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 (/<? G R E G o i R E) Give her wine ! A PEASANT See ! There is Remond Lalain ! LALAIN Patience, compatriot ! Thursday I speak In the Jacobins ! ANG ELIQUE Ah, monseigneur ! Ah, monseigneur, there 's she who led us here ! There 's she who said the shadow of Morbec Blackened the land as sin blackens the soul ! TH E GUESTS Ah! ANG E LIQUE That same Yvette, who said, monseigneur, That delving the earth, the peasants of France In a long age had delved up a thought ! THE GUESTS Ah! ANGE LIQUE She said that we were never born to starve ! She said the seigneur's dues were all infame ! THE GUE STS Ah! THE VID AME Burn the witch ! DE YARD E s Have you done ? OF REASON 59 ANG ELIQUE Monseigneur, She said the forest deer, the hare, the birds, Were just as much the peasant's as the lord's ! THE ENGLISHMAN What? What? ANGELIQUE She said the saints they wished no tithes ! THE AB B E I give her up ! ANGELIQUE Monseigneur, monseigneur, She said that all our hope was the tricolour ! DE Buc O lilies of Bourbon ! SERAPHINE (to ANGELIQUE) Thou little beast ! ANGELIQUE (shrilly) Yvette said bitter hunger, cold, and want Came with noblesse and with noblesse would go ! Yvette said the Queen was an Austrian ! Yvette said the King was a faineant ! Yvette said the princes were traitors ! Yvette said the armies would turn to us ! Yvette heard the drums of the Republic ! TH E GUESTS Out! 60 THE GODDESS COUNT Louis Enough ! SERAPHINE Thou hellicat ! A PEASANT Monseigneur ! Saint Yves le Veridique knows it is truth ! She ever rings the tocsin in our hearts ! ANOTH ER Yvette Charruel ! A WOMAN She led us here ! ANOTHER WOMAN Yvette! Yvette Charruel ! ANGELIQUE Yvette ? [Several of the women laugh. DE VARDES Why, you are all cowards ! SERAPHINE So they are, monseigneur, so they are ! DE VARDES (to the peasants] Who speaks for you ? \A silence. THE PEASANTS Monseigneur monseigneur [They break off. DE VARDES stands waiting for them to speak, his hand upon the chair. OF REASON 61 AN OLD WOMAN Yvette AN OLD MAN Yvette THE PEASANTS Monseigneur [They break off. They make a sighing sound. The old woman begins to say her beads. YVETTE Monseigneur, They are so hungry ! Monseigneur, 't is said You are a soldier and have been to war! Oh, to us all there comes one battle-field When we must look into a conqueror's eyes ! Think then upon that last dark plain and show Mercy to us who in the shadow stand ! We are your enemies ! DE Buc Faith of an officer ! De Vardes YVETTE The children are crying at home, Monseigneur ! A WOMAN O Sainte Vierge, have pity ! YVETTE With bowed heads the old men wait ! 62 THE GODDESS A WOMAN Oh, my father! Y v ETTE The young men hear the ravens crying ! TH E PEASANTS Aie! Y VETTE The nets are dry, the red sails laid away, And all the boats lie idle by the shore. A Fi SH E RMAN Star of the Sea ! Pray for poor fisherfolk ! A PEASANT I left my sickle in the standing corn. Yv ETTE The wheat must fall, the flax be gathered soon, Or else we '11 sing no songs in Morbihan ! TH E P E AS ANTS Aie ! The songs of the diskanerien ! Y V ETTE The hearths are cold and the wheels turn not, And Hunger sits on every doorstep ! THE PEASANTS Aie!- Yv ETTE To-morrow is the Pardon of the Birds. The birds go free the birds go free, monseigneur ! OF REASON 63 DE Buc And so I swear should you ! THE P EAS ANTS The birds go free ! A WOMAN My little bird at home ! THE MARQUI s E Give her, monsieur, Another fan to break ! Y v ETTE Not one of yours, Madame la Marquise ! D E V A R D E s (to the sergeant) Give them liberty. THE S E RG E ANT My Colonel ? DE VARD E s Cut their bonds ; set them free ! Make way for them there! (To the peasants.) Peasants of Morbec ! Last night you rose against your lord and strove To burn his house, to slay his guest and him. How shall he speak to you to-day? Poor fools ! Distraught and blind you struck ere that you looked, And struck at one who fain would be your friend, Who has his vision of a seigneur's right! These are the towers of Morbec, but I Am not Baron Henri, blind that ye are ! 64 THE GODDESS I am Baron Rene, remember my name. Bread you shall have, I will think of your wrongs. No foe am I ! There are the open doors. Back to the village go ! but look you well. Mistake no more, it will be dangerous ! Creep not this way again in the dark night, Or you may meet an ancient Lord of Morbec ! More loyal grow, cease all your traitorous talk, Raise not Rebellion's head or it will find A soldier of the King with armed heel ! Mistake no more ! This once I pardon you. Begone ! The fields await you and the wind Sits fair for Quiberon ! Begone. ('To YVETTE and SERAPHINE.) Stay ! [The peasants press in confusion toward the doors of the chateau. THE PEASANTS Live Baron Rene ! L AL A I N O Breton fools ! Yvette ! [YVETTE does not answer. She looks at DE VARDES. THE MARQUISE (with strained laughter] High justice at Morbec ! THE VIDAME Mille diables ! The wretches all go free ! COUNT Louis Is this Morbec ? OF REASON Mort de ma vie ! What is it that you do, Monsieur ] e Baron dc Morbec ? DE VARDE s My pleasure, Monsieur le Comte de Chateau-Gui, upon My peasants of Morbec ! CUR TAIN AC T II The garden of the Convent of the Visitation at Nantes, Long lines of fruit trees which appear to sleep in the sun shine. In the middle of the garden a stone fountain, where rises and falls a little jet of water. To the left the white buildings of the convent ; in the background, between the convent and the street, a high garden wall, the tops of trees, and the roof and spire of a church. 'There is a barred door in the wall. 'The doors and windows of the convent parlour giving upon the garden are open. It is the summer A nun appears for a moment at the door of the convent, then vanishes, and DE VARDES and YVETTE enter the garden. D E VARD E s w HAT hast thou learned to-day ? Yv ETTE In history: The battles of Rossbach and of Minden ! The Peace of Paris D E VARD E s Indeed ! YVETTE Philosophy : Man is born free but who will break his chains ? 68 rHE GODDESS DE YARD E s It is a question truly ! Y VETTE Theology : God is the father of us all and yet I think I know how feels an orphan child ! DE VARD E s Defeat of France, Rousseau, and Modern Doubt ! And hast thou learnt all this in convent walls ? YvETTE No! D E VARD E s They are good to thee, the Sisters all ? YVETTE Monseigneur, yes ! D E VARD E s When I did place thee here After that day thou didst not burn Morbec ! I gave the Reverend Mother straitest charge, - This convent oweth much to the De Vardes. They have enriched it oft, and it in turn Refuge hath given unto noble dames. Oft did she sit beside the fountain there, That Duchess Jeanne whose look thou wearest now ! YVETTE Oh! DE VARDES How mournfully thou sighest ! Yet OF REASON 69 How glorious are thine eyes this lovely day ! Thou 'rt well, and thou art happy, art thou not ? YVETTE There is no hunger here, no cold, no care ! I ever wished to learn and here I learn, Here where the Duchess Jeanne did sit forlorn, And then I pray within the chapel there, And then I count the stars as they are lit, And then I think of all the lights of Nantes ! D E VARD E s It hath been many days I 've been away, To Morbec and to Vannes and to Vitre. YVETTE I thought that thou wouldst never come again ! D E VARD E s Didst think the night had ceased to long for day ? Didst think the tide no more obeyed the moon ? The reed no longer bowed unto the wind ? YVETTE Ah, do not jest ! There 's blood upon thy coat ! DE VARD E s 'Tis nothing ! We have had hard words to-day, My men and I ! \_He gazes around at the quiet garden. O holy peace ! O balm ! O green and sunny quietude ! Outside There 's tumult, heat, confusion, enmity ! Here is a haven, here 'tis blissful sweet ! [They sit upon the marge of the fountain. 7 o THE GODDESS All is dismay and doubt in France to-day. With troubled eyes men question destiny ! Outside I front the storm as best I may, But here is anchorage profound and fair There fruit trees drifting bloom, this fountain marge ! YVETTE I better love the wild and desolate shore ! D E YARD E s What is that ribbon closed within thy hand ? [YVETTE opens her hand and shows a ribbon cockade. The tricolour ! YVE TTE Wilt thou not wear it ? D E YARD E s No! YVETTE It was my favour Fare you well, monsieur ! DE YARD E s I might not wear that ribbon, no, not if It were thy favour truly, Vivien ! Ah, when will cease this discord of our minds ? Wilt thou forever be a Jacobin ? \_A distant bugle^ followed by a roll of drums and martial music. Yv ETTE Aux armes y Citoyens ! Formez vos bataillons ! OF REASON ji D E VARD E s Where. learned'st thou the Marseillaise? Y VETT E 'T is in the air ! Oh, on these moonlight nights I dream of France and how he spoke to me Of all the wrongs of France we should redress ! D E VARD E s Who spoke to thee ? Y VE TTE Remond Lalain. D E VARDE s Remond Lalain was once my closest friend. He travels now a dark and winding way ! Y VETTE Where is she now, that lady bright and fair Who 's named La Belle Marquise in Morbihan ? DE VARDE s She is in Nantes. YVETTE Ah ! Is she not fair ? DE VARD ES Most fair. Y v ETTE And nobly born ? DE VARD E s And nobly born. 72 THE GODDESS YVETTE Alas! Enter SISTER BENEDICTA. SISTER BENEDICTA Monsieur le Baron de Morbec, A courier, in haste, foam-flecked and spent, Demands to speak with you. DE YARD E s What tidings now ? Ill news like ravens to a cumbered field ! I come, my Sister ! ('To YVETTE.) I '11 return. [Exeunt DE VARDES and SISTER BENEDICTA. YVETTE Alas! She is in Nantes ! He sees her every day. What is this pain that 's tearing at my heart ? [Laughing voices of young girls. Enter from the convent SISTER FIDELIS and SISTER SIMPLICIA with a cluster of young girts, pupils of the nuns or refugees from Royalist families. 'They seat them selves upon the wide steps of the fountain. YVETTE leans against the basin and plays in the water with her hand. A YOUNG GIRL (to YVETTE) We 're telling stories ! ANOTHER Finish thine, Louise ! OF REASON 73 LOUISE 'T is told. The beau prince wed the belle princesse, And they lived happily ever after ! A YOUNG GIRL Whose turn now? ANOTH E R Tell us a story, Yvette ! Y v E T T E (turning from the fountain) Beneath the halfway tree, 'Tween Josselin and Pont ivy, Suddenly, out of the dark, I heard a grey wolf bark ! Hotel Hotel Hotel I'he snow was on the ground, 1"he shadows all around, Laid a finger on my lip, As I stood, hand on hip, Listening the grey wolf bark. Hotel Hotel Hotel Beneath the halfway tree, y( Tween Josselin and Pont ivy I A little child came by. " Tvette, the wolf is nigh ! Yvette, take thou me up, I 've neither bite nor sup ! " Hotel Hotel Hotel The child came to my arm. He was so fair and warm ! 74 THE GODDESS 'The child came to my arm, I kept him safe from harm ! Ho'ee! Ho'ee ! Hoee ! A light grew round his head, I felt all cheered and fed. " Tvette, have thou no fear ! Who giveth aid, to me is dear ! " Hoee! Hoee! Hoee! The child no longer pressed, White snow lay on my breast ! 'The grey wolf ran away, Hoee! Hoee! Hoee! 'There broke a splendid day, Beneath the halfway tree, 'Tween Josselin and Pont ivy ! SISTER FIDELIS A miracle ? YVETTE I do not know. A YOUNG GIRL I liked best The beau prince and the belle princesse. ANOTHER GIRL Oh, Thou 'rt an Aristocrat ! [The young girls return to their embroidery. YVETTE plays in the water of the fountain with her hand. OF REASON 75 YVETTE Gold fish, gold fish, How are the fish of Quiberon ? A YOUNG GIRL Were I A fairy prince, then my princess should be Madame la Marquise de Blancheforet ! ANOTHER If I Were a princess, I would have for my prince Monsieur le Baron de Morbec. [YVETTE turns from the fountain. A THIRD GIRL They say That in all France there 's none more brave than he ! And far and near she 's called La Belle Marquise ! A little while and there '11 a wedding be ! THE FIRST But then, the poor Yvette ! He is, you know, Her prince ! [They lau?h. YVETTE Oh, mockery ! SISTER FIDELIS Hush, children, hush ! Monsieur le Baron is her benefactor ! SISTER SIMPLICIA He plucked her from the dreadful world outside ! 76 THE GODDESS SISTER FIDELIS He placed her here beneath Our Lady's care. SISTER SIMPLICIA In everything he is her truest friend ! SISTER FIDELIS But for his condescension, ah, who knows What in these fearful days might be her lot ! Here in this fold she 's safe. Y v E T T E (aside) Alas ! alas ! A YOUNG GIRL Oh, she is fairer than the fairy queen ! Clarice de Miramand and Blancheforet ! Y v E T T E (aside) Is she so fair? Is she so fair indeed? I broke her fan now she will break my heart ! A YOUNG GIRL He is a knight like Lancelot ! YVETTE Oh me! She is the Queen, she is that Guinevere ! [Distant music. The noise of footsteps and voices in the street beyond the wall. A YOUNG GIRL Oh, outside the wall what is there passing ? OF REASON 77 SISTER FIDELIS (severely) We have nothing to do with outside the wall. A YOUNG GIRL (indicating the door in the wall) Might we open the door a little way ? SISTER FIDELIS The blessed saints forbid ! [From the street are heard the drums and fifes of passing National troops. The bayonets of the soldiers are visible above the wall. VOICES (in the street) AllonS) enfants de la patrie, Le jour de gloire est arrive ! A YOUNG GIRL Oh, soldiers ! ANOTHER Were the wall only down ! [The circle about the fountain breaks. The young girls walk up and down beneath the trees. The Sis ters watch them from a garden bench. The music dies away. YVETTE sits upon the stone marge of the fountain. YVETTE What is this pain that 's tearing at my heart ? What matters it to me whom he doth love ? And what concern of mine that she is fair ? I would she were not so ! Oh, misery ! She is in Nantes, she is La Belle Marquise ! I would that she were dead ! [The chapel bell rings. O Seigneur Dieu ! 78 THE GODDESS Her death ! I do not wish her death ! Not I ! Our Lady ! let not ill thoughts possess me ! 1 would I were at Morbec this still eve, Herding the cows amid the golden broom, Above a sea of glass without a wind, As stagnant calm as is this prisoned water ! I would gather the musk rose in the lane, I would tread the wet sand and count the ships, My brow would not burn, my heart would not ache, No tears from my eyes would I wipe away ! Why should they not fall like the winter rain ? I am the herd girl here as at Morbec, And she 's a great lady, loved for herself! O love! is it love that stifles me so? love ! is it love that makes me weep ? 1 thought that love was all splendour and light, The bow in the sky, the bird at its height, The glory and state of an angel bright ! What is this pain that burdens all my heart ? [She bows her head upon her knees. 