The Dramas of Victor Hugo: Mary Tudor, Marion de Lorme, Esmeralda Part 82

The Dramas of Victor Hugo: Mary Tudor, Marion de Lorme, Esmeralda Part 82

MARION.


Whose knees must I embrace-- His Majestys or yours?


THE KING (_astonished, examining Marion: aside_).


What does this mean?


Is this a trap?


LANGELY (_giving parchment to Marion_).


Here is the pardon. Take it!


[_Marion kisses it, and puts it in her bosom._


THE KING (_aside_).


Have I been duped?


[_To Marion._] One instant! Give it back!


MARION.


Good G.o.d!


[_To The King, with courage, touching her breast._


Come here and take it, and tear out My heart as well!


[_The King stops and steps backward, much embarra.s.sed._


LANGELY (_low to Marion_).


Good! Keep it, and be firm!


His Majesty wont take it, there!


THE KING (_to Marion_).


Give it To me!


MARION.


Take it, my sire!


THE KING (_casting down his eyes_).


Who is this siren?


LANGELY (_low to Marion_).


He wouldnt touch the corset of the Queen!


THE KING (_after a moments hesitation, dismisses Marion with a gesture without looking at her_).


Well, go!


MARION (_bowing profoundly to The King_).


Ill fly to save the prisoners! [_Exits._


LANGELY (_to The King_).


Shes sister to Didier, the falconer.


THE KING.


She can be what she will. Its very strange, The way she made me drop my eyes! Made me, A man-- [_Silence._ Fool, you have played a trick on me!


Ill have to pardon you a second time.


LANGELY.


Yes, do it! Every time they grant a pardon, Kings lift a dreary weight from off their hearts.


THE KING.


You speak the truth. I always suffer when La Greve holds court. Nangis was right: the dead Serve n.o.body. To fill Montfaucon I make a desert of the Louvre!


[_Walking rapidly._ Tis treason To strike my right of pardon out, before My face. What can I do? Disarmed, dethroned, And fallen: in this man absorbed, as in A sepulcher! His cloak becomes my shroud: My people mourn for me as for the dead.


I am resolved: those two boys shall not die!


The joy of living is a heavenly gift.


[_After reflection._ G.o.d, who knows where we go, can ope the tomb; A king cannot. Back to their families I give them; that old man, that fair young girl, Will bless me. It is said: Ive signed it--I, The King. The Cardinal will be furious, But it will please Bellegarde.


LANGELY.


One can, sometimes, Be kingly by mistake.


_ACT V_


THE CARDINAL


Scene.--_Beaugency. The tower of Beaugency. A courtyard; the tower in the background, all around a high wall. To the left, a tall arched door; to the right, a small rounded door in the wall; near the door a stone table and stone bench_


SCENE I


_Some Workmen. They are pulling down a corner of the back wall on the left. The demolition is almost completed_


FIRST WORKMAN (_working with his pickax_).