Richelieu
will be angry.
World's Greatest Books - Volume 17 - Poetry and Drama
The voices of the players were drowned in a storm of denunciations
from the classicists, and counter-cheers from the romanticists. The
admirers of Victor Hugo won. "Hernani" is certainly the most romantic
of romantic dramas. The plot is striking, and full of swift and
astonishing changes, but the characters are not always true to life.
Nevertheless, "Hernani" is a fine, interesting, poetic melodrama, with
a rather weak last act. The gloomy scene with which it closes lacks
the inevitability of true tragedy. Had the play ended happily it would
undoubtedly have retained its popularity.
Marion de Lorme[J]
_Persons in the Drama_
MARION DE LORME
DIDIER
LOUIS XIII.
THE MARQUIS DE SAVERNY
THE MARQUIS DE NANGIS
THE COMTE DE GASSE
BRICHANTEAU
L'ANGELY, _the King's Jester_
ROCHEBARON LAFFEMAS
TOWN CRIER HEADSMAN TWO WORKMEN
SOLDIERS, OFFICIALS, _and a crowd of people_
ACT I
SCENE--_A street in Blois in 1638. Some officers are sitting in the
twilight outside a tavern, chatting, smoking, and drinking. They
rise up to welcome the_ COMTE DE GASSE.
BRICHANTEAU: You come to Blois to join the regiment?
We all condole with you. What is the news
From Paris?
GASSE: The duel has come in again. Richelieu
Is furious.
ROCHEBARON: That's no news. We duel here,
To pass the time away.
GASSE: But have you heard
Of the incredible, mysterious flight
Of Marion de Lorme?
BRICHANTEAU: We have some news,
Gasse, for you. Marion is here.
GASSE: At Blois? You jest! The Queen of Beauty? Marion
In a place like this?
BRICHANTEAU: Saverny was attacked
Last night by footpads. They were killing him,
When a man beat them off, and took our friend
Into a house.
GASSE: But Marion de Lorme?
BRICHANTEAU: It was her house. Saverny's rescuer
Was the young man with whom she is in love.
ROCHEBARON: What is the man like?
BRICHANTEAU: Ask Saverny that.
THE TOWN CRIER (_arriving with a crowd_):
"Ordinance. Louis, by the grace of God,
King of France and Navarre, unto all men,
To whom these presents come, greeting! We will,
Ordain, and rule, henceforward, that all men,
Nobles or commoners, who break the law
By duelling, whether one survive or two,
Shall be hanged by the neck till they are dead.
Such is our good pleasure. "
GASSE: Hang us like thieves.
[_Two officers of the town fix the edict to the wall, and
the_ CRIER _and the crowd depart. _ SAVERNY _enters.
The street grows dark. _
SAVERNY: Fair Marion de Lorme has left her house.
I cannot find her.
GASSE: What was the man like?
SAVERNY: I do not know. On entering the house
I recognised sweet Marion, and began
To speak to her. Before I could turn round
And thank the man to whom I owed my life,
He knocked the candle over. I withdrew,
Seeing I was not wanted. All I know
Is that his name is Didier.
ROCHEBARON: It smacks
Of vulgar origin. To think a man
With such a name should carry Marion off--
Marion, the queen of beauty and of love!
SAVERNY: There may be men with greater names, but none
With greater hearts. To leap from Marion's arms,
And fight with footpads for a stranger's life!
The thing's heroic! I owe Didier
A debt that I would pay, if need there was,
With all my blood. I wish he were my friend!
[L'ANGELY, _the King's jester--a mournful-looking
creature--comes and sits with the officers. He is
followed by a tall, pale, handsome young man. It
is_ DIDIER.
DIDIER: The Marquis of Saverny! So the fop
Called himself. Oh, the easy, impudent air
With which he spoke to Marie! And I saved
The creature's life. If I meet him again----
GASSE: Saverny!
DIDIER: Here's my man.
GASSE: Have you observed
The edict against duelling, on pain
Of hanging?
SAVERNY: Hanging? Hang a gentleman?
You jest! That is a punishment for serfs.
BRICHANTEAU: Well, read the edict underneath the lamp.
