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themselves into blushes。 Thenthen； oh； thenshe may forget
that I am the peasant's son！。
Widow。 Nay； if she will but hear thee talk； Claude？
Mel。 I foresee it all。 She will tell me that desert is the true rank。
She will give me a badgea flowera glove！ Oh rapture！
I shall join the armies of the republicI shall rise
I shall win a name that beauty will not blush to hear。
I shall return with the right to say to her〃See； how love does
not level the proud； but raise thehumble！〃 Oh； how my heart
swells within me！Oh； what glorious prophets of the future are
youth and hope！
＇Knock at the door。＇
Widow。 Come in。
Enter GASPAR。
Mel。 Welcome； Gaspar； welcome。 Where is the letter？
Why do you turn away； man？ where is the letter？ ＇GASPAR gives
him one。＇ This！ This is mine； the one I intrusted to thee。
Didst thou not leave it？
Gaspar。 Yes； I left it。
Mel。 My own verses returned to me。 Nothing else！
Gaspar。 Thou wilt be proud to hear how thy messenger was honored。
For thy sake； Melnotte； I have borne that which no Frenchman can
bear without disgrace。
Mel。 Disgrace； Gaspar！ Disgrace？
Gaspar。 I gave thy letter to the porter； who passed it from lackey
to lackey till it reached the lady it was meant for。
Mel。 It reached her； then； you are sure of that！
It reached her；well； well！
Gaspar。 It reached her； and was returned to me with blows。
Dost hear； Melnotte？ with blows！ Death！ are we slaves still；
that we are to be thus dealt with； we peasants？
Mel。 With blows？ No； Gaspar； no； not blows！
Gaspar。 I could show thee the marks if it were not so deep a shame
to bear them。 The lackey who tossed thy letter into the mire
swore that his lady and her mother never were so insulted。
What could thy letter contain； Claude？
Mel。 ＇looking over the letter＇。 Not a line that a serf might not
have written to an empress。 No； not one。
Gaspar。 They promise thee the same greeting they gave me； if thou
wilt pass that way。 Shall we endure this； Claude？
Mel。 ＇wringing GASPAR's hand＇。 Forgive me； the fault was mine； I have
brought this on thee； I will not forget it； thou shalt be avenged！
The heartless insolence！
Gaspar。 Thou art moved； Melnotte； think not of me； I would
go through fire and water to serve thee； but；a blow！
It is not the bruise that galls；it is the blush； Melnotte。
Mel。 Say； what message？How insulted！Wherefore？What the offence？
Gaspar。 Did you not write to Pauline Deschappelles； the daughter
of the rich merchant？
Mel。 Well？
Gaspar。 And are you not a peasanta gardener's son？
that was the offence。 Sleep on it； Melnotte。 Blows to a French
citizen； blows！ ＇Exit。
Widow。 Now you are cured； Claude！
Mel。 tearing the letter。 So do I scatter her image to the winds
I will stop her in the open streetsI will insult herI will beat
her menial ruffiansI will＇Turns suddenly to Widow。＇ Mother；
am I humpbackeddeformedhideous？ Widow。 You！
Mel。 A cowarda thiefa liar？
Widow。 You！
Mel。 Or a dull foola vain； drivelling； brainless idiot？
Widow。 No； no。 Mel。 What am I thenworse than all these？
Why； I am a peasant！ What has a peasant to do with love？
Vain revolutions； why lavish your cruelty on the great？ Oh that we
we； the hewers of wood and drawers of waterhad been swept away；
so that the proud might learn what the world would be without us！
＇Knock at the door。
Enter Servant from the Inn。
Servant。 A letter for Citizen Melnotte。
Mel。 A letter！ from her perhapswho sent thee？
Servant。 Why； MonsieurI mean CitizenBeauseant； who stops to dine
at the Golden Lion； on his way to his chateau。
Mel。 Beauseant！＇Reads＇。
〃Young man； I know thy secretthou lovest above thy station：
if thou hast wit； courage； and discretion； I can secure to thee
the realization of thy most sanguine hopes； and the sole condition I
ask in return is； that thou shalt be steadfast to thine own ends。
I shall demand from thee a solemn oath to marry。 her whom thou lovest；
to bear her to thine home on thy wedding night。 I am serious
if thou wouldst learn more； lose not a moment； but follow the bearer
of this letter to thy friend and patron；CHARLES BEAUSEANT。〃
Mel。 Can I believe my eyes？ Are our own passions the sorcerers
that raise up for us spirits of good or evil？ I will go instantly。
Widow。 What is this； Claude？
Mel。 〃Marry her whom thou lovest〃〃bear her to thine own home。〃
Oh； revenge and love； which of you is the stronger？＇Gazing
on the picture。＇ Sweet face； thou smilest on me from the canvas：
weak fool that I am； do I then love her still？ No； it is the vision
of my own romance that I have worshipped： it is the reality to
which I bring scorn for scorn。 Adieu； mother： I will return anon。
My brain reelsthe earth swims before me。＇Looks again at
the letter。＇ No； it is not a mockery； I do not dream！ ＇Exit。
ACT II。SCENE I。
The Gardens of M。 DESCHAPPELLEs' house at Lyonsthe house seen
at the back of the stage。
Enter BEAUSEANT and GLAVIS。
Beau。 Well； what think you of my plot？ Has it not succeeded
to a miracle？ The instant that I introduced his Highness
the Prince of Como to the pompous mother and the scornful daughter；
it was all over with them： he camehe sawhe conquered：
and； though it is not many days since he arrived； they have already
promised him the hand of Pauline。
Gla。 It is lucky； though； that you told them his highness travelled
incognito； for fear the Directory （who are not very fond of princes）
should lay him by the heels； for he has a wonderful wish to keep
up his rank； and scatters our gold about with as much coolness
as if he were watering his own flower…pots。
Beau。 True； he is damnably extravagant； I think the sly dog does it
out of malice。 How ever； it must be owned that he reflects credit on
his loyal subjects； and makes a very pretty figure in his fine clothes；
with my diamond snuff…box。
Gla。 And my diamond ring！ But do you think he will be firm to the last？
I fancy I see symptoms of relenting： he will never keep up his rank；
if he once let out his conscience。
Beau。 His oath binds him！ he cannot retract without being
foresworn； and those low fellows are always superstitious！
But； as it is； I tremble lest he be discovered： that bluff
Colonel Damas （Madame Deschappelles' cousin） evidently suspects him：
we must make haste and conclude the farce： I have thought of a plan
to end it this very day。
Gla。 This very day！ Poor Pauline： her dream will be soon over。
Beau。 Yes； this day they shall be married； this evening；
according to his oath； he shall carry his bride to the Golden Lion；
and then pomp； equipage； retinue； and title； all shall vanish at once；
and her Highness the Princess shall find that she has refused the son
of a Marquis； to marry the son of a gardener。Oh； Pauline！ once loved