The Lamp and the Bell | Page 4

Five Acts
By Edna St. Vincent Millay

Written on the occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Founding of
the Vassar College Alumnae Association
Dedicated to '1917'

Lorenzo, King of Fiori Julia Lovejoy Cuniberti '11 Mario, King of
Lagoverde Valerie Knapp '20 Guido, Duke of Versilia, Illegitimate
nephew to Lorenzo Louisa Brook Jones '07
Giovanni Katherine Jones '20 Luigi Muriel Izard '17 Anselmo Lucia
Cole Waram '01 Raffaele Eleanor Kissan '20 Gentlemen at the court of
Lorenzo
Fidelio Geneva Harrison '20 Jester at the court of Lorenzo

Giuseppe Eleanor Fatman Morgenthau '13 Agent for the Duke's estates
Cesco Gertrude Taylow Watkins '07 Horatio Lucille Stimson Harbey
'09 Townsmen of Fiori
Beppo Marcell Furman Newburg '19 A little boy, son to Guiliana
Rigo Ruth Delepenha '17 Louis Emily Gallagher '21 Little boys, sons
to Leonora
Clerk Lucy Madeira Wing '96
Messenger Esther Saville Davis '06
Octavia, Lorenzo's second wife Montgomery Cooper '09
Beatrice, "Rose-Red," Clifford Sellers '21 Daughter to Lorenzo by a
former marriage
Bianca, "Snow-White," Lois Duffie '20 Daughter to Octavia by a
former marriage
Laura Frances Stout Kellman '17 Carlotta Kathleen Millay Young
ex-'21 Francesca Dorothy Comstock '19 Viola Lillian White '18 Lilina
Caroline Goodrich '16 Lela Sylvia Brockway '20 Arianna Margaret
Hughes '18 Claudia Janet Lane '18 Clara Jeanette Baker '18 Lucia Ellen
Hasbrouck '15 Ladies at the Court of Lorenzo
Grazia Eleanor Ray Broeniman '99 Nurse to Beatrice and Bianca
Giulietta, servant to Bianca Virginia Archibold '17 "Little Snow-White"
Gretchen Tonks "Little Rose-Red" Joy Macracken '36
Leonora Catherine Barr '20 Giuliana Mabel Hastings Humpstone '94
Clara Olive Remington '19 Giovanitta Caroline Curtis Johnson '83
Anna Frances Haldeman Sidwell '84 Eugenia Helen Hoy Greeley '99
Townsmen of Fiori
Eleanora A little girl, daughter to Leonora

Gilda Ruth Benedict '20 A little girl, sister to Beppo
Adelina, another little girl Maiserie MacCracken '31 Nurse Edith Ward
Pierrot Harlequin Pant Aloon Polichinello Colombine Strolling players
Courtiers, Ladies-in-Waiting, Soldiers, Pages, Musicians,
Towns-people, Children

PROLOGUE
[Anselmo and Luigi]
ANSELMO. What think you,--lies there any truth in the tale The King
will wed again?
LUIGI. Why not, Anselmo? A king is no less lonely than a collier
When his wife dies, And his young daughter there, For all her being a
princess, is no less A motherless child, and cries herself to sleep Night
after night, as noisily as any, You may be sure.
ANSELMO. A motherless child loves not, They say, the second mother.
Though the King May find him comfort in another face,-- As it is well
he should--the child, I fancy, Is not so lonely as she is distraught With
grief for the dead Queen, and will not lightly Be parted from her tears.
LUIGI. If tales be true, The woman hath a daughter, near the age Of his,
will be a playmate for the Princess.
CURTAIN

ACT I
Scene 1
[Scene: A garden of the palace at Fiori; four years later.]

[Discovered seated Laura, Francesca and Fidelio, Laura embroidering,
Fidelio strumming his flute, Francesca lost in thought.]
LAURA. You,--Fool! If there be two chords to your lute, Give us the
other for a time!
FRANCESCA. And yet, Laura, I somewhat fancied that soft sound he
made. 'Twas all on the same tone,--but 'twas a sweet tone.
LAURA. 'Tis like you. As for myself, let music change From time to
time, or have done altogether. Sing us the song, Fidelio, that you made
Last night,--a song of flowers, and fair skies, And nightingales, and
love.
FIDELIO. I know the song. It is a song of winter.
LAURA. How is that?
FIDELIO. Because it is a song of summer set To a sad tune.
FRANCESCA. [Sadly] Ah, well,--so that it be not A song of autumn, I
can bear to hear it.
LAURA. In any case, music. I am in a mood for music. I am in a mood
where if something be not done To startle me, I shall confess my sins.
[Enter Carlotta.]
CARLOTTA. Ha! I will have that woman yet by the hair!
LAURA. What woman, pray, Carlotta?
CAR. Ho! What woman! Who but that scullery-wench, that
onion-monger, That slatternly, pale bakress, that foul witch, The
coroneted Fish-Wife of Fiori, Her Majesty, the Queen!
FRA. Hush--hush--Carlotta! You could be put to death for less than
that!

CAR. Not I, my duck. When I am put to death 'Twill be for more! Oh, I
will have her yet By the hair! [For the first time noticing Fidelio.]
Fidelio, if you breathe one word Of this, I will scratch the Princess into
ribbons, Whom you love better than your wit.
FID. I' faith, I did but hear you say you are a fish-wife, And all the
world knows that.
LAU. Fear not, Carlotta, He is as dumb as a prophet. Every second
word He utters, eats the one before it.