'The hum of the street deepens to a continuous and sinister sound. In the distance a roll of drums. YVETTE raises her head. I sit by this fountain, he '11 not return ! He cares not for me, he 's the Sieur de Morbec, And I a herd girl wandering through his fields ! Mother, my mother, did you sit and wait, By the wild sea rim on a glowing eve, Mid the brown seaweed on the shining sands? Your heart did it beat, and your senses swim ? But your lover, the fisher, he came, he came ! voice of the street deepens. OF REASON 79 I will not have this pain ! I '11 tear it out ! [Her hand touches the purple mark on her throat. Ha! how burns this hateful mark to-day! [^There comes from the church towers of Nantes a sudden and violent crash of bells. SISTER FIDEL is (rising) The tocsin ! THE YOUNG GIRLS (They flutter forward to the fountain) The tocsin ! Oh, the tocsin ! Like a hive of bees hums the street without ! Yv ETTE Oh, all ye iron bells ! ring on ! ring on ! Enter MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI and SISTER BENEDICTA. THE YOUNG GIRLS Here is Mademoiselle de Chateau-Gui! She '11 tell us why the bells are ringing ! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI O Ciel! Would you believe it? O blessed saints above! The country is in danger! A Yo UNG GIRL Oh! we thought You brought us news ! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI (joyously) Do you not hear the bells ? 8o r HE GODDESS Oh, such a day outside ! It is proclaimed ! La patrie est en danger ! [Distant trumpets. Well you may wail, You brazen trumpets of the Revolution ! The Duke of Brunswick he is marching now, And with him all our nobles back from Coblentz ! O bliss ! La patrie est en danger ! SISTER FIDELIS Oh, hush ! The very walls have ears ! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI My father says The King shall have his own again, and all Will go as merry as a wedding bell ! La patrie est en danger ! Enter COUNT Louis, MELIPARS DE L'ORIENT, and the ABBE DE BARBASAN. Oh, here are My father and Monsieur de L'Orient ! D E L* O RI ENT So sweet the flowers here COUNT Louis (to the young girls) Mesdemoiselles, One garden of rosebuds time hath not touched ! (To the Sisters.} In your prayers, my Sisters, name Cha- teau-Gui ! [The young girls curtesy, then exeunt between the trees. YVETTE remains beside the fountain. COUNT Louis looks at her through his glass. Ha! OF REASON 81 DE L' O RI E NT The herd girl of Morbec ! COUNT Louis I have eyes, De L'Orient! THE ABBE Hm ! Fair child ! Y v E T T E (coldly) Citoyen ! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI Monsieur de L'Orient, you promised me My father should not walk abroad to-day ! D E L' O RI ENT What could I do ? He is so young and rash ! COUNT Louis (taking snuff) 'T is true that Nantes is dangerous to-day To all save those wild beasts the sans-culottes ! But that 's no reason I should stay at home. Where is De Vardes ? His man said he was here. It is his wont, pardieu ! SISTER FIDELIS Monsieur le Comte, Monsieur the Baron of Morbec did come To see that all was well with this our charge A peasant girl, monsieur, whom he did save From cold and hunger and ill company. 82 THE GODDESS But now she prospers and we think that he Will come no more. YVETTE Jesu Maria ! COUNT Louis (with satisfaction) Ma foi ! He is a soldier is De Vardes ! He camps One day beside the hedgerow in the field ! The next he 's for some royal mount of love, High as the snow and splendid in the sun ! Since he 's not here I know where else he is ! DE L'ORIENT (sings) Mignonne, Mignonne! Kiss me, rose of to-day I YVETTE O heart ! O world ! O hedgerow in the field ! Co UNT Louis Well, well, her mother was as fair as she ! Clarice de Miramand, long-dead Clarice ! Her hair was golden too. Old times, old times ! And now it is De Vardes and the Marquise ! [COUNT Louis, MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI, and DE L'ORIENT walk up and down beneath the trees. DE L'ORIENT sings. DE L' ORI ENT Mignonne ', Mignonne! 1"he red rose fades away ! Mignonne, Mignonne! The white rose will not stay ! OF REASON 83 THE ABBE My dear, that is a pretty wrist of thine ! Y VETTE Citoyen ! TH E ABBE Hast said thy rosary to-day ? YVETTE Citoyen ! THE AB B E A melting eye ! YVETTE Citoyen ! THE ABBE Dame ! She is only good to burn chateaux! \_He joins COUNT Louis, etc. 'They walk and talk beneath the trees. YVETTE The high of heart bide no man's scorning ! I Will break these bonds ! I will be free ! I will ! O royal mount of love, snow-high, sun-kissed, Kissed by the sun which once did shine on me ! If I am of the fields {Her hand touches the mark upon her throat. She laughs. O hated flower, Which grew beneath no hedgerow on this earth ! Teach me, thou poison blossom, pride of heart ! Where is that Duchess Jeanne whom I am like ? They say for love her heart did rive in twain, 84 r HE GODDESS But now she smiles beside a shadowy stream In some far land where none do die of love ! And where is he, Jehan the fisherman, Who loved Yvonne, who met the sea and died ? They died for love who should have lived for hate ! I '11 live - Enter DE VARDES. COUNT Louis, etc. y come forward. Oh, here 's the soldier ! Now we '11 know How blow the winds around the camp of love ! COUNT Louis What is it, Rene de Vardes ? What is it, man ? D E VARD E s The King hath left the Tuileries ! The mob Forced the chateau and put his life in danger. The Swiss are murdered, cut down to a man ! The Grenadiers joined with the Marseillaise ! De Maille writes the courier 's just arrived All is distraction, danger, and despair! SISTER FIDELIS Alas! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI O Ciel ! THE ABBE The soldiers in revolt. D E L' ORI ENT The Swiss all murdered the stanch Swiss ! SISTER SIMPLICI A Alas! OF REASON 85 COUNT Louis The King hath left the Tuileries ! DE VARD E s To-night I ride to Paris. Y V ETTE O God! THE ABBE To Paris ! As well say that you ride to death, De Vardes ! COUNT Louis Ah, were I young again, I 'd ride with you ! SISTER FIDELIS Alas, they say it is a fearful place ! SISTER SIMPLICIA It is so safe in Nantes ! DE VARD E s Ah, my Sister, Because it is so safe in Nantes I go ! Once I did love this people; once I thought Beyond this Revolution lay the morn, The dewy morn of a most noble day ! It may be so ; I know not ; but I am A soldier of the King. Needs must I go, My bugles call ; I 'm breaking camp. Farewell ! SISTER FIDELIS You will return. 86 THE GODDESS D E VARD E s If I *m in life I will ! Y V ETTE O Our Lady ! O Our Lady ! [The noise in the street increases. 'The tocsin rings. 'The sky begins to darken before an approaching storm. Co UNT Louis Ring on ! Ye bells ! ring on to the deaf sky ! O France, Of old thou wast a pleasant land and free, In palace and in field a courteous place ! Now thou art desolate ! Come, Austria, come ! Come, D'Artois, come, Brunswick, and come, Provence ! Rend the tricolour from the breast of France And plant the fleur-de-lis where stood the Jacobins! VOICES (from the street) Quoi! ces cohortes etrangeres Feraient la loi dans nos foyers ! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI Hast said farewell to the Marquise ? D E VARD E s Not yet, As far as Vannes I ride beside her coach. YVETTE Oh! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI Soon or late, she '11 draw you back to Nantes ! Now will she not ? OF REASON 87 DE VARDES (smiling} Perhaps. Y VETTE Jesu Maria ! SISTER FIDELIS Monsieur, if you must go, oh, rest you sure Jealously will we guard and spotless keep The soul you stooped and drew from the foul mire ! Yvette, come make your reverence to your lord ! Yv ETTE I kiss your hand, monseigneur! TH E ABBE There will be A storm to-night ! COUNT Louis Come, come, Rene de Vardes ! I 'd see the courier who brought this news ! DE YARD E s I '11 follow you, Monsieur le Comte ! [Exeunt COUNT Louis, his daughter, DE L'ORIENT, THE ABB , and the Sisters. YVETTE Wilt thou go ? DE VARDES I must. Y v ETTE Why must thou go? 88 THE GODDESS To-day the kingdom fell ! Oh, in the dust Of old things let it rest for evermore ! Take up the Revolution ! [Lightning. Oh, see ! The flaming sword before the gates of Eden ! Thou 'rt safe within the garden ! Go not forth. Go not to Paris ! Stay in Nantes, ah, stay ! Wear the tricolour [Thunder. Hark ! It is the voice, The menacing voice of the Republic ! It threatens thee, it threatens all who pass That flaming sword, to lift the thing that was And is not any more ! Oh, let it lie ! Thou 'It not to Paris ? ' DE YARD E s To-night, Citoyenne ! Ah, thou art skilful at betraying ! Yv ETTE Quoi! Enter SISTER BENEDICTA. SISTER BENEDICTA Monsieur le Baron de Morbec, the page Of Madame la Marquise de Blancheforet Attends Y V ETT E Name of a name ! THE ABBE (appearing in the door behind SISTER BENEDICTA) De Vardes, De Vardes ! You gather the furze while the red rose waits ! OF REASON 89 D E VA RD E s At once, my Sister ! (70 YVETTE.) Ah, not in anger, Must thou and I part for this little while ! If I 'm in life I will return, be sure, To Nantes and all this garden loveliness, Those fruit trees and this fountain ! Fare thee well. The nuns will care for thee ; I Ve ordered all. Too fierce of aspect is the world without ! Here is fair peace, security, and calm ; Here thou art fenced from storm and violence. Abide thou here until I come again ! [Lightning. Y V ETTE The flaming sword ! D E VARD E s Hearest thou not, Yvette, How sings the lark in Paimpont Wood to-day? YVETTE I hear the dirge of the salt sea ! D E VARD E s And there, Seest thou not through yonder trees the stone, The Druid Stone where thou didst lie in sleep ? YVETTE I see a broken fan ! D E VARD E s Abide thou here 9 o r HE GODDESS And dream of Paimpont Wood until I come. I too will dream, I too will dream, Yvette ! Yv ETTE Is not Clarice a lovely name ? D E VARD E s Why, yes, A very lovely name. Farewell, farewell ! I '11 see thy face, be sure, this very night, Upon the road before me as I ride. YVETTE Oh, fare you well beneath the silver moon As slow you ride beside a lady's coach, Discoursing of the dazzling, snowy heights ! I kiss your hand, monseigneur ! Fare you well ! [THE ABBE'S voice is heard from the doorway. THE ABBE De Vardes! De Vardes ! D E VARD E s I come ! THE AB B E The rose awaits ! YVETTE It is too much ! DE VARD ES Farewell, thou spirit of Paimpont ! [Distant music. OF REASON 91 YVETTE Ah, ah ! 't is worth all else the Marseillaise ! D E VARDES My Duchess Jeanne YVETTE She is dead : cold and dead ! A ux armes, Citoyens I Forme* vos bataillons ! D E YARD E s Perverse and strange ! YVETTE I '11 to my beads. Adieu ! Over Ts, the sunken town, When thou sailest look not down. Mariner , mariner ! * D E YARD E s V What wine hast thou drunken ? Y y ETTE An old wine For there dwells a fairy there Will drag thee down by the long hair, Mariner, mariner ! D E VARDES Oh, thou art too wilful ! THE AB B E De Vardes ! De Vardes ! 92 THE GODDESS Y v E T T E (to the fish in the fountain) Gold fish, gold fish, how are the fish of Quiberon ? D E YARD E s Thou sullen witch, adieu ! [Exit DE VARDES. Y VETTE Monseigneur ! ah ! He 's gone ! He 's gone to meet the fairy queen ! He 's for the roses and the dazzling peaks ! The seaweed and the furze he 's left behind ! He 's left the storm, he 's left the storm and me ! \fThe convent bell rings. Toll, toll ! as though thou 'd toll my soul away ! Thou canst not toll him back ! Oh, woe is me ! [The nuns sing in the chapel. VOICE s O salutaris Hostia ! Quae coeli pandis ostium : Bella premunt hostilia, Da robur fer auxilium ! [Above the wall where it is shadowed by a fruit tree, appear the head and shoulders of LALAIN. He draws himself up to the coping, watches YVETTE for a moment, then swings himself down to the gar den. He has a rose in his hand. YVETTE Where is the sunshine gone ? Where is the gold ? It was a lovely day ! 'Tis cold and dead; No light, no warmth, no cheer ! Oh, presently Those two will take the summer road to Vannes! OF REASON 93 Ha ! does he think that I will meekly stay Within this convent close, will kneel and pray, Day in, day out, for all true lovers' weal ? What is there now to do ? O Jealousy ! I dream of Paimpont Wood in June ! I '11 dream Of sunlit peaks, of roses named Clarice; I '11 dream of furze that's set about with thorns And clings unto the common earth which bore it ! \A roll of thunder. On, on ! It suits my mood, the crashing sound ! Jehan the fisherman ! rise from the sea, Lay thy cold hand upon the heart of her Who 's not thy child, and teach her how to hate ! Yvonne who parted from the earth one night, Come through the storm that darkens overhead And teach thy daughter how to hate ! Thou too, Thou other one, thou seigneur high and grand Whose signet burns upon my aching throat, Whose nature stirs within me suddenly, Arise from hell and teach me how to hate ! \fThunder. VOICES FROM THE CHAPEL I'antum ergo sacramentum Veneremur cernui Y v ETT E O Our Lady ! O Our Lady ! O Our Lady ! [LALAIN throws the rose. It falls beside YVETTE. Oh! \_She^ raises the flower to her lips. LALAIN comes forward. Thou ! I thought it was I thought it was. 94 rHE GODDESS Go ! No rose of thine would I have kissed, Remond Lalain ! \lith a wild petulance she throws down the flower and treads upon it. LALAIN Now for that deed of thine I will not spare him when the day is mine ! YVETTE Of whom speakest thou ? LALAIN The Citoyen Vardes. YVETTE Let him be ! LALAIN The Citoyenne Blancheforet. YVETTE Again ! LALAIN 'T is said the two will shortly wed A fitting match ! She 's fair and nobly born. Thou mightst have seen, thou mightst have seen last night, Walking by moonlight beside the Loire, A lady the fairest and a great lord ! YVETTE Say'st thou ? LALAIN Beneath the trees, beside the flood, Toying and whispering, the sword and fan ! OF REASON 95 YVETTE Out and alas ! Begone, thou torturer ! L ALAIN Oh, those old days when by the shore we walked While sank the sun beneath the emerald waves, And wild sea birds flashed all their silver wings, And long we talked of France and liberty ! How thou art tamed, Yvette, Yvette Channel ! Thou carest not now for France and liberty ! Yv ETTE It is not true ! Thou knowest that I care ! L ALAIN This sultry night I speak to patriot hearts Of War, Dumouriez, Brunswick, Capet ! All Nantes will throng to hear me where I stand, In the Church of Saint Jean, who 's now become, From crypt to spire, one mighty Jacobin ! High in the gilt tribune beneath the roof, The starry roof where the archangels live ! Faces me Michael with his flaming sword, And Raphael watches me with widened eyes, And Gabriel frowns between his splendid wings Because there 's no more incense ! When I speak, The painted walls all vanish like a mist ! On distant plains the drum begins to beat, The great dome lifts above the angel heads I see the stars YVETTE There are no stars to-night ! 