Читать книгу The Queen's Necklace - Александр Дюма - Страница 6
ОглавлениеACT I
SCENE 1: DAUGHTER OF KINGS
A dilapidated room in a furnished hotel of the lowest sort, in the Hotel de Reims, Rue de la Verrerie. On the wall, a portrait—of a long, pale bearded face—pointed beard, cap on head, ruffle at his throat—with this inscription: Henry of Valois. Chimney in which smokes the wretched remains of a log.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
(alone, seated at a table, writing) “In the hope that you will indeed continue your kindness to me, deign to accept, Madame la Duchess, the very respectful homage of your very humble and devoted servant, Jeanne de Saint Rémy, Countess de la Motte-Valois.”
What can be hoped from such humiliation?
(she reads the addresses of her letters) Madame la Duchess de Polignac, favorite of the Queen—ten crowns—Madame Compan, first lady attending Her Majesty—three crowns—Mr. de Breteuil, minister of state—an audience. Mr. de Calonée—advise—Mr. de Cagliostro—five crowns, for he’s often given me. They still say that he makes gold. It’s true he promised me a visit, on which, if I am clever and determined, my destiny will depend. Clever, I am. As for determination, misery will give us some.
(knocking) Come in!
(Beausire enters.)
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Heavens, Mr. Beausire, my neighbor on the same floor. What can I do for you, Mr. de Beausire?
BEAUSIRE
Imagine that yesterday at my academy, after a series of unexpected blows in the depths of a gaming house, my belt broke,—so much so that for supper, I had to pawn my cloak—there, Countess, see my dress.
(he turns and points to an immense hole) And I was counting on your assistance.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Alas, my poor Beausire, I am as short of money as you.
BEAUSIRE
Is that possible? You, a descendant of the Valois, a daughter of kings. Come! I shall hold my hat like this—
(he makes a comic effort) —to hide my hole. Ah! We wouldn’t be reduced to this begging if Oliva had not left me.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Your unfaithful one! Who abandoned you at break of day when I moved in beside you. So you still regret her?
BEAUSIRE
Yes, I regret her! The perfidious one! But, Oliva, Madame, she was the song of my life, the bird in my cage, the sun in my sky. We argued, we insulted each other, we fought—but the candle went out, hell became a paradise! And to say that she left, on her birthday—left over a wretched flower pot.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
That you had forgotten to give her?
BEAUSIRE
No, that I broke over her head.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Plague, cousin! You are not going to get there by striking hard.
BEAUSIRE
Ah! Madame. Does love exist without jealousy?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
And this Oliva gave you a topic on which to exercise yours?
BEAUSIRE
On the first of January at Saint Silvester—Great Lords, the tax farmers, officers, priests, even lawyers all were good to her. The last month I surprised her with a bailiff in my dressing gown.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
What did she say?
BEAUSIRE
She insisted he had seized it. And the fact is he did seize it! But I won’t importune you any more, Countess. I am going to make a tour of the Palace Royal—the devil will indeed be in it if I don’t hunt out a pair of pistoles. And perhaps I’ll have some news of my traitress.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Good luck, Mr. Beausire!
BEAUSIRE
Ah, Madame, no—there’s what it is to give flowers to women—it brings bad luck.
(He leaves.)
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Let’s see—let’s resume our accounts. Total 10 crowns and I promised twenty to Mr. de la Motte to help him support his garrison at Montmedy. Poor devil—our marriage has not enriched him.
(ringing, she calls) Clothilde! Clothilde! They’re ringing! Are you going to hurry?
CLOTHILDE
On my way.
(She leaves.)
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
If it were the visit Mr. Cagliostro announced to me—
(she pushes her papers into a drawer and throws herself in an armchair)
ANDREA
(at the door on the landing) Does the Countess de la Motte Valois dwell here?
CLOTHILDE
Yes, Madame.
ANDREA
(to another lady who is not in view) You can come in, Madame, she’s here.
CLOTHILDE
Who shall I announce to the Countess?
ANDREA
Announce two ladies of Good Deeds—
CLOTHILDE
From Paris?
QUEEN
No, from Versailles.
(Clothilde introduces the Queen and Andrea de Taverney—who are very muffled up in their furs. Clothilde leaves. The Countess advances two armchairs and bows to her visitors, designating seats to them.)
