PT 2617 H67M2E ^temporary Dramatists Series Btanora bon ?|ofmamuftt)al THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES GIFT OH Kenneth Hacgowan MADONNA DIANORA Contemporary Dramatists, Series HUGO VON HOFMANNSTHAL Death and the Fool Madonna Dianora JOSE ECHEGARAY The Great Galeoto MAXIM GORKI Submerged AUGUST STRINDBERG Advent JACINTO BENAVENTE The Smile of Mono Lisa Uniform binding, izmo., antique boards Each 75c. net, &5c. postpaid Other Volumes in Preparation RICHARD G. BADGER PUBLISHER, BOSTON Contemporary Dramatists Series Madonna Dianora A PLAY IN VERSE BY HUGO VON HOFMANNSTHAL Translated from the German BY HARRIET BETTY BOAS BOSTON: RICHARD G. BADGER TORONTO: THE COPP CLARK CO., LIMITED Copyright, 1916, by Richard G. Badger All Rights Reserved THE GORHAM PRESS, BOSTON, U. S. A. PT I MADONNA DIANORA 572573 MADONNA DIANORA La demente: "Conosci la storia di Madonna Dianoraf" II medico : "Vagamente. Non ricordo pin." . . . Sogno d'un mattino di primavera. The garden of a sombre Lombardian Palace. To the right, the wall of a house, which is at an angle with the moderately high garden wall that encloses it. The lower portion of the house is built of rough granite, above which rests a strip of plain marble forming a sill which, under each window, is adorned with a lion's head in repose. Two windows are visible, each one having a small angular balcony with a stone railing, spaced sufficiently to show the feet of those standing there. Both windows are cur- tained to the floor. The garden is a mere lawn with a few scattered fruit trees. The corner of the garden between the wall and the house is crowded with high boxwood bushes. A leafy grapevine, trained over stunted chestnut-trees forms an arbor which completely fills the left side of the stage; only its entrance is visible. The arbor slants irreg- ularly to the left rear. Behind the rear wall there may be seen (by the gallery spectator) a narrow path beyond which is the neighbor's garden wall 7 8 MADONNA DIANORA no house is visible. In the neighbor's garden and as far as the eye can reach, the tops of the trees are il- luminated by the evening glow of a brilliant sunset. DIANORA (At rear window.) A harvester I see, and not the last No, not the last, descending from the hill. There are three more, and there, and there! Have you no end, you never-ending day? How have I dragged the hours away from you Torn them to shreds and cast them in the flood As I do now with these poor tattered blooms! How have I coaxed each minute of this day! Each bracelet and each earring was clasped on, Ta'en off again, then once more tried, until 'Twas thrown aside, exchanged, and others brought. I slowly dripped the fountain, drop on drop All through my tresses, dried them languidly. With quiet, measured step, out in the sun I walked me to and fro oh! to and fro! But 'twas still damp the path is narrow there. I looked among the bushes for the birds, Less than a zephyr's breath I bent them back, Those swaying branches, sat 'neath rustling trees, And felt on cheeks and hands in waiting woe MADONNA DIANORA 9 The little flickerings of warm sunshine. I closed my eyes, and almost thought soft lips Gently caressing, strayed my clammy brow. Sometimes hours come when this duplicity, All this concealment, seems so fruitless, and I cannot bear it. I can only gaze With eyes of steel far up into the sky Where flocks of wild geese float, or bend me low O'er some mad, rushing, plunging waterfall That tears my weakling shadow with its flow. I will be patient why, I must, I am! Madonna I will climb the steepest mount And on my knees will count me every stone With this, my rosary, if only now, Oh, soon this day will sink into the night. It is so long! I have its measured tread With these same beads been scanning o'er and o'er. And now I talk so fev'rishly, instead Of counting all the leaves upon that tree. Oh! I have finished much too soon again. See! see the yeoman, calling to his dog. The shadows do upon his garden fall, For him the night has come, but brings no joy; He fears it, locks his door and is alone. See where the maidens wander to the well. I know the manner in which each of them Will fill her bucket that one's prettiest. Why does the stranger at the cross roads stay? io MADONNA DIANORA Distant's his goal, I warrant. He unwinds And folds again the cloth about his feet. What an existence! Draw the thorns, yes draw Them quickly out. You must speed. We all Must hurry on, 1 the restless day must down And with it take this bright and scarlet glow That's lingering in radiance on my cheeks. All that is troubling us cast far away Fling wide the thorn into the field Where waters flow and sheaves of brilliant flow'rs Are bending, glowing, yearning towards the night. I draw my rings from off