96 THE GODDESS LAL AIN There are ! There are ! Eternally they shine Beyond this din, beyond these sulphurous clouds ! And there 's a stairway, red and white and blue, By which to climb to some most famous star Of glory and of love ! Yvette ! Yvette ! Climb thou with me unto that golden star ! YVETTE Remond Lalain LALAIN Come thou with me, Yvette ! Come thou with me from out this sluggish place ! Come thou with me into the furious storm ! What dost thou here, thou spirit of the wind, Restless, with deep eyes and with parted lips? Thou knowest thou hast naught to do with holy things. Tear off that white headdress ! Red is thy colour ! Yv ETTE Ay, red is my colour ! LALAIN Last night, the while I spake of War and all the place was still, A sudden vision blazed above the lights I saw thee dance the Carmagnole ! , YVETTE Now, now ! What whispers he to her upon the road ? LALAIN To-night ah, should I raise my eyes to-night OF REASON 97 And see thee smiling there, Yvette, Yvette ! Beside thy sisters in the galleries ! Upon thy twilight hair the bonnet-rouge, At thy small waist a pistol and a dirk Only the Revolution in thy soul And in thy heart my name, my name, Yvette ! \Thunder. It thunders now, but 'twill be clear to-night. The moon will shine, the roads will all be white. YVETTE The roads will all be white, the moon will shine, The poplars quiver and the eglantine, The broom and honeysuckle will be sweet, Upon the road to Vannes [Lightning and thunder. LALAIN walks to the door in the wall, tries it y then with a stone from the ground beats back the rusty bolt. LALAIN An easy door ! Yv ETTE The moon will shine LALAIN I '11 go this way, ma foi ! Not by the wall ! YVETTE The silver poplars sway ! LALAIN Rene de Vardes, once I did call thee friend And took a deal of pride in that possession ! How runs the world away ! 'T was long ago ! 98 THE GODDESS YVETTE Ah, ah, that fearful dream I had last night ! And while I dreamed they walked beside the Loire ! LALAI N This night he rides away. Didst know ? Y V ETTE I knew ! L ALAIN He 's said farewell to thee, but not to her ! Yv ETTE Wilt thou begone ! LALAIN Ay, through this door, Yvette ! 'T is easy, as thou seest. And ah, to-night The storm o'er past and shining bright the moon And the cold nuns all telling o'er their beads, How simple 't were O priceless liberty ! Thou wouldst not be the only one, I trow, Who may not walk beside the silver Loire ! Yv ETTE Name of a name ! LALAIN Adieu, adieu ! To-night I '11 see thee sitting in the galleries \Exit LALAIN. Y V ETTE Ah, how the thunder shakes the air ! [She moves to the door in the wall and replaces the bolt, then returns to the fountain. OF REASON 99 'T is so ! He is her lover ! Oh, he loves her true ! What will they say and whisper all the night Through light and shadow on the road to Vannes ? Despair ! But I '11 not stay within these walls ! [Knocking at the door in the wall. YVETTE crosses the stage to the door. Who is there ? SERAPHINE (within) Yvette! Yvette ! / Y V ETTE Seraphine ! SERAPHINE (within) And Nanon too ! YVETTE The deputy's sister ! NANON Let us in ! Yv ETTE I dare not. S E RAPH INE What! Yv ETTE Wait : I dare ! [She draws the bolts. The door opens. Enter Sf RA- PHINE and NANON. The former is dressed in com plete carmagnole : short skirt, rolled-up sleeves, sash of tricolour, and a bonnet-rouge. Pistols at her belt. ioo rHE GODDESS NANON is more soberly attired but wears the bon net-rouge. The door closes behind them. Seraphine ! S ERAPH INE Cherie ! Yv ETTE Nanon ! NANON Dear Yvette ! Y V ETTE How gay you are ! What of the Revolution ? SERAPHINE It goes. NANON It goes well. S ERAPHINE We have a new song ! Faith ! 'T is a greater song than Ca Ira ! YVETTE (sings) Aux armes, Citoyens ! Formez vos bataillonsl SERAPHINE That 's it ! NANON (looking about her) So very triste it is in here ! SERAPHINE So gay outside ! All Nantes is dressed in red ! There 's a procession, and then to-night OF REASON 101 We sit in the galleries to hear Lalain ! [Distant music. Hark to the fife ! Formez vos bataillons ! And your feet keep not time to the music ! Yv ETTE But my heart, Seraphine, my heart keeps time. S ERAPH INE Ho ! Your heart is in barracks, says Celeste. YVETTE Celeste ! NANON And Angelique. YVETTE Angelique ! S ERAPHINE Faith ! Angelique is in feather now you 're gone ! Cries Five la R'epublique ! here in Nantes. Rides on the cannon and handles a pike ; Thinks she 's in Paris and plays Theroigne, And high from the galleries applauds Lalain ! NANON He thinks not of her; he thinks of Yvette ! YVETTE I care not of whom he thinks ! S ERAPHINE On a fete day, 102 THE GODDESS In a car triumphal see her appear ! Dressed like a goddess just down from the skies, All crowned with green oak leaves, borne shoulder high Y VETTE Angelique ! SERAPHINE (nodding) Ah, you see you are not there ! But between you and me, red does not become her ! Y V ETTE I should think not! little blonde! SERAPHINE Ah, but red Becomes you ! YVETTE Yes! S E RAPH INE Monseigneur 's gone from Nantes. Yes, faith! I saw him ride away YVETTE He 's gone ! Rememb'rest thou that lady fair and proud, Madame la Marquise de Blancheforet ? S E RAPH INE Ho! (To NANON.) Rememb'rest thou the Citoyenne Blanche foret ? OF REASON 103 NANO N The proud piece ! We are mire beneath her feet ! Last eve her coach threw mud upon my gown ! Let her beware ! One day she '11 walk afoot. Let her beware ! And let him too beware Who rode last eve beside her golden coach ! Ha, ha ! ha, ha ! [Music and voices in the street. Impatient knocking at the door in the wall. Voi c E s Hola, Aristocrats ! Nanon ! Seraphine ! N ANON Our friends await us. S E RAPH INE We have business with the smith upon the quai, Where by the old dovecot he fashions pikes ! Voic E s Allans, enfants de la patrie! i NANON Come, come away! We'll leave the nun alone To say her beads for black Aristocrats ! How triste to be for aye in prison here ! Y v E T T E (angrily) Prison ! I am no prisoner, I ! NANO N Then come with us into the merry streets ! 104 THE GODDESS S E RAPH IN E 'T will be a heavy storm all are within. How easy 't were to slip away with us ! Yv ETTE No, no ! Voi CE S Citoyennes ! Citoyennes ! N ANON Ma'm'selle Y V ETTE Ma'm'selle! NANON Aristocrat ! Y V ETTE Aristocrat ! S ERAPHINE Well kept by an Aristocrat Yv ETTE You lie. SERAPHINE (angrily) Saint Yves ! I lie ! Do I ? O Seigneur Dieu ! This is Yvette, the herd girl of Morbec ! This is Yvette, the daughter of Yvonne ! This is that same Yvette who swore one day That rather would she meet the blight of hell Than take one favour from a seigneur's hand ! Once you were hungry ! Go you hungry now ? OF REASON 105 You went in rags. Where is your ragged gown ? Barefoot what 's that about that throat of thine ? I swear it is a jewel ! and we pine For bread, we women of the Revolution ! [YVETTE unclasps the jewel from her neck and lets it fall. I lie, do I ? Diabte ! Just prove I lie ! This night we make a little noise in Nantes Shall show Aristocrats who is in danger ! Lalain will speak and all the bells will ring, And Angelique will deck herself in red ! Steal through yon door, be of us evermore ! I lie, do I ? Then show me that I lie ! YVETTE In Nantes where do you lodge ? S ERAPHIN E With Angelique Under the Lanterne, Sign of the Hour Glass. VOICE s Nanon ! Nanon ! You are missing the sights ! [Distant music. OTH E R Voic E s Allans, enfants de la patrie, Le jour de gloire est arrive ! NANON Come, come away ! [SERAPHINE unbars the door in the wall. It swings open. 106 GODDESS OF REASON S E RAPH IN E Faith ! One can see the Loire ! 'T is fine to walk beside it 'neath the moon ! Oh! Y V ETTE VOIC E S Tremblez, tyrans ! et vous perfides, NANON Away ! Away ! Y VETTE I '11 go I '11 go with you. Ye fruit trees and thou fountain, fare ye well ! \Exeunt YVETTE, SERAPHINE, NANON. 'The door swings to. Lightning and thunder. SISTER FIDELIS appears in the convent door. VOICES (dying away) Aux armeSj Citoyens ! Formez vos bataillons I C UR TAIN ACT III A square in Nantes. On the left the deep porch of a church with pillars. To the right and in the background, a per spective of streets with tall, many-windowed houses. Op posite the church a great plaster statue of Liberty. Over the church door is written in white lettering: " The Re public One and Indivisible. Liberty, Equality, Fraternity or Death. National Property" A distant view of the Loire. Men and women in holiday garb, wearing liberty caps and great tricoloured cockades, cross and recross the square. Life, movement, colour. Red the dominant note. It is the year 1794. Hoarse voices within. Hawkers of Revolutionary journals cross the square. A H A WKE R E Journal des Jacobins! ANOTH E R Le Disc ours Enter GREGOIRE. De la Lanternel A TH i RD L y Orateur du Peuplel \ A FOURTH Le pere Duchesnel Le Pere Duchesne ! io8 THE GODDESS G R E G o i R E (stopping him) Here ! [He buys a paper. And what to-day says Pere Duchesne ? THE H AWKER He says That Paris envies Nantes her Carrier ! GR EGO i RE Humph ! A HAWKER La Bouche de Per ! ANOTH ER Les Actes des Apotres / A CITIZEN I '11 buy the Actes. ANOTH E R I '11 buy the Bouche de Per. [Enter a man with a long brush and a pot of paste. He proceeds to cover the wooden base of the Statue of Liberty with placards. TH E CROWD The placards ! The placards ! A BRETON SAILOR I cannot read ! \_He catches by the arm a man in a long cloak, with a broad hat pulled low over his face. Prithee, Citizen, what says the placard ? OF REASON log THE MAN IN THE CLOAK It says Duport is dead ; Biron is dead ; Barnave is dead. THE CROWD Ha, ha ! Biron ! Barnave ! A MAN Through the little window they Ve looked at last ! A has les Aristocrats ! Vive la Guillotine ! i ANOT HER Ah, here in Nantes we drown them in the Loire ! THE CROWD Vive Carrier ! Vive Lambertye ! Vive Lalain ! [The man with the brush affixes a second placard. THE B RETON And this, Citizen ? THE MAN IN THE CLOAK D'Alleray is dead ; Bailly is dead ; Du Barry is dead. THE CROWD Ha! A WOM AN Ho ! ho ! The courtesan, she '11 kiss no more! THE CROWD She '11 kiss no more ! [The man with the brush affixes the third placard. no THE GODDESS THE BRETON And this one, Citizen ? THE MAN IN THE CLOAK (reads) The Republic One and Indivisible. It is Decreed There is no God. To-day we worship Reason. [The crowd applauds. A MAN In a red mantle ! ANOTHER That 's the Paris Reason ! Our Reason wears blue. A TH IRD And oak leaves in her hair. THE BRETON Is Reason truly a woman ? THE MAN IN THE CLOAK God knows ! A MAN Ha ! he says God ! God is a word forbid ! THE MAN IN THE CLOAK Then Reason knows. A MAN That 's better. [Singing within. A band of dancers, men and wo men, whirl into the square. OF REASON in THE CROWD Carmagnole ! THE DANCE RS Dansons la Carmagnole! Vive le son, vive le son ! Dansons la Carmagnole! Vive le son du canon ! [The crowd breaks and joins the dancers. They take hands and with uncouth and extravagant gestures circle once or twice around the statue, then with a long cry exeunt. A WOMAN The great procession forms upon the quai ! ANOTHER It winds and winds about and comes this way ! [Exeunt men and women. GREGOIRE and the man in the cloak remain. GREGOIRE The priests are gone. It is Reason's fete day. THE MAN IN THE CLOAK Reason, being a woman, will have her way. GREGOIRE Still, Monsieur 1'Abbe THE ABBE I am known ! ii2 THE GODDESS GREGOIRE To serve Monsieur, I had the honour at Morbec. THE AB B E Monsieur le Baron's seneschal, I think. GREGOIRE The same, but I am gaoler now in Nantes. THE ABBE That night in June your musket would not fire! Diable ! I Ve played and lost ! Well, fellow ? GREGOIRE Hein? THE ABBE The wind blows cold in Nantes, and so I wear This cloak ! So long I Ve looked on fires of hell I needs must have a hat to shade my eyes ! But now I '11 cock it in the face of all Cold, wind, darkness, devils, and Republic ! GREGOIRE I think the citizen has lost his head. TH E ABBE Ay, and my heart as well. Hola ! what 's that ? \_A noise without. Clash of steel and excited voices. Enter DE VARDES and FAUQUEMONT DE Buc -pursued by seven or eight red-capped men armed with pikes. DE VARDES and DE Buc use their swords. THE RED CAPS Aristocrats ! Aristocrats ! OF REASON 113 DE VARDES (thrusting) Take that, Republican ! D E B u c (thrusting) Out, canaille ! THE ABBE Here 's wine ! Have at you, brow-bound galley slaves ! DE VARDES (over his shoulder) Ha ! De Barbasan ! [Wounds his adversary. We 're at our last chateau ! THE ABBE I 've shut Voltaire ! Here goes the candle out ! \He throws his long cloak over the head of one of the red caps and makes at another with his dagger. D E VARD E s The window splinters ! \_He sends the pike flying from a red cap's hand. Take warning, sans-culottes ! THE ABBE One, two, three ! DE Buc My sword arm ! D E VARD E s Fight with your left. I saw you do it at Nanci ! H4 THE GODDESS VOICES (within) Ah I ca ira y ca ira^ qa ira ! Les Aristocrats a la Lanterne! DE YARD E s O Richard^ O mon Roi, L'univers t'abandonne ! [A howl from the mob. THE MOB Aristocrats ! G R i G o i R E (from the statue) Desperate ! [fThe red caps, DE VARDES, THE ABBE, and DE Buc fight across the stage and exeunt. GREGOIRE follows them. VOICES (within) (Ja ira! Enter women and children of the Revolution. A WOMAN Upon the church steps I will take my stand ! ANOTHER I have brought my knitting. A THI RD And I. A FOURTH And I. OF REASON 115 ALL (singing) We are the tricoteuses ! Dyed wool we knit while rumbles by the cart. Knit! knit! all knitting in the sun. We are the tricoteuses ! Red wool we knit while soul and body fart. Knit ! knit ! the knitting now is done ! [They seat themselves upon the church steps. A CHILD Maman ! Maman ! how many carts will pass ? A WOMAN None, sweeting, none ! It is a holiday. Enter CELESTE, ANGELIQUE, and NANON. NANON It was the very night of the great storm From those dull convent walls she ran away ! CELESTE Two years agone ANG E LIQUE Would she had stayed ! NANON Ah, then, You had been Goddess, Angelique ! ANGELIQUE The witch ! With her dark skin and with her purple flower ! Let her beware ! 