SAVERNY (_annoyed at_ DIDIER _for staring at him_):
Go, read it for me, pale face!
DIDIER: I?
SAVERNY: Yes, you.
DIDIER (_rising_): It is an ordinance that punishes
By gibbeting all squabbling noblemen.
Having done all you wanted, may I claim
A slight reward? Will you now fight with me?
SAVERNY: Certainly. Where?
DIDIER: Here. Who will lend a sword?
L'ANGELY: For this wild folly, take a fool's sword, friend,
And in exchange, bequeath to me, for luck,
The bit of rope that hangs you.
DIDIER (_taking his sword_): Now, marquis!
SAVERNY: Sir, at your service.
DIDIER: Guard!
[_As their swords clash,_ MARION DE LORME _appears. _
MARION (_seeing_ DIDIER _fighting_): Stop! Help! Help! Help!
[_In answer to her cries the town guard arrive. _
THE CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD: Down with your swords! What! Duelling beneath
The edict of the king! You are dead men.
[DIDIER _and_ SAVERNY _are disarmed and led away. _
MARION: What has he done?
[L'ANGELY _points to the edict: she reads it. _
Oh, when I called for help
Death came! Is there no way to rescue him?
The king is kind at heart, he will forgive----
L'ANGELY: But Richelieu will not! He loves red blood,
The scarlet cardinal, he loves red blood!
MARION: You frighten me! Who are you?
L'ANGELY: The king's fool.
MARION: Ah, Didier! If a woman's feeble hand
Can save you, mine shall do it! [_She departs_.
L'ANGELY (_picking up the sword he lent to_ Didier):
Ha! Ha! Ha!
It was not I that played the fool to-night!
ACT II
SCENE--_A hall in the castle of Chambord. _ KING LOUIS XIII. ,
_a grey-haired, weak-minded man, is sitting, pale and
sorrowful, in a chair of state. _ L'ANGELY _stands beside him. _
THE KING: Oh, it is miserable to be a king
That lives but does not govern. Richelieu
Is killing all my friends. I sometimes think
He wants their blood to dye his scarlet robes.
L'ANGELY: He works for France, sire----
THE KING: Yes, and for himself.
I hate him. Never did a king of France
Govern with so tyrannical a hand
As he now does. A single word from me
And all his pomp and splendour, all his power,
Would vanish. But I cannot say the word;
He will not let me. Come, amuse me, fool!
L'ANGELY: Is not life, sire, a thing of bitterness?
THE KING: It is. Man is a shadow.
L'ANGELY: And a king
The miserablest creature on this earth.
THE KING: It gives me pleasure when you speak like that.
I wish that I were dead. In all the world
You are the only man I ever found
Worth listening to. I often wonder why
You care to live. What are you? A poor fool--
A puppet that I jerk to make me laugh.
L'ANGELY: I live on out of curiosity.
The puppet of the king, I sit and watch
The antics of the puppet of the priest!
THE KING: Yes, that is what I am. You speak the truth.
Could Satan not become a cardinal,
And take possession of my very soul?
L'ANGELY: I think that's what has happened.
THE KING: He loves blood,
The cardinal! It was the Huguenots
Yesterday that he wanted to behead,
And now it is the duellists. Blood! Blood!
He cannot live unless he lives in blood.
[L'ANGELY _makes a sign. _ MARION DE LORME _and the_
MARQUIS DE NANGIS _enter. _
MARION: Pardon!
THE KING: For whom?
MARION: Didier.
NANGIS: And the Marquis of Saverny.
They are two boys of twenty years of age--
Two children--they were quarrelling, when some spies
Posted by Richelieu . . .
MARION: Pardon them, my king!
You will have pity on them. Two young boys,
Caught in a boyish quarrel! No blood shed.
You will not kill my Didier for that!
You will not! Oh, you will not!
THE KING (_wiping the tears from his eyes_): Richelieu
Has ordered that all duellists be hanged.
You make my head ache. Go. Leave me!
It must be so, for he has ordered it.
