Kitabı oku: «The Stepmother, A Drama in Five Acts», sayfa 8
SCENE SEVENTH
The same persons, Gertrude and Marguerite.
Gertrude I hear the strains of church music! What, is there another trial going on here? What can be happening? (She goes to the door of Pauline's chamber and starts back terrified, on the appearance of Marguerite.) Ah!
Marguerite
They are offering prayers over the body of your victim!
Gertrude
Pauline! Pauline! Dead!
The Magistrate
And it is you, madame, who have poisoned her.
Gertrude I! I! I! Ah! what is this? Am I asleep or awake? (To Ramel) Ah! How extremely fortunate for me in this meeting! For you know the whole affair, don't you? Do you believe me capable of a crime like this? What! Am I actually accused of it? Do you think that I would have made an attack upon her life? I, the mother of a child, before whom I would not wish to be disgraced? Justice will vindicate me – Marguerite, let no one leave the room. Gentlemen, tell me what has taken place since yesterday evening, when I left Pauline slightly indisposed?
The Magistrate Madame, collect yourself! You stand before the tribunal of your country.
Gertrude
You chill me with such words —
The Magistrate The administration of justice in France is the most perfect of criminal procedures. No traps are set, for justice proceeds, acts, and speaks with open face, for she is solely intent upon her mission, which is, the discovery of the truth. At the present moment, you are merely inculpated, and in me you must see your protector. But tell the truth, whatever it may be; the final result will be decided at a higher tribunal.
Gertrude Ah! sir, take me into her chamber, and in presence of Pauline I will cry out, what I cry out before you – I am guiltless of her death!
The Magistrate
Madame!
Gertrude Sir, let us have none of those long phrases, with which you blind the eyes of people. I suffer pains unheard of! I weep for Pauline as though she were my child, and – I forgive her everything! What do you want with me? Proceed, and I will answer you.
Ramel
What is it that you will forgive her?
Gertrude
I mean —
Ramel (in a low voice)
Be cautious in your replies.
Gertrude
You are right, for precipices yawn on every side!
The Magistrate (to the sheriff's officer) Names and titles may be taken later; now write down the notes of the investigation, and the inquiry. (To Gertrude) Did you yesterday forenoon put opium into the tea of Mlle. de Grandchamp?
Gertrude
Ah! doctor – this is you.
Ramel Do not accuse the doctor. He has already too seriously compromised himself for you! Answer the magistrate!
Gertrude
It is true.
The Magistrate Madame recognizes the cup and admits that she put opium in it. That will be enough for the present, at this stage of the inquiry.
Gertrude
Do you accuse me then of something further? What is it?
The Magistrate Madame, if you cannot free yourself from blame with regard to a later event, you may be charged with the crime of poisoning. We must now proceed to seek proofs either of your innocence or of your guilt.
Gertrude
Where will you seek them?
The Magistrate From you! Yesterday you gave Mlle. de Grandchamp an infusion of orange leaves, in another cup which contained arsenic.
Gertrude
Can it be possible!
The Magistrate The day before yesterday you declared that the key of your desk, in which the arsenic was locked, never left your possession.
Gertrude
It is in my dress pocket.
The Magistrate
Have you ever made any use of that arsenic?
Gertrude
No; you will find the parcel still sealed.
Ramel
Ah! madame, I sincerely hope so.
The Magistrate
I very much doubt it; this is one of those audacious criminals —
Gertrude
The chamber is in disorder, permit me —
The Magistrate
No, no! All three of us will enter it.
Ramel
Your innocence is now at stake.
Gertrude
Gentlemen, let us go in together.
SCENE EIGHTH
Vernon (alone) My poor General! He kneels by the bed of his daughter; he weeps, he prays! Alas! God alone can give her back to him.
SCENE NINTH
Vernon, Gertrude, Ramel, the Magistrate and the Sheriff's Officer.
Gertrude
I scarce can believe my senses; I am dreaming – I am —
Ramel
You are ruined, madame.
Gertrude
Yes, sir – But by whom?
The Magistrate (to the sheriff's officer) Write down that Madame de Grandchamp having herself unlocked for us the desk in her bedchamber and having herself given into our hands the parcel sealed by M. Baudrillon, this parcel which two days ago was intact is found unsealed and from it has been taken a dose, more than sufficient to produce death.
Gertrude
Death! – And I?
The Magistrate Madame, it was not without reason that I took from your desk this torn piece of paper. We have also picked up in Mlle. de Grandchamp's chamber a piece of paper, which exactly fits to it; and this proves that when you reached your desk, in that confusion which crime always brings upon criminals, you took up this paper to wrap up the dose, which you intended to mix with the infusion.
Gertrude
You said that you were my protector! And there, see now —
The Magistrate Give me your attention, madame. In face of such suspicions, I feel I shall have to change the writ of summons into a writ of bail or imprisonment. (He signs the document.) And now, madame, you must consider yourself under arrest.
Gertrude Of course, I will do all that you wish! But you told me that your mission was to search for the truth – Ah! Let us search for it here – Let us search for it here!
The Magistrate
Certainly, madame.
Gertrude (to Ramel; she is weeping)
O M. Ramel!
Ramel Have you anything to say in your defence which would lead us to cancel this terrible sentence?