1 know a thing or two ! u6 THE GODDESS CELESTE / know who comes from Paris back to Nantes ! This morning on the quai I saw him ! NANON (eagerly) Is't That ci-devant, that black Aristocrat, De Vardes ? CELESTE The man your brother loves ? The same. NANON I spit upon his name ! CELESTE Denounced ! NANON The set of sun Will see him so, or my name 's not Nanon ! CELESTE The Loire the Loire will close above his head ! Enter SERAPHINE. SERAPHINE Whose head ? NANON The Citizen Vardes. SERAPHINE Monseigneur ! He 's in the prison of La Force at Paris ! One truly told me so He 's not in Nantes. OF REASON 117 NANON And if he were SERAPHINE (stammering) Why why NANON And if he were, You would not give him up ! I know you well ! I know you, Seraphine ! S E RAP HIN E And if you do, You know no ill of me, Citoyenne ! CELESTE Yvette Would not give him up either. ANGELIQUE No, i' faith ! I '11 take my oath on that ! S E RAPH IN E Your oath, lint-locks ! It 's worth a deal, your oath ! Tour mind I know ! You would be Goddess, you and not Yvette ! ANGELIQUE Let her beware ! S E RAP HINE Yvette ! She 's coming now ! Bright as the star that's highest in the night ! And all the men have turned astronomers ! Faith! 't is easy work to worship Reason, When Reason is a woman, and that fair ! n8 THE GODDESS ANGE LI QUE I 've seen her gather seaweed on the shore ! S E RAPHINE And now she gathers hearts in her two hands. ANGELIQUE Oh! oh! NANON Would that my brother hated her! Disdainful prude ! CE LE STE Oh, love may turn to hate. She 's Goddess now, but wait, but wait, but wait ! NANON I join my brother at the Olive Tree. Come, Angelique, Celeste ! [Exeunt NANON, ANGELIQUE, CELESTE. S E RAPHINE Were 't not too late, I 'd warn monseigneur just for old time's sake ! When all is said and done, old times are best ; He gave us back Lisette, he fed us all Eh ! 't were a pity. What now ? Who 's this ? Enter hurriedly THE MARQUISE. She looks over her shoulder as if fearing pursuit, then, drawing her cloak and hood closely about her, attempts to cross the square unobserved. Enter a rabble of men and women. TH E MOB A h ! $a ira, $a ira, $a ira ! Les Aristocrats a la Lanterne. OF REASON 119 Ah ! ca ira, c_a ira, ca ira I Les Aristocrats on les pendra ! A TRICOTEUS E She hides Her face. ANOTHER She draws her cloak about her ! THE FIRST Ho! Her hand is white and there 's a jewel on 't ! A MAN (accosting THE MARQUISE) Citoyenne ! TH E MARQUI s E Citoyen THE MAN Citoyenne, come ! Join our ronde patriotique, our carillon ! THE MARQUI s E Sainte Genevieve ! TH E MAN What? A WOMAN (her hand upon THE MARQUISE) Where 's your cockade ? ANOTHER WOMAN Show ! TH E MARQUIS E De grace ) Citoyennes ! 120 THE GODDESS THIRD WOMAN 4 The cloak ! The cloak ! [They tear from THE MARQUISE her hood and cloak. jh A CHILD Oh, the pretty lady ! THE MARQUISE I '11 give you gold ! There, there ! My rings, my brooch take all ! Ah ! let me peaceably depart THE MOB Ha! ha! Aristocrat ! A WOMAN It is the emigree Clarice-Marie Miramand Blancheforet ! Are not her gold locks known in Brittany ? ANOTHER She fled to England. A TH i RD She returned. THE MARQUISE O death ! ('To a woman.) Citoyenne, your cockade ! I '11 wear it gladly, Ay, o'er my heart I '11 pin it [She takes the cockade from the woman and with trembling fingers pins it to her gown. TH E WOMAN Red cap as well OF REASON 121 THE MARQUI s E With pleasure, Citoyenne. [She places the bonnet-rouge upon her head. THE MOB Ha, ha ! A MAN Now cry Vive la Republique ! THE M ARQUI s E Vive la Republique ! THE MAN Mort aux tyrans ! TH E M ARQUI S E Mort aux tyrans ! THE MAN A bas Les Aristocrats ! [Silence. TH E MOB Ah h h ! THE MAN Vive la Guillotine ! [Silence. A WOMAN Take that ! [She strikes at THE MARQUISE. THE MOB Down ! Down ! [THE MARQUISE breaks through the ring of men and women and runs to SERAPHINE. 122 rHE GODDESS THE MARQUISE I know your face ! You are a Morbec woman ! Save me ! Save ! SERAPHINE Saint Servan ! Saint Gildas ! Saint Meriadek ! Ay, madame, you should have stayed in England ! Enter DE VARDES, torn and bleeding. D E VARD E s De Buc taken and De Barbasan ! Dieu ! The day 's not old. I '11 see them ere its close. We '11 meet, I think, at Carrier's judgment bar, Then the dark river, and then peace at last THE MARQUIS E A moiy Monsieur le Baron de Morbec ! D E VARD E s La belle Marquise ! [He forces his way to the side of THE MARQUISE. SERAPHINE (from the church porch} Saint Yves le Veridique ! TH E MOB Both! Both! A TRICOTEUSE To prison with them ! ANOTHER To the Loire! OF REASON 123 Ho ! ho ! Les Noces Republicaines ! mob surges forward^ but with his sword DE VARDES keeps a clear space about him and THE MARQUISE. 'They move slowly backward to the church steps, which they mount. DE VARDES (to THE MARQUISE) We '11 smile and die ! THE MARQUIS E Together, yes ! THE MOB Down ! Down ! Aristocrats ! [DE VARDES sends a knife whirling from the hand of a red cap. D E VARDE s Follow ! Follow ! (1*0 THE MARQUISE.) I have been long in prison. THE MA RQUI s E In England I ! And there I pined for France This sunshine dazzles me D E VARD E s Clarice-Marie ! \Trumpets within. S E RAP H INE Hark ! Hark, Citoyens, to the trumpets blowing ! TH E MOB She conies ! Nantes' goddess comes ! [Faces appear at the windows of the tall houses. 124 THE GODDESS A TRICOTEUSE The windows fill ! \fThe rolling of drums. ANOTHER TRICOTEUSE The drums begin to roll ! A MAN Citoyens, all ! We '11 see best by the statue there ! ANOTHER (pointing to DE VARDES and THE MARQUISE) But these ? THE FIRST They 're safe ! Let them await our pleasure ! Peste ! We waited once on theirs ! A THIRD That 's true ! \jThe mob divides. Men and women cluster about the base of the statue or upon the doorsteps of the surrounding houses. Enter men with banners. TH E MOB Look ! Look ! The painted banners ! Vive la patrie! SERAPHINE (to THE MARQUISE) Hist! Hist, madame ! behind the pillar there ! [She points to the pillar of the church. OF REASON 125 D E VARD E s Go! [THE MARQUISE conceals herself behind the -pillar. A crash of music. Enter LALAIN and NANON. L ALAIN No blood to-day ! I 'd have clean sleep to-night, Pure sleep and sweet, in which to dream of love ! Hast seen her in her mantle blue ? NANON Who stands So steadfast there with a drawn sword ? LALAIN Diable ! [He makes as if to cross to the church steps, where DE VARDES, sword in hand, stands with his back against a pillar. T'he crowd comes between. NANON Patience, he '11 not escape ! LALAIN (with affected indifference] It is as well, To her he 's but a ci-devant, and he, O fool ! shall see in her the Revolution ! Then, then, when she has passed, I '11 deal with him ! \Singing within. A Vo i c E With sandals on her feet, ^fhe Phrygian cap so red Upon her sunny head, 126 THE GODDESS She comeSy she 's coming sweet ! Reason, to whom we pay All homage on this day! THE CROWD The singers ! The actors ! Enter actors and actresses of the Theatre of Nantes, dressed as for the stage, and carrying garlands of paper flowers. AN ACTOR Way for Tartufe ! The Citizen Jourdain, Phedre, Celimene, Acaste, Armide, Aucassin, Nicolette ! Make way ! Make way ! TH E SINGER Upon her lofty car She sits in solemn state ! Of day the lovely mate, Of night the shining star! Reason, to whom we pay All homage on this day! THE CROWD Brava ! What now ? THE ACTOR Voltaire, Rousseau, Franklin, Robespierre ! \Enter a band of students drawing a garlanded float. Upon the float the busts of Voltaire, Rousseau, Frank lin, and Robespierre. TH E CROWD Vive Robespierre! \_T/ie Marseillaise. Enter Republican soldiers. OF REASON 127 D E VARD E s Oh, for the red Hussars ! [Enter four men wearing tricolour scarfs and plumes, huge cockades, pistols and sabres. TH E CROWD The Commissioners ! D E VARD E s Hooded crows ! Inhere crosses the stage afloat upon which is fixed a miniature guillotine. Ha ! ha ! Vive la Guillotine! A MAN Vive les noyades! D E VARD E s Cold Are thy baths, O Apollo ! \_Enter red-bonneted men and women dragging a tum bril in which are heaped spoils of the church, broken images, crucifixes, candelabra, chalices, patens, etc. THE CROWD Ha h h ! D E VARD E s Jesu ! \_He crosses himself. [Music. The great tricolour flag of the Republic is borne across the stage. 128 THE GODDESS THE CROWD Lapatrie! Vive la pair ie I D E YARD E s France ! France ! \_Stately music. Enter young men in Greek dress, bearing a gilded framework upon which is fixed a tall flambeau, wreathed with flowers. They ad vance and place the structure before the church steps. A PEASANT Brave ! But what is it ? ANOTHER The torch of Reason ! The Goddess lights it, then we worship her ! A TH i RD No, we worship Reason ! THE SECOND 'T is the same thing ! \Enter young girls clad in white, linked together with tricolour ribbons and carrying osier baskets from which they scatter flowers. They are followed by children swinging censers, then by a shouting throng drawing a triumphal car upon which sits the Goddess of Reason. She is clothed in a white tunic and a blue mantle; upon her loosened hair is a wreath of oak leaves and she has in her hand a light spear. TH E CROWD Reason ! Reason ! Yvette ! Yvette ! OF REASON 129 D E VARD E s Mon Dieu ! \he car stops. YVETTE rises. THE CROWD Vive la d'eesse! Vive Tvette! (LALAIN comes forward.) Five Lalain! LALAIN People of Nantes ! Citoyens ! Patriots ! Old things are past. To-day we welcome new. Gone are the priests, gone is the crucifix ; Chalice and paten whelmed beneath the Loire ! Kings, princes, nobles, priests, all crumbled down ! Death on a pale horse hath ridden o'er them, The ravens and the sea mews pick their bones. Theirs are the yesterdays, the ci-devants ! The red to-day is ours, the purple morrow ! Liberty, Equality, Fraternity ! We worship Thee, Triune and Indivisible ! O Mother Nature, pure, beneficent, Redeemed from darkness of the centuries, Smile on thy children, come to worship thee ! And thou, supernal Reason, Crown of Man, Eyes of the blind, divine, ascending flame, Pearl without price, rose, light, music, warmth ! O gushing spring where else were desert waste ! O flooding light, celestial melody ! O flower that blooms on either side the grave ! O steadfast star that burns the night away ! We worship thee ! \He takes the censer from a boy and swings it to and fro before the standing goddess. Clouds of incense arise. The trumpets sound. 1 3 o THE GODDESS THE CROWD (with ecstasy] We worship thee, Yvette ! Yvette ! Yvette ! Reason ! Yvette Charruel ! Y v E TT E O God ! I knew not 't was like this ! LAL AI N Reason, descend ! Illume thy torch, among us mortals dwell. O sweetest Reason ! ne'er regret the skies ! Descend [He gives his hand to YVETTE. She descends from the car. A MAN She is the fairest Reason ! ANOTH E R Now She '11 light the torch ! \A boy brings her lighted touchwood. LALAIN fastens it to the point of her spear, and kneeling presents it to her. She advances to the church steps and raises the flaming lance in order to light the torch. She sees DE VARDES. 'The spear falls to the earth. 'The flame goes out. Yv ETTE O Our Lady ! THE CROWD Light the torch ! Light the torch ! LALAIN What witchcraft 's this ? OF REASON 131 Yv ETTE None, none ! Oh, see the heavens open ! [Murmurs of the crowd. ANGELIQUE Goddess ! Goddess ! CELESTE She hears not! THE CROWD Light the torch ! L AL AI N I see Hell gaping ! What 's that man to thee ? Death and damnation ! Dost still gaze at him ? Then to the winds, Irresolution ! [He turns to the crowd. See, Patriots, see ! The light of Reason dies ! Out went the sacred flame beneath the eyes, The basilisk eyes of an Aristocrat ! THE CROWD Away with him to prison ! Death ! The Loire ! Death to the emigre ! [A rush toward the church steps. DE VARDES throws himself on guard. YVETTE comes between him and the mob. YVETTE Back! THE MOB Ah -h h ! 132 rHE GODDESS L AL AI N Art mad ? Stand from between the lion and his prey ! D E V A R D E s (to the mob) Men of Nantes ! leave women to one side ! (To YVETTE with a gesture toward the car.) Goddess of Reason ! Mount Olympus waits ! (To LALAIN.) At last, Remond Lalain ! L ALAIN Rene de Vardes ! \_A man strikes at DE VARDES with a long pike. His sword arm falls, and the sword rattles to the ground. A shout of triumph from the mob. THE MARQUISE'S cry from the pillar is not heard. The mob moves forward. YVETTE Back, back, I say ! You '11 do no murder here ! What ! One man against a score ! All Bretons ! THE MOB Death to the emigre ! D E VARD E s Not emigre ! Good folk, I 've been in prison in La Force. Released, I journeyed home to Brittany ! A MAN Thou 'It journey farther yet, Aristocrat ! ANGELIQUE Thy boat shall travel down the Loire ! OF REASON 133 YVETTE Shall it? Shall it, indeed, thou gold-locked leprous woman ! 'Thy bark shall be sucked down by black Ahes ! I see three Vannetois ! big Rubik, Yann, And Rivarol who won the singer's prize ! A moi, Vannetois ! Who is that standing there ? Huon ! Rememberest thou the fields at dawn ? Rememberest thou the dim green hazel copse ? Rememberest thou one Pardon of Sainte Anne ? A PEASANT Yvette ! Yv ETTE The sun went down, the stars shone out;. We wandered round the wreckage of a ship ; Beneath a shell we found a golden coin. Rememberest thou, Herve the Cornouillaise ? A B RETON SAILOR Yvette ! Yv ETTE Baptiste ! Michael ! Monik ! Ronan ! How loudly rang the bells of Quiberon ! To beat of drum we danced beside the sea ! YOUNG MEN Ho, ho ! That day ! Yv ETTE Eh, who spoke to us there, Of glory, of France, and of Liberty ? Citoyen Deputy Remond Lalain ! i 3 4 <THE GODDESS Red wine he gave to you, to me a flower ! Mon Dieu ! I was so proud LALAIN Yvette ! Y v E T T E (to an old woman) M argot ! 'T was I who watched with thee one stormy night When all thy seven sons were out at sea ! THE OLD WOMAN Ay, ay, and they came safely home to me ! YVETTE (to a child) O little Jeanne, where is the doll I gave thee? THE CHILD Here ! 't is named 'Toinette ! A WOMAN (with the child) She has another Named Yvette ! YVETTE (to a band of young women) Fifine, Laure, and Veronique ! The moon shone bright, there was no wind at all, Below the heights the violet shadows slept, All sweetly smelled the gorse and white buckwheat, And dewy was the grass beneath our feet, And wet with dew the poppies in our hair ! There came a sound of singing from the sea, Our hands we linked, we sped around Tantad, Fair shone the moon OF REASON 135 A YOUNG GIRL Oh, Eves of Saint John ! A B R E TON lou ! lou ! An fan I An Tan ! An Tan ! S E RAP MINE Saint Ronan ! Saint Primel ! THE CROWD Yvette ! Yvette ! Yvette Charruel ! YVETTE O folk of Nantes ! There is a thing I want so badly, I ! Call it a fairing from the Fete of Reason, And give the trifle to the poor Yvette, The poor Yvette who 's done her best to please you ! Oh, I Ve music made for you to dance by, And for you held on high the great tricolour ; And in the night-time sung to you of dawn ! And for you, too, I 've plucked the lilies up, Fast locked a door and flung away the key, And left the ravished garden evermore ! A priest would say my soul I had imperilled. THE CROWD No, no ! No priests ! Reason ! Reason ! Yvette. YVETTE This mantle blue, these oak leaves in my hair, These sandals and this spear, this tunic white, The wreathed car, the music and the song ! 