ANDREA
They told us about your situation, Countess, things which interested us, Madame and myself, and we wanted to have some details about things which concern you.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Ladies, you see the portrait of Henry II, my ancestor, for I am truly of the blood of Valois. As to the rest, if you are pleased to question me, I am prepared to respond to you.
ANDREA
They told us your father is dead?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Yes, Madame, my father, the Count de Saint-Rémy, born of Valois, great-grandson of Henry II, died in poverty and from starvation.
ANDREA
Is it possible? Died here?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Not even here, in the poor hovel, not in his bed—that bed was a pallet! My father died side by side with the most wretched and the most vile—my father died at the Hotel Dieu—in Paris!
ANDREA
Great God!
QUEEN
And your mother?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
When my father married her, she was a rare beauty, but alas! Poverty helping, this beauty, was altered and with it, my mother’s character. At the least fault, which would make another mother smile, mine would beat me. From the power of blows, she taught me a phrase that instinctively I did not want to retain—then she tossed me into the street with the order to recite it to the first passer-by—if I didn’t want to be beaten to death.
ANDREA
Frightful! Frightful!
QUEEN
And what was this phrase?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Sir, take pity on a little orphan who’s descended in a straight line from Henry II of Valois, King of France. The cold is making you shiver, Madame and I am in despair but wood has just risen to six pounds, which puts it at seventy pounds to the cord—and my store is exhausted.
QUEEN
It’s not cold that’s making me shiver, Madame—it’s pity from listening to you. But can you furnish proof justifying your genealogy?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Here’s what you desire, Madame.
(gives papers that the Queen examines)
QUEEN
(very kindly) You were right, Countess. These titles are perfectly in order—and with them you will no doubt obtain a pension for yourself, and an advancement for your husband. While waiting, the Office of Good Deeds authorizes me to offer you this slight assistance.
(She offers her a roll of coins.)
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
When shall I have the Honor of thanking you again?
QUEEN
We will let you know within a week because I promise you news from us, but it’s beginning to get late, our sleigh is expecting us, and we must reach Versailles—come, Andrea!
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Allow me, Miladies, to light you out.
(going to take the lamp from the table, she fingers the roll of coins) Crowns of a few pounds. Fifty or perhaps a hundred.
ANDREA
(putting herself together) Goodbye, Countess—and till soon—
(they leave)
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Open, Clothilde—Miladies, I am your very humble servant.
(she makes a curtsy)
(weighing the roll) I’m not mistaken—only fifty crowns—
(she dumps the roll into a bronze cup on the table) What do I see—double crowns—fifty double crows—two thousand four hundred pounds—so these ladies are very rich! Oh! I’ll find them again.
(she trips on a box) What’s that? A candy box in gold—a woman’s portrait—it resembles the larger of these ladies—no question, a mother or an ancestor—if they were still here.
(she opens a window) No! Still there’s a chaise with porters in front of the house—but they spoke of a sleigh. Oh! How cold it is.
CLOTHILDE
Madame! Madame! It’s another visit.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Yet another lady of charity?
CLOTHILDE
No, this time it’s a gentleman. And he has a tremendously more distinguished air—he says that Madame wrote to him.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
I wrote to everybody. But show him in quickly, Dame Clothilde.
(as the old woman goes to the door, aside) Come, Providence—yet another 100 crowns.
(a gesture of attention and uncertainty by the Countess on the quality of the visitor)
ROHAN
(entering) Madame Countess—I am Cardinal de Rohan.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Monsignor.
(she curtsies to him and designates an armchair)
ROHAN
My friend, the Count De Cagliostro told me of your misfortune and it is he who convinced me to pay you a visit.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
(aside, meaningfully) Ah!
(aloud) It’s a kindness for which I will be eternally grateful to him, Monsignor.
ROHAN
You are living alone?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Absolutely alone, Monsignor.
ROHAN
That’s nice on the part of a young and pretty woman.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
It’s simple, Monsignor, on the part of a woman who would be displaced in all of the society except that into which her poverty carries her.
ROHAN
Madame, I hope that you are not at the end of your resources. You have property somewhere—which must be mortgaged. Family jewels.
(noticing the box on which the Countess is drumming her fingers) This one, for example—an original box—on my word—will you allow me, Madame?
(surprised) A portrait.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
You seem to know the original of this painting, Monsignor?
ROHAN
No question! It’s that of Marie-Therese.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
(excited)
Maria-Therese, Empress of Austria. You think so, Monsignor.
