The Lady of Lyons | Page 4

construction of the story, the creation of the

characters, and the spirit of the pervading sentiment.
The authorship of the play was neither avowed nor suspected until the
play had established itself in public favor. The announcement of my
name was the signal for attacks, chiefly political, to which it is now
needless to refer. When a work has outlived for some time the earlier
hostilities of criticism, there comes a new race of critics to which a
writer may, for the most part, calmly trust for a fair consideration,
whether of the faults or the merits of his performance.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE.
BEAUSEANT, a rich gentleman of Lyons, in love with, and refused by,
Pauline Deschappelles MR. ELTON.
GLAVIS, his friend, also a rejected suitor to Pauline MR. MEADOWS.
COLONEL (afterwards General) DAMAS, cousin to Mme.
Deschappelles, and an officer in the French army MR. BARTLEY.
MONSIEUR DESCHAPPELLES, a Lyonnese merchant father to
Pauline MR. STRICKLAND.
GASPAR MR. DIDDEAR.
CLAUDE MELNOTTE MR. MACREADY.
FIRST OFFICER MR. HOWE.
SECOND OFFICER MR. PRITCHARD.
THIRD OFFICER MR. ROBERTS.
Servants, Notary, etc.
MADAME DESCHAPPELLES MRS. W. CLIFFORD.
PAULINE, her daughter MISS HELEN FAUCIT.

THE WIDOW MELNOTTE, mother to Claude MRS. GRIFFITH.
JANET, the innkeeper's daughter MRS. EAST.
MARIAN, maid to Pauline MISS GARRICK.

Scene--Lyons and the neighborhood.
Time--1795-1798
First performed on Thursday, the 15th of February, 1838, at Covent
Garden Theatre.

THE LADY OF LYONS;
or,
LOVE AND PRIDE.
ACT I.--SCENE I.
A room in the house of M. DESCHAPPELLES, at Lyons. PAULINE
reclining on a sofa; MARIAN, her maid, fanning her--Flowers and
notes on a table beside the sofa--MADAME DESCHAPPELLES
seated--The gardens are seen from the open window.
Mme. Deschap. Marian, put that rose a little more to the
left.--[MARIAN alters the position of a rose in PAULINE's hair.]--Ah,
so!-- that improves the hair,--the tournure, the j'e ne sais quoi!-- You
are certainly very handsome, child!--quite my style;--I don't wonder
that you make such a sensation!--Old, young, rich, and poor, do
homage to the Beauty of Lyons!--Ah, we live again in our children,--
especially when they have our eyes and complexion!
Pauline [languidly]. Dear mother, you spoil your Pauline!--[Aside.] I
wish I knew who sent me these flowers!

Mme. Deschap. No, child!--If I praise you, it is only to inspire you with
a proper ambition.--You are born to make a great marriage.-- Beauty is
valuable or worthless according as you invest the property to the best
advantage. Marian, go and order the carriage! [Exit MARIAN.
Pauline. Who can it be that sends me, every day, these beautiful
flowers?-- how sweet they are!
Enter Servant.
Servant. Monsieur Beauseant, Madam.
Mme. Deschap. Let him enter. Pauline, this is another offer!-- I know it
is!--Your father should engage an additional clerk to keep the
account-book of your conquests.
Enter BEAUSEANT.
Beau. Ah, ladies how fortunate I am to find you at home!--[Aside.]
How lovely she looks!--It is a great sacrifice I make in marrying into a
family in trade!--they will be eternally grateful!--[Aloud.] Madam, you
will permit me a word with your charming daughter.--[Approaches
PAULINE, who rises disdainfully.]--Mademoiselle, I have ventured to
wait upon you, in a hope that you must long since have divined. Last
night, when you outshone all the beauty of Lyons, you completed your
conquest over me! You know that my fortune is not exceeded by any
estate in the province,--you know that, but for the Revolution, which
has defrauded me of my titles, I should be noble. May I, then, trust that
you will not reject my alliance? I offer you my hand and heart.
Pauline [aside.] He has the air of a man who confers a favor!--[Aloud.]
Sir, you are very condescending--I thank you humbly; but, being duly
sensible of my own demerits, you must allow me to decline the honor
you propose. [Curtsies, and turns away.
Beau. Decline! Impossible!--you are not serious!--Madam, suffer me to
appeal to you. I am a suitor for your daughter's hand-- the settlements
shall be worthy of her beauty and my station. May I wait on M.

Deschappelles?
Mme. Deschap. M. Deschappelles never interferes in the domestic
arrangements,--you are very obliging. If you were still a marquis, or if
my daughter were intended to marry a commoner,--why, perhaps, we
might give you the preference.
Beau. A commoner!--we are all commoners in France now.
Mme. Deschap. In France, yes; but there is a nobility still left in the
other countries in Europe. We are quite aware of your good qualities,
and don't doubt that you will find some lady more suitable to your
pretensions. We shall be always happy to see you as an acquaintance,
M. Beauseant!--My dear child, the carriage will be here presently.
Beau. Say no more, madam!--say no more!--[Aside.] Refused! and by a
merchant's daughter!--refused! It will be all over Lyons before sunset!--
I