136 THE GODDESS All, all a mockery, unless, unless There is a thing I want so badly, I ! A Co MMI S SIGN E R It is thine ! TH E CROWD Thine ! Thine ! Yvette Charruel ! Y v ETTE Ah, I would play the goddess, that I would ! I 'd have my pardon like a Breton saint, And what I bound, it should be bound indeed ! And what I loosed, it should be loosed indeed ! A COMMISSIONER Fast bind or freely loose, thy surety, I ! ANOTH E R Command me, and the silver moon I '11 bring thee ! Yv ETTE With what a sudden glory shines the sun ! It gilds the streets, it gilds the running Loire! And from them both the blood-stains fade away ! Ah, let us rest from death in Nantes to-day, And think how falls the eve in Bethlehem ! There is a little village that I know, A hungry village by a hungry sea, As worn and grey as any calvary ! The hungry shadows ate the sunshine up ; The children cried, the women wailed at morn ; The very Christ looked hungry on the Cross ; When lo ! a miracle ! for suddenly OF REASON 137 The starving, haggard folk began to laugh, The tender green put forth, the flowers bloomed, Blue shone the sky, the lark sang overhead, And mild the face of Christ and heavenly kind ! The little village had its fill of bread, Yea, wine it drank, and cheerful breath it drew, And, by the well, of this strange plenty talked, Of tolls withdrawn, of perfect friendliness ! [She moves from before DE VARDES. And then it blessed the man who gave it bread, Who had a heart to feel with wretchedness, And a strong arm to drive the hunger forth As Arthur drove the giants from the land ! men of Nantes ! you '11 keep your oath to me ! In Nantes to-day 'tis mine to loose or bind ! 1 loose this man LAL AI N Out, witch ! (To DE VARDES.) Think not, think not, Rene de Vardes, that she shall save thee thus ! Mine, mine she is, she shall be, soul and all ! DE VARDES Remond Lalain L A L A i N (to the mob} It is an emigre ! A traitor and a black Aristocrat, The ci-devant De Vardes ! TH E CROWD De Vardes ! De Vardes ! 138 THE GODDESS Y V ETT E Remond Lalain, stand from my path, I say ! (To the crowd."} Not emigre, but prisoner in La Force ! Not traitor ! That 's a wretch who doth betray ! Aristocrat? Who chooseth his birth star? Crieth at Life's gate, " Of such an house I 'm heir ! " But in we drift from the great sea without; A current takes us " Of my house are ye ! " So you, so I, so this citoyen here, Remond Lalain, who is Lalain by chance, And might have been Capet or Mirabeau ! And so this other, standing gravely there Alone, a man alone upon a rock, And the tide mounts ! The current swept him there ! Another drift, and he had been Lalain, Orator and idol of the Jacobins ! Names ! They are the mist through which the man Is scarce discerned, the sea-drift hides the pearl. Ghosts of the past the present spurns ! Dead leaves ! Masks for the pauper and the prince ! Mere names ! I would not have them rule my spirit thus ! Aristocrat ! I know not, but I know The man 's been known to lift a peasant's load And gather seaweed with a fisher's child ! A BRETON SAILOR 'T is true ! And in my boat he 's been with me, When Ahes and the storm made black the sea ! A PEASANT He walked beside me in the field and told Name of the silver star above the fold ! OF REASON 139 A SOLDIER I was a red Hussar ! He fought like Mars. Eh, my Colonel A WOMAN We know, we M or bee folk! Vive Ear on Ren'e! S E RAP H IN E Eh, eh, monseigneur! ViT i v ETTE Nantes ! Nantes ! you '11 keep the oath you 've made to me ! My fairing I shall have this holiday, And what I bind it shall be bound indeed, And what I loose is loosed to me for aye ! I ask one gift I shall not ask again ! This is my hour, no other hour I want.' I ask one life is 't mine, is' t mine, Citoyens ? THE CROWD Yes, yes ! 'T is thine ! A COMMI S S ION E R Thine, Goddess ! (To DE VARDES.) Citoyen, thou art free ! LAL AIN Diable ! Yv ETTE I 'm faint. S E RAPH IN E Saint Iguinou ! What of the pillar there ? 140 THE GODDESS A COMMISSIONER Make way for the Citoyen Vardes! THE CROWD Make way ! S E RAPH INE Eh, eh, monseigneur ; thou hadst best begone ! DE VARDES (to the Commissioner] Citoyen, thanks ! but here I '11 watch awhile These pleasing rites, this worship new of Reason ! 'T will do thee good, Aristocrat ! D E YARD E s No doubt, Citoyen ! LALAIN Oh, depth of hell! NANON Oh, patience ! LALAIN Why takes he not his liberty ? He stays ! To feast his eyes upon her face he stays ! Diable ! He speaks to her NANON Patience! Patience! What flutters there behind the pillar? OF REASON 141 L ALAIN Where ? [She points. They move together to the base of the statue. D E VARDES (to YVETTE) I owe my life to thee, thou hapless child ! Ah, couldst thou make this throng depart the place ! YVETTE Monseigneur THE CROWD Goddess of Reason ! light the torch ! Yv ETTE I 'm faint ! The houses all are dancing there ! Give me drink! A MAN Here 's wine ! [He pours wine into a great gold cup. YVETTE 'T is in a chalice ! TH E CROWD Drink ! [YVETTE drinks. YVETTE Nom de Dieu ! 'T is right good wine, indeed ! Not now I '11 light the torch 'Tis out for good! And while we linger here the sunlight goes ! Let 's to the quai, let 's to the quai and dance And dance the Carmagnole ! 142 THE GODDESS THE CROWD The Carmagnole ! [Men and women take hands and begin to dance. Y VETTE Away ! Down the long street, and to the quai ! Take hands ! Away ! Dansons la Carmagnole! [She snatches from a boy a tambourine and strikes it. Vive le son, vive le son, Vive le son du canon ! [The crowd disperses. DE VARDES remains standing before the pillar behind which crouches THE MAR QUISE. SERAPHINE watches from the church steps ; LALAIN and NANON from the base of the Statue of Liberty. Monseigneur ! D E VARD E s Ay. Yv ETTE Now, now while the lark sings, And while the fairy wood is green, begone ! Oh, 't is not safe in Nantes ! They gave thy life, But oh, they 're fierce and fickle ! Back they '11 come ! I 've enemies in Nantes, and there 's Lalain, Remond Lalain who '11 work me woe at last ! Thou must begone, but list, ah, list to me ! I know a secret place where thou mayst bide, So safe ! so safe ! and I will bring thee food, White bread and wine, and find for thee a way Forth from the town D E VARD E s Ah, I may trust thee, sure ! OF REASON 143 Y V E TTE I never knew thou wast in prison there ! So sad, so dark the prison life, they say ! My caged bird I freed the other day. There are so many prisoners in Nantes, I would not have it one ! D E YARD E s My life I owe Y v ETTE The spring draws on; 't will soon be June again ! D E VARD E s Now for another life I make my suit Y v E TTE In Paimpont Wood the trees are greening now, In sun and shade the purple violets blow ! D E VARD E s In those old convent days, ah, ages gone ! Beneath the fruit trees, by the fountain there, I Ve seen thee nurse a little fluttering bird, Wounded and frightened, fallen from the blue, But yet God's bird, and with a life to save ! And thou didst stroke its plumage tenderly, And gently fostered it between thy hands Awhile, and up it soared into the blue ; A moment since and thou didst save my life. Lo now, there is another thing to do ! Before my own life, I Ve a life in charge, i 4 4 THE GODDESS And to thee now I turn, and plead for help. In this wild town thou rulest o'er the hour; Be now the goddess and the woman too, Pitiful, tender, generous, and true ! Lo ! here a wounded bird [He moves aside. THE MARQUISE leaves the shadow of the pillar. Y V ETTE Death of my life ! TH E MARQUIS E Oh, guard me, all ye saints ! D E YARD E s Yvette! Yvette ! [LALAIN comes forward from the statue. LALAIN (to YVETTE) Right of the Seigneur ! YVETTE So ! Thou hast returned, Beneath the trees, along the moonlit road ! And in thine arms the rose and eglantine, And on thy lips the song of all the birds ! Back ! There is a furze field bars thy way ! TH E MARQUIS E Mon Dieu ! Yv ETTE Hast thou another fan to break ? Ha ! shrinkest thou ? OF REASON 145 THE MARQUIS E Sainte Genevieve ! Y v E T T E (raising her voice) Nantes ! Nantes ! D E VARD E s By all the gods ! Y v ETTE A moi ! A moi ! Nantes ! \_An answering cry from within. DE VARD ES Herd girl of Morbec LALAIN Right of the Seigneur ! Y v ETTE A moi ! Citoyens ! Patriots ! Re enter mob. D E VARD E s Courage, Clarice ! THE MARQUI s E O all ye saints ! YVETTE Citoyens ! This ci-devant, this black Aristocrat ! Oh ! all this while she was in hiding here ! 146 THE GODDESS Beside the pillar there she kneeled and laughed. Do I not know her laughter, rippling sweet Or o'er a broken fan or broken heart, Or in green Morbec and a garden fair, Or on the moonlit road to ancient Vannes? She, she the ci-devant, the emigree ! Who to false England with her jewels fled, Rubies, emeralds, and long strings of pearls ! The while in barren fields her peasants starved! I denounce the Citoyenne Blancheforet ! TH E CROWD Ah h h ! THE M ARQUI s E O terror ! D E VARD E s Thy hand in mine, Clarice ! Y y ETT E What of, what of the dark line of De Vardes ? What tales are told of Morbec's black chateau ? More wicked and more lost than sunken Ys ! Wolves were they all, the seigneurs of Morbec ! Henri, Philippe, Gil, Rene, Amaury All, all were wolves who lurked, who sprang, who tore, No heart of lamb, but just the heart of man ! Heart of a man, heart of a woman too ! Morbec ! De Vardes ! No direr names in France ! Right hands of kings, priests, soldiers, cardinals, Courtiers and lovers of the fleur-de-lis ! Passionate, proud, a whirlwind and a flame ! OF REASON 147 Morbec ! De Vardes ! 'Ware all who came between The whirlwind and its goal, the stubble and the flame ! D E VARD E s Thou lost soul ! LAL AIN Thou lovely fiend ! YVETTE De Vardes ! De Vardes ! The name comes on the blast Up from the gulf where lie the thrones of kings. Battle, oppression, tyranny and wrong Miramand, Blancheforet ! on sea winds in they float From that dim palace where that lost Ahes Down to her emerald windows beckons man And spreads the bridal bed in sunken Ys ! NANON Mon Dieu ! The bridal bed ! YVETT E By all the wrongs That both their houses through the ages long Have wrought us ! By the blood that they have shed, The tears, the groans, the sweat, the servile knees, The bitter bread they gave us, and the cry From lonely graves of anguish and of wrath ! By all the hunger and the freezing cold ! By all the toil and all the hopelessness, The smitten cheek, the taunt, the burning heart ! By all the Rights of all the Lords of Wrong ! By Corvte and Gabelle and Gibier, 148 THE GODDESS Quint ainesy Milods, Ban d'Aout and Bordelage, Fouage, Leide y Corvee a misericorde, Banvin, Chansons, Baiser des Mariees! I do denounce these two Aristocrats: La Force's prisoner, and the emigree, La belle Marquise, the Hussar of the King, Citoyen Vardes, Citoyenne Blancheforet ! LAL AIN So! THE MOB Away ! Away ! Prison ! Death ! The Loire ! Down, down, Aristocrats. [They close around DE VARDES and THE MAR QUISE. S E RAPHIN E Saint Maturin ! Saint Corentin ! Saint Jean ! THE MARQUIS E O bitter death ! D E VARD ES I am thy death, who thought to save thee so ! [The soldiers lay hands upon DE VARDES and THE MARQUISE and force them from the church steps and across the square. TH E MOB Away ! A COMMI S S ION E R The nearest prison ! OF REASON 149 A MAN That 's the Church Of Saint Eustache ! A COMMISSIONE R Away ! They shall be judged By Carrier ! TH E MOB Carrier ! The Loire ! YVE TTE Ah! ANGELIQUE Ha, ha ! Le Manage Republicain! YVETTE Quoi ! ANGELIQUE Eh, they 're lovers, are they not ? CELESTE The Loire shall marry them, the ci-devants ! ANGE LIQU E Yvette has made the wedding, eh, Yvette ? THE MOB Ha, ha ! Le Mariage Republicain ! [Exeunt the mob, soldiers, DE VARDES, and THE MARQUISE, guarded, etc. VOICES (within) Le Mariage Republicain ! Ha, ha ! 150 GODDESS OF REASON YVETTE What have I done ? VOICES (dying away) Ha, ha! ha, ha ! The Loire ! Yv ETTE The Loire !- O God! CURTAIN AC r IF 'The interior of a church in Nantes used as a prison. Great broken windows of stained glass, purple and crimson, through which streams the sunlight. Prisoners of both sexes and all ages and conditions of life move to and fro, or lean against the pillars which support the vaulted roof. Some rest or kneel upon the steps before the altar rail. 'Three children play beside a broken font. Against a door at the left of the great altar lounge several turnkeys dressed in blue woollen with red liberty caps. THE MAR QUISE sits beside a pillar. She talks with DE Buc and ENGUERRAND LA FORET. Near her are COUNT Louis and MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI. DE L'ORIENT stands upon a bench beneath a shattered window. DE VARDES sits at a rude table writing. A butterfly enters at the broken window and flutters through the church. A CHILD butterfly ! The butterfly ! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI Oh, see Its painted wings ! A CHILD There ! There ! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI It comes my way ! I 've caught it ! No ! 152 THE GODDESS AN ACTRESS (dressed as a shepherdess) I! I have it fast, the pretty prisoner ! DE L' O RI ENT It will not stay COUNT Louis It soars into the roof! No ! down again on yon long ray of light ! Give chase ! DE L'ORIENT Here! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI There! THE ACTRESS Oh, oh ! It sails this way, The fairy boat DE L'ORIENT With freight of heart's desire ! THE ACTRESS I have it ! COUNT Louis No, I ! [The butterfly lights upon his hand. 'T is youth ! DE L'ORIENT 'T is gone ! {The butterfly brushes his shoulder. 'T is joy ! OF REASON 153 TH E ACTRES s Fled 1 Ah, ah ! 'T is hope ! [The butterfly touches her outstretched arm, then rises again. No longer ! [The butterfly rests upon the fair hair of THE MAR QUISE. THE MARQUIS E As I was saying, then I felt despair \The butterfly rises , flutters in a shaft of sunshine^ then passes out of the window. The prisoners watch its flight. A CHILD The butterfly has gone ! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI Whither! D E L' O RI ENT 'T is for The blue skies and the sunny fields ! THE ACTRESS The flowers We shall not gather any more ! D E L' O RI ENT High hills, The water running in the sun and shade ! MME. DE MALESTROIT A garden old beside a winding stream Oh, death in life ! i 5 4 THE GODDESS A NUN It was a soul set free. By now a thousand shining leagues it 's mounted ! [The door at the left of the altar opens. Enter GRGOIRE. MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI Here is Gregoire ! GREGOIRE Good-morrow, Citoyens ! COUNT Louis Good-morrow, Gaoler. MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI Ah, this place, Gregoire ! It is so triste ! Shall we forever stay Imprisoned in a church ? LA FORE T Oh, gayer far The Bastille or Vincennes ! THE ACTRESS These frowning saints ! The wind that whistles in ! MME. DE MALESTROIT The stones so cold ! COUNT Louis The Church will make us martyrs ere our time ! -OF REASON 155 MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI And did you buy, Gregoire, the cards for ombre ? THE ACTRESS Masks for our play ? DE L'ORIENT A violin ? THE ACTRESS Wax-lights ? DE Buc The foils ? A CHILD My ball, Gregoire? GREGOIRE I Ve nothing bought The judges sit to-day. Complain to them. The church is cold ! 