ROHAN
I am certain of it. But where did you get this candy box, Madame?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
From a Lady of Charity who came here just now with one of her friends, and who willingly promised me her protection, leaving a 100 crowns on my table.
ROHAN
Pardon, Countess, but could you give me a portrait of this generous donator?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
My God, Monsignor, that would be difficult for me because this lady had her face hidden under an ample scarf.
ROHAN
But didn’t she name her companion?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Indeed—once, by her baptismal name.
ROHAN
Which is?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Andrea—
ROHAN
(aside) Andrea de Taverney—the Queen! The Queen here! Indeed, these mysterious ramblings in Paris are indeed in her habits.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
What’s wrong with you, Monsignor, you seem very upset?
ROHAN
Say that I am happy, Countess, happy at the luck which is befalling you—because with the protectress you have conquered today, it is impossible that within a short time the whole world won’t take an interest in you.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
But this protectress?
ROHAN
Is called Marie-Antoinette, Archduchess of Austria, Queen of France.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
The Queen—
ROHAN
(boldly) Yes, Countess, the Queen, who you certainly seduced and conquered as—
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
As—?
ROHAN
As you must seduce and conquer all those who have the privilege of approaching you—
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
(bitterly) Ah! Monsignor, ask valets who have escorted me out, chambermaids who kicked me out the door, Swiss who’ve given me my walking papers!
ROHAN
The nightmare is over, since the Queen is extending her tutelary hand to you—and, meanwhile, if you wish to do me a favor, you will not speak of accepting my protection—As God is not pleased that I utter this word which humiliates me more than you—but to consider me as a friend—devoted and sincere—I would regard myself as your obligee.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
The offer is too delicately put to be rejected.
ROHAN
(kissing her hand) Then we are friends, it is signed—
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
It is sworn.
ROHAN
In that case, Countess, make me a promise?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
What?
ROHAN
Friends pay each other visits, right? Promise me to return the one I have made you today?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Oh! Monsignor, you can’t be thinking of it, for me to go to your hotel!
ROHAN
Soon you will be going to a minister’s.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
A minister is not a man, Monsignor Rohan—
ROHAN
You are adorable. Well, it’s not a question of my hotel. I know a house—
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
(ironic) A small house—
ROHAN
No, Madame—a house—yours.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
(coquettishly) Mine—and where’s that? I don’t know this house—
ROHAN
Would you allow me to show it to you this evening? And once you have seen it, would you do me the favor of inviting me to supper there?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
(aside) Cagliostro—were you then speaking the truth?
(aloud) Ah! Monsignor, I was hoping that Your Eminence would deign to remember that if God has made me poor, he at least left me the pride of my rank.
ROHAN
See here, Countess, I will make you angry telling you that you are lodged in a manner little agreeable to a woman of your name. On the other hand, as a friend, you are granting me, I think the favor of seeing you sometimes. In a furnished hotel, my visits loan themselves to nasty remarks, to scandal; if you knew how mean they are to me—! And that’s why I am asking of you the service of accepting the lodging I am offering you. You see, humiliation in all this?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Pardon, Monsignor, because you are forcing me to confess there does not exist a man more delicate than you.
ROHAN
(who has written in his notebook) Here’s the address of your dwelling! I am placing it in this box.
(he considers the box and shuts the address in it) On the subject of this box, now that you know the name of your benefactress, you won’t fail to return it to Her Majesty.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
I won’t fail.
ROHAN
Say there, Countess, once you’ve conquered the Queen, in your turn, you will protect me.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Near the Queen?
ROHAN
Alas, I am not in her good books.
(passionately) And that desolates me—because I would have given my life to—
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
To please her—
ROHAN
(stopping abruptly) To please her—yes, Countess—for one is not Prime Minister if one is not agreeable to Her Majesty.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Admit that it would be strange, all the same, Monsignor, if your portfolio was found in this little box.
ROHAN
What are you saying?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
What would you make of me, Monsignor, if I made a Prime Minister of you?
ROHAN
What Cardinal de Bourbon made of Madame de Prie, his ally, his councilor, his associate, what a dream, Countess—two heads to govern France—two heads and a single heart!
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Till soon—!
ROHAN
(kissing her hand) In your house.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
(with a curtsy) Never shall I be such an ingrate, Monsignor, as to forget you are at home there.
(calling) Dame Clothilde, light out Monsignor.
