William Wilfred Campbell - Daulac: Act I, Scene 1 lyrics

PLACE—A chateau in France. TIME—Night in Autumn. The wind howls loud out of doors and rain beats at window, right. SCENE—A room in the chateau, showing a curtained entrance to bedroom at middle back, in the apartments of the SIEUR D'ELENE. Furniture quaint and old, with rich decorations; doors to left and right, chairs and sofa. Enter, from middle back, the SIEUR D'ELENE, a feeble old gentleman, wearing a rich dressing-gown and walking slowly with a cane. He is slight and stooped. He hobbles to a window and looks out. D'EL. This night is like my spirit, filled with age And haunting voices calling from the past. All the world is bleak with age and woe, And I am feeble, like a candle lowered Into its socket. Only regret and longing, Only regret and longing dwell with me, Dwell with me. [Drops into chair. Enter, at left, HELÈNE, his niece, a beautiful young girl. She comes in quietly and looks at him. HEL. Poor uncle! (clasps her hands) Poor uncle! Of late he broods alone in solitude [Page 129], And seems to avoid me. Some haunting, saddening thought Weighs down his spirit. [Goes forward and places her hand on his shoulder. Uncle, do you know me? Your Helène. D'EL. (shakes his head) Nay, nothing, now, save winter, age and d**h. [She goes round and sits at his feet on a stool. HEL. Uncle, uncle, I am your own Helène! D'EL. (strokes her hair feebly) Yes, yes, my child, your hair is like a raven's, But mine is bleached like winter's wasted snows. You are all I have left, all I have left. HEL. Uncle, I love you, you know I love you well. Would comfort your age; let me share you sorrow. D'EL. Look up, my child; your face to-night brings back That sweet look which filled your angel mother's, My dead child-sister. I never loved another. She used to sit as you sit by me now, But she is gone. Soon I will follow, too. HEL. O uncle, put this gloomy spirit by. It wrings my heart to know you suffer pain. Smile on you Helène, tell her you are happy, [Rises and puts her arm around his neck. And she will laugh and then be happy, too. [Sits again and takes his hand in both of hers. D'EL. Sorrow, child, Sorrow is Age's sister. The autumn bleak that beats at yonder pane Is fit alone to echo back my heart. Speak not to me of gladness. Close around Stand all the ghosts of this grim, ancient house To tell me it is ended. Never child of mine Will laugh athwart its rooftree. Nevermore Henceforth devote alone to gloom and woe. Happiness and smiling great these walls [Page 130], HEL. O uncle, uncle, you were not always thus. And in this atmosphere of sombre gloom I, too, grow old and sad. Oh, why not send, Oh, why not send for Daulac? D'EL. (trying to rise, in great agitation) Daulac! Daulac! Speak no more of Daulac! HEL. (frightened) O uncle, uncle, what has Daulac done? D'EL. He is the root of all my heart's disease, The bitter cause of all my spirit's winter. Ingrate and viper, warmed at this old heart! HEL. Uncle! D'EL. Nay, girl, speak not his name, if you would keep The only love that holds me to the living. HEL. What mean you by these dread and awful words? Daulac! What has Daulac done? Your words Fill me with fear and anguish. D'EL. (gazing at her sadly) So, girl, you love this Daulac? HEL. He is my cousin, we have lived together As girl and boy. He is all nobleness— Believe me, uncle—he is all nobleness, So much that woman would desire in man, So much, so much, I cannot help but love him. [Hides face and sobs. D'EL. Yea, curse him, curse him. Every word you speak Makes him the graver sinner in my sight. (aside) I cannot reveal all to so pure a soul. This sweet girl-nature, like a limpid brook, This trusting spirit he has played with. Now, He is no heir of mine. I cut him off. I will not weaken. This poor girl's confession But binds my will the firmer. Helène! HEL. (looking up) Yes, uncle! D'EL. Desjardins comes to-night; some business, Some special business. I would be alone [Page 131]. I'll need two witnesses, so leave you two Servants within hearing should I ring. Now say good night, my child. HEL. O uncle, I dread to leave you in this mood. Heaven keep you, my more than father, yet Forgive me if I say it once again, Be kind to Daulac. [Tries to put her arms about him. D'EL. Child, I love you, but you go too far. Nay, nay, not Daulac. I cannot tell you all. I have resolved. Kiss me, my child. Good night, good night. HEL. (aside, going out) O Heaven, be with us. I am sore afraid Some terrible business fatal unto Daulac Doth happen here to-night. [Exit. D'EL. (rises) Ha, I am old, my fingers are but bones, My legs but tottering crutches, and my soul But shrunken, wasted water. But my will Is firm, is firm! This ingrate Daulac, yea, I'll disinherit, disinherit him. The girl shall have it all, shall have it all. [Totters to window. O mad, lone night, in all your haunting voices, What hope bring you to me? Only d**h, only d**h, only d**h! I will go in. The girl shall have it all! [Totters to door at middle back. Enter DESJARDINS, a notary, cloaked and with a sword. DES. This is a night, a fit and proper night For projects such as mine. Would such were ever, All seasons Autumn, every night like this. [Goes to window, draws blind and looks out. Rain and gust blows against window. Ha, ha, it meets me, gives my spirit