'T is not so cold as Loire ! The prisons are tco crowded ! Well, to-day We '11 weed them out ! DE Buc So! GREGOIRE You are warned ! Prepare ! Make your farewells the time is very short ! [Exit GREGOIRE. DE Buc Strike camp! 156 rHE GODDESS D E L'O RI ENT The open road ! \ Co UNT LOUIS Who goes ? LA FORET Who stays ? MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI Our comedy ! we cannot have it now ! THE ACTRESS Oh, we will rearrange the parts ! [DE VARDES folds his letter and rises from the table. D E VARD E s We '11 play, Though all the world is sliding 'neath our feet ! DE Buc The world 's a stage THE NUN De profundis clamavi Ad te Doming ! Enter the ABB JEAN DE BARBASAN, />#/<?, wounded, and with disordered dress. MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI Monsieur 1'Abbe ! D E VARD E s Ah! De Barbasan, we feared for you ! OF REASON 157 THE ABBE Morbleu ! I am reprieved ! Lambertye proved my friend ! It seems that once I saved the villain's life ! Pure accident ! stumbled on him in a ditch, Played the Samaritan ! so now I 'm spared, Come forth like Daniel from the lions' den, That Judgment Hall of theirs across the way ! Lions ! They are not lions, they are wolves, Hyenas, tigers, and baboons. Faugh ! DE Buc So! They are hungry yet? THE ABBE Oh, they are portents ! And portents are the folk that fill that hall ! Not women they who sit aloft and knit; Not men, those scarecrow visages below; For robed judges, wolves at Lammas tide, And Nantes the winter forest for the pack ! But ah, the deer at bay, the little lambs ! The earth gives 'neath their feet, they face the Loire ! [A confused sound from the square without the win dow ; voices, menacing and execrating, a cry, then silence. D E YARD E s One has not gained the Loire ! TH E ABBE Ah, oftentimes, They fall before they reach the Judgment Hall ! 158 THE GODDESS There in the street, before that fatal door Both youth and age, fair women and brave men. Their blood cries to another judgment seat ! From yonder window you may see it all ! THE MARQUISE We will not look ! COUNT Louis Fie, fie, De Barbasan ! There is a time for everything ! Not now, Nor in this place is 't meet or debonair To speak of ravening wolves or stricken deer ! To work, my friend ! You find us much concerned About this play of Moliere's ! We give Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme. THE MARQUIS E You '11 play Jourdain ? Bejart had promised us, but then he went. He 's not returned. THE ABBE Nor will, I think. But, yes, I '11 take the part; I '11 speak in prose to you To whom I else, would speak in poetry ! THE MARQUISE (with a curtesy) Monsieur Jourdain, your prose is ravishing ! I 'm Dorimene. DE Buc And I Dorante ! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI Lucille. OF REASON 159 MME. DE MALESTROIT Nicole ! THE ACTRESS I am, Monsieur Jourdain, your wife ! LA FORET Your son-in-law the Turk ! D E VARD ES Behold, monsieur, Your fencing master ! D E I/O RI ENT Your maitre de danse. Imagine, pray, you hear my violin : La, la The minuet ! La, la, la ! \He flays an imaginary violin. The prisoners hesi tate^ laugh, then begin to step a minuet. The chil dren and the gaolers watch them. DE VARDES does not dance. He leans against a pillar to the left. Enter a turnkey, CELESTE, ANGELIQUE, NANON, and SERAPHINE. SERAPHINE (crossing herself] Eh ! Eh ! They dance ! Well, what a thing it is To be a noble born ! CELESTE (jealously) We dance as well ! S E RAPH I N E Ay, the Carmagnole ! ANGELIQUE *T is a swifter dance ! 160 THE GODDESS Why came we here ? I never liked this church, They are too gay of heart, these ci-devants ! Let 's to the Judgment Hall, or to the Loire. CELESTE Seraphine would come SE RAPHINE Patience, Citoyennes, No haste ! I Ve just a little word to speak Unto monseigneur there. CELESTE Monseigneur ! S E RAPHIN E Oh, The Citoyen Vardes ! You know my tripping tongue. N A N o N (to the turnkey) Where is that ci-devant men once did call La belle Marquise ? THE TURNKEY 'T is she who dances there, Fair-haired and dressed in violet. NANON Awhile I '11 watch her dance. CELESTE Their cheeks are pale. OF REASON 161 ANGELIQUE They smile. I would not smile if I were they. [NANON, CELESTE, and ANGELIQUE watch the dancers. SERAPHINE approaches DE VARDES. SERAPHINE (in a low voice) Monseigneur! D E VARD E s Seraphine Robin, I believe ? S E RAPH IN E Saint Yves ! Now just to think ! Monseigneur knows my name ! Eh! Morbec was my home for many a year. When all is said and done, Home is just Home, Hut or chateau and always the De Vardes Were lords of Morbec did they good or ill ! Most like 't was ill but they were proper men ! And when they smiled we always said 'twas day; And old men say but it was long ago A baron lived was named Rene the Good ! Saint Gil ! Monseigneur gave us back Lisette. Saint Maudez ! 'T is a dangerous thing, but see ! [She takes from her bosom a silken purse. Eh, monseigneur, 't is yours ! Take it ! Quick, quick, Before Celeste the baggage ! turns her head ! \_She thrusts the purse into his hand. D E VA R D E s From whom ? i62 rHE GODDESS S E RAPHI N E Look in it ! You will see. 'T is gold. D E VA R D E s Gold! S E RAPH IN E And something more. Here is Angelique ! ANGELIQUE Aristocrat That ring upon thy finger S ERAPHIN E Out! D E VARD E s Not yet, Citoyenne ! V* * ANGE LIQUE Then afterwards ! I '11 have it at the trenches or the Loire ! [She rejoins CELESTE and NANON. They watch the dancers. D E L'O RI ENT Nicole Lucille Cleonte SERAPHINE My errand 's done Look in the purse, monseigneur, look at once ! D E L'ORI ENT La, la, la, la ! D E VARD E s I have no need of gold. OF REASON 163 S E RAPHINE Look, monseigneur ! DE VARD ES Again, from whom ? S ERAPHINE A friend. DE VARD ES I have no friend in Nantes. Take back thy purse ! S E RAPHINE It is not mine, the pretty, silken thing ! I swore that I would leave it, so I will ! And I was told to tell you, " Look within." [NANON approaches. NANON In Nantes one is Suspect when one is seen Whispering in shadows with Aristocrats ! S E RAPHINE Nothing I said you might not hear, Nanon ! Come, come away ! (To DE VARDES as she turns from him?) Monseigneur, have a care ! [SERAPHINE, NANON, CELESTE, and ANGELIQUE watch the dancers. A grating sound is heard with out the door to the left of the altar. The turnkeys move aside, the door opens and discloses a passage lined with gaolers and soldiers. Enter GREGOIRE with three or four Patriots. They wear great boots, plumed hats, sashes of tricolour, sabres and pistols. DE L'ORIENT La, la, la, la, la ! 164 THE GODDESS GREGOIRE The list for the day. dance ceases. CELESTE Now, now we '11 see the birds drop one by one ! ANGE LIQUE It is what I love ! GREGOIRE (He descends the step from the choir] The list, Citoyens ! You whom I name pass out at yonder door. Across the square the judges sit DE Buc Just so ! Who leads? GREGOIRE Citoyen, you ! DE Buc Promotion, by God ! Messieurs, mesdames, I have marching orders ! (To the Actress and MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI.) I cannot play Dorante ! Is 't not a shame ? De L'Orient there must take my part Adieu ! (70 THE MARQUISE.) Ah, Dorimene, you '11 let me kiss your hand ? TH E MARQUIS E Monsieur, monsieur DE Buc (to DE VARDES) I 'm breaking camp. OF REASON 165 D E VARD E s Ma foi ! We '11 meet at the end of the march, my friend ! Meantime I '11 tell thee that Bouille once said, " Brave as a Gascon, or Fauquemont de Buc ! " DE Buc Did he so ? Old Bouille ! [He salutes. My Colonel ! D E VARD E s Captain de Buc ! [DE Buc mounts the step into the choir and passes out of the door, between the lines of soldiers. There is heard the 'voice of the mob in the square without. D E L' O RIENT Away with Melancholy ! The curtain 's up, the play begins ! Gregoire, My name is Thalia! Is 't on thy list ? GREGOIRE (his eyes upon the paper in his hand) No, Citoyen. D E L' O RIENT Another lifetime here ! COUNT Louis A golden louis to a paper franc, The next is Chateau-Gui ! GREGOIRE No, Chateau-Gui, You are reserved. 166 THE GODDESS COUNT Louis (faking snuff') Why, that is welcome news ! Eh, my daughter, we will not miss the play ! GREGOI RE The Citoyen Charles Le Blanc. LE BLANC What damned star Flared and went out the night that I was born ? [Exit LE BLANC. GREGO i RE Herve Rauderendec, called the Breton ! THE BRETON Good people all, it has been pleasant here, But now the tide draws to the full Adieu ! I must make sail ! [Exit the Breton. GREGOI RE The Citoyenne Gerard. THE ACTRESS I? GREGOI RE Delphine Gerard. THE ACTRESS Oh, I knew, I knew The butterfly that touched me was ill luck ! I named it Hope, it fled, it fled away ! THE ABBE We 're loth to let you go, Delphine Gerard. OF REASON 167 THE ACTRESS There is no choice I have my cue, you see ! And after all the play 's a tragedy. [Exit the Actress. CELESTE 'T is better worth our while across the square ! ANG E LIQU E 'T is so ! Let 's to the Judgment Hall. NANON Agreed. Come, Seraphine ! S E RAPHINE I '11 follow presently. ANGE LIQUE Do not delay. We'll keep a place for you ! [Exeunt NANON, CELESTE, and ANGLIQUE. GREGO IRE The Citoyenne Vaucourt. MME. DE VAUCOURT Children, children ! Your father 's calling me from Paradise ! Therese, Philippe, farewell, farewell, farewell ! Oh, clasp me close and kiss ! Forget me not ! Yes, yes, I '11 buy the bonbons and the doll ! I '11 not forget GREGOIRE The boy goes with you. 168 THE GODDESS MME. DE VAUCOURT (wildly} With me ! He 's but a babe ! Not eight till June ! THE BOY (clinging to her) To the toy-shop, mother ! MME. DE VAUCOURT Oh, yes, child, yes ! To the toy-shop ! [They go out together. GREGOIRE Maria Innocenta Sombreuil ! \A young girl in the habit of a Carmelite novice leaves the shadow of a -pillar , with raised face and hands crossed upon her breast mounts the step and passes out between the soldiers. Gaspard Le Borgne! L E BORGNE An angel leads me on. \He follows the novice. GREGOIRE Enguerrand La Foret ! LA FORET Ha, ha ! ha, ha ! Ha, ha ! \Hysterical and continued laughter. GREGOIRE and the turnkeys look stolidly 0#, but the prisoners are disturbed. COUNT Louis For shame, Enguerrand La Foret ! Before women ! Die like a gentleman ! OF REASON 169 LA F 6 R E T (He leans against the balustrade of the choir] Ha, ha! COUNT Louis Fie, fie ! You shame us all ! LA FORET Ha, ha! I laugh because ha, ha ! 't is such a joke ! [He mounts the step still laughing, then suddenly recovers himself and turns with fury. Who calls me coward ? I laughed because I laughed ! \_He wrests a musket from the nearest soldier and stabs him with the bayonet. Take that ! There 's one at least will laugh no more ! [Oaths and confusion among the gaolers and soldiers. A sigh of satisfaction from the prisoners. LA FORET is dragged out. GREGOIRE looks at his list, then at DE VARDES. The latter advances. GREGOIRE (hurriedly to himself) To-morrow not to-day! I '11 risk that much, Just for the way he fought that Morbec night ! (Aloud.} Stand back, Citoy en Vardes ! Your time 's not yet. [A murmur of pleasure and congratulation from the prisoners. MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI We are so pleased, Monsieur le Baron ! GREGOIRE Citoyens Rochedagon and Pincornet ! [The men named go out. There is heard from the square without and from the passage a sound of acclamation. The door is flung open and the Actress enters. 170 THE GODDESS THE ACTRE s s They harmed me not ! " No, no ! " they said. " No, no ! Delphine Gerard must play for us in Nantes." Oh, the people ! Oh, the dear good people ! Oh, blessed fortune ! D E YARD E s We are most happy ! THE ABBE Delphine Gerard ! COUNT Louis Welcome, mademoiselle ! You see the play is still a comedy ! GREGOIRE Marneil, Delille ! [Exeunt the men named. D E L' ORI ENT The leaves fall fast, The tree will soon be bare ! GRE GOIRE The Citoyenne Clarice-Marie Miramand Blancheforet. D E VARDE s Oh, wretch ! THE PRISONERS La belle Marquise ! TH E MARQUIS E It is my name ! I had no thought I would be called to-day ! OF REASON 171 Unwarned ! That 's horrible ! Ah, good Gregoire ! ' A little while GREGOIRE (stolidly) Citoyenne Blancheforet. THE M ARQUI s E Ah, villain ! DE VARDES (to GREGOIRE) Five minutei ! [He slips into GREGOIRE'S hand the -purse of gold. GREGOIRE hesitates a moment^ then his hand closes upon the purse. He thrusts it into his bosom. S E RAf MINE Saint Michel ! [DE VARDES comes to THE MARQUISE and they speak together. GREGOIRE turns to another group of pris oners. GREGOIRE Montfaucon and Guistelles. S E RAPHIN E Saint Guenole ! He hath the purse ! The paper in it too ! He 's rock ; he, black Gregoire ! Alack the day! Saint Huon I What 's to do ? GREGOIRE Sorel and Mornay ! S ERAPH INE Saint Yves le Veridique ! I will away ! [Exit SERAPHINE. 172 rHE GODDESS DE VARDES (to THE MARQUISE) Would I might die for thee ! TH E MARQUIS E 'T is but a dream ! D E VARD E s Clarice ! Clarice ! THE MARQUI SE A vision of the night ! DE VARDE s Clarice- Marie ! TH E M ARQUI s E I will awake ! D E VARD E s My friend ! THE MARQUISE Ah, only that ! DE VARD E s La belle Marquise ! THE MARQUI s E No more ! DE VARD E s How long have we been friends ! And now THE MARQUI s E And now ! D E VARD E s My friend, my friend ! OF REASON 173 THE MARQUISE Alas ! Alas, 't is true We are good friends in life and death good friends ! 'T is much though there are lovers too in Nantes, And when one loves 't is not so hard to die ! Or so I Ve heard, monsieur. D E VARDE s O destiny ! THE MARQUI SE The jasmine is my flower a luckltss bloom! Wear not the too-sweet jasmine flower, For then one loves, but is not loved again ! D E YARD E s No, no ! the rose THE MARQUIS E The rose unloved ! Ay, ay ! Last night I dreamed of roses and of lights, Beside a water still they burned and bloomed Lit candles and pale roses with gold hearts, Like those that bloomed within my garden once, When you rode by, when you rode by, my friend! D E VARD E s Alas! THE MARQUIS E They 're dead, my garden roses, dead ! They '11 bloom no more, nor wilt thou ride that way ; Nor, Sieur de Morbec, dost thou love the rose. For once thou said'st to me upon a day 1/4 THE GODDESS When I did find the Morbec roses fair, " I better love the heartsease at thy feet." The peasant flower ! Rememb'rest thou that day ? 