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قراءة كتاب Clair de Lune A Play in Two Acts and Six Scenes
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Clair de Lune A Play in Two Acts and Six Scenes
class="x-ebookmaker-pageno" title="[Pg 18]"/> upon moody currents of mysterious desire, perhaps—who knows? our petals may touch in that tender gloom of night and music.
[Bends tenderly, whimsically over her hand.]
Queen
[Gazing after his exit enraptured, once more hopeful, then turning to Phedro.]
Ah, Phedro, what joy there is in being foolish!
Phedro
Pleasure has two extremes, Madame. One is to have your lover in your arms, the other is to have him in your power.
Queen [pacing up and down]
I must have one or the other. What can be done. Think for me, advise me. I am too unstrung to think for myself. When one wants a thing very much, everything blurs.
Phedro
There are many voices whispering all together in my mind. In a little perhaps one will be louder than the rest—then we may plan.
Queen
But the fête. We are continually forgetting about the fête.
Phedro
[Thinking, with his finger against his lips.]
Out of one purpose often comes another perfected.
Queen
You are talking in enigmas, and it is growing late. See how long and slender the poplar shadows are getting on the grass. When the wind and sun touch them they look a little like obelisks flashed over with strange writings.
Phedro
Your Majesty is adding the accomplishment of a poet to the genius of a sovereign.
Queen [shivering]
No, I would not like to be a poet. They are always dying of ennui or madness. But, Phedro, to the point.
Phedro [suddenly]
Majesty, some mountebanks arrived at the park lodge last night. They crave to play before your Majesty.
Queen [coming out of a reverie]
Are they dancers, or do they act plays?
Phedro
Their performance I understand is peculiar. One of them is blind, the other is deformed in some way. With them is a doctor of philosophy, one who heals the scars of flesh or heart with powders or words befitting the case.
Queen [wanly]
They do not sound original.
Phedro
And yet from the effect they stir there must be something. It appears the clown causes those who are incurably sad to faint with laughter.
Queen
It would be charming to laugh, to be unable to help laughing. Have them sent to my porter in the northern wing and I will interview them before the masque. Ah, here comes the Duchess leaning upon her Prince's arm. I must say she looks as if there might be something more amusing to lean upon.
[Enter Josephine and the Prince.]
Queen
Well, Josephine.
Duchess
Well, my sister.
[Sighs and stoops over a bed of heliotrope.]
Queen
Why are you so melancholy, Josephine? You are standing in the portals of joy—I confess they do not