 The Flying Doctor by Molière Translated by Charles Herron-Wall. The Flying Doctor by Molière Translated by Charles Herron-Wall. Persons represented. Gorgibus, father to Lucille, read by Aaron White. Valère, in love with Lucille, read by Todd. Scenerelle, servant to Valère, read by Thomas Peter. Gros-René, valet to Gorgibus, read by Alan Matstone. The Lawyer, read by Liana. Lucille, read by Devorah Allen. Sabine, cousin to Lucille, read by phone. Stage Directions, read by Sonia. The Flying Doctor, scene one, Valère Sabine. Well, Sabine, what do you advise me to do? I really much to tell you. My uncle is bent upon marrying my cousin to Vilbrequin, and things have gone so far that I believe the wedding would have taken place today if you were not loved by her. However, as my cousin told me the secret of all the love she feels for you, and as we were almost driven to desperation through the avarice of our niggardly uncle, we thought of a capital device to prevent the marriage. As in moment, my cousin affects to be ill, and the foolish old man, who is easily deceived, has just sent me to fetch a doctor. Could you not find one, some friend of yours, who would be on our side, and order the invalid to go into the country for a change of air? The old man will be sure to send my cousin to live in the pavilion, which is at the bottom of our garden. In that way, you will be able to see her, unknown to our uncle, and marry her. Then let him and Vilbrequin curse as much as they please. But what means have I of finding so suddenly the doctor I want? And who would risk so much to serve me? I tell you, frankly, I know of none. Now I think of it. Why don't you have your servant dressed up as a doctor? There is no one more easy to do than the old fellow. But Scannarelle is a blockhead who will spoil everything. However, as we have nobody else, we must make use of him. But where shall we find him? Ah! Here he is in the very nick of time. Exit Sabine. Scene two. Valère Scannarelle. Ah! My poor Scannarelle! How glad I am to see you. I want your help in a most important business, but as I do not know what you can do. What I can do, sir? I want to make use of me in a more important business and things of consequence. For instance, send me to see what time it is by the clock. Send me to the market to ask the price of butter. Send me to water a horse. It is then that you will be able to judge on my talents. I ask for none of these things. I want you to play the part of a doctor. I, a doctor, sir? I am ready to do all you please, but as for being a doctor, I say no. I am your servant. I will be nothing of the kind. I ask you how I should set about it. Goodness me, sir, you are only laughing at me. If you will try, I will give you ten pistols. Ah! Ten pistols? Well, I won't say I am no doctor, for you see, sir, I am not so scrupulous as to tell you the whole truth. But supposing I am a doctor, where shall I go? Do the old man Georgia bus to see his daughter who is ill. But you are a blockhead who, instead of doing what we want, might— Ah, sir, don't be anxious. I'll answer for it that I can kill anybody as well as any doctor in the town. The problem usually is, after death comes a doctor, but you will see that if I have anything to do with it, it will be after the doctor comes a death. But now, while I think of it, it must be difficult to play the doctor, and if I do nothing right— There will be nothing difficult to do in this case. Georgia bus is a simpleton, a bore, who will readily believe everything you say, provided you speak to him of Hippocrates, of Galen, and that you have brass enough. You mean that I shall have to speak of philosophy and mathematics? They vat to me. If he is a man as easily deceived as you say, I answer for everything. You have only to fire me a doctor's gun. Tell me what you expect from me, and give me my diploma. That is, my ten pistols. Exe und Valère en scannarelle. Scene three. Georgia bus Gros René. Go quickly, and fetch the doctor for my daughter, who is very ill. Make haste. Why the deuce do you think of giving your daughter a marriage to an old man? Don't you see that it is the longing she has for a young one that makes her ill? See the attraction there is. Go quickly. I am afraid that the wedding will have to be put off on account of this illness. That is what vexes me, for I was looking forward to a good round bellyful, and now I have to do without it. Yes, yes, I'll go and fetch the doctor, but it is much for my own sake as for your daughter's. I am dreadfully disappointed. Exe et Gros René. Scene four. Sabine. Georgie bus Scannarelle est doctor. I am glad to meet you, uncle, to tell you of a good piece of news. I bring the cleverest doctor in the world, a man who comes from foreign lands, who knows the most important secrets, who will no doubt cure my cousin. He was fortunately shown to me, and I bring him to you. He