my fingers, and They're happy as the naked children are Who scamper quickly to the brook to bathe. Now all the girls have gone Only one maiden's left. Oh, what lovely hair! I wonder if she knows its beauty's power? Perhaps she's vain but vanity, thou art A plaything only for the empty years. When once she has arrived where I am now, She'll love her hair, she'll let it clasp her close Enwrap her round and whisper to her low, Like echoing harpstrings throbbing with the touch Of fev'rish fingers straying in the dark (She loosens her hair and lets it fall to the left and to the right in front of her.) MADONNA DIANORA 11 What would you close to me? Down, down with you! I bid you greet him. When the dusk has come, And when his hand holds fast the ladder there 'A sudden he will feel, instead the leaves, The cool, firm leaves, a gentle spraying rain, A rain that falls at eve from golden clouds. (She lets her hair fall over the balustrade.) You are so long, and yet you barely reach A third the distance; hardly are your ends Touching the cold, white marble lion's nose. (She laughs and rises.) Ah! there's a spider! No, I will not fling You off; I lay my hand once more Upon this spot, so you may find again The road you wish to speed so quickly on. How I have changed ! I am bewitched indeed ! In former days, I could not touch the fruit Within a basket, if upon its edge A spider had been seen. Now in my hand It runs. Intoxication makes me glad ! Why, I could walk along the very edge Of narrow walls, and would not totter no! Could I but fall into the waters deep! 12 MADONNA DIANORA In their cool velvet arms I would be well, Gliding in grottoes of bright sapphire hues, Playing with wondrous beings of the deep All golden-finned, with eyes benignly sad. Yes, if I were immured in thickest woods Within some ruined walls, my soul were free. For there the forest's animals would come And tiny birds. The little weasels would Brush up against and touch my naked toes With their soft snouts and lashes of bright eyes While in the moss I lay and ate wild fruit. What's rustling? 'Tis the little porcupine Of that first night. What, are you there again, Stepped from the dark? Art going on the hunt? Oh! if my hunter would but come to me! (Looking up.) Now have the shadows vanished! Gone are all Those of the pines and those upon the walls, The ones that played about the little huts, The large ones from the vineyards and the one Upon the figtree at the crossroads gone As though the quiet earth had sucked them in ! The night has really come ! The lamp Is placed upon the table, closely press The sheep together close within the fold. Within the darkest corners of the eaves MADONNA DIANORA 13 Where thickest vine-leaves meet, goblins do crouch And on the heights from out the clearing step The blessed saints to gaze where churches stand Well pleased at seeing chapels manifold. Now sweetest plaything you may also come, Finer than spider's web, stronger than steel. (She fastens one end of the silk ladder to an iron hook on the floor in the balcony.} Let me now play that it were highest time And dip you deep down, down into my well, To bring this parched one a sparkling draught. (She pulls the ladder up again.) Night, night has come ! And yet how long might be, Endlessly long, the time until he comes. (She wrings her hands.) Might be! (With shining eyes) But must not yet, it might (She puts up her hair. During this time the H MADONNA DIANORA nurse has stepped to the front window and waters the red flowers there.) DIANORA (Much frightened.) Who's there, who's there! Oh, nurse, nurse, is it you? I've ne'er before seen you in here so late. Has aught occurred ? NURSE Why nothing, gracious one. Do you not see, I quite forgot my flowers They've not been watered. On my way from church I suddenly remembered, quickly came. DIANORA Yes, give the flowers water. But how strange you look, your cheeks are feverish, your eyes are shining NURSE (Does not answer.) MADONNA DIANORA 15 DlANORA Who preached? Tell me, was it that monk, the one NURSE (Curtly.) Yes, gracious one. DIANORA The one from Spain, is't not? NURSE (Does not answer.) (Pause.) DIANORA (Following her own train of thought.) Can you recall the kind of child I was? NURSE Proud, gracious one, a proud child, very proud. i6 MADONNA DIANORA DlANORA (Very softly.) How singular! Humility's so sweet! What? NURSE I said no word, my gracious Lady, none DIANORA Yes, yes, whom does the Spanish monk resemble? NURSE He is different from the others. DIANORA No his appearance! Does he resemble my hus- band? NURSE No, gracious one. DIANORA My brother-in-law? MADONNA DIANORA 17 NURSE No. DIANORA Ser Antonio Melzi? NURSE No. DIANORA Messer Galeazza Suardi? NURSE No. DIANORA Messer Palla degli Albizzi? NURSE His voice is a