CLOTHILDE
(with a torch, speechless and making a grotesque curtsy) Monsignor!
ROHAN
(aside, leaving) Let’s go! This woman has too much wit not to capture the Queen as she has captured me.
(He leaves.)
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
(alone) Decidedly, I will end by believing sorcerers!
(to Clothilde, who returns) Come here, Dame Clothilde, and see!
(she shows her the gold in the bowl)
CLOTHILDE
Jesus, Holy Virgin, so much money!
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
You were worried about your wages.
CLOTHILDE
Oh, Madame, I never said that!
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Here for your pay—and here’s for the hotel—here’s for the grocer—here’s for the restaurant owner—
CLOTHILDE
Fine, Madame.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
And now, run to Master Pingret, the second-hand clothes dealer and repurchase from him my beautiful trimmed gown, the last gift of that dear Madame de Beauvilliers, my benefactress, poor dress that I was obliged to put in pawn the day of her death, so as to be able to wear mourning.
CLOTHILDE
I’m hurrying there, Madame. Returning, I will purchase the wherewithal to concoct Madame a nice little dinner.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
(very haughtily) For whom do you take me? I don’t dine, and I will never again dine in your wretched place.
(she leaves proudly)
CLOTHILDE
(alone) Ah! For sure she must have become rich suddenly to be as insolent as that.
(noises off) But one would say they’re knocking at the door of Mr. de Beausire. And that voice! I’d swear that it was that of—
(she opens the door) Yes, indeed—Miss Oliva!
OLIVA
(gaily) You said it, respectable octogenarian.
CLOTHILDE
Why come in—will you—Mr. de Beausire has taken your key.
OLIVA
To come in here—It’s that I am with someone.
(she points to Cagliostro, who appears in the doorway)
CLOTHILDE
The Count de Cagliostro!
OLIVA
Heavens, mother Methusalim, you know the Count?
CAGLIOSTRO
Am I not known by everybody? Dame Clothilde, would you watch on Mr. de Beausire’s landing and introduce him here when you see him?
(Exit Clothilde.)
OLIVA
You can’t think of it! Put Beausire face to face with you—he will kill you.
CAGLIOSTRO
(very calm) My dear Miss Oliva—when I met you a week ago in the Palace-Royal, I placed at your feet a refuge against Mr. Beausire and his flower pots. Have I kept my word?
OLIVA
As to that, yes—
CAGLIOSTRO
During that week, in like manner, clothing, nourishment—have you had all that you wish?
OLIVA
And even more. I’ve never eaten so well in my life!
CAGLIOSTRO
You will grant me that I have not for a moment forgotten the respect that I owe you.
OLIVA
Oh! God! Not one poor little time! To the degree it was ungracious! Ah! One might say that if one eats well at your place, you have no appetite.
CAGLIOSTRO
My dear child, the moment has come for us to explain ourselves plainly.
OLIVA
Oof! That will please me!
CAGLIOSTRO
What do you do all day?
OLIVA
I do nothing.
CAGLIOSTRO
You are lazy—very well? Do you like to stroll?
OLIVA
A lot.
CAGLIOSTRO
To attend spectacles, balls—?
OLIVA
Always.
CAGLIOSTRO
To live well?
OLIVA
Especially.
CAGLIOSTRO
If I gave twenty-five or fifty crowns a month what would you say?
OLIVA
I would prefer fifty to twenty-five, but what must I do to earn them?
CAGLIOSTRO
You will receive me in your home, you will give me your arm when I ask for it, you will await me when I tell you—
OLIVA
All that is not impossible to arrange.
CAGLIOSTRO
Perhaps I’ll need for you to really be my mistress.
OLIVA
Oh, sir, trust me, you’ll never need that.
CAGLIOSTRO
Or at least that you seem so.
OLIVA
As for that, as much as you like.
CAGLIOSTRO
Then it’s agreed. Here’s the first month in advance.
OLIVA
And here’s Beausire—get out!
CAGLIOSTRO
Me—why?
OLIVA
Do you hear how he’s screaming—ah! So much the worse for you if some misfortune happens.
CAGLIOSTRO
(sitting peacefully) How you talk! So much the worse!
BEAUSIRE
(entering furious) By the horns of Beelzebub! Where is he, this fox—so I can gut him so—so I can disembowel him, so I can cut him to shreds!
OLIVA
My friend!
BEAUSIRE
(brutally) You! Try to shut up!