Gertrude Gentlemen, I am innocent of the crime of poisoning, and yet all is against me! I implore you, give my your help instead of torturing me! And listen to me – Some one must have taken my key, – can you not understand? Some one must have come into my room – Ah! I see it all now – (To Ramel) Pauline loved as I loved; she has poisoned herself!
Ramel For the sake of your honor, do not say that, without the most convincing proofs, otherwise —
The Magistrate Madame, is it true that, yesterday, you, knowing Doctor Vernon was to dine with you, sent him —
Gertrude Oh! you, – your questions are so many daggers at my heart! And yet you go on, you still go on.
The Magistrate
Did you send him away to attend a workman at Pre-l'Eveque?
Gertrude
I did, sir.
The Magistrate
This workman, madame, was found in a tavern, and in excellent help.
Gertrude
Champagne had told me that he was sick.
The Magistrate We have questioned Champagne, and he denies this, averring that he said nothing about sickness. The fact of it was, you wished to preclude the possibility of medical aid.
Gertrude (aside) It was Pauline! It was she who made me send away Vernon! O Pauline! You have dragged me down with yourself into the tomb, to which I sink bearing the name of criminal! No! No! No! (To Ramel) Sir, I have but one avenue of escape. (To Vernon) Is Pauline still alive?
Vernon (pointing to the General)
Here is my answer.
SCENE TENTH
The same persons and the General.
The General (to Vernon)
She is dying, my friend! If I lose her, I shall never survive it.
Vernon
My friend!
The General It seems to me that there are a great many people here – What must be done? Oh, try to save her! I wonder where Gertrude is.
(They give the General a seat.)
Gertrude (sinking at the feet of the General) My friend! Poor father! I would this instant I might be killed without a trial. (She rises.) No, Pauline has wrapped me in her shroud, I feel her icy hands about my neck. And yet I was resigned. Yes, I would have buried with me the secret of this terrible drama, which every woman should understand! But I am weary of this struggle with a corpse that holds me tight, and communicates to me the coldness and the stiffness of death! I have made up my mind that my innocence of this crime shall come forth victorious at the expense of somebody's honor; for never, never could I become a vile and cowardly poisoner. Yes, I shall tell the whole, dark tale.
The General (rising from his seat and coming forward) Ah! so you are going to say in the face of justice all that for two days you have concealed by such obstinate silence – vile and ungrateful creature, fawning liar! – you have killed my daughter. Are you going to kill me also?
Gertrude
Ought I to keep silence? – Ought I to speak?
Ramel
General, be kind enough to retire. The law commands.
The General
The law? You represent the justice of men, I represent the justice of
God, and am higher than you all! I am at once accuser, tribunal, sentence and executioner – Come, madame, tell us what you have to say?
Gertrude (at the General's feet)
Forgive me, sir – Yes – I am —
Ramel
Oh, poor wretch!
Gertrude (aside) I cannot say it! Oh! for his honor's sake, may he never know the truth. (Aloud) I am guilty before all the world, but to you I say, and will repeat it to my last breath, I am innocent! And some future day the truth shall speak from out two tombs, the cruel truth, which will show to you that you also are not free from reproach, but from the very blindness of your hate are culpable in all.
The General
I? I? Am I losing my senses? Do you dare to accuse me? (Perceiving
Pauline.) Ah! Ah! My God!
SCENE ELEVENTH
The same persons, and Pauline (supported by Ferdinand).
Pauline They have told me all! This woman is innocent of the crime whereof she is accused. Religion has at last taught me that pardon cannot be obtained on high except by those who leave it behind them here below. I took from Madame the key of her desk, I myself sought the poison. I myself tore off the paper to wrap it up, for I wished to die.
Gertrude
O Pauline! Take my life, take all I love – Oh, doctor, save her!
The Magistrate
Is this the truth, mademoiselle?
Pauline
The truth, yes, for the dying alone speak it —
The Magistrate
We know then actually nothing about this business.
Pauline (to Gertrude) Do you know why I came to draw you from the abyss which had engulfed you? It is because Ferdinand spoke to me a word which brought me back from the tomb. He has so great a horror of being left with you in life that he follows me, and will follow me to the grave, where we shall rest together, wedded in death.
Gertrude
Ferdinand! Ah, my God! At what a price have I been saved!
The General But unhappy child, wherefore must you die? Am I not, have I ceased for one moment to be a good father? And yet they say that I am culpable.
Ferdinand Yes, General, I alone can give the answer to the riddle, and can explain to you your guilt.
The General
You, Ferdinand, you to whom I offered my daughter, you who loved her —
Ferdinand My name is Ferdinand Comte de Marcandal, son of General Marcandal. Do you understand?
The General Ah! son of a traitor! What could you bring to my home but death and treachery! Defend yourself!
Ferdinand
Would you fight, General, with the dead?
(Ferdinand falls.)
Gertrude (rushes to Ferdinand with a cry) Oh! (She recoils before the General, and approaches his daughter, then draws forth a phial, but immediately flings it away.) I will condemn myself to live for this old man! (The General kneels beside his dying daughter.) Doctor, what will become of him? Is he likely to lose his reason?
The General (stammering like a man who has lost his speech)
I – I – I —
Vernon
General, what is it?
The General
I – I am trying – to pray – for my daughter!
Final curtain.
