按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
of a Marquis； to marry the son of a gardener。Oh； Pauline！ once loved；
now hated； yet still not relinquished； thou shalt drain the cup
to the dregs；thou shalt know what it is to be humbled！
Enter from the house； MELNOTTE； as the Prince of Como； Ieading
in PAULINE； MADAME
DESCHAPPELLES； fanning herself； and COLONEL DAMAS。
＇BEAUSEANT and GLAVIS bow respectfully。 fully。 PAULINE and
MELNOTTE walk apart。
Mme。 Deschap。 Good morning； gentlemen； really I am so fatigued
with laughter； the dear Prince is so entertaining。 What wit he has！
Any one may see that he has spent his whole life in courts。
Damas。 And what the deuce do you know about courts；
cousin Deschappelles？ You women regard men just as you buy books
you never care about what is in them； but how they are bound
and lettered。 'Sdeath； I don't think you would even look at your
Bible if it had not a title to it。
Mme。 Deschap。 How coarse you are； cousin Damas！quite the manners
of a barrackyou don't deserve to be one of our family；
really we must drop your acquaintance when Pauline marries。
I cannot patronize any relations that would discredit my future
son…in…law； the Prince of Como。
Mel。 ＇advancing＇。 These are beautifui gardens； madame； （BEAUSEANT and
GLAVIS retirewho planned them
Mme。 Deschap。 A gardener named Melnotte； your highness
an honest man who knew his station。 I can't say as much for his son
a presuming fellow； who；ha！ ha！ actually wrote versessuch doggerel！
to my daughter。
Pauline。 Yes； how you would have laughed at them； Prince！ you；
who write such beautiful verses！
Mel。 This Melnotte must be a monstrous impudent person！
Damas。 Is he good…looking？
Mme。 Deschap。 I never notice such canaillean ugly； mean…looking clown；
if I remember right。
Damas。 Yet I heard your porter say he was wonderfully like his highness。
Mel。 ＇taking snuff＇。 You are complimentary。
Mme。 Deschap。 For shame； cousin Damas！like the Prince； indeed！
Pauline。 Like you！ Ah； mother； like our beautiful prince！
I'll never speak to you again； cousin Damas。
Mel。 ＇aside＇。 Humph！rank is a great beautifier！ I never passed
for an Apollo while I was a peasant； if I am so handsome as a prince；
what should I be as an emperor！ ＇Aloud。＇ Monsieur Beauseant；
will you honor me？ ＇Offers snuff。
Beau。 No； your highness； I have no small vices。
Mel。 Nay； if it were a vice； you'd be sure to have it； Monsieur Beauseant。
Mme。 Deschap。 Ha！ ha！how very severe！what wit！
Beau。 ＇in a rage and aside＇。 Curse his impertinence！
Mme。 Deschap。 What a superb snuff…box！ Pauline。 And what
a beautiful ring！
Mel。 You like the boxa trifleinteresting perhaps from associations
a present from Louis XIV。 to my great…great grandmother。
Honor me byaccepting it。
Beau。 plucking him by the sleeve。 How！what the devil！
My boxare you mad？ It is worth five hundred louis。
Mel。 ＇unheeding him； and turning to PAULINE＇。 And you like this ring？
Ah； it has； indeed a lustre since your eyes have shone on it
placing it on her finger。 Henceforth hold me； sweet enchantress；
the Slave of the Ring。
Gla。 ＇pulling him＇。 Stay； staywhat are you about？
My maiden aunt's legacya diamond of the first water。
You shall be hanged for swindling； sir。
Mel。 ＇pretending not to hear＇。 It is curious； this ring；
it is the one with which my grandfather； the Doge of Venice；
married the Adriatic！
（Madame and PAULINE examine the ring。 Mel。 ＇to BEAUSEANT and
GLAVIS＇。 Fie； gentlemen！ princes must be generous？＇Turns to DAMAS；
who watches them closely。＇ These kind friends have my interest
so much at heart； that they are as careful of my property as if it
were their own！
Beau and Gla。 ＇confusedly＇。 Ha！ ha！very good joke that！
＇Appears to remonstrate with MELNOTTE in dumb show。
Damas。 What's all that whispering？ I am sure there is some juggle here：
hang me； if I think he is an Italian after all。 Gad； I'll try him。
Servitore umillissimo； Eccellenza。*
（* Your Excellency's most humble servant。）
Mel。 Humwhat does he mean； I wonder？
Damas。 Godo di vedervi in buona salute。*
（* I am glad to see you in good health。）
Mel。 Hemhem！
Damas。 Fa bel tempothe si dice di nuovo？ *
（* Fine weather。 What news is there？）
Mel。 Well； sir； what's all that gibberish？
Damas。 Oh； oh！only Italian； your highness！The Prince of Como
does not understand his own language！
Mel。 Not as you pronounce it； who the deuce could？
Mme。 Deschap。 Ha！ ha！ cousin Damas； never pretend to what
you don't know。
Pauline。 Ha！ ha！ cousin Damas； you speak Italian； indeed！
＇Makes a mocking gesture at him。
Beau。 ＇to GLAVIS＇。 Clever dog！how ready！
Gla。 Ready； yes； with my diamond ring！Damn his readiness！
Damas。 Laugh at me！laugh at a Colonel in the French army！
the fellow's an impostor； I know he is。 I'll see if he understands
fighting as well as he does Italian。＇Goes up to him； and aside。＇ Sir；
you are a jackanapes。Can you construe that？
Mel。 No； sir； I never construe affronts in the presence of ladies；
by…and…by I shall be happy to take a lessonor give one。
Damas。 I'll find the occasion； never fear！
Mme。 Deschap。 Where are you going； cousin？
Damas。 To correct my Italian。 ＇Exit。
Beau。 ＇to GLAVIS＇。 Let us after； and pacify him； he evidently
suspects something。
Gla。 Yes！but my diamond ring！
Beau。 And my box！We are over…taxed fellow…subjects！we must stop
the supplies； and dethrone the prince。
Gla。 Prince！he ought to be heir…apparent to King Stork。
＇Exeunt BEAUSEANT and GLAVIS。
Mme。 Deschap。 Dare I ask your highness to forgive my
cousin's insufferable vulgarity？
Pauline。 Oh yes！you will forgive his manner for the sake
of his heart。
Mel。 And the sake of his cousin。Ah； madam； there is one
comfort in rank；we are so sure of our position that we are not
easily affronted。 Besides； M。 Damas has bought the right of indulgence
from his friends； by never showing it to his enemies。
Pauline。 Ah！ he is； indeed； as brave in action as he is rude in speech。
He rose from the ranks to his present grade； and in two years！
Mel。 In two years！two years； did you say？
Mme。 Deschap。 ＇aside＇。 I don't like leaving girls alone with
their lovers； but； with a prince； it would be so ill…bred to be prudish。
（Exit。
Mel。 You can be proud of your connection with one who owes his
position to meritnot birth。
Pauline。 Why； yes； but still
Mel。 Still what； Pauline！
Pauline。 There is something glorious in the heritage of command。
A man who has ancestors is like a representative of the past。
Mel。 True； but； like other representatives； nine times out of ten
he is a silent member。 Ah； Pauline！ not to the past； but to the future；
looks true nobility； and finds its blazon in posterity。
Pauline。 Y