The Romancers | Page 5

honest man, he went without telling us the price!
BERGAMIN. Everything is arranged. Now we'll live together, after
demolishing the wall.
PASQUINOT. And in winter we'll have but one hearth and home!
BERGAMIN. Our dearest wishes are about to be realized!
PASQUINOT. And we'll grow old together!
BERGAMIN. Dear old Pasquinot!
PASQUINOT. Dear old Bergamin! [They embrace. SYLVETTE and

PERCINET enter, from each side of the stage and, seeing their fathers
embrace]
SYLVETTE. Oh!
BERGAMIN. [Aside to PASQUINOT] Your daughter!
PERCINET. Oh!
PASQUINOT. [Aside to BERGAMIN] Your son!
BERGAMIN. [Aside to PASQUINOT] We must pretend to fight!
[Their embrace is transformed into a struggle.] Rascal!
PASQUINOT. Fool!
SYLVETTE. [Pulling her father's coat-tails] Papa!
PERCINET. [Doing the same with his father] Papa!
BERGAMIN. Let us be!
PASQUINOT. He insulted me!
BERGAMIN. He struck me!
PASQUINOT. Coward!
SYLVETTE. Papa!
BERGAMIN. Thief!
PERCINET. Papa!
PASQUINOT. Bandit!
SYLVETTE. Papa!! [SYLVETTE and PERCINET succeed in
separating the fathers.]

PERCINET. [Dragging his father away] Go in now, it's late.
BERGAMIN. [Trying to go to the wall again] I can't control myself.
Just let me--! [PERCINET takes him out.]
PASQUINOT. [Also trying to return to the wall] I'll kill him!
SYLVETTE. [Dragging PASQUINOT out] The air is so damp! Think
of your rheumatism! [They go out.]
[Little by little it grow dark. For a moment the stage is empty. Then, in
PASQUINOT's park, enter STRAFOREL and swordsmen, musicians,
and torch-bearers.]
STRAFOREL. I see one star already. The day is dying [He places his
men about the stage.] Stay there--you there--and you there. The hour is
near. You will see, as the clock strikes eight, a figure in white enter on
this side. Then I whistle--[He looks at the sky again.] The moon?
Splendid! Every effect is perfect to-night. [Examining the costumes of
his band] The capes and mantels are excellent. Look a little more
dangerous, over there! Now, ready? [A sedan-chair is brought in.] The
chair over there in the shade. [Seeing the negroes who carry the chair]
The negroes are good! [Speaking at a distance] Torches, there, you
understand you are not to come until you receive the signal? [The faint
reflection of the torches is seen at the back of the stage, through the
underbrush. Enter the musicians.] Musicians? There-- at the back. Now,
a little distinction and life! Vary your poses from time to time. Stand
straight, mandolin! Sit down, alto! There. [Severely to a swordsman]
You, first mask, don't look so harmless--I want a villainous slouch!
Good! Now, instruments, play softly--tune up! Good--tra la la! [He puts
on his mask.]
[PERCINET enters slowly from the other side of the stage. As he
speaks the following lines, the stage becomes darker, until at the end, it
is night.]
PERCINET. My father is calmer now. The day is dying, and the
intoxicating odor of the elders is wafted to me; the flowers close their

petals in the gray of the evening--
STRAFOREL. [Aside to the violins] Music!
[The musicians play softly until the end of the act.]
PERCINET. I tremble like a reed. She is coming!
STRAFOREL. [To the musicians] Amoroso!
PERCINET. My first evening meeting--I can scarcely stand! The
evening breeze sounds like the fluttering of her dress. Now I can't see
the flowers, but I can smell them. Ah, this great tree, with a star above
it--Music? Who--? [A pause.] Night has come. [After another pause, a
clock strikes eight in the distance. SYLVETTE appears at the back of
her park.]
SYLVETTE. The hour has struck. He must be waiting.
[A whistle is heard. STRAFOREL rises in front of SYLVETTE, and
torch-bearers appear in the background. SYLVETTE screams. The
swordsmen seize and put her into the sedan-chair.]
SYLVETTE. Help! Help!
PERCINET. Great Heavens!
SYLVETTE. Percinet, they are carrying me off!
PERCINET. [Leaping to the wall] I come! [When he reaches the top of
the wall, he draws his sword, jumps down on the other side, and
engages four or five swordsmen in combat. They flee before him.]
There, and there, and there!
STRAFOREL. [To the musicians] Tremolo!
[The violins now play a dramatic tremolo.]
STRAFOREL. Per Bacco, he's the devil, that child! [PERCINET now

engages STRAFOREL in a duel. STRAFOREL, after a few thrusts,
puts his hand to his breast.] I--I'm mortally wounded! [He falls.]
PERCINET. [Running to SYLVETTE, who sits in the sedan-chair]
Sylvette! [He kneels to her.]
SYLVETTE. My savior!
PASQUINOT. [Entering] Bergamin's son! Your savior? Your savior? I
give you to him!
SYLVETTE and PERCINET. Heavens!
[BERGAMIN now appears on his side of the wall.]
PASQUINOT. [To BERGAMIN, who is seen on top of the wall]
Bergamin, your son is a hero! Let us forget our quarrels, and make
these children happy!
BERGAMIN. [Solemnly] I hate you no more!
PERCINET. Sylvette, don't speak loud: I know I am dreaming. But
don't wake me!
BERGAMIN.