William Wilfred Campbell - Daulac: Act III, Scene 3 lyrics

PLACE—Interior of a drinking room in the same inn, Montreal. Several young men and an old man discovered drinking in somber silence. Enter an Old Man who sits down at a table and calls for wine, rapping his stick on the table. Old Man. A stoup of wine, good wine, for I can pay for it. My son Jacques is a good son, none better, so I can pay for it. [A waiter brings in the wine; the other old man looks up with a disconsolate sigh. Old Man. Well, good neighbor, why don't you drink, man? Why so down? Hast the megrums, neighbor? 2nd Old Man. Who can drink and be merry, with this cursed state o' things? Grim murder fills the air. There is scarce a man of us but hath lost a son or a brother. Who can drink at such a time? Old Man. Tut, tut, man! life is life, an' let d**h come as it will, let it find us merry. Drink, drink, I say! That's my Jacques' creed; live and let live, nohap who may die. So here, a drink all round. 2nd Old Man. Nay, nay! Old Man. You will not, hey? Here, come, be merry! Here, let's drink a health: let it be my son's. A jollier lad and a better son ne'er was begotten. (all sit silent) Then you will not, cowards? Then I'll drink it alone. Here's to one who is no coward! [Rises with cup in his hand. Just then a bell tolls; he sits down suddenly. 2nd Old Man. There goes another. Where will this end? Twenty bodies brought in yesterday; sixteen to-day. Where will this end [Page 173]? Old Man. Just so long as you are cowards. Yea, I will drink! [A man comes in suddenly and, seeing the old man, starts back, then whispers to a man near the door; a hurried whisper goes round the room. All gaze in horror at the 1st Old Man. A Young Man. They are bringing him here; for God's sake get the old man out! Another. Can we not stop them? Another. 'Tis too late now, they are at the door. Old Man. Will you not drink, cowards? All. Nay, nay. [The door opens. Enter four men, carrying a stretcher, with the face covered. Old Man. (starts back) Ha, who is it? I will drink; men must die. So here is Jacques' health! All. Nay, nay. 2nd Old Man. Nay, for Heaven's sake, ay! For your own son? Old Man. My son? My—Jacques? You lie! Jacques, Jacques? (goes near corpse) Jacques? A Young Man. Nay, old man! nay, old man, I will. [Pulls off cloth. Old Man. Jacques! O my God! [Falls on the body in terrible grief. Enter DAULAC and the Governor, followed by DESJARDINS. Governor. Another instance of this terrible condition. DAUL. (going forward) Good father, who is this? Old Man. My son, sir, my son! I did but drink his health, and now they say he's dead! O God, dead! He who was so merry, sir, so merry, and so good to this poor, foolish old father! Jacques, speak, speak! 'tis your father! O God! DAUL. God father, he died a soldier's d**h [Page 174]. Old Man. Jacques a soldier! Nay, sir, Jacques was a woodman. I was a soldier, but he was brave, sir, Jacques! Governor. Some one take him home. Old Man. Nay, nay, I will stay with Jacques. DAUL. (aside) This breaks my heart. (to Old Man) Good father, I did know your son; he was brave and noble, though scarce more than a boy. Such a one as I would choose for brother had I choice. Old Man. nay, sir, you are a great lord, and poor Jacques but a woodman. DAUL. Nay, father, but a soldier like yourself, And my sole lordship this god, faithful sword. Could I have saved your son I would have done it, But he is dead. Old Man. O sir, you are a good and noble man. Oh, do not mock me, say he is not dead. DAUL. (aside) This goes beyond the natural; my heart bleads. (to the crowd of young men) Is there a man here who will follow me? I swear this must be ended though I die. Will no man follow me? [The young men one by one rise and crowd around him, drawing their swords. All. We will. DAUL. To d**h? All. To d**h! DAUL. Swear it! [Holds up cross of his sword; each man comes in turn and kneels before it, kissing the symbol. Governor. (aside to DESJARDINS) This man is mad! Sixteen men to go against eight hundred Iroquois. I'd have given him a good company had he but waited. If ever a man courted d**h this one does. He is mad! DES. No madder than you or I. But 'tis his bent, And they his friends that let him follow it. Perchance this man was born for this. Who knows [Page 175]? See how they crowd around him, and how each Did volunteer the moment he convinced them. A natural general this, I warn you, Governor, Don't now disown him. Governor. But such an army! Were it not he loks So noble, in his face such hero valor, I'd laugh at the whole matter. Such an army! A tanner, two shoemakers and a clerk; Three squires fresh from the anvil, and the rest Woodcutters, idlers, sans the thing they need, A knowledge of warcraft. If their madness last, They are all dead men. DES. What matter a thousand lives if you but save The colony. If this man be mad, 'Tis not our matter. Governor. 'Tis gone beyond me now, but 'tis a pity, He is so noble it doth seem like murder. DES. And if it be, what else is any war But licensed murder? You will hang a man For but one thousandth part of what a nation Does in the name of glory. Governor. Well, well, I save my fort; but who are you? DES. Oh, me? oh, I'm—I'm just a notary. Governor. I will speak; this man is mad. DES. Nay, nay, not so, not so, 'tis you are mad. Governor. (to DAULAC) Are you mad, sir? These men are not soldiers. DAUL. Monsieur le Gouverneur, It is not soldiers now New France doth need, But men [Page 176]! CURTAIN.