[L'ANGELY _signs to_ MARION _to hide herself in the dark
hall. She does so. _ NANGIS _goes out. _
THE KING (_yawning_): I wish they would not come and worry me.
Amuse me, L'Angely, for I am sad.
Can you not talk to me of death again?
That is a pleasant subject. Your gay talk
Alone enables me to bear with life.
L'ANGELY: Sire, I have come to say farewell to you.
THE KING: Farewell? You cannot leave me! Only death
Can end your service to a king.
L'ANGELY: 'Tis death
That ends it. You condemn me to be hanged,
Since you refuse to pardon those two boys.
For it was I who made them fight. I lent
My sword to Didier.
THE KING (_sadly_): Oh, my poor fool!
So they will break your neck as well! Farewell!
Life will be dull without you. When you die,
L'Angely, come and tell me how it feels,
If you can, as some dead men do return
In ghostly form to earth.
L'ANGELY (_to himself_): A pleasant task!
THE KING: No! It would frighten me if you came back.
You must not die. L'Angely, do you think
That I could master Richelieu, if I wished?
L'ANGELY: Try!
THE KING: Some paper!
[L'ANGELY _gives him some; he hurriedly scrawls a few
words, and hands the writing to the fool. _
I have pardoned all of you.
L'ANGELY (_running to_ MARION): Here is the pardon.
Thank the king for it.
THE KING (_as_ MARION _throws herself at his feet_):
I must not! Give the paper back to me!
Richelieu will be angry.
MARION (_thrusting the pardon in her bosom_): You must tear
My heart out ere you take it from me, sire!
THE KING (_lowering his eyes, dazzled by her beauty_):
Are you a sorceress? You frighten me!
Keep it and go!
MARION (_as she departs_): My Didier is saved!
THE KING: At last I have shown Cardinal Richelieu
That I am King of France--
L'ANGELY: Who in a fright
Made a mistake, and once did what was right!
ACT III
SCENE--_A field by the castle of Beaugenoy. A great gap has been made
in the outer wall, through which looms the castle-keep. Two
workmen are covering the gap with a vast black cloth. _
A WORKMAN: If they would hang the two young gentlemen
Outside the wall, the cardinal could see
The execution without breaking down
The ramparts in this way.
HIS MATE: Could he not come
Through the great gate?
A WORKMAN: What! In a litter borne
By four-and twenty men? No! Richelieu
Travels in greater state than any king.
He enters, like a conqueror, through the breach
Made in the castles of our noblemen.
He means to kill them all, they say.
HIS MATE: And now
He comes in his great litter through this wall,
To see these poor boys hanged? What cruelty!
A WORKMAN: Now come and see the gallows we have built.
[_As they depart,_ MARION _arrives at the castle gate. She
knocks, but before the door opens,_ LAFFEMAS,
RICHELIEU'S _agent, gallops up. _
MARION: An order from the king.
THE GATEKEEPER: You cannot pass.
LAFFEMAS: An order from the cardinal.
THE GATEKEEPER: Pass in.
MARION: I have a pardon for two prisoners!
LAFFEMAS: And I the document revoking it!
The cardinal is coming here to-night
To see the execution. It is fixed
For nine o'clock.
MARION: Then there is no more hope!
Oh, God! Oh, God! My Didier must die!
Nothing can save him!
LAFFEMAS: You can, Marion.
Yes, you can still! I will let Didier escape
If, Marion, you will----
MARION: No!
LAFFEMAS: Then he dies!
MARION: And if he lives, I lose him. (_A long silence. _)
He shall live.
[_She goes into the castle with_ LAFFEMAS. DIDIER _and_
SAVERNY _appear, guarded by the jailer and his men.
It is now night. _
THE JAILER (_in a whisper to_ SAVERNY): You can
escape. The Marquis of Nangis
Has made all preparations for the flight.
SAVERNY: For both of us?
THE JAILER: No; only you. And that
May cost me my own life.
SAVERNY: Well, save my friend.
THE JAILER: I cannot.
SAVERNY: Then I must remain with him.
(_To_ DIDIER) They will hang us, friend, to-night.
* * * * *
DIDIER: Are you sure,
Saverny, she is Marion de Lorme?
