [YVETTE and DE VARDES move together towards the river , into the mist and the shadow of the trees. A VOICE FROM THE RlVER Vive la Republique ! C UR TAIN (Ehf Uiticrsiar press CAMBRIDGE MASSACHUSETTS U S A 1 5 1983 DATE DUE PS2142 G6 Johnston, Mary, 1870-1936. The goddess of reason, UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY AA 001 260 633 1 3 1210 00421 4779