French drama -- 19th century -- Translations into English
Vautrin
I thought our star was setting; but it is still in the ascendant.
Raoul
Have I not been humbled sufficiently? I had nothing in the world but
my honor, and that I gave into your keeping. Your power is infernal, I
see that plainly. But from this very moment I withdraw from its
influence. You are no longer in danger. Farewell.
Lafouraille (coming in while Raoul speaks)
No one caught,--'twas lucky,--we had time! Ah, sir, Philosopher is
below, all is lost! The house has been entered by the police.
Vautrin
Disgusting! And no one has been taken?
Lafouraille
We were too cute for that.
Vautrin
Philosopher is below, as what?
Lafouraille
As a footman.
Vautrin
Good; let him get up behind my carriage. I want to give you my orders
about locking up the Prince d'Arjos, who thinks he is going to fight a
duel to-morrow.
Raoul
I see that you are in danger. I will not leave you, and I desire to
know--
Vautrin
Nothing. Do not worry about your own security. I will look out for
you, in spite of you.
Raoul
Oh! I know what my future will be.
Vautrin
I too know.
Lafouraille
Come, things are getting hot.
Vautrin
Nay, the fat is in the fire.
Lafouraille
No time for sentiment, or dilly-dallying, they are on our track and
are mounted.
Vautrin
Let us be off then. (He takes Lafouraille aside) If the government
should do us the honor to billet its gendarmes on us, our duty is to
let them alone. All are at liberty to scatter; but let all be at
Mother Giroflee's at midnight. Get off post haste, for I do not wish
us to meet our Waterloo, and the Prussians are upon us. We must run
for it.
Curtain to the Fourth Act.
ACT V.
SCENE FIRST.
(The scene is laid at the Montsorel house, in a room on the ground
floor.)
Joseph (alone)
The cursed white mark appears this evening on the wicket side of the
garden. Things cannot go on long in this way; the devil only knows how
it will end. I prefer seeing him there, however, rather than in the
apartments; the garden is at least away from the house, and when the
warning comes, one can walk out to meet him.
SCENE SECOND.
Joseph, Lafouraille and Buteux; later, Vautrin.
(The humming sound of a voice is heard for a moment.)
Joseph
There it is, our national air, which I never hear without trembling.
(Enter Lafouraille) And who are you? (Lafouraille makes a sign) A new
one coming?
Lafouraille
No, an old one.
Joseph
Oh, he whose mark is in the garden.
Lafouraille
Can he be waiting here? He intended to be here. (Buteux appears.)
Joseph
Why, there will be three of you.
Lafouraille (pointing to Joseph)
There will be four of us.
Joseph
And what do you come to do at this hour? Do you want to snatch up
everything here?
Lafouraille
He takes us for thieves!
Buteux
We prove that we can be, when we are down in our luck; but we never
say so.
Lafouraille
That is, we make money, like other people.
Joseph
But his grace the duke is going--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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