Mme. Géraldy's Lessons On Lafontaine's Fables.
The Wolf and the Lamb.
Might makes right; we shall prove this presently.
A Lamb was quenching his thirst in a stream of pure water. A Wolf, in quest of adventures, happened by, drawn to the spot by hunger.
"What makes thee so bold as to pollute the water I drink?" said he, angrily. "Thy impudence deserves to be punished."
"Sire," answered the Lamb, "soften your wrath, and consider that I am drinking the water more than twenty feet below your Majesty, and can, therefore, in no way pollute your Majesty's drink."
"You do pollute it!" replied the savage animal, "and I know that last year you slandered me."
"How could I when I was not born?" replied the Lamb. "I am still a suckling babe."
"If it was not you, then it was your brother."
"I have none."
"Then it was some member of your family, for you do not spare me--you, your shepherds and your dogs. I have been told so. I must revenge myself."
Thereupon the Wolf carried him into the depths of the forest, and ate him without further trial.
Lesson Given By Mme. Géraldy.
In the narrative portions of a recitation, the eyes of the speaker should meet the eyes of the audience. In this way he fixes their attention and engages their sympathy.
Looking straight at the audience: "Might makes right [deplore the fact]. We shall prove this presently. A Lamb [by tone of voice and gesture show what a weak, gentle creature a lamb is] was quenching his thirst in a stream of pure water. A Wolf [a strong, cruel animal], in quest of adventures, happened by, drawn to the spot by hunger." [Fold the arms; gesture should always precede speech.] "'What makes thee so bold as to pollute the water I drink?' said he, angrily. 'Thy impudence deserves to be punished.'
"'Sire,' answered the Lamb [humbly], 'soften your wrath and--[conjunctions should almost always be followed by a pause] consider that I am drinking the water more than twenty feet ["Mark me!"] below your Majesty, and can, therefore, in no way pollute your Majesty's drink.'
"'You do pollute it!' replied the savage animal, 'and--I know that, last year, you slandered me.' [With this line Delsarte always gave a progressive gesture, which can best be described in this way:
Give the gesture of affirmation ↓ [see Lesson VII.], stopping twice in the downward movement, on the words that and year, thus:
| ↓ | I |
| know | |
| that | |
| ↓ | last |
| year | |
| ↓ | you |
| slandered me. |
"'How could I when I was not born?' replied the Lamb [gentle voice]. 'I am still a suckling babe.'
"'If it was not you, then it was your brother' [gruff voice].
"'I have none.'
"'Then it was some member of your family, for--you do not spare me, you, your shepherds and your dogs. [There is no pause after the conjunction and here, as it simply joins together words in a list.] I have been told so [impatiently; the wolf is tired of parleying so long]. I must revenge myself.'
"'Thereupon [lower the voice to fix the attention] the Wolf carried him into the depths of the forest and--ate him [deplore the fact] without further trial'" [voice low].