On your honour, are you sure?
SAVERNY: Yes, I am.
I cannot understand you, Didier.
Are you not proud to think that you have made
So great a conquest?
DIDIER: And I thought she was
As innocent as she was beautiful!
SAVERNY: She loves you. You should be content with that.
You will not die while Marion de Lorme
Lives. And I hope that she will not forget
I am your friend, but come and save me, too.
[_It grows darker_ SAVERNY _falls asleep. _ MARION
_comes out of the gate carrying a bundle, and
accompanied by_ DIDIER.
MARION: Put on these clothes. Richelieu has arrived;
Can you not hear the guns announcing him?
DIDIER: Raise your eyes! Raise your eyes, and look at me!
What sort of man, think you, am I? A fool,
Or libertine?
MARION (_trembling, as she fixes her eyes passionately
on his_): I love you Didier,
More than my life. Your eyes are terrible.
What have I done? Am I not your Marie?
DIDIER: Marie? Or Marion de Lorme?
MARION: Didier,
Forgive me! I--I--meant to tell you all.
I feared to lose you if you learnt my name.
You had redeemed me by your love. I longed
To raise all memories of my former self,
And live a new life with you, Didier.
For, oh, I love you, and I love you still,
Deeply and truly! Didier, be kind,
Or you will kill me!
DIDIER: How have you obtained
This favour for me? Why is Laffemas
Risking his neck by letting me escape?
MARION: Not now! I cannot tell you now!
Fly! Fly!
Hark, they are coming! Do not stop to speak.
Save yourself!
DIDIER: No; I have no wish to live!
Thank God, here is the headsman!
[_A_ HEADSMAN, _carrying his axe, appears with a crowd
of soldiers, officials, and_ SAVERNY.
MARION (_falling to the earth_): Didier!
SAVERNY: What a shame
To rob me of my sleep!
THE HEADSMAN (_grimly_): The time has come
To put you both to bed.
SAVERNY (_gaily_): A headsman! Good!
I like the axe much better than the rope.
DIDIER (_embracing him_): Good-bye, my friend!
MARION (_clinging to him_): And me! Didier, me!
Will you not say good-bye to me?
DIDIER (_wildly, as the soldiers drag him off_): No! No!
My heart is breaking! Oh, Marie, Marie!
I love you. I was wrong!
MARION: You pardon me?
DIDIER: I ask your pardon. Think of me sometimes.
Good-bye, my darling. [_He is dragged behind the wall. _
AN OFFICIAL (_catching_ MARION _in his arms as she falls_):
All hope is not lost.
Look, here is Richelieu! Go and plead with him.
[_The castle guns are fired. The cloth, hiding the great
breach in the wall, drops. The_ CARDINAL _comes
in his gigantic scarlet litter, borne by twenty-four
footguards. Scarlet curtains conceal him from the
shouting mob. _
MARION (_dragging herself on her knees to the litter_):
In the name of God, oh, my Lord Cardinal,
Pardon these two poor boys!
A VOICE (_from the litter_): No pardon!
[_The litter passes on, and the crowd surges through the
wall after it_. MARION _is left alone. _
FOOTNOTES:
[J] Victor Hugo wrote "Marion de Lorme" in 1829, three months
before he composed "Hernani. " King Charles X. , however, refused to
license the play, because of the terrible way in which his ancestor,
Louis XIII. , was portrayed in it. But after the Revolution of 1830,
and the success of "Hernani," the forbidden drama was produced on the
stage. Its original title was "A Duel Under Richelieu. " The whole play
is built around the frustrated duel in which two young men engage
against the edict of the great cardinal. This economy of stage-craft
makes "Marion de Lorme" a superior work, in point of construction, to
"Hernani. " And though it may be less picturesque than that more famous
example of the romantic drama, it is on the whole a finer effort of
genius.
