the lady of lyons-第6部分
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to learn how Pauline likes her new dignity。
Mel。 Are you not gone yet？
Beau。 Your highness's most obedient； most faithful
Gla。 And most humble servants。 Ha！ ha！ ＇Exeunt BEAUSEANT and GLAVIS。
Mel。 Thank heaven I had no weapon； or I should have slaln them。
Wretch！ what can I say？ Where turn？ On all sides mockerythe very boors
within＇Laughter from the Inn＇。'Sdeath； if even in this short absence
the exposure should have chanced。 I will call her。 We will go hence。
I have already sent one I can trust to my mother's house。
There； at least； none can insult her agonygloat upon her shame！
There alone must she learn what a villain she has sworn to love。
＇As he turns to the door enter PAULINE from the Inn。
Pauline。 Ah！ my lord； what a place！ I never saw such rude people。
They stare and wink so。 I think the very sight of a prince；
though he travels incognito； turns their honest heads。
What a pity the carriage should break down in such a spot！
You are not wellthe drops stand on your browyour hand is feverish。
Mel。 Nay； it is but a passing spasm；the air
Pauline。 Is not the soft air of your native south
How pale he is！indeed thou art not well。
Where are our people？ I will call them。
Mel。 Hold！ II am well。
Pauline。 Thou art！Ah！ now I know it。
Thou fanciest； my kind lordI know thou dost
Thou fanciest these rude walls； these rustic gossips；
Brick'd floors； sour wine； coarse viands； vex Pauline；
And so they might； but thou art by my side；
And I forget all else。
Enter Landlord； the Servants peeping and laughing over his shoulder。
Land。 My lordyour highnessWill your most noble excellency choose
Mel。 Begone； sir！ ＇Exit Landlord laughing。
Pauline。 How could they have learn'd thy rank？
One's servants are so vain！nay； let it not
Chafe thee； sweet prince！a few short days and we
Shall see thy palace by its lake of silver；
Andnay； nay； spendthrift； is thy wealth of smiles；
Already drain'd； or dost thou play the miser？
Mel。 Thine eyes would call up smiles in deserts； fair one。
Let us escape these rustics： close at hand
There is a cot； where I have bid prepare
Our evening lodgmenta rude； homely roof；
But honest； where our welcome will not be
Made torture by the vulgar eyes and tongues
That are as death to Love！ A heavenly night！
The wooing air and the soft moon invite us。
Wilt walk？ I pray thee； now；I know the path；
Ay； every inch of it！
Pauline。 What； thou！ Methought
Thou wert a stranger in these parts？ Ah； truant；
Some village beauty lured thee；thou art now
Grown constant？
Mel。 Trust me。
Pauline。 Princes are so changeful！
Mel。 Come； dearest； come。
Pauline。 Shall I not call our people To light us？
Mel。 Heaven will lend its stars for torches！ It is not far。
Pauline。 The night breeze chills me。
Mel。 Nay； Let me thus mantle thee；it is not cold。
Pauline。 Never beneath thy smile！
Mel。 ＇aside。＇ O Heaven！ forgive me！ ＇Exeunt
SCENE II。
MELNOTTE'S cottageWidow bustling abouta table spread for supper。
Widow。 So； I think that looks very neat。 He sent me a line；
so blotted that I can scarcely read it； to say he would be here
almost immediately。 She must have loved him well indeed to have
forgotten his birth； for though he was introduced to her in disguise；
he is too honorable not to have revealed to her the artifice；
which her love only could forgive。 Well； I do not wonder at it；
for though my son is not a prince； he ought to be one； and that's
almost as good； ＇Knock at the door。＇ Ah！ here they are。
Enter MELNOTTE and PAULINE。
Widow。 Oh； my boythe pride of my heart！welcome； welcome！
I beg pardon； ma'am； but I do love him so！
Pauline。 Good woman； I reallywhy prince； what is this？does the old
lady know you？ Oh； I guess； you have done her some service。
Another proof of your kind heart？ is it not？
Mel。 Of my kind heart； ay！
Pauline。 So you know the prince？
Widow。 Know him； madam？Ah； I begin to fear it is you who know him not！
Pauline。 Do you think she is mad？ Can we stay here； my lord？
I think there's something very wild about her。
Mel。 Madam； Ino； I cannot tell her； my knees knock together：
what a coward is a man who has lost his honor！ Speak to her
speak to her ＇to his mother＇tell her thatO Heaven； that I were dead！
Pauline。 How confused he looks！this strange place？this woman
what can it mean？I half suspectWho are you； madam！who are you！
can't you speak？ are you struck dumb？
Widow。 Claude； you have not deceived her？Ah； shame upon you 1 I
thought that； before you went to the altar； she was to have known all。
Pauline。 All！ what！My blood freezes in my veins！
Widow。 Poor lady！dare I tell her； Claude？ ＇MELNOTTE makes
a sign of assent。＇ Know you not then； madam； that this young man
is of poor though honest parents？ Know you not that you are wedded