is so clever that I heartily wish I were ill so that he might cure me. Where is he? Close at hand. Here he is. Doctor, I am your very humble servant. I sent for you to come and see my daughter, who is ill. I put all my hopes in you. Georgie says, and Galen too with strong reasoning argues, that a person does not feel well when he is ill. You are right to put all your hopes in me, for I am the greatest, the cleverest, the wisest doctor in the vegetable, animal and mineral faculty. I am delighted to hear it. Do not imagine that I am an ordinary doctor, a common doctor. All other doctors compared to me are abortions. I possess wonderful talents. I am master of many secrets. Salamanic, salamanic. That's our carriage, Rodrigo. Signor si, signor non. Per omnia sicula sicularum. Still, let us see a little. Fils gorgibusis paz. Eh, he is not depatient. It is this daughter who is ill. It does not matter. The blood of the father and that of the daughter are the same. And by the deterioration of the blood of the father, I can know the illness of the daughter. Ah, doctor, I am greatly afraid that my daughter will die. Sad death, she must not. She must not indeed have the pleasure of dying before she has a daughter's prescription. But, master Gorgibus, can I see her daughter? She is up. I will bring her if you like. Scene five. Sabine gorgibus scanarel est doctor Lucille. Well, young lady, so you are ill. Yes, sir. So much the worse. It is a proof that you are not quite well. Do you feel great pains in your head and back? Yes, sir. I thought so. Yes, the great doctor I spoke of in the chapter he made on the nature of animals said a hundred fine things and how the humans which have connection have much relation to each other. For instance, as Milan Culli is the enemy to joy and as the bile in going through our body makes us become yellow and as nothing is more contrary to good health and illness so we can say with that great man that your daughter is very ill. I must give her a prescription. Quick, a table, paper and ink. Is there anybody here who can write? What? Do you not know how to write? Ah, I was forgetting. I have so many things to think of that I forget the half. I think it's quite necessary for your daughter to have a change of air that she should go and enjoy herself somewhere in the country. We have a very fine garden and some rooms attached to it. If you think it will do, I will send her there. Let us go and see the place. Exe und. Scene six, the lawyer. I have heard that the daughter of Mr. Gorgibus is ill. I must go and inquire after her health and offer my services as the friend of the whole family. Nox. Is Mr. Gorgibus at home? Enter Gorgibus. Having heard of your daughter's illness, I come to tell you of my entire sympathy and to put myself at your disposal for all that may be wanted of me. I have just left the cleverest man in the world. Would it not be possible to speak with him for a few moments? Gorgibus fetches Scannarelle. Scene seven, Gorgibus, lawyer, Scannarelle, is doctor. Sir, here is a friend of mine, a very clever man who would be glad to speak with you. I have no leisure, Mr. Gorgibus. I must go and see my patients. I will not presume to take your place of honour, sir. Sir, from what Mr. Gorgibus has told me of your merit and talents, I had the greatest longing in the world to be introduced to you. And I have taken the liberty of addressing you on that account. I hope you will not think it too bold. One must acknowledge that those who excel in any great science are worthy of high praise, particularly those whose calling is that of doctor, as much on account of its utility, as because it is the source of several other sciences. Hence it is a difficult one to know perfectly, and Hippocrates therefore says truly in his first treatise, Vita brevis, as vera longa, occasional out-emprigheps, experimentum periculosum, judicium divicile. Scalarel to Gorgibus. You are not one of those doctors who only study the medicine called irrational or dogmatic, and I believe that you practice it every day with great success. Experientia magistra rarum. The first men who practice medicine were held in such consideration because of that wonderful science, that they were numbered among the gods on account of the marvellous cures they performed every day. Not that anyone should despise doctor, who has not given back health to his patient, since health does not altogether depend on his remedies or his knowledge. Interdum doctor plus violet, arte marlum. Sir, I am afraid I am importunate. I must leave you, with the hope that next time we meet, I shall have the honour of conversing with you at greater length. Your time is precious. Exit lawyer. What do you think of that man? He has some trifling knowledge of things. Had he stopped a moment long, I would have made him converse upon a lofty and sublime subject. But now I must leave you. Gorgibus