Ruy Blas[K]
_Persons in the Drama_
DON SALLUST DE BAZAN, _President of the Magistrates_
RUY BLAS, _Lackey to Don Sallust_
DON CESAR DE BAZAN, _Cousin to Don Sallust_
DON MANUEL ARIAS }_Counsellors_
THE COUNT OF CAMPOREAL }
DOONA MARIA, Queen of Spain
_A crowd of_ Spanish Grandees, Counsellors, _and_
Alguazils
ACT I
SCENE--_A room in the palace of King Charles II. , at Madrid, about
1695. _
DON SALLUST: So, after twenty years of constant toil,
And twenty years of honour and high power,
The weak hand of a woman strikes me down
Into the dust. Dishonoured and exiled!
And by the queen, a foolish, foreign girl
Ignorant of our ways, who has no fear
Because she has no knowledge. Had she guessed
I had so many weapons of revenge
That I am now perplexed which one to use,
She would have been more careful. Poisoning,
Of course, is easy; and when she was dead
I could retrieve the power that I have lost.
But I would rather crush and conquer her
Some other way; make her a very slave
Obedient to my slightest wish, and rule
The country in her name. The king is mad,
And she will soon be regent. (_Calling_) Ruy Blas!
RUY BLAS (_appearing at the door_): Sir?
DON SALLUST: Order my men to gather up and pack
My papers, books and documents! I leave
The palace at the break of day. But you
Must wait here till the queen comes through this room
At morning, on her way to mass. Who's that?
[DON CESAR _enters, and he and_ RUY BLAS _look at
each other in surprise. Then, seeing he is not
wanted, the lackey departs. _
DON CESAR: Well, here I am, dear cousin! Have you found,
After a search of twenty years, a post
Worthy of me? Upon the principle
Of setting thieves to capture thieves, I'd make
A splendid captain of your alguazils!
DON SALLUST: I know all your remarkable exploits,
My cousin. Were I not chief magistrate,
Your murders, thefts, and acts of brigandage
Would long since have been punished, and Don Cesar,
Count of Garofa--
DON CESAR: He died years ago.
I now am Zafari.
DON SALLUST: Zafari can die,
And Cesar, Count of Garofa, revive,
And dazzle all the ladies of the court
With his fine presence, and the wealth I'll give,
If he will serve me, as a cousin should,
Boldly and faithfully.
DON CESAR: Ah, this sounds well.
Give me a hundred ducats to begin,
And I am your man! What do you want of me?
Some rival quietly despatched?
DON SALLUST: I need
A daring, gallant and ambitious man
To help me to avenge myself.
DON CESAR: On whom?
DON SALLUST: A woman.
DON CESAR: I have fallen very low,
Don Sallust, but I have not come to that.
Murder may be my trade, but to bring down
A woman by a dastardly intrigue
Is something I would never stoop to do!
I am a wolf, maybe, but not a snake!
DON SALLUST: Give me your hand, my cousin! You have come
Out of the ordeal I prepared for you
Better than I expected.
DON CESAR: Then this plot
Against a woman----
DON SALLUST: Merely was a test.
I'll give you now the money you require.
A hundred ducats, was it? I will fetch them.
[_He departs, and signs to_ RUY BLAS _to enter. _
DON CESAR: I knew you in your strange disguise, Ruy Blas.
What are you doing here?
RUY BLAS: Ah, Zafari!
Hunger has now compelled me to adopt
The livery of a lackey. Don Sallust
To-night engaged me as his servitor,
And brought me here. And I came, Zafari,
Because---- (_He hesitates. _)
DON CESAR: You wanted food!
RUY BLAS: No. It was love
I hungered for.
DON CESAR: There are some pretty maids
In this great palace.
RUY BLAS: I am mad, mad, mad!
I am in love, Zafari, with the queen--
I, a lackey. Night after night I creep
Into the royal park, and leave some flowers
Upon her favourite seat. This evening
I put a letter with them.
DON CESAR: My poor friend,
You certainly are mad!
DON SALLUST (_opening the door slightly and pointing
out_ DON CESAR _to three armed alguazils as he
whispers_): That is the man. Arrest him when he leaves.
And kill him quickly. [_He then enters the room, and
gives a purse to_ DON CESAR, _saying:_ Here is what
you want.
Call on me to-morrow.
DON CESAR (_giving_ RUY BLAS _half the ducats_):
Come with me.