little like Messer Palla's yes I said to my son yesterday, that his voice reminded me a little of Messer Palla's voice. i8 MADONNA DIANORA DlANORA The voice NURSE But his eyes are like Messer Guido Schio, the nephew of our gracious lord. DIANORA (Is silent.) NURSE I met him on the stairs yesterday he stopped DIANORA (Suddenly flaring up.) Messer Palla? NURSE No! Our gracious lord. He ordered me to make him some ointment. His wound is not yet entirely healed. MADONNA DIANORA 19 DlANORA Oh yes! The horse's bite did he show it to you? NURSE Yes the back of the hand is quite healed, but on the palm there's a small dark spot, a curious spot, such as I've never seen in a wound DIANORA What horse did it, I wonder? NURSE The big roan, gracious Lady. DIANORA Yes, yes, I remember. It was on the day of Fran- cesco Chieregati's wedding. (She laughs loudly.) NURSE (Looks at her.) 20 MADONNA DIANORA DlANORA I was thinking of something else. He told about it at table he wore his arm in a sling. How was it, do you remember? NURSE What, gracious one? DIANORA With the horse NURSE Don't you remember, gracious one? DIANORA He spoke about it at table. But I could not hear it. Messer Palla degli Albizzi sat next to me, and was so merry, and everybody laughed, and so I could not hear just what my husband said. NURSE When our gracious lord came to the stall, the 21 roan put back his ears, foamed with rage and sud- denly snapped at the master's hand. DlANORA And then? NURSB Then the master hit the roan behind the ears with his fist, so that the big, strong horse staggered back, as though it were a dog DIANORA (Is silent, looks dreamily down.) NURSE Oh our gracious lord is strong! He is the strongest gentleman of all the nobility the country 'round, and the cleverest. DIANORA Yes, indeed. (Attentively now.) Who? NURSB Our master. 22 Ah! our master. (Smiles) and his voice is so beautiful, and that is why everybody loves to listen to him in the large, dark church. NURSE Listen to whom, gracious one? DIANORA To the Spanish monk, to whom else? NURSE No, my Lady, it isn't because of his voice that people listen to him. DIANORA (Is again not listening.) NURSE Gracious one my Lady is it true what people say about the envoy? DIANORA What envoy? MADONNA DIANORA 23 NURSE The envoy whom the people of Como sent to our master. DIANORA What are people saying? NURSE They say a shepherd saw it. DIANORA What did he see? NURSE Our gracious lord was angry at the envoy and would not accept the letter that the people of Como had written him. Then he took it anyhow the letter read a part of it, tore it into bits and held the pieces before the envoy's mouth and demanded that he swallow them. But the envoy went back- wards, like a crab, and made stary eyes just like a crab, and everybody laughed, especially Signer Sil- vio, the master's brother. Then the master sent 24 MADONNA DIANORA for the envoy's mule and had it brought to the gates. When the envoy was too slow in mounting, the master whistled for the dogs. The envoy left with his two yeomen. Our master went hunting with seven men and all the dogs. Towards evening, however, they say that our gracious lord and the envoy met at the bridge over the Adda, there where Varese begins our master and the envoy met. And the shepherd was passing and drove his sheep next to the bridge into a wheatfield so that the horses would not kill them. And the shepherd heard our master cry "There's the one who wouldn't eat, per- haps he'd like to drink." So four of our men seized the two yeomen, two others took the envoy, each one took hold of a leg, lifted him from the saddle and threw him screaming like a madman and strug- gling fiercely, over the parapet he tore out a piece of the sleeve of one, together with the flesh. The Adda has very steep banks at that place the river was dark and swollen from all tne rain in the mountains. The envoy did not appear again, said the shepherd. (Nurse stops, looks questioningly at Dianora.) DIANORA (Anxiously.) MADONNA DIANORA 25 I do not know. (She shakes off the worried expression, her face assumes the dreamy, inwardly happy expression.) Tell me something about his preaching the Spaniard's preaching. NURSE I don't know how to express it, gracious one. DIANORA Say just a little. Does he preach of so many things? NURSE No, almost always about one thing. DIANORA What? NURSE Of resignation to the Lord's will. 26 MADONNA DIANORA DlANORA (Looks at her and nods.} NURSE Gracious one, you must understand, that is all. DIANORA What do you mean by all NURSE ( While speaking, she is occupied with the flow- ers.) He says that all of life is in that there's nothing else. He says everything is inevitable and that's the greatest joy to realize that everything is inevitable and that is good, and there is no other good. The sun must glow, the stone must lie on the dumb earth and every living creature must give utterance to its voice whether we will or no we must DIANORA (Is thinking like a child.) MADONNA DIANORA 27 NURSE (Goes from window.