The Lamp and the Bell Part 11

GUI. What ho, good Grazia! I hear my uncle Is ill again!

GRA. Where heard you that, you raven?

GUI. Marry, I forget. Is't true?

GRA. It is as false As that you have forgotten where you heard it.

Were you the heir to his power, which I bless G.o.d You're not!--he'd live to hide the throne from you Full many a long day yet!--Nay, pretty Guido, Your cousin is not yet Queen,--and when she is--Faith, She weareth a wide petticoat,--there'll be Scant room for you beside her! [Exit Nurse across stage]

GUI. [To his companions.] None the less I do believe the king is ill.

RAF. Who told you?

GUI. His wife. She is much exercised about him.

GIO. 'Tis like enough. This woman would rather lie Than have her breakfast served to her in bed.

[Exeunt Guido, Giovanni and Raffaele.]

[Music. Enter Musicians and take place on stage. Enter four pages and take places on either side the door as from the banquet-hall and on either side the throne in the back. Enter King and Queen, that is to say Lorenzo and Octavia, Lorenzo apparently quite well, and seat themselves on throne in back. Enter courtiers and ladies, Carlotta with Anselmo, Laura with Luigi, etc., and stand in little groups about the stage, laughing and talking together. Enter Beatrice alone, her train held by two pages in black. Enter twelve little Cupids, running, and do a short dance in the center of the room, then rush to the empty dais which is awaiting Mario and Bianca, and cl.u.s.ter about it. Enter Bianca and Mario, she in white and silver, with a deep sky blue velvet train six yards long, held up by six silver pages [or Cupids]; he in black and gold, with a purple velvet train of the same length held by six gold pages [or Cupids]. His arm is about her waist, she is leaning back her head against him and looking up into his face. They come in slowly, talking softly together, as utterly oblivious of the court, the pages, the music, everything, as if they were a shepherd and a shepherdess walking through a meadow. They walk slowly across the stage and seat themselves on the dais. The music changes, strikes up a gay pavane, or the equivalent of the period of the costumes, the ladies and courtiers dance. Guido, Giovanni and Raffaele re-enter just as the music starts and go up to the ladies; Guido goes to Beatrice, and she dances with him. In the midst of the dance Lorenzo slips a little sidewise in his chair, his head drops forward on his chest; he does not move again. n.o.body notices for some time. The dance continues, all who are not dancing watching the dancers, save Octavia, who watches with great pride and affection Bianca and Mario, who in turn are looking at one another. Octavia turns finally to speak to Lorenzo, stares at him, touches him, then screams.

Beatrice should then be in a conspicuous place in the dance. Music stops in confusion on a dischord, dance breaks up wildly, everybody rushes to throne.]

Scene 5

[The same room later that evening, entirely empty, disordered.

Musicians' benches overturned, for example, a couple of instruments left about, garlands trampled on the floor, a wing of one of the Cupids clinging to the dais of Bianca and Mario. Enter Beatrice, weeping, goes to her father's throne and creeps up into it, with her face towards the back of it and clings there, sobbing quietly. Enter Bianca and Mario,]

BIA. [Softly.] Ay. She is here. I thought she would be here.

There are so many people by his bed Even now, she cannot be alone with him.

MAR. Is there no hope?

BIA. Nay, there is none. 'Tis over.

He was a kind old man.

MAR. Come, let us go, And leave her to herself.

BIA. Nay, Mario.

I must not leave her. She will sit like that All night, unless I bid her come away, And put her into bed.

MAR. Will you come to me After she sleeps?

BIA. Ay. If she sleeps,

MAR. And if not?

BIA. I could not leave her.

MAR. Bianca, do you love me?

BIA. Ay, Mario!

MAR. Ah, but not as I love you!

BIA. You do not mean that, Mario; you know How much I love you. But I could not be happy Thinking of her awake in the darkness, weeping, And all alone.

MAR. Oh, my sweet love.

BIA. It may be She will sleep.

MAR. I shall be waiting for you. [They embrace.]

[Exit Mario. Bianca goes to Beatrice and sits at the foot of the throne, putting her head against Beatrice's feet.]

BIA. Sister.

[After a moment Beatrice slowly reaches down her hand, and Bianca takes it.]

CURTAIN

ACT IV

Scene 1--Five years later.

[A marketplace in Fiori, vegetables, fruits and flowers exposed for sale in little stalls and wagons, crowd of townspeople moving about, talking, laughing, buying. Group of children playing a game in a ring. Supper time.]

CHILDREN. One, two, three, The dough is in the oven!

One, two, three, The bread is on the board!

One, two, three.

The dough is in the oven!

One, two, three, The bread is on the board!

One, two, three, All follow me!

EUGENIA. Good-even, Giovanitta. Those are beautiful Onions you have there.

GIO. Ay, it has been a good year For onions.

EUG. I am taking seven.

GIO. Each year, You buy another onion!

EUG. Faith, each year I have another mouth to thrust it in!

Beautiful carrots, too, you have.

GIO. Ay, carrots Are well enough. One cannot complain. 'Tis a good year For carrots.