the lady of lyons-第4部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Mme。 Deschap。 For shame； cousin Damas！like the Prince； indeed！
Pauline。 Like you！ Ah； mother； like our beautiful prince！
I'll never speak to you again； cousin Damas。
Mel。 ＇aside＇。 Humph！rank is a great beautifier！ I never passed
for an Apollo while I was a peasant； if I am so handsome as a prince；
what should I be as an emperor！ ＇Aloud。＇ Monsieur Beauseant；
will you honor me？ ＇Offers snuff。
Beau。 No； your highness； I have no small vices。
Mel。 Nay； if it were a vice； you'd be sure to have it； Monsieur Beauseant。
Mme。 Deschap。 Ha！ ha！how very severe！what wit！
Beau。 ＇in a rage and aside＇。 Curse his impertinence！
Mme。 Deschap。 What a superb snuff…box！ Pauline。 And what
a beautiful ring！
Mel。 You like the boxa trifleinteresting perhaps from associations
a present from Louis XIV。 to my great…great grandmother。
Honor me byaccepting it。
Beau。 plucking him by the sleeve。 How！what the devil！
My boxare you mad？ It is worth five hundred louis。
Mel。 ＇unheeding him； and turning to PAULINE＇。 And you like this ring？
Ah； it has； indeed a lustre since your eyes have shone on it
placing it on her finger。 Henceforth hold me； sweet enchantress；
the Slave of the Ring。
Gla。 ＇pulling him＇。 Stay； staywhat are you about？
My maiden aunt's legacya diamond of the first water。
You shall be hanged for swindling； sir。
Mel。 ＇pretending not to hear＇。 It is curious； this ring；
it is the one with which my grandfather； the Doge of Venice；
married the Adriatic！
（Madame and PAULINE examine the ring。 Mel。 ＇to BEAUSEANT and
GLAVIS＇。 Fie； gentlemen！ princes must be generous？＇Turns to DAMAS；
who watches them closely。＇ These kind friends have my interest
so much at heart； that they are as careful of my property as if it
were their own！
Beau and Gla。 ＇confusedly＇。 Ha！ ha！very good joke that！
＇Appears to remonstrate with MELNOTTE in dumb show。
Damas。 What's all that whispering？ I am sure there is some juggle here：
hang me； if I think he is an Italian after all。 Gad； I'll try him。
Servitore umillissimo； Eccellenza。*
（* Your Excellency's most humble servant。）
Mel。 Humwhat does he mean； I wonder？
Damas。 Godo di vedervi in buona salute。*
（* I am glad to see you in good health。）
Mel。 Hemhem！
Damas。 Fa bel tempothe si dice di nuovo？ *
（* Fine weather。 What news is there？）
Mel。 Well； sir； what's all that gibberish？
Damas。 Oh； oh！only Italian； your highness！The Prince of Como
does not understand his own language！
Mel。 Not as you pronounce it； who the deuce could？
Mme。 Deschap。 Ha！ ha！ cousin Damas； never pretend to what
you don't know。
Pauline。 Ha！ ha！ cousin Damas； you speak Italian； indeed！
＇Makes a mocking gesture at him。
Beau。 ＇to GLAVIS＇。 Clever dog！how ready！
Gla。 Ready； yes； with my diamond ring！Damn his readiness！
Damas。 Laugh at me！laugh at a Colonel in the French army！
the fellow's an impostor； I know he is。 I'll see if he understands
fighting as well as he does Italian。＇Goes up to him； and aside。＇ Sir；
you are a jackanapes。Can you construe that？
Mel。 No； sir； I never construe affronts in the presence of ladies；
by…and…by I shall be happy to take a lessonor give one。
Damas。 I'll find the occasion； never fear！
Mme。 Deschap。 Where are you going； cousin？
Damas。 To correct my Italian。 ＇Exit。
Beau。 ＇to GLAVIS＇。 Let us after； and pacify him； he evidently
suspects something。
Gla。 Yes！but my diamond ring！
Beau。 And my box！We are over…taxed fellow…subjects！we must stop
the supplies； and dethrone the prince。
Gla。 Prince！he ought to be heir…apparent to King Stork。
＇Exeunt BEAUSEANT and GLAVIS。
Mme。 Deschap。 Dare I ask your highness to forgive my
cousin's insufferable vulgarity？
Pauline。 Oh yes！you will forgive his manner for the sake
of his heart。
Mel。 And the sake of his cousin。Ah； madam； there is one
comfort in rank；we are so sure of our position that we are not
easily affronted。 Besides； M。 Damas has bought the right of indulgence
from his friends； by never showing it to his enemies。
Pauline。 Ah！ he is； indeed； as brave in action as he is rude in speech。
He rose from the ranks to his present grade； and in two years！
Mel。 In two years！two years； did you say？
Mme。 Deschap。 ＇aside＇。 I don't like leaving girls alone with
their lovers； but； with a prince； it would be so ill…bred to be prudish。
（Exit。
Mel。 You can be proud of your connection with one who owes his
position to meritnot birth。
Pauline。 Why； yes； but still
Mel。 Still what； Pauline！
Pauline。 There is something glorious in the heritage of command。
A man who has ancestors is like a representative of the past。
Mel。 True； but； like other representatives； nine times out of ten
he is a silent member。 Ah； Pauline！ not to the past； but to the future；
looks true nobility； and finds its blazon in posterity。