} (Pause.) DIANORA As though 'twere mirrored in a placid pool Self-prisoned lies the world asleep, adream The ivy's tendrils clamber through the dusk Closely embracing thousandfold the wall. An arbor vita; towers. At its feet The quiet waters mirror what they see. And from this window, on this balustrade Of cool and heavy stones, I bend me o'er Stretching my arms so they may touch the ground. I feel as though I were a dual being Gazing within me at my other self. (Pause.) Methinks such thoughts crowd in upon the soul When grim, inexorable death is near. (She shudders and crosses herself.) NURSE (Has returned several times to the window; in 28 MADONNA DIANORA one hand she carries scissors with which she clips the dry branches from the plants.) My task is done, so good night, gracious one. DIANORA (Startled.) What? Good night, nurse, farwell. I'm dizzy, faint. NURSE (Goes off.) DIANORA (With a great effort.) Nurse ! nurse ! NURSE (Comes back.) DIANORA If the Spanish monk preaches tomorrow, I'll go with you. MADONNA DIANORA 29 NURSE Yes, tomorrow, my Lady, if the Lord spare us. DIANORA (Laughs.) Certainly if the Lord spare us. Good night. (A long pause.) DIANORA His voice is all he has, the stranger monk, Yet people flock, hang on his words like bees Upon the dark sweet blossoms, and they say "This man is not like others he Does shake our souls, his voice melts into space Floats down to us and penetrates our being We are like children when we hear his voice." Oh, if a Judge could have his lofty brow, Who would not kneel upon the steps to read Each sentence from his clear and shining brow. How sweet to kneel upon the lowest step And know one's fate were safe within that hand, Within those kingly, good and noble hands! 30 MADONNA DIANORA And oh, his merriment! How exquisite! To see such people merry is a joy. He took me by the hand and drew me on. My blood ran magic, backward stretched my hand. The laughing throng upon it closely hung A sinuous chain, we flew 'long arbored walks Down through a deep and steep and narrow path Cool as a well, and bordered very close With cypresses that lived a century Then down the brightest slope. Up to my knees the wild, warm flowers kissed Where we were running like a breeze in May. Then he released me, and alone he leapt Upon the marble stairs between cascades. Astride he sat upon the dolphin's back And held himself up on the arms of fauns, Upon the dripping Tritons' shoulders stood Mounting always; high, higher still he clomb, The wildest, handsomest of all the gods ! Beneath his feet the waters bubbled forth They sparkled, foamed, and showered the air with spray, Falling on me. The waves' tumultuous din Drowned out, engulfed the entire world. Heneath his feet the waters bubbled forth They sparkled, foamed and showered their spray on me. MADONNA DIANORA 31 (Pause Footsteps are heard in the distance.} DIANORA Sh ! Footsteps ! No, it is so much too soon And yet and yet (long waiting} they come. (Pause.) They do not come Oh, no, they do not come They're shuffling steps, They shuffle down the vineyard now they reel There are the steps! A drunkard, verily! Stay on the street, intoxicated one What would you do within our garden gates? No moon shines here tonight were there a moon I were not here no, no I were not here. The little stars are flickering restlessly, They cannot light the way for such as you Go home! I too wait for a drunken one, But one not drunken from a musty wine. His footsteps are as light as wind on grass And surer than the tread of the young lion. (Pause.) These hours are martyrdom ! No, no, no, no, They're not no, they are beautiful and good 32 MADONNA DIANORA And lovely and so sweet! He comes, he comes! A long, long way already he has walked The last tall tree down there has seen him come It could if that dark strip of woodland boughs Did not obscure the road and 'twere not dark (Pause.) He comes as certainly as I do now Upon this hook bind this frail ladder comes, As surely as I now do let it down In rustling murmur in the leaves enmeshed, As certainly as it now swaying hangs, Quivering softly, as I bend me low Myself aquiver with a greater thrill (She remains for a long time bent over the balus- trade. Suddenly she seems to hear the curtain be- tween her balcony and the room thrown back. She turns her head and her features are distorted in deathly fear and terror. Messer Braccio stands si- lently in the door. He wears a simple, dark green robe, carries no weapons his shoes are low. 