FIRST JUDGE Thou ci-devant, De Vardes! THE CROWD De Vardes! De Vardes! Aristocrat! De Vardes! DE VARDES Rémond Lalain— LALAIN René de Vardes. DE VARDES This court— Pray you conceive it is some greensward trim, My cartel sent, received, the duel fought, And thou the victor, since so wags the world, Heart’s blood of mine upon thy rapier dark! And I the vanquished in the sight of men, Drowsing to death upon the bloody sod. And all this folk but seconds, witnesses, They are not here, nor there; we are the men! Now, seeing death hath some prerogative, I charge thee stand, antagonist! nor leave This sunny field with thy triumphant friends Until I bid thee go! LALAIN I hear! (_To the crowd._) Silence! DE VARDES When I do think that once I called thee friend, My wonder grows! The orchard’s blooming now Where we did lie at length on summer eves The while the mavis sang and sea winds blew, And to the nodding clover droned the bee,— Two striplings couched beneath an apple tree, Talking of knights at arms and paladins And what we each would dare in worthy cause! That brow of thine was not so swarthy then, Thine eyes were frank, we read from the same book The deeds of Palmerin and Amadis. Then up we lightly rose and went our way, Hand touching hand,—Orestes, Pylades! I, Jonathan the Prince, and David thou! The figure holds, for Jonathan will die, But wilt thou mourn him, David? No, I say!— Nor o’er his kingdom shalt thou reign, Rémond! LALAIN René— DE VARDES I am, monsieur, the Baron of Morbec! THE CROWD Ah! LALAIN Silence! (_To_ DE VARDES.) As thou wilt! He is long dead That youth thou namest David. DE VARDES Ay, Citoyen, He slew himself. I see his punishment. LALAIN Oh!— DE VARDES Wretched man! What hast thou done? I know, And thou, Rémond, dost know I know! Enough. O better far to lie upon this sod And hear the wings of death above my head, Than to be thou, thou stainèd conqueror! Dishonoured thou from helm to bloody heel! Enough! When the cock crows and the morning star Shines steadfast over Loire I shall be gone. One stays, that’s God. Do thou beware, Rémond, For God will hearken unto Jonathan— Thou canst not hurt a flower that he loved! LALAIN No? DE VARDES No! LALAIN