'T was Saint John's Eve D E VARD E s Would I remembered not ! THE MARQUIS E The heartsease D E VARD E s The heartsease withered. \A roar from the square. DE L/ORIENT turns from the window. DE L'O RI ENT Ah! COUNT Louis What do you see ? D E L'ORI ENT Too much! [A turnkey laughs. TH E Tu RNKE Y Carrier ! Lalain ! Oh, they judge quickly ! Vive la R'epublique ! THE MARQUI s E It was a summer day when first we met, And now we part within a prison here, And never shall we see each other more ! D E VARD E s Oh, briefer than the fairest summer day OF REASON 175 The little hour before we meet again ! Soon, soon I '11 follow thee, and all of these ! The reaper hath his sickle in the corn. He is a madman, but the field is God's, And God will garner up the fallen ears, And in another life we two shall meet ! THE M ARQUI s E And wilt thou love me then ? Ah, no ! Ah, no ! DE VARD E s Thou art a lady brave and fair THE MARQUI s E Alas! GREGOIRE The Nun Benoite, an Ursuline ! \A nun rises from her knees, makes the sign of the cross, and passes out between the soldiers. THE MARQUISE Ah me! The unknown land, just guessed at and no more, To which this loud wind sends my cockle boat ! Where are my beads ? Lost, lost with all things else ! Jewels and gold and friends and lovers too ! Ah, short my shrift with Gregoire glowering there. My hatred of Madame la Marechale, I 'm sorry for 't. The Captal de Montgis Once did me wrong. Well, well, I can forgive ! Sieur de Morbec, where 's she that flung us down, Lifted her finger and behold us here ! 176 THE GODDESS Her face is fair ah, very fair her face. She was your mistress, yes ? D E VARD E s No! TH E MARQUIS E What then ? D E VARD E s Cold that I warmed, and hunger that I fed. THE MARQUISE O strike her, Frost ! O Hunger, with her wed ! D E VARD E s Ah, curse her not ! She knew not what she did ! TH E MARQUISE Alas! Alas! GREGOIRE The Citoyenne L'Esparre ! THE MARQUISE The women go He '11 call my name ! Ah, look ! The purple saints within the windows there, See how they wave their palms and smile at me ! They wave their palms, they strike their golden harps, Their aureoles are brighter than the sun ! GRE GOIRE The Citoyenne Blancheforet ! THE MARQUISE The clock has struck ! OF REASON 177 D E YARD E s All angels guard thee ! THE MARQUIS E Fatal is my name And hated through long years in Brittany. Perhaps I shall not live to cross the square ! [The noise of the mob without. Oh, hear ! D E VARD E s Take courage ! TH E MARQUI s E From the window there, Wilt watch me on my way? D E VARD E s Ay! GREGOIRE Citoyenne ! THE MARQUI s E Farewell ! Ah, not my hand, my friend ! < DE VARDES (He kisses her upon the brow) Farewell ! Farewell [THE MARQUISE turns to the remaining prisoners. THE MARQUIS E Messieurs, mesdames, 't is with regret I take my leave of this- fair company ! My part of Dorimene it must be played 178 THE GODDESS By some more able, not more willing, one; For me I 'm bidden to a wider stage. Adieu! Adieu! Adieu! THE PRISONERS La belle Marquise ! [Exit THE MARQUISE. DE VARDES crosses to the window. DE L'ORIENT gives him place, and he stands upon the bench and watches the square with out. COUNT Louis There are three names that most of all they hate : De Vardes and Chateau-Gui and Blancheforet ! GR EGOI RE Pasquier, Harlebeque, and Damazan. ' \T"here is heard from the street without a confused sound of execration and triumph. The now small company of prisoners exchange glances. D E VARDES (at the window} Grand Dieu ! DE L'ORIENT (beside him) They dare not ! Ah ! [The sound without grows to a roar. COUNT Louis What seest thou ? D E L'O RI ENT Malediction ! \A cry without. DE VARDES, at the window^ raises his voice. "OF REASON 179 D E VARD E s Clarice ! Clarice ! [There is a faint answering cry, followed by a roar from the mob, then silence. MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI O Ciel ! THE ACTRE ss Misericorde ! DE VARD E s 'T is done 't is past she 's dead. O God who makest man, forbear, forbear ! [He covers his face with his hands. There is a silence. GREGOIRE folds his papers. COUNT Louis (with a shaking voice] 'T is well with her at last ; we need not weep. We all must die, for so the play goes on ! Her father was a lord of Gascony; A golden spur he wore, and loved the chase ! Her mother was more fair than Montespan. A thousand times we 've hunted with the King, De Miramand and I ; a thousand times We 've watched the moon, that first Clarice and I ! GREGOIRE To-morrow, at this hour, another list! Meantime, Citoyens, you and you and you, And you, Citoyennes, who-petitioned so, Your prayer is heard. Lalain is merciful ! You shall not sleep on these cold stones to-night, Another gaol 's provided. Follow me ! i8o THE GODDESS MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI welcome change ! COUNT Louis The stones were very cold ! THE ACTRESS And can we have our play there just the same ? GREGOIRE Just the same. [The prisoners move toward the door. DE VARDES touches GREGOIRE on the arm. D E YARD E s 1 find the stones no colder than their wont, Time moves no heavier here than everywhere, And here, Gregoire, I will remain. The Church Will give me up when Carrier calls my name ! D E L' O RI ENT I will keep you company GREGOIRE As you will To-morrow you '11 be called you have one night. (To the other prisoners.} Follow me. [Exeunt all but DE VARDES and DE L'ORIENT. 'The latter flings himself upon the bench beneath the window ; DE VARDES paces to and fro. A silence, then DE L'ORIENT sings. DE L'ORIENT There is an herb, they say. Gives light to all the blind. OF REASON 181 5" will be a gracious day When I that herb shall find, And lighten all the blind! There is a leaf that springs. Will heal the very sad. Ah, would that I had wings To find that leaf so glad, And heal the very sad! There is a bloom o j grace Will bring the dead again. Ah, for the flowret 's face ! Ah, for an end to pain ! Ah, for the dead again ! D E VARD E s Why, that 's a mournful thing ! DE L '(Dm E NT It was so meant. Oh, happy days we sing the saddest things ! My heart is eased. I '11 sleep awhile and dream. [He pillows his head upon his arm and sleeps. DE VARDES walks slowly to and fro. D E VARD E s Sleep ! How long has it been since Sleep and I Met in the heavy road and laid us down, Took our dear ease, and let the world go by ? 1 well remember in the north one time, Beside Moselle, where all the live-long day Upon a stairway old we stood on guard, 182 THE GODDESS De Buc and I, and looked on Mutiny, Brazen and bold, Death visible and dark ! And all the night before in council spent, After a day's forced march from Luneville, And a wild night of wine and rapiers drawn. As the sun set we heard a bugle blown, Beat of the drums, and thunder of the guns, And Bouille's voice, assurance of relief ! Another night of council, then at dawn We slept. The moon was crescent and a star Shone on to guide the white, enchanted boat Through seas of ether coloured like a shell; The trees were dark beneath ; there was no sound ; The air was cold, we laid us down and slept. Saint Gris ! No dreams did trouble us that day ! [He rests upon the choir step. To bring the dead again ! No flowret blooms, No herb, no leaf, shall bring the dead again. No garden is there where for all one's gold, The weightiest sceptre or the keenest sword, Might one obtain the happy gardener's place, And find the bloom that brings the dead again. It grows not here, and there is naught will serve, No rain of tears, no delving earnestly, No lift of hope, no squandered treasury, Love nor remorse, nor longing nor great pain. The star has shot. The dead come not again. \He rises and again walks to and fro. Happy the dead. Ah, what of one who lives ? What of that mask in this fantastic dance Who crowned herself with poison flowers and laughed To see the lilies fade before her breath ? OF REASON 183 O death ! O love ! O blasting treachery ! O face that in the prison of La Force Visited my dreams \he door opens. YVETTE leans against it, panting, then comes forward. YVETTE Where is the paper ? D E VARD E s The paper ? YVETTE The letter to the judges ! Folded and hidden in the purse I sent t D E VARD E s You sent ? YVETTE By Seraphine ! You have it, sure ? [She looks about her. Where is she ? The Citoyenne Blancheforet ? D E VARD E s She 's dead. YVETTE No. D E V ARDES Yes. Y V ETTE All is black before me ! 1 84 THE GODDESS D E V A RD E S They called her name She said adieu and went. They slew her in the street. Y v ETTE Alas! DE VARD E s She 's dead, Who was so fair. Why do you say alas ? YVETTE Too late ! O God, I thought that all was well ! D E VARD E s Why, so it is ! With her 't is well. She 's dead. They say the dead are happy. YVETTE You loved her ! D E VARD E s Goddess of Reason, no ! Mere friends were we. But I 've a preference for my friends alive ! YVETTE Oh, woe is me ! D E VARD E s Thou hast what thou didst seek. Return to Olympus and hear " All hail, Well done, and like a deity ! " YVETTE The paper ! OF REASON 185 D E YARD E s Thou dream of Paimpont Wood ! YVETTE The purse of gold ! D E YARD E s Thou picture of the Duchess Jeanne ! YVETTE The purse ! Give, give ! . D E YARD E s The purse ! I gave it to Gregoire. YVETTE What! DE YARD ES It bought five minutes I did not know 'Twas thine. Y v ETTE To Gregoire ! You did not open it ! D E YARD E s No! YVETTE Oh, woe, woe is me ! DE YARD E s Thou standest there ! Still, still the herd girl on the green cliff head Who waves her hand to a lost boat at sea ! Still, still the vision of a haunted wood THE GODDESS Soulless as is the stone thou leanest on, Vivien musing on the thing she 's done ! YVETTE A slip of paper in a silken purse D E VARD E s Wilt thou begone ? The Mountain waits. YVETTE Too late ! Where is Gregoire ? DE VARDE s I know not. He's away; He has thy gold I 'm sorry for 't. Y v ETTE No hope ? I thought the bridge was built and both were o'er. Then as I passed I heard " To-morrow morn Carrier himself will judge that ci-devant." D E VARD ES The Mountain waits YVETTE I '11 to Lalain again. D E VARD E s Ha! YVETTE She is dead ; I 'm lost. But thou But thou Farewell ! Farewell ! OF REASON 187 * D E VARD E s Thou said'st, / 77 to Lalain. I do forbid it utterly. Y VETTE Oh! r- D E VARD E s Obey! It is thy seigneur's last command. (To himself.} Thou fool ! Touch not her hand. 'T is red ! Y VETTE Monseigneur ! D E VARD E s Why art thou both so fair and foul a thing ? Yv ETTE Ay, call me that I care not ! DE VARD ES * I '11 call thee " Death, Sweet Death fair Treachery ! " Y VETTE Forgive, forgive ! DE VARD E s There 's blood upon thy hand. YVETTE Forgive ! i88 THE GODDESS D E YARD E s Alas! Thou didst betray ! Y V ETTE I would that I were dead In Paimpont Wood, beside the Druid Stone ! D E V ARD E s I would that I had never strayed that way ! Y V ETT E I won that paper in that purse of gold ! And it was life, I tell thee, life for both I God ! how all things here miscarry ! D E VAR D E s 1 would that I had never seen thy face ! Yv ETTE Oh, much I hated her, la belle Marquise, And yester morn I did betray her there, Just in the moment God gave o'er my soul ! And she is dead I cannot bring her back. Oh, swift the madness passed and came remorse, And I did hate myself, and strove to save ! Oh, woe, and double woe ! He promised me ! Oh, I have striven with a fiend from hell And not prevailed, though sorely I did strive ! O God ! O God ! I 'm weary of the light ! Now, now thou too wilt die unless unless Ah, let me go Farewell, a little while ! D E VA RD E s Not till I know where thou dost go, and why. OF REASON 189 Y VETT E Remond Lalain gave me that paper. It was an order, written by himself, Whom even Carrier would not offend A secret paper not for every eye. Reward he asked for certain services, Two lives, your life and hers and hers, I swear ! He does not leave his villa all this day, But at the judgment bar you were to show That paper to Lambertye or Sarlat, And both were saved both, both, I swear it, both! And now she 's dead 'T was life you flung away Shut in that purse ! You gave it to Gregoire ! Gregoire ! He serves the Revolution, Is flint to all beside ! Oh me ! Oh me ! I could not come myself, I could but send. I won it not till cockcrow of this morn ! D E VARD E s Till cockcrow ! Yv ETTE The dawn came slowly on. The cock crew and I drew the curtain by And saw the morning star above the Loire ! D E VARD E s The morning star ! Yv ETTE 'T was like the eye of God ! I used to watch it from the fields at dawn; This morn 't was watching me ! i 9 o THE GODDESS D E VARD E s Remond L^lain ! Y v ETT E 'T was all in vain. She 's dead ah, ages since ! You '11 not forgive So fare you well again ! D E VARD E s Where goest thou, Yvette ? Y VETTE To Seraphine, Beneath the Lanterne, Sign of the Hour Glass! D E VARD E s Hear and obey ! It is a dying man Speaks to thee now and with authority ! Thy seigneur too, and head of all thy house. When I am dead, the last of the De Vardes Will be thyself, my cousin ! All song doth say That Duchess Jeanne who lived so long ago, Whose pictured face and thine are counterparts, E'en to the shadowy hair, the cheek's soft curve, The light of eye, the slow, enchanting smile, All song doth say she had a bruised heart, But in God's sight a height of soul ! So thou. Go thou to Morbec. Leave this Babylon. Back ! from the travelled road thy foot 's upon ! List not unto the music that is played ; Touch not the scarlet flowers, the honey-sweet, They '11 poison thee ! Think not the light is fair, It is false dawn. Take thou the darkling way Shall lead thee to white light and lasting bloom ! OF REASON 191 Go thou to Morbec. Take thy distaff up, Spin thou thy flax and listen to old tales, Peacefully, with that smile upon thy lip ! Or in the dewy dawn lift up thy head From dreamless sleep and drive thy cows afield, Stand mid the golden broom and mark the mist Rise from the hidden sea, and hear the lark Singing afar his strain of heavenly hope, So wear thy years away, ah, tranquilly ! Thou art so young All this will come to seem A dream of yesternight YVETTE Dost thou forgive ? D E VA R D E s And at the last when Death shall take thy hand, Smile at the due caress, and lightly come If I am I, I '11 meet thee on the strand ! YVETTE Dost thou forgive ? D E VARD E s I love ! YVETTE Me? D E VARD E s Thou sayest. YVETTE Where is the music playing? D E VARD E s Long ago, i 9 2 THE GODDESS To Paris and my King I rode away, Long ago, in the freshness of the world ! I left thee there, all safe in convent fold Fair were the fruit trees in that garden old, Warm shone the sun, the silver fountain played. I left thee there and thought to find again, When King and Crown were saved and devoir done, The battle o'er, the bugles sounding peace ! The King he is in heaven, the Crown is lost, The battle 's to the strong, the war drum rattles on. Long lay I in the prison of La Force ; A dream I had that thou wouldst wait for me, Beside the fountain, by the bright fruit trees. Thou must have known that bars kept me from thee ! Thou must have known that I did love thee true ! Thou must have known that I did longing wait The rainbow after storm, the halcyon time When, stilled the jar and discord of the mind, The all unfettered heart might speak of love ! But ah, the garden 's sealed. Thou art not there ! Thou wouldst not wait the while YVETT E Outside I kneel; Outside the garden, outside Paradise! Oh, woe! Oh, bliss! D E VARD ES Weep not ! Yv ETTE I love thee so! D E VARD E s Paimpont ! Paimpont ! I feel thy magic wind ! OF REASON 193 Reenter GREGOIRE. GREGOIRE Citoyen Vardes Y VETTE Gregoire, Gregoire ! the purse The purse of gold ! GREGOIRE Hein? D E VARD E s Let be! Let be! No purse was there ! Dost hear, dost hear, Yvette ? No purse, no gold, no paper, no Lalain ! Thou dost not think that I would take my life ? Y v ETTE No! D E VARD E s Well said, and like the Duchess Jeanne ! Let not Gregoire mistake thee either! YVETTE I said I know not what, Gregoire, nor why ! Sometimes a woman says she knows not what. Why should I talk of parses, faith, now why ! GREGOIRE What do you here, Citoyenne ? YVETTE I know not. I strayed this way, a gaoler let me in. 