'He is very tall and strong. His face resembles? the portraits of aristocrats and captains of mercenaries. He has an extremely large forehead and small dark eyes, closely cropped, curly black hair, and a small beard that covers his cheeks and chin.) MADONNA DIANORA 33 DlANORA ( Wants to speak but is unable to utter a sound. ) MESSER BRACCIO (Beckons to her to pull up the ladder.) DIANORA (Does so like an automaton and drops the bundle, as in a trance, at her feet.) BRACCIO (Looks at her quietly, reaches with his right hand to his left hip, also with his left hand; notices that he has no dagger. He moves his lips impatiently, glances toward the garden, then over his shoulders. He lifts his right hand for a moment and examines his palm, then walks firmly and quietly back into the room.) DIANORA (Looks after him incessantly ; she cannot take her eyes away from him. As the curtain closes behind his retreating form, she passes her fingers excitedly 34 MADONNA DIANORA over her face and through her hair, then folds her hands and murmurs a prayer, her lips wildly con- vulsed. Then she throws her arms backwards and folds them about the stone pillar, in a gesture that indicates a desperate resolve and a triumphant expec- tancy.) BRACCIO (Steps into the doorway again carrying an arm- chair, which he places in the opening of the door. He seats himself on it, facing his wife. His face does not change. From time to time he raises his right hand mechanically and examines the little wound upon its palm.) BRACCIO (His tone is cold, rather disdainful. He points with his foot and eyes to the ladder.) Who? DIANORA (Raises her shoulders, and drops them slowly.) BRACCIO I know! MADONNA DIANORA 35 DlANORA (Raises her shoulders and drops them slowly. Her teeth are clenched.) BRACCIO (Moves his hand, barely glances at his wife and looks again into the garden.) Palla degli Albizzi ! DIANORA (Between her teeth.) How ugly the most beautiful of names Becomes when uttered by unseemly tongue. BRACCIO (Looks at her as though he were about to speak, but remains silent.) (Pause.) BRACCIO How old are you ? 36 MADONNA DIANORA DlANORA (Does not answer.) BRACCIO Fifteen and five. You are twenty years old. DIANORA (Does not answer.) (Pause.) DIANORA (Almost screaming.) My father's name was Bartholomeno Colleone you can let me say the Lord's Prayer and the Hail Mary, and then kill me, but not let me stand here like a fettered beast. BRACCIO (Looks at her as though surprised, does not answer glances at his hand.) DIANORA (Strokes back her hair slowly, folds her elbows over her breast, stares at him, then drops her arms, MADONNA DIANORA 37 seems to divine his plan. Her voice is completely changed and is like a string that is stretched to the breaking-point.) One of my women I desire, who will (She stops; her voice seems to give out.) First braid my hair 'tis tangled disarranged. BRACCIO You often help yourself without a maid. DIANORA (Presses her lips together, says nothing, smoothes her hair at the temples, folds her hands.) I have no children. My mother I saw once I saw her once, just once before she died. My father led me and my sister to A vaulted, high, severe and gloomy room. The suff'rer I saw not; her hand alone Hung like a greeting for me that I kissed. About my father I remember this: He wore an armor of green burnished gold With darker clasps two always helped him mount 38 MADONNA DIANORA Upon his horse, for he was very old. I hardly knew Medea. Not much joy Had she, my sister. Thin of hair, Her forehead and her temples older seemed, Much older, than her mouth and hands to me. She always held a flower in her hand. Oh Lord, have mercy unto these sweet souls As unto mine, and bid them welcome me Greeting me kindly when I come to Thee. I cannot kneel there is no space to kneel. BRACCIO (Rises, pushes the chair into the room to make space for her. She does not notice him.) DIANORA There's more I must remember Bergamo Where I was born the house in Feltre where The uncles and the cousins were .... Then they put me upon a gallant steed Caparisoned most splendidly they rode, Cousins and many others by my side. And so I came here, from whence now I go . . . (She has leaned back and looks up at the glitter- ing stars upon the black sky she shudders.) MADONNA DIANORA 39 I wanted something else (She searches her memory.) In Bergamo where I was taught to walk Upon the path that brought me here, I erred Often most frequently through pride, and now I am contrite and would go to confession For all those errors, and some graver ones: When I (she ponders) three days after Saint Magdalen Was riding homeward from the chase with him, This man here, who's my husband others too Upon the bridge an old lame beggar lay. I knew that he was old and ill and sore And there was something in his tired eyes Reminded me of my dead father but Nevertheless only because the one Riding beside me touched my horse's bridle, I did not pull aside, but let the dust My horse kicked up, blind, choke that poor old man. Yes, so close I rode that with his hands He had to lift aside his injured leg. This I remember, this I now regret. BRACCIO The one beside you held your horse's bridle? 