CAGLIOSTRO
There! There! Don’t be so rough to Madame, Monsieur de Beausire, and if you’re in a bad mood!
BEAUSIRE
Death of all the devils in hell—get up and leave or I’ll break this armchair and everything in it.
CAGLIOSTRO
(very calm) You didn’t tell me, Miss, that Mr. de Beausire had these violent whims. Zounds! What ferocity!
BEAUSIRE
(exasperated, pulling his rapier) One more time, get up or I’ll nail you to the back of the chair.
CAGLIOSTRO
(pulling a long sword) Really—try it!
OLIVA
Help!
CAGLIOSTRO
(still seated, sword in hand) Child, shush or you will make Mr. de Beausire deaf and that will make him skewer himself.
BEAUSIRE
(already on guard, stopping) Skewer myself? You said skewer myself—
CAGLIOSTRO
Like a chicken or a turkey at your choice.
BEAUSIRE
(sheathing his sword) Then if you are sure of it, admit it would be stupid of me to risk such an alternative.
CAGLIOSTRO
(sheathing also) If you had let me speak, I would have calmed your wrath with a single word.
BEAUSIRE
Which is?
CAGLIOSTRO
(deftly) I am Miss’s uncle.
BEAUSIRE
Her uncle! She never told me she had one.
CAGLIOSTRO
That’s because I was in the New World.
OLIVA
(entering into his idea) Oh, Uncle had left when I was so tiny, tiny that I’d almost forgotten about him.
BEAUSIRE
Ah, bah! Why then you are an uncle from America?
CAGLIOSTRO
You’ve guessed it.
BEAUSIRE
Oh! Why then that considerably changes the look of things.
(uneasily) By the way—did you return from there rich?
CAGLIOSTRO
Too rich to know my fortune! I have more money than I want.
BEAUSIRE
I really was saying so—that changes things at all at all—but I’m thinking—if you are my wife’s uncle—you’re also mine! In my arms—uncle!
CAGLIOSTRO
What do you think?
(during the embrace Oliva offers her hand to Cagliostro, who kisses it. After that Cagliostro pulls Beausire to him) By the way, nephew, aren’t you a member of a certain academy?
BEAUSIRE
Me?
CAGLIOSTRO
Oh! Don’t protest, I am not speaking of the Academy Française, but of a fraternity of Pharo cards, 21, and other analogous diversions which hold sessions in Rue de Vert-Bois—near to Porte-Saint Martin—upstairs over the ground floor—
BEAUSIRE
Keep it down!—Well?
CAGLIOSTRO
Well! In a quarter of an hour, at your academy they’re going to discuss a little pending project to give a benefice of nearly 2 million pounds to its associates.
BEAUSIRE
Head and blood! Why, if I’m not there, I’ll lose my share.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
(enters in high fashion, with arms uncovered) You, my dear Count?
CAGLIOSTRO
Myself, Countess! But how beautiful you are!
(kissing her hand) Ah! I understand the visit took place—and no doubt you are going to dine—with him!
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Can one hide nothing from a sorcerer! Why, it’s Mr. Beausire—oh! How happy you seem.
BEAUSIRE
There’s something to it, Countess. I found her again.
(he unmasks Oliva, who curtsies, the Countess recoils stupefied)
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
(not taking her eyes from Oliva) Huh? Madame is Miss Oliva—
OLIVA
To serve you, Madame.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
(still watching her) I understand—the joy of Mr. Beausire, Miss, as I now am able to explain to myself all his past sorrow—
(curtsy by Oliva; aside) Oh, this resemblance is truly terrifying.
CAGLIOSTRO
(low) What’s the matter with you, Countess?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
(hiding her emotion) Me—nothing.
CAGLIOSTRO
You find this girl resembles her—huh?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Resembles whom?
CAGLIOSTRO
(taking the candy box on the table, still low) Well, if not to the original, at least to the owner of this portrait. But here’s Dame Clothilde who, no question, is coming to inform you that your carriage awaits you. Good luck, Countess. You are grasping fortune, don’t let it go!
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
(putting on the cloak the old woman holds for her) Have confidence in me.
(to Oliva) Goodbye! I hope to see you again, Miss.
(aside) Oh! It is impossible that God in making such a prodigy has not had his plans!
CAGLIOSTRO
That’s my opinion!
(aside) But we will assist them.
C U R T A I N
