Queen Margot: A Play in Five Acts. Александр Дюма
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Yes, my son!
(The pages, the guards and the people leave with great acclamations.)
(The litter goes out.)
ADMIRAL
(discharging his gentlemen)
Well, de Mouy—you are satisfied, I hope?
DE MOUY
Yes—he seems to me in good faith.
ADMIRAL
Oh, I will answer for him as for myself.
DE MOUY
In any case, father, now that we can live in Paris in peace, if he doesn’t do justice on the assassin for me, I will do it myself. Now, a brief word on another subject which touches me very closely and for me is no less important.
ADMIRAL
Speak.
DE MOUY
You persist in sponsoring Henry to us as the King of Navarre.
ADMIRAL
The throne belongs to him by right.
DE MOUY
Doubtless. But is he worthy of it?
ADMIRAL
Henry is worthy of all thrones, de Mouy.
DE MOUY
I can still attach myself to him.
ADMIRAL
As the ivy to an oak.
DE MOUY
But, you know, my attachment means absolute devotion.
ADMIRAL
Devote yourself frankly and completely then, for by devoting yourself to Henry, you are devoting yourself not only to a man, but to a cause—and this cause is the cause of the Lord.
DE MOUY
Then, in your opinion, he’s the leader who can make the Huguenots strong and free, and the reformed religion great and strong?
ADMIRAL
He’s the King who can do it, in the realm he governs, the first realm in the world.
DE MOUY
Then it’s agreed, father. From today, he will dispose of me, as you would dispose of yourself. Goodbye.
ADMIRAL
Good and excellent young man.
(He follows him with his eyes and then reenters his hotel.)
(La Hurière arrives from the street. Coconnas is behind him.)
LA HURIÈRE
How they conspire. These Huguenots, for I am positive they conspire. Happily they won’t be allowed to get away with it, for they would go very far indeed, but it is time to stop them. You are right, Mr. de Maureval, it is time.
COCONNAS
(tapping him on the shoulder)
Well, friend—supper?
LA HURIÈRE
By God—I had forgotten you, sir!
COCONNAS
What, you had forgotten me? And you admit it, clown?
LA HURIÈRE
My word, when you know why—and for whom—
COCONNAS
Why and for whom?
LA HURIÈRE
It was for His Majesty, Charles the IX, who just left—
COCONNAS
The King? By God! I am annoyed not to have seen him. The King went by—in the street?
LA HURIÈRE
Yes, coming from the Admiral’s house.
COCONNAS
What! The King went to visit that pagan?
LA HURIÈRE
(low)
Good! He’s one of ours.
(aloud)
Gregory—quickly serve this gentleman. Serve! Serve!
COCONNAS
Well, it appears that he’s humanizing—What’s all this?
LA HURIÈRE
An omelette with bacon, so you won’t have to wait, Your Lordship.
COCONNAS
Bravo!
(He sits down to eat.)
LA MÔLE
(entering by the other door)
Count, not only does Plutarch say in an aside, that one must harden one’s soul to the sorrows of the stomach, but he also says further in another place, that he who has, must share with he who has not. For the love of Plutarch, will you share your omelette with me?
COCONNAS
Didn’t you get to dine with the King of Navarre as you expected?
(offering him a seat)
LA HURIÈRE
Ah! It appears this one is a Huguenot.
LA MÔLE
No—the King of Navarre was not at the Louvre. But in exchange—
COCONNAS
Well—in exchange?
LA MÔLE
Oh—count—the adorable vision I have seen.
COCONNAS
A vision?
LA MÔLE
Try to imagine that through the offices of a young captain of the Reformed Religion, I was ushered into a large gallery, where, to my profound astonishment, there was no one about. There, my companion left me alone to discover for himself what was going on when suddenly a door opened and I found myself face to face with a woman so noble, so gracious, so resplendent, that at first I thought she was the ghost of the beautiful Diane de Poitiers who returns, they say—to the Louvre.
COCONNAS
And she was—?
LA MÔLE
She was quite simply the living Madame Marguerite, Queen of Navarre.
COCONNAS
My word, you are not unlucky—I prefer the living to ghosts.
LA MÔLE
You are right.
COCONNAS
And what did you say to this beautiful Queen?
LA MÔLE
Not a word. I was in ecstasy. I drew forth the letter I was carrying and gave it to her—and with the prettiest hand in the world, with the most slender fingers I have ever seen, and she slid the letter, still hot from my breast—into her satin corset.
COCONNAS
Oh—Oh—my companion how vividly you describe things.
LA MÔLE
I speak as I feel—and you, did you achieve your ends?
COCONNAS
By God—not everyone is favored like you by Gods and Goddesses. I luckily met a German—very agreeable for a German—we had nothing to say! But recognizing in me a good Catholic, he escorted me to Mr. de Guise—with whom I have some business.
(to Hurière who is entranced)