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Places her on a seat。 Therewe are strangers now！
Pauline。 All goneall calm
Is every thing a dream？ thou art safe； unhurt
I do not love thee；butbut I am woman；
Andandno blood is spilt？
Mel。 No； lady； no； My guilt hath not deserved so rich a blessing
As even danger in thy cause。
Enter WIDOW。
Widow。 My son； I have been everywhere in search of you； why did
you send for me？
Mel。 I did not send for you。
Widow。 No！ but I must tell you your express has returned。
Mel。 So soon！ impossible！
Widow。 Yes； he met the lady's father and mother on the road；
they were going into the country on a visit。 Your messenger
says that Monsieur Deschappelles turned almost white with anger
when he read your letter。 They will be here almost immediately。
Oh； Claude； Claude！ what will they do to you？ How I tremble！
Ah； madam！ do not let them injure himif you knew how he doated on you。
Pauline。 Injure him！ no； ma'am； be not afraid；my father！ how shall
I meet him？ how go back to Lyons？ the scoff of the whole city！
Cruel； cruel； Claude ＇in great agitation＇。 Sir； you have
acted most treacherously。
Mel。 I know it； madam。
Pauline ＇aside。＇ If he would but ask me to forgive him！
I never can forgive you； sir。
Mel。 I never dared to hope it。
Pauline。 But you are my husband now； and I have sworn to
to love you； sir。
Mel。 That was under a false belief； madam； Heaven and the laws
will release you from your vow。
Pauline。 He will drive me mad！ if he were but less proud
if he would but ask me to remainhark； harkI hear the wheels
of the carriageSirClaude； they are coming； have you no word
to say ere it is loo late？ Quick speak。
Mel。 I can only congratulate you on your release。 Behold your parents
Enter MONSIEUR and MADAME DESCHAPPELLES and COLONEL DAMAS。
M。 Deschap。 My child！ my child！
Mme。 Deschap。 Oh； my poor Pauline！what a villanous hovel this is！
Old woman； get me a chairI shall faint I certainly shall。
What will the world say？ Child； you have been a fool。
A mother's heart is easily broken。
Damas。 Ha； ha！ most noble PrinceI am sorry to see a man of your
quality in such a condition； I am afraid your highness will go
to the House of Correction。
Mel。 Taunt on； sir； I spared you when you were unarmedI am unarmed now。
A man who has no excuse for crime is indeed defenceless！
Damas。 There's something fine in the rascal； after all！
M。 Deschap。 Where is the impostor？Are you thus shameless； traitor？
Can you brave the presence of that girl's father？
Mel。 Strike me； if it please youyou are her father。
Pauline。 Sirsir； for my sake； whatever his guilt； he has acted
nobly in atonement。
Mme。 Deschap。 Nobly！ Are you mad； girl？ I have no patience with you
to disgrace all your family thus！ Nobly！ Oh you abominable；
hardened； pitiful； mean； ugly villain！
Damas。 Ugly！ Why he was beautiful yesterday！
Pauline。 Madame； this is his roof； and he is my husband。
Respect your daughter； or let blame fall alone on her。
Mme。 Deschap。 YouyouOh； I'm choking。
M。 Deschap。 Sir； it were idle to waste reproach upon a conscience
like yoursyou renounce all pretensions to the person of this lady？
Mel。 I do。 ＇Gives a paper。＇ Here is my consent to a divorce
my full confession of the fraud which annuls the marriage。
Your daughter has been foully wrongedI grant it； sir； but her
own lips will tell you that； from the hour in which she crossed
this threshold； I returned to my own station； and respected hers。
Pure and inviolate； as when yestermorn you laid your hand upon
her head； and blessed her； I yield her back to you。 For myself
I deliver you for ever from my presence。 An outcast and a criminal；
I seek some distant land； where I may mourn my sin； and pray for
your daughter's peace。 Farewellfarewell to you all； for ever！
Willow。 Claude； Claude； you will not leave your poor old mother？
She does not disown you in your sorrow no； not even in your guilt。
No divorce can separate a mother from her son。
Pauline。 This poor widow teaches me my duty。 No； mother；no； for you
are now my mother also！nor should any law； human or divine；
separate the wife from her husband's sorrows。 ClaudeClaudeall is
forgotten forgivenI am。 thine for ever！
Mme。 Deschap。 What do I hear？Come away； or never see my face again。
M。 Deschap。 Pauline； we never betrayed you！do you forsake
us for him？
Pauline。 ＇going back to her father＇。 Oh nobut you will forgive him too；
we will live togetherhe shall be your son。
M。 Deschap。 Never！ Cling to him and forsake your parents！
His home shall be yourshis fortune yourshis fate yours：
the wealth I have acquired by honest industry shall never enrich
the dishonest man。
Pauline。 And you would have a wife enjoy luxury while a husband toils！
Claude； take me； thou canst not give me wealth； titles； station
but thou canst give me a true heart I will work for thee； tend thee；
bear with thee； and never； never shall these lips reproach thee
for the past。
Damas。 I'll be hanged if I am not going to blubber！
Mel。 This is the heaviest blow of all！What a heart I have wronged！
Do not fear me； sir； I am not all hardenedI will not rob her
of a holier love than mine。 Pauline！angel of love and mercy！
your memory shall lead me back to virtue！The husband of a being
so beautiful in her noble and sublime tenderness may be poor
may be low born；（there is no guilt in the decrees of providence！）
but he should be one who can look thee in the face without
a blush；to whom thy love does not bring remorse；who can
fold thee to his heart； and say；〃Here there is no deceit！〃
I am not that man！
Damas。 ＇aside to MELNOTTE＇。 Thou art a noble fellow； notwithstanding；
and wouldst make an excellent soldier。 Serve in my regiment。
I have had a letter from the Directoryour young general takes
the command of the army in Italy；I am to join him at Marseilles；I
will depart this day； if thou wilt go with me。
Mel。 It is the favor I would have asked thee； if I dared。
Place me wherever a foe is most dreaded；wherever France most
needs a life！
Damas。 There shall not be a forlorn hope without thee！
Mel。 There is my hand！mother； your blessing。 I shall see
you again；a better man than a prince；a man who has bought
the right to high thoughts by brave deeds。 And thou！thou！ so
wildly worshipped； so guiltily betrayed； all is not yet lost！
for thy memory； at least； must be mine till death！ If I live；
the name of him thou hast once loved shall not rest dishonored；
if I fall； amidst the carnage and the roar of battle； my soul
will fly back to thee； and love shall share with death my
last sigh！Moremore would I speak to thee！to pray！to bless！
But no； When I am less unworthy I will utter it to Heaven！I cannot
trust myself to ＇turning to DESCHAPPELLES＇ Your pardon； sir； they are
my last word