Scene I
M. De Laffemas, undress costume of a magistrate of the period. Marquis de Saverny, disguised as an officer of the Regiment of Anjou; with black mustache and imperial, and a plaster on the eye
LAFFEMAS.
Then you were present, sir, at the attack?
SAVERNY (pulling his mustache).
I was his comrade: had that honor, sir!
But he is dead!
LAFFEMAS.
The Marquis de Saverny?
SAVERNY.
Yes, from a thrust in tierce, which burst the doublet,
Then carved its cruel way between the ribs
Through to the chest and to the liver, which,
As you well know, makes blood. The wound was fearful.
’Twas horrible to see!
LAFFEMAS.
He died at once?
SAVERNY.
Almost. His agony was short. I watched
The spasm follow frenzy; tetanos
Then came, and after opisthotonos
There followed improstathonos.
LAFFEMAS.
The deuce!
SAVERNY.
So that I calculate ’tis false to say
The blood passes the jugular. Pequet
And learned men should be condemned when they
Dissect live dogs to study ’bout the lungs.
LAFFEMAS.
The poor marquis is dead.
SAVERNY.
A thrust is fatal.
LAFFEMAS.
You are a doctor, sir, of medicine?
SAVERNY.
No.
LAFFEMAS.
You have studied it?
SAVERNY.
Somewhat.
In Aristotle.
LAFFEMAS.
You can talk it well!
SAVERNY.
Faith! I’ve a most malicious sort of heart.
I like destruction; find delight in evil;
I love to kill! So that I thought I’d be
A soldier or a doctor, sir, at twenty.
But I hesitated long, and finally
I chose the sword. It’s not so sure, but twice
As quick. There was a time, I will confess,
I longed to be a poet or an actor,
Or an exhibitor of bears—but then,
I like dinner and supper every day.
A plague upon the poetry and bears!
LAFFEMAS.
With this hope in your mind you studied verse?
SAVERNY.
A little bit, in Aristotle. Yes—
LAFFEMAS.
The Marquis knew you?
SAVERNY.
He knew me as well
As a lieutenant knows an upstart soldier.
I belonged to Monsieur de Caussade first,
Who gave me to the Marquis’ colonel. Poor
The present, but we do the best we can!
They made me officer—I’m worth as much
As any, and I wear a black mustache.
That is my history.
LAFFEMAS.
They sent you here
To notify the uncle?
SAVERNY.
Yes; I came
With Brichanteau, the cousin, and the corpse.
He will be buried here—where, if he’d lived,
He would have had his wedding!
LAFFEMAS.
Tell me how
The old Marquis de Nangis bore the news.
SAVERNY.
With calmness, without tears.
LAFFEMAS.
He loved him though?
SAVERNY.
As much as we love life. Having no children
Of his own he had but this one passion—
His nephew, whom he dearly loved, although
They had not seen each other for five years.
[In the background, the old Marquis de Nangis passes; white hair, pale countenance, arms folded across his breast, dress of the day of Henry IV.: deep mourning; the star and the ribbon of the order of the Holy Ghost. He walks slowly; nine guards in three rows follow; they are dressed in mourning, their halberds on their right shoulder, their muskets on their left; they keep within a short distance, stopping when he stops, and continuing when he continues.
LAFFEMAS (watching him pass).
Poor man!
[He goes to the back and follows The Marquis with his eyes.
SAVERNY (aside).
My good old uncle!
[Brichanteau enters and goes to Saverny.