Produced by Dagny and Frank J. Morlock
This Etext is for private use only. No republication for profit inprint or other media may be made without the express consent of theCopyright Holder. The Copyright Holder is especially concerned aboutperformance rights in any media on stage, cinema, or television, oraudio or any other media, including readings for which an entrance feeor the like is charge. Permissions should be addressed to: FrankMorlock, 6006 Greenbelt Rd, #312, Greenbelt, MD 20770, USA orfrankmorlock@msn.com. Other works by this author may be found athttp://www.cadytech.com/dumas/personnage.asp?key=130
a play in one act and in prose
by Verlaine, 1895
Translated and adapted by Frank J. Morlock
Characters:
A Servant
Aubin
Madame Marie Aubin
Peltier
An Officer
The action takes place in the room of a hotel.
PELTIER (to a servant who is leaving)
That's fine. We'll ring when we need you.
(to Marie)
A day and a night of rest, my darling, right? After which we'll leave,
crossing Switzerland for Brindisi without any stop and reach the
Orient as it was agreed.
MARIE
It was agreed?
PELTIER
Eh! Yes.
MARIE
It's true. Indeed, as you like.
PELTIERWhat do you mean? Since you approve, I'm going to peruse the trainschedule. You'll allow me.
MARIE
My God, yes.
(A short pause during which Marie looks at her ring and munches on acake she has taken from a gold comfit box.)
PELTIER (after having written some notes in pencil)There. At noon tomorrow we'll take the Express and we'll stop whereveryou like. Look. (offering Marie his notes)
MARIEMy friend, you are perfect. I'm going to think it over. Would youlisten to me for a moment to discuss something else?
PELTIER
Speak my darling.
MARIE
I want to call a halt to our adventure here.
PELTIER
I don't understand.
MARIEDon't interrupt me. What we are doing is crazy. It's not ridiculous,it's crazy. We will be far less happy than we were there. And it trulyrequired all the influence of your charming character and thepersuasion of your frankness (offering him her hand which he holds andkeeps) to make me take this enormous step. It's no longer time, I knowor rather I suspect, to go back on such an impulse, but after all,what do you want? And I am in despair after all this bravura whichdecided me, sustained me, swept me off my feet during this longjourney from Paris to this chancy place. Ah, I'm afraid.
PELTIER (overwhelmed by surprise rather than skeptical and resolved ashe had appeared up until now.)Afraid of whom and what? (he lets Marie's hand fall and crosses hisarms waiting to hear more)
MARIEOf the past, first of all. Fear! Remorse because of the past. Andcertainly my husband doesn't deserve all this outrage. He's a man withfaults, surely, even vices, perhaps. But he's honorable and evenrighteous. And now I think of it these quarrels between him and memust rather proceed from me, spoiled child and over-free young girlthat I was before my marriage with this honest, with this gallant man.