'T is of the sights of Nantes, this church, this gaol ! 194 THE GODDESS GREGOIRE (to DE VARDES) I have in charge to guard you through the street To the old Prison of the Seminaire. They who lodge there go onward to the Loire ! [He turns to DE L'ORIENT. DE VARDES (to YVETTE) Oh, sunken eyes ! Oh, cheek so deadly pale ! Oh, rest thee, rest thee, child, in still Morbec ! Our Lady guard thee, guide thee with her hand. Farewell YVE TTE I r ll walk upon the banks of Loire. D E VARD E s No; come not there! Yv ETTE I must. It is my road. GREGOIRE (He touches DE L'ORIENT upon the shoulder] Awake, poet, and go along with us ! D E L'ORI E NT I am awake ! 'T is trudge again, De Vardes ! Come, Fanchon and Babette, Olympe and Josephine! The dancers all are met Within the forest green! Cerise to me, Denise to thee, But none to L'eontine ! [He turns with GREGOIRE to the door at left of the altar. OF REASON 195 D E VARDES Farewell my douce! YVETTE Farewell my fisherman! Oh GR EGO IRE Come! DE L'ORIENT The dancers all are met Within the forest green ! [Exeunt DE VARDES, DE L'OiuEjrr, and GREGOIRE, The church darkens. YVETTE moves to the chow- step. Yv ETTE Oh, love in my heart! Oh, splendour and light! The bow in the sky, the bird at its height ! The glory and state of the angels bright ! \She kneels and stretches out her arms to the altar. Oh, mother of sorrows ! C UR TAIN ACT V SCENE I A Judgment Hall in Nantes. A dais upon which at a heavy table sit several members of the Revolutionary Committee. Behind them soldiers and a great tricolour flag. 1*0 one side a tribune draped with tricolour; opposite the tribune a gallery jilled with women of the Revolution. Upon the floor of the hall a throng of red-capped men. To the right of the dais a number of the accused, men and women. To the left a small group of the condemned. Uproar in the hall. An accused who has been standing be fore the judges rejoins the right-hand group of prisoners. One of the judges rings the bell on the table before him. THE JUDGE SILENCE, Citoyennes in the gallery! You disturb judgment ! CELESTE (leaning from the gallery) We would know up here Why you did free that man ? THE JUDGE (soothingly} Ah, Citoyenne ! He 's not free he 's but acquitted ! CELESTE Ah, well ! 198 THE GODDESS That 's different ! (To the women about her.} He 's but acquitted ! THE WOMEN (They nod their heads] Ah! Enter LALAIN with NANON and ANGELIQUE. CELESTE He ! Angelique ! Nanon ! [NANON and ANGELIQUE make their way through the press to the gallery stairs. THE CROWD Remond Lalain. A JUDGE Thy place is here, Lalain ! LALAIN Make way, my friends. The Levee 's thronged to-day. TH E CROWD Ha, ha, 't is so ! Levee of the Citoyen Carrier! Vvoe la Republique ! Vive Remond Lalain ! [LALAIN sits beside the judges. A JUDGE (to a gaoler) The next. THE GAOLE R Dog of a priest ! [THE ABBE" approaches the bar. OF REASON 199 THE ABBE On yesterday, Messieurs the Judges, you acquitted me. A JUDGE It is to-day. THE ABBE Citoyen Lambertye LAMBERTYE (hastily) I give thee o'er I give thee o'er THE ABBE Parbleu ! Samaritan ! Would I had played Levite ! And left thee in the ditch with every wound Till Satan came to hale his minion forth ! Well, with this life I 've done ! FIRST JUDG E Thou art a priest. THE ABBE Granted. S ECOND JUD GE Death ! A TRICOTEUSE (from the gallery) He ! Citoyen, below there ! I 've dropped my knitting. Throw it here to me ! THIRD JUDGE Thou hast aided emigres. THE ABBE Granted. 200 THE GODDESS SECOND JUDGE Death ! FIRST JUDGE And written unto exiles. TH E ABBE Granted. SECOND JUDGE Death ! THIRD JUDGE Thou hast been heard to scorn and to lament That which the Revolution hath achieved ! THE ABBE Scorn and lament ! Why, no, I 've wept with joy To see the things the Revolution hath achieved ! AS- FIRST JUDGE As what ? THE ABBE Why, thou death's-head, many things ! It did achieve, for one, my brother's death ! THIRD JUDGE Dost thou mourn for him ? .THE ABBE Ay! OF REASON 201 THE ABBE Achieve ! I like the word. Achieve, achieve ! Ruin and downfall, death and waste of fame ! Achievement of the Revolution ! Ha, I '11 tell thee, farceur, what it hath achieved : It hath achieved the death of the Gironde, Death of Marat, and death of D'Orleans, Death of great part of its abhorred brood ! It hath achieved the Company of Marat ; It hath achieved Jacques Carrier in Nantes ; It shall achieve more death and infamy ! Death ! The word you are so fond of. Death ! And Infamy, the thing you can't bestow ! It shall achieve the death of Carrier, The death of Lambertye and of Lalain, The death of Danton and of Robespierre ! Nature will give a grave obscene and dark, And Time will see that docks and darnels grow ! [Uproar. THE FIRST JUDGE Death, stand aside, condemned. Enter SERAPHINE. CELESTE Ah, Seraphine, Come up here, Seraphine ! [SERAPHINE mounts the stair and sits beside CELESTE, ANGELIQUE, and NANON. NANON Where is Yvette ? S E RAPHINE I know not, I ! 202 THE GODDESS ANGELIQUE I saw her gliding by, Beneath the moon, last night when all was still. Against a cannon in the empty square She leaned, and on the river looked. S E RAPHINE What harm ? ANGE LIQUE Why, none ! CELESTE (her eyes upon the prisoners below) Ha, ha ! it is the old man's turn ! A GAOLER Chateau-Gui ! THE WOMAN Ah, Chateau-Gui ! FIRST J UDGE Chateau-Gui! MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI O my father ! COUNT Louis Unclasp thy hands, my child ! What is it, Lambertye ? FIRST JUDGE Thou ci-devant, Thou art accused, imprimatur, of this: Once thou didst serve Capet ! COUNT Louis The King? OF REASON 203 FIRST JUDGE Capet. COUNT Louis I served the King of France. FIRST JUDGE Twice over, death! For thou didst serve Capet; For thou dost dare say the King of France ! COUNT Louis The King of France ! THE CROWD Ah! COUNT Louis Son of Saint Louis ! THE CROWD Ah! COUNT Louis Royal Martyr ! THE CROWD Ah h h. MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI O my father ! THIRD JUDGE All titles, terms of honour and of state, Majesty and reverence are forbid, 204 THE GODDESS Not to be spoken! They are ci-devants, They are condemned. THE CROWD Condemned ! COUNT Louis Ha, ci-devants, Titles and symbols, names and attributes, Condemned for splendour and for high estate ! Ha, Croix de Saint Louis ! Ha, Chateau-Gui ! Thou goest to heaven in famous company : King, Saint, Martyr, Reverence, Majesty. Best make the company a regiment Regiment du Roi, in vestments gorgeous ! Forbidden words ! Who says to me " forbid " ? Ye sans-culottes, ye bourgeois, creeping things, Adders and asps that slew a king and queen ! I am a courtier of the olden time Who served le Grand Monarque, knew Mazarin, And in a Court shall still be courtier, Croix de Saint Louis, with the grande entree, While ye do prowl in filthy ways of hell, Nor hardly see its red-lit CEil-de-boeuf Where everlasting Terror, groaning, reigns, But, being lackeys, keep the lackeys' place ! FIRST JUDGE Enough ! SECOND JUDGE Death ! THE CROWD Death ! The Loire ! OF REASON 205 COUNT Louis O Kings of France ! O sons of Clovis and of Charlemagne ! Louis the Pious and the Debonair ! Philippe August and Fair, and Charles the Wise ! And thou the sainted King, the Blessed Louis ! And Charles Bien-Aime, Victorieux, Crowned by the maiden of Domremy ! And the good King Henri, Henri the Great ! Louis the Just, Louis le Grand Monarque ! Louis the Loved, and Louis lately dead, The Martyr King, the Martyr, Martyr King ! O Kings of France in that fair land ye be, To your chateaux and to your palaces Prepare to welcome dying loyalty ! For knightly faith is marching forth from France. Throne, sceptre, orb, and majesty have passed, Ermine and coronet and spur of gold, Renown and splendid honour, valiant sway, Ancien Regime, noblesse of old France ! The oriflamme upon ?ts golden stem, The banner of the lilies waving high ! THE CROWD Ah COUNT Louis The lily banner and the oriflamme ! Forgotten yonder stripes of shame and woe ! TH E CROWD The tricolour ! Death ! The Loire ! 206 THE GODDESS FIRST JUDGE Death to-night ! COUN T Louis Nightshade, mandrake, and hemlock o'er ye wave ! But I am going where, I make no doubt, The favourite flower is still the fleur-de-lis ! THE CROWD Ah! COUNT Louis And the word forbid is republique! THE CROWD Down ! down ! Co UNT Louis Princes and peers of France ! FIRST JUDGE Have done ! COUNT Louis Anjou, Lorraine ! THE CROWD Ah h h! COUNT Louis Bourbon and Valois ! [Uproar in the hall. MLLE. DE CHATEAU-GUI clings to her father's arm. Forbidden words ! Well, well, my child, I 'm done ! My breath is out. Forbidden words ! Ma foi ! 'T is to my taste to deal in contraband ! [The First Judge rings the bell 'violently. The tu mult subsides. OF REASON 207 A GAOL E R Chateau-Gui, take place beside the priest ! TH E ABB E Ah, Monsieur le Comte ! COUNT Louis Monsieur 1'Abbe ! \_He offers his snuff-box. FIRST JUDGE The next. Enter YVETTE. I'he crowd murmurs as it makes way. TH E CROWD Yvette Charruel ! A MAN Goddess of Reason ! [YVETTE mounts the stair to the gallery and sits be side SERAPHINE. CELESTE So pale ! ANGE LIQU E No rose ? NANON Only her lips are red. CELESTE So heavy-eyed ? Yv ETTE I have not slept. A YOUNG GIRL (near her) Oh, oh, Thy voice ! 'T is like a violin playing ! 2 o8 THE GODDESS ANGELIQUE I know thou didst not sleep. How looked the Loire Beneath the moon last night ? Y VETTE Much as 't will look Beneath the moon to-night. \With her chin upon her hand she studies the throng below. S E RAPH INE The prisoners YVETTE Who rises there ? FIRST JUDGE Thou ci-devant, De Vardes ! TH E CROWD De Vardes ! De Vardes ! Aristocrat ! De Vardes ! D E VARD E s Remond Lalain LAL AIN Rene de Vardes. D E VA RD E s This court Pray you conceive it is some greensward trim, My cartel sent, received, the duel fought, And thou the victor, since so wags the world, Heart's blood of mine upon thy rapier dark ! And I the vanquished in the sight of men, Drowsing to death upon the bloody sod. And all this folk but seconds, witnesses, OF REASON 209 They are not here, nor there ; we are the men ! Now, seeing death hath some prerogative, I charge thee stand, antagonist ! nor leave This sunny field with thy triumphant friends Until I bid thee go ! L ALAIN I hear ! (70 the crowd.) Silence ! D E VARD E s When I do think that once I called thee friend, My wonder grows ! The orchard 's blooming now Where we did lie at length on summer eves The while the mavis sang and sea winds blew, And to the nodding clover droned the bee, Two striplings couched beneath an apple tree, Talking of knights at arms and paladins And what we each would dare in worthy cause ! That brow of thine was not so swarthy then, Thine eyes were frank, we read from the same book The deeds of Palmerin and Amadis. Then up we lightly rose and went our way, Hand touching hand, Orestes, Pylades ! I, Jonathan the Prince, and David thou ! The figure holds, for Jonathan will die, But wilt thou mourn him, David ? No, I say ! Nor o'er his kingdom shalt thou reign, Remond ! L A L A I.N Rene D E VARD E s I am, monsieur, the Baron of Morbec ! zio THE GODDESS THE CROWD Ah! L AL A I N Silence ! (To DE VARDES.) As thou wilt! He is long dead That youth thou namest David. D E YARD E s Ay, Citoyen, He slew himself. I see his punishment. LALAIN Oh! D E VARD E s Wretched man ! What hast thou done ? I know, And thou, Remond, dost know I know ! Enough. O better far to lie upon this sod And hear the wings of death above my head, Than to be thou, thou stained conqueror! Dishonoured thou from helm to bloody heel ! Enough ! When the cock crows and the morning star Shines steadfast over Loire I shall be gone. One stays, that 's God. Do thou beware, Remond, For God will hearken unto Jonathan Thou canst not hurt a flower that he loved ! LALAIN No? DE VARD E s No! LAL AI N Thou mightst have had thy life OF R EA SON 211 D E YARD E s I? \He laughs. Y v ETTE Air! You hem me in, Citoyennes ! Air ! de grace! NANON The air is good enough for us, Yvette ! ANGELIQUE Why do you grow so pale, so pale, Yvette, [YVETTE takes from her hair the bonnet-rouge. S E RAPH I N E Psst ! Little fool ! Put on the cap again ! YVETTE It is too heavy ! S E RAP H INE Saint Yves ! Put it on ! D E VARD E s The duel 's o'er ; the night is drawing on ; Dark is thy form against the crimson sky, Remond Lalain ! Stand further off, my foe ! And now I think I see thee not at all, And that is well ! I would forget thee quite. Live out thy life unto its sordid close ! Live on, and in the future find the past ! But while thou treadest earth touch not again That flower I spoke of ! Touch it not, Lalain ! LALAIN Draws on the night 212 THE GODDESS D E VARD E s I '11 bathe me in the Loire ! Death has been ever called a River wide. This ford I fear not ! Soldier of the King, I '11 pass the stream, though cold, though cold and dark ! The bivouac lights are shining through the trees, He waits within my tent, my General ! FIRST J UDGE Death ! SECOND JUDGE Death ! D E VARD E s Now sheath thy sword, Remond ! The field of honour leave to death and me ! [He crosses to the condemned. COUNT Louis Monsieur le Baron ! THE ABBE Rene de Vardes ! D E VA R D E s Monsieur le Comte, Monsieur 1'Abbe, again I find myself in best of company! \T*he judges whisper together. LALAIN, his eyes upon the floor > 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