greeting! Cruelty to cruelty, ice to ice, So storms it at my heart, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! [Page 132] How! Storm! beat gust. Sweep out and wreck this world. Murder the hateful memories o' summer, The gaudy splendors of the nauseous year. She loves me not, I am not lovely to her, So wreck all beauty, lay all sweetness low. Ha, ha, do your work as I'll do mine. [Leaves window. Murder, murder, 'tis a serious thought; One to be well considered. Perchance the greatest Of all the arts, were it but deftly done. Heh, heh, Desjardins, Desjardins, No bungling, or this serious business were Better undone than badly! But a weak old man— 'Twould almost seem a single puff of air Would blow the spark from such a heap of ashes. Ha! [Gets behind a curtain. Re-enter the SIEUR D'ELENE. D'EL. I will to be, to bed. Why comes he not? [Goes slowly to the window. Oh, such a night! the world is aged like me, Blown by the storms of a too rugged fate. I'll to bed, to bed. Why comes he not? [DESJARDINS steps forward. DES. I have come. D'EL. Oh, 'tis you, Desjardins, O Desjardins, 'tis an awful night, an awful night! DES. Here is the will. D'EL. Ready so soon? DES. Yea, ready to sign. Did you not expect me? D'EL. Yea, I will sign it, I will sign it. DES. Need I read it? D'EL. Nay, I am tired. Doth it fill all the conditions? DES. Yea. D'EL. Leaves it all to my niece? DES. Yea, of a certainty [Page 133]. D'EL. Then give it me, I will sign it. O Daulac, Daulac, you might have loved me better! DES. Have you the witnesses ready? D'EL. Yea, the two servants. DES. Then call them in. [D'ELENE rings a bell; two servants enter. DES. (to servants) This is your master's will, do you understand? Servants. We do. D'EL. Where will I sign, Desjardins? DES. Here. [D'ELENE signs the will with a trembling hand; servants affix their marks. Exeunt servants. DES. (aside) 'Tis done, 'tis done! (to D'ELENE) You are weary, I had better go. D'EL. Yea, Desjardins, I in truth am weary, But my mind runs still on Daulac. Tell me, now, Think you truly, would you not relent? D'EL. Nay, I am strong, I am strong. DES. Well, then, good night, good night, and may you rest. [Exit. D'EL. Good night, Desjardins. Desjardins! wait, Desjardins. Oh, he hath gone, and he hath taken the will. I'll see to-morrow, 'chance I'll change that will. O Daulac, Daulac, my dearer than son! I'm strong, I'm strong. He's right; to bed, to bed! [Goes slowly behind the curtain. After a slight interval the room grows darker. Re-enter DESJARDINS. The storm still continues, with patter and gust at the window [Page 134]. DES. Well, well; well, well, this is a serious matter! Well done or not at all, that is the dixit. [Peers out of the window, then comes back and goes behind the curtain, then steals out again. He sleeps like any cradled nine months' child. Curse these old men, they ever grow so healthy. He just stirred once, and mumbled in his dreams That cursed name Daulac! How I hate it! He'll repent him, will he? Not this side of Hades. [Lays his sword on the table. My grandsire was an armorer at Cologne; My father knew his pa**es, though a notary, And I know mine. I'm but a notary, No lordly soldier with a martial bearing, Yet often in the middle of our practice, When, blade to blade and watchful eye to eye, I taught Daulac those defter under-strokes, Hath this same devil prompted me to k** him. Not yet, not yet; but be my work to-night To put yon senile babbler out o' sight. He'd burn that will, would he? He'd make a new one? Nay, nay; nay, nay, he shall not make a new one! Takes up sword, then lays it back on the table. Nay, not that way, it leaves too red a witness. 'Twill keep for cursed Daulac when his fate Meets my necessities. There's a cleverer way. Not thus, not thus; we lop off youthful trees But pluck the old ones upward by the roots. Weeds choke out blossoms; ergo, I'm weed. I'll choke out this old blossom, thus, aye thus! [Clenches his fingers as if strangling something, and steals out into the bedroom; after an interval returns, dragging the body of D'ELENE, drops it on the carpet and steps back from it. Ha, ha! 'tis done! 'tis done! He never stirred, To cry or groan, or call out “cruel murder!” But went out voiceless in a single gasp; As snuff a candle, thus his light went out. Ha! I'm an artist! From a whimpering ancient, A poor, worn bundle of human sighs and groans, I've made yon wondrous silence now before me. Rage, storm! howl, night! crack you mad cheeks in twain. You cannot wake him! He is marbling now Into that long, last, kind serenity. Blow, night! rage, storm! he hath long past thy terrors. Billow the oceans, batten the ruined lands, Terrorize monarchs, make heroes quake i' their beds, But he's invicible! Nay, you cannot shake him. All else is puerile, naught is great but d**h. Ha, ha! 'tis done! I stay here over long, Too filled with pride in mine own handiwork. Now life! now life! For I've a life to live, Though but a notary. Halloo! halloo! help! help! Your master is dead! Rascals, wake up! your master Has ta'en a fit! Help! help! before he is mortal! He'd change that will, would he? he'd change that will! Ha, ha; ha, ha! Now, Daulac, I have matched you! [Servants rush in, calling. HELÈNE runs in and falls in grief on D'ELENE'S body. Exit DESJARDINS on other side CURTAIN.