to my son； Claude Melnotte？
Pauline。 Your son！ holdhold！ do not speak to me。＇Approaches MELNOTTE；
and lays her hand on his arm。＇Is this a jest？ is it？
I know it is； only speakone wordone look one smile。
I cannot believeI who loved thee soI cannot believe that thou
art such aNo； I will not wrong thee by a harsh wordSpeak！
Mel。 Leave ushave pity on her； on me： leave us。
Widow。 Oh； Claude； that I should live to see thee bowed by shame！
thee of whom I was so proud！（Exit by the staircase。
Pauline。 Her sonher son！
Mel。 Now； lady； hear me。
Pauline。 Hear thee！
Ay； speakher son！ have fiends a parent？ speak；
That thou mayst silence cursesspeak！
Mel。 No； curse me：
Thy curse would blast me less than thy forgiveness。
Pauline ＇laughing wildly＇。 〃This is thy palace； where the perfumed light
Steals through the mist of alabaster lamps；
And every air is heavy with the sighs
Of orange…groves； and music from the sweet lutes；
And murmurs of low fountains； that gush forth
I' the midst of roses！〃 Dost thou like the picture？
This is my bridal home； and thou my bridegroom。
O foolO dupeO wretch！I see it all
Thy by…word and the jeer of every tongue
In Lyons。 Hast thou in thy heart one touch
Of human kindness？ if thou hast； why； kill me；
And save thy wife from madness。 No； it cannot
It cannot be： this is some horrid dream：
I shall wake soon。＇Touching him。＇ Art flesh art man？ or but
The shadows seen in sleep？ It is too real。
What have I done to thee？ how sinn'd against thee；
That thou shouldst crush me thus？
Mel。 Pauline； by pride
Angels have fallen ere thy time： by pride
That sole alloy of thy most lovely mould
The evil spirit of a bitter love；
And a revengeful heart； had power upon thee。
From my first years my soul was fill'd with thee：
I saw thee midst the flow'rs the lowly boy
Tended； unmark'd by theea spirit of bloom；
And joy； and freshness； as if Spring itself
Were made a living thing； and wore thy shape！
I saw thee； and the passionate heart of man
Enter'd the breast of the wild…dreaming boy。
And from that hour I grewwhat to the last
I shall bethine adorer！ Well； this love
Vain； frantic； guilty； if thou wilt； became
A fountain of ambition and bright hope；
I thought of tales that by the winter hearth
Old gossips tellhow maidens sprung from kings
Have stoop'd from their high sphere； how love； like death
Levels all ranks； and lays the shepherd's crook
Beside the sceptre。 Thus I made my home
In the soft palace of a fairy Future！
My father died； and I； the peasant…born；
Was my own lord。 Then did I seek to rise
Out of the prison of my mean estate；
And； with such jewels as the exploring mind
Brings from the caves of knowledge； buy my ransom
From those twin gaolers of the daring heart
Low birth and iron fortune。 Thy bright image
Glass'd in my soul； took all the hues of glory；
And lured me on to those inspiring toils
By which man masters men！ For thee I grew
A midnight student o'er the dreams of sages。
For thee I sought to borrow from each grace；
And every muse； such attributes as lend
Ideal charms to love。 I thought of thee；
And passion taught me poesyof thee；
And on the painter's canvas grew the life
Of beauty！ Art became the shadow
Of the dear starlight of thy haunting eyes
Men call'd me vainsome madI heeded not；
But still toil'd onhoped onfor it was sweet；
If not to win； to feel more worthy thee？
Pauline。 Has he a magic to exorcise hate！
Mel。 At last； in one mad hour； I dared to pour
The thoughts that burst their channels into song；
And sent them to theesuch a tribute； lady；
As beauty rarely scorns； even from the meanest。
The nameappended by the burning heart
That long'd to show its idol what bright things
It had createdyea； the enthusiast's name；
That should have been thy triumph； was thy scorn！
That very hourwhen passion； turn'd to wrath；
Resembled hatred mostwhen thy disdain
Made my whole soul a chaosin that hour
The tempters found me a revengeful tool
For their revenge！ Thou hadst trampled on the worm
It turn'd and stung thee！
Pauline。 Love； sir； hath no sting。
What was the slight of a poor powerless girl
To the deep wrong of this most vile revenge？
Oh； how I loved this man！a serf！a slave！
Mel。 Hold； lady！ No； not slave！ Despair is free！
I will not tell thee of the throesthe struggles
The anguishthe remorse： No； let it pass！
And let me come to such most poor atonement
Yet in my power。 Pauline！
（Approaching her with great emotion； and about to take her hand。
Pauline。 No； touch me not！
I know my fate。 You are； by law； my tyrant；
And IO Heaven！a peasant's wife！ I'll work
Toildrudgedo what thou wiltbut touch me not；
Let my wrongs make me sacred！
Mel。 Do not fear me。
Thou dost not know me； madam： at the altar
My vengeance ceasedmy guilty oath expired！
Henceforth； no image of some marble saint；
Niched in cathedral aisles； i