40 MADONNA DIANORA (He looks at her.) DIANORA (Answers his look, understands him, says trench- antly.) Yes! Then, as often since as often since And yet how rarely after all ! How meagre is all joy a shallow stream In which you're forced to kneel, that it may reach Up to your shoulders BRACCIO Of my servants who, of all your women, who knew of these things? DIANORA (Is silent.) BRACCIO (Makes a disdainful gesture.) DIANORA Falsely, quite falsely you interpret now My silence. How can I tell who might know ? MADONNA DIANORA 41 But if you think that I am one of those Who hides behind her hirelings her joy, You know me ill. Now note note and take heed : Once may a woman be yes, once she may Be as I was for twelve weeks once she may If she had found no need of veil before, All veiled, protected by her own great pride As by a shield she once may rend that veil, Feel her cheeks crimson, burning in the sun! Horrible she, who twice could such a thing! I'm not of those that surely you must know. Who knew? Who guessed? I never hid my thoughts ! Your brother must have known just as you knew, Your brother just as you. Ask him, ask him! (Her voice is strange, almost childlike, yet ex- alted.) That day 'twas in July, Saint Magdalen, Francesco Chieregati's wedding-day That nasty thing upon your hand came then, Came on that day. Well, I remember too. We dined out in the arbor near the lake, And he sat next to me, while opposite Your brother sat. Then passing me the fruit Palla did hold the heavy golden dish Of luscious peaches so that I might take. 42 MADONNA DIANORA My eyes were fastened on his hands I longed To humbly kiss his hands, there, before all. Your brother he's malicious and no fool Caught this my glance, and must have guessed my thought. He paled with anger. Sudden came a dog, A tall dark greyhound brushed his slender head Against my hand, the left one by my side, Your stupid brother kicked in furious rage With all his might, the dog only because He could not with a shining dagger pierce Me and my lover. I but looked at him, Caressed and stroked the dog, and had to laugh! (She laughs immoderately and shrilly in a way that threatens to become a scream, or to break into tears at any moment.) BRACCIO (Seems to listen.) DIANORA (Also listens. Her face expresses horrible ten- sion. Soon she cannot bear it and begins to speak again almost deliriously.) Why whosoever saw me walk would know ! Walked I not differently? Did not I ride MADONNA DIANORA 43 Ecstatically? I could look at you And at your brother and this gloomy house And feel as light as air, floating in space. The myriad trees seemed all to come to me Filled with the sunlight dancing toward me, All paths were open in the azure air Those sunlit paths were all the roads to him. To start with fright was sweet he might appear From any corner, any bush or tree (Her language becomes incoherent from terror, because she sees that Braccio has drawn the curtains behind him close. Her eyes are unnaturally wide open her lips move constantly.} BRACCIO (In a tone that the actor must find for himself, not loud, not low, not strong nor yet weak, but impenetrating. ) If I, your husband, had not at this hour Come to your chamber to fetch me a salve, An ointment for my wounded hand what would What had you done, intended, meant to do? DIANORA (Looks at him, as though distraught, does not 44 MADONNA DIANORA understand his latest question. Her right hand presses her forehead with the left she shakes the ladder before his face, lets it fall at his feet, one end remains tied, shrieks.) What had I done? What had I done, you ask? Why waited thus I would have waited so! (She sways her open arms before him like one in- toxicated, throws herself around, with the upper part of her body over the balustrade, stretches her arms towards the ground her hair falls over them.) BRACCIO (With a hurried gesture tears off a piece of his sleeve and winds it around his right hand. With the sureness of a wild animal on the hunt, he grasps the ladder that is lying there, like a thin, dark rope, with both hands, makes a loop, throws it over his wife's head and pulls her body towards him. (During this time the curtain falls.) .UY THE LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORt LOS ANGELES University of California Los Angeles ilium in iiiii HIII in" inn jHiiii'' ^^ _. UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY A 001 230 736 9