Act 3 — Scene IV.
Reading edition
LIONNETTE, NOURVADY, afterwards RAOUL.
Lionnette.
You appear quite distressed.
Nourvady.
It is on your account.
Lionnette.
I thought nothing ever troubled you! It is the scene of this morning that has unnerved you.
Nourvady.
In the first place....
Lionnette.
The fact is that you were hurt at the way in which the Commissary entered; and your millions were powerless. As to me, I am quite myself again. You love me still?
Nourvady.
You ask me that?
Lionnette.
One never knows. The heart is so changeable. You see, this morning I did not love you; it is not five o'clock, and I love you. (She rings twice violently.)
Nourvady.
You are feverish; you, too....
Lionnette.
That will go off.... (To the Lady's Maid, who has entered) Bring me my things to go out.
Nourvady.
Is your husband in this house?
Lionnette.
Yes.
Nourvady.
Have you seen him?
Lionnette.
No.
Nourvady.
It is, nevertheless, to see you, that he has come back here.
Lionnette.
No more than that I came here to meet him. We were living here; we are both going away, each his own way. We come to get what we want. It is evident that he and I would very much prefer, at this moment, to be somewhere else. It is you who ought not to be here; but, since this morning, it is strange we are all in places where we ought not to be. (To the Lady's Maid, who comes back.) That will do; put them down there.
(The maid, puts down a hat, gloves, and a travelling cloak, and goes away.)
Nourvady.
I went back to your house, hoping to find you there. You had gone away. I supposed you were here. The servant who announced me, and who, evidently, knows nothing of all that has happened....
Lionnette.
No one knows anything about it except the parties interested.
Nourvady.
The servant asked me if he were to announce me to the Count or Countess de Hun. It was in that way that I knew that your husband was here at the same time as you. I had a strong inclination to say to the man: Announce me to your master.
Lionnette.
What could you have to say to him now?
Nourvady.
He came to look for you in my house: I come to look for you in his. You are a woman; you do not understand certain insults.
Lionnette.
Do you think so?
Nourvady.
That man forced my door; he even broke it. He insulted you before me, who love you.
Lionnette.
You must remember he loves me too: that is his excuse.
Nourvady.
You defend him.
Lionnette (while putting on her hat, mantle, and gloves).
Ah! heaven help me, no! Well, what would you have said to him if they had announced you to him as you said, and he had received you? But I doubt if he would have received you after what is passed.
Nourvady.
If he had refused to receive me, I should have burst open his door in my turn, and....
Lionnette.
Ah! I forbid you absolutely to provoke him at present.... If I were a widow through you ... or if he killed you, you would not be able to marry me ... and if, one day, we could legitimize the false position we are going to hold, I should be very glad of it. Let us trust to Providence, as my mother used to say. Apart from all that, I am ready.... Let us start!...
(At the moment that she turns round to go out Raoul enters, and throws himself into her arms to kiss her.)
Raoul.
Mamma!
Lionnette (surprised and agitated).
Ah! it is you. You frightened me!
Raoul.
Kiss me.
Lionnette (kissing him coldly).
You think then of embracing me to-day. (With a sigh) It is rather late.
Raoul.
Where are you going?
Lionnette.
I am going out.
Raoul.
When are you coming back?
Lionnette.
I don't know.
Raoul.
To-day?
Lionnette.
To-day.
Raoul.
Take me with you.
Lionnette.
It is impossible.
Raoul.
Why? It is such fine weather.
Lionnette.
I am going too far. I shall send you some toys, you may be sure.
Raoul.
I like better going with you.
Lionnette.
Impossible, I tell you. Go now; let me pass.
Raoul.
No!
Lionnette.
You must, my child.
Nourvady (very agitated and very impatient during this scene, walks from right to left to see if any one is coming.)
Some one is coming.
Lionnette (a little more harshly).
Now, now, let me go.
Raoul.
No. (He puts himself in front of his mother.)
Nourvady (taking the child by the arm, and throwing him far from him).
Leave us alone, then!
(The child totters, falls, and remains motionless. Lionnette stops, looks with stupor on what has passed, recoils, covers her face with her hands, utters a piercing cry, and rushes at Nourvady, whom she seizes by the throat as if to strangle him.)
Lionnette.
Miserable wretch!
Nourvady (whom she has struck on the shoulder, who feels himself getting exhausted, but who will not defend himself, with a feeble voice).
You are hurting me.
Lionnette (releasing him).
Go away; go away! I shall strangle you. I shall kill you. My child! My child!
(She utters several cries, and throws herself in despair upon the child.)
Richard (who has entered during this scene, to Nourvady).
Go away, sir, go away, in the name of heaven! Enough of such misfortunes, without that.
(He makes Nourvady go away.)
Raoul (half raising himself up).
There is nothing the matter ... Mamma.... Nothing, I assure you.
(Lionnette on her knees, with Raoul's head on her breast, kissing him with rapture, sobbing without power to stop herself).
Richard (near her).
Saved! You are saved!
Lionnette (with sobs, tremulously accentuating every word).
Yes, yes, yes, saved! (To Richard.) Ah! I was mad.... I was mad.... But when that man laid his hand on my child, it is awful what took possession of me! I do not know how it was I did not kill him. What is the use of a man struggling with a mother? For I am a mother. I am.... Oh! I felt it truly, from my heart, that that could never be. Richard, you guessed rightly; yes. Right-minded people guess rightly!... They want my father's letters; very well, they shall have them. You shall sell everything; you shall pay—you must give that man back his money;—there will be an end to it all. Go, and find my husband. (Richard goes away.) I want to see him before I die, for I am going to die, I feel it.
(She lets her head fall upon the couch, and half loses consciousness.)
Raoul (jumping upon the couch, taking his mother's head in his arms, and kissing it.)
Mamma, mamma, mamma ... do not die, I beseech you.
Lionnette (recovering consciousness).
No, no, I shall live, for I love you!...
(She covers him with kisses, and does not see John, who enters with Richard, who is showing him the scene. John starts back, comprehending nothing yet. Godler and Trévelé look on and rejoin John, who cannot take his eyes off the picture of the mother and her child. Richard touches Lionnette's shoulder, who turns round and sees John.)