Pauline。 You say this to please me； who have no ancestors；
but you； prince； must be proud of so illustrious a race！
Mel。 No； no！ I would not； were I fifty times a prince； be a pensioner
on the dead！ I honor birth and ancestry when they are regarded
as the incentives to exertion； not the titledeeds to sloth！
I honor the laurels that overshadow the graves of our fathers；
it is our fathers I emulate； when I desire that beneath
the evergreen I myself have planted； my own ashes may repose！
Dearest！ couldst thou but see with my eyes！
Pauline。 I cannot forego pride when I look on thee； and think that thou
lovest me。 Sweet Prince； tell me again of thy palace by the Lake
of Como； it is so pleasant to hear of thy splendors since thou
didst swear to me that they would be desolate without Pauline；
and when thou describest them； it is with a mocking lip and a noble scorn；
as if custom had made thee disdain greatness。
Mel。 Nay； dearest； nay； if thou wouldst have me paint The home to which；
could love fulfil its prayers； This hand would lead thee； listen！*
A deep vale
（* The reader will observe that Melnotte evades the request of Pauline。
He proceeds to describe a home； which be does not say he possesses；
but to which he would lead her； 〃could Love fulfil its prayers。〃
This caution is intended as a reply to a sagacious critic who censures
the description； because it is not an exact and prosaic inventory
of the characteristics of the Lake of Como！When Melnotte；
for instance； talks of birds 〃that syllable the name of Pauline〃
（by the way； a literal translation from an Italian poet）； he is not
thinking of ornithology； but probably of the Arabian Nights。 He is
venting the extravagant； but natural； enthusiasm of the poet
and the lover。）
Shut out by Alphine hills from the rude world；
Near a clear lake； margin'd by fruits of gold
And whispering myrtles； glassing softest skies；
As cloudless； save with rare and roseate shadows；
As I would have thy fate！
Pauline。 My own dear love！
Mel。 A palace lifting to eternal summer
Its marble walls； from out a glossy bower
Of coolest foliage musical with birds；
Whose songs should syllable thy name！ At noon
We'd sit beneath the arching vines； and wonder
Why Earth could be unhappy； while the Heavens
Still left us youth and love！ We'd have no friends
That were not lovers； no ambition； save
To excel them all in love； we'd read no books
That were not tales of lovethat we might smile
To think how poorly eloquence of words
Translates the poetry of hearts like ours！
And when night came； amidst the breathless Heavens
We'd guess what star should be our home when love
Becomes immortal； while the perfumed light
Stole through the mists of alabaster lamps；
And every air was heavy with the sighs
Of orange…groves and music from sweet lutes；
And murmurs of low fountains that gush forth
I' the midst of roses！Dost thou like the picture？
Pauline。 Oh； as the bee upon the flower； I hang
Upon the honey of thy eloquent tongue！
Am I not blest？ And if I love too wildly；
Who would not love thee like Pauline？
Mel。 ＇bitterly。＇ Oh； false one！
It is the prince thou lovest； not the man
If in the stead of luxury； pomp； and power；
I had painted poverty； and toil； and care；
Thou hadst found no honey on my tongue；Pauline；
That is not love！
Pauline。 Thou wrong'st me； cruel Prince！
At first； in truth； I might not have been won；
Save through the weakness of a flatter'd pride；
But now；oh！ trust me；couldst thou fall from power
And sink
Mel。 As low as that poor gardener's son
Who dared to lift his eyes to thee？
Pauline。 Even then；
Methinks thou wouldst be only made more dear
By the sweet thought that I could prove how deep
Is woman's love！ We are like the insects； caught
By the poor glittering of a garish flame；
But； oh； the wings once scorch'd； the brightest star
Lures us no more； and by the fatal light
We cling till death！
Mel。 Angel！ ＇Aside。＇ O conscience！ conscience！
It must not be； her love hath grown a torture
Worse than her hate。 I will at once to Beauseant；
Andha！ he comes。 Sweet love； one moment leave me。
I have business with these gentlemenII
Will forwith join you。
Pauline。 Do not tarry long！ ＇Exit。
Enter BEAUSEANT and GLAVIS。
Mel。 Release me from my oath；I will not marry her！
Beau Then thou art perjured。
Mel。 No； I was not in my senses when I swore to thee to marry her！
I was blind to all but her scorn！deaf to all but my passion
and my rage！ Give me back my poverty and my honor！
Beau。 It is too late；you must marry her！ and this day。
I have a story already coined； and sure to pass current。
This Damas suspects thee；he will set the police to work！
thou wilt be detectedPauline will despise and execrate thee。
Thou wilt be sent to the common gaol as a swind