offers him money. Ha! What are you about? I know that I am indebted to you. You are laughing, Mr. Gorgibus. I'll never take any money. I am not a mercenary man. Takes the money. You're very humble servant. Exit scannaryl. Gorgibus goes into his own house. Scene eight. Valère alone. I wonder what scannaryl has done. I have no news from him. I wish I knew where to meet him. Scannaryl returns in his usual dress. Ah! Here he is! Well, scannaryl, and what have you done since I saw you? Scene nine. Valère scannaryl. Worked wandis upon wandis. Done so well that Gorgibus really believes me to be a clever doctor. I went to his house. I ordered him to send his daughter to breathe fresh air, and she is now in an apartment at the bottom of their garden, so far from the old man that you can go and see her without fear of being disturbed. Ah! How happy you make me! I shall go at once to see her without losing any more time. Exit. Gorgibus must be a downright fool to allow himself to be deceived in that fashion. See in Gorgibus. Ah! Goodness, all is lost. Well, here's a pretty upset for my doctor's ship, but I must try and take him in once more. Scene ten. Scannaryl, Gorgibus. Good morning, sir. Sir, your servant. He's seen me a poor fellow driven to despair. Do you know a doctor who has only lately come to this town and who performs wonderful cures? Yes, I know him. He has just left my house. I am his brother, sir. We are tweens, and we resemble each other like two peas, and are often taken the one for the other. Dev! Doos take me if I did not make the mistake myself. And what is your name? Narcissus, sir, at your service. You must know that while in his study I upset two bottles full of essence, which were on the edge of his table, would he believe that he was so furious with me that he actually drove me out of the house and said he would never see me again, so that here I am a poor, destitute fellow without friends and without help, without anything at all. Don't distress yourself. I will make your peace with your brother. I am his friend, and I promise you that he shall forgive you. I will speak with him the first time I meet him. I shall be much obliged to you, Mr. Gortibus. Exit Scannarelle. Scene 11. Scannarelle, dressed as a doctor. Corgibus. One must say that when patients will not follow the advice of the doctor, will give themselves up to excesses. Sir, you are a very humble servant. I have a favour to ask of you. What is it, sir? Can I be of service to you? Sir, I have just met your brother. Who is extremely sorry to— He is a scoundrel, Mr. Gortibus. I assure you that he is so distressed to have put you in a passion that— He is a drunkard, Mr. Gortibus. Sir, do you wish to drive the poor fellow to despair? Do not speak to me of him. Just fancy that Scannarelle's impulence to go and ask you to make his peace for him. I beg of you not to speak of him to me. In heaven's name, sir, do it for my sake. If it is in my power to do anything to oblige you in return, I will do it with all my heart. I gave him my word, and— You entreat me so much that although I swore I would never forgive him. Here, shake hands, I forgive him. I assure you that I impose a great restraint upon myself, and that I must have great regard for you. Farewell, Mr. Gortibus. Gortibus goes into his house. Exits Scannarelle. Scene twelve. Valère Scannarelle. I am forced to acknowledge that I should never have thought that Scannarelle could have done so well. Scannarelle returns in his servant's stress. Ah, my dear fellow, under what obligation I am to you! How happy I am, and how— Yes, this is all very well, but Gortibus met me, and if it had not been for it tricker, I thought of all the spare of a moment all would have been discovered. Scene Gortibus. Run away! Here he is. Exit Valère. Scene thirteen. Gortibus Scannarelle. I was looking for you everywhere to tell you that I have spoken to your brother. He has promised me that he will forgive you, but in order that I may be more sure of it, I want him to embrace you in my presence. Step into my house. I will go and fetch him. Mr. Gortibus, I don't think you would find him now. Besides, I should not like to stop in your house. I dread his anger too much. Indeed, you will stay there, for I shall lock you in. I am going now to fetch your brother. Fear nothing. I assure you that he is no longer angry. Exit Gortibus. Scannarelle at the window. Well, I am caught this time. I see no way of escape. The clouds of hair are very dark, and I greatly fear that if they break, they will rain hard blows on my back, or that by a prescription stronger, even then that of all the doctors they will apply a royal cartery to my shoulders. But why should I despair? Since I have done so much, I must go on to the end. Yes, yes, I must get clear of all this, and show that Scannarelle is the king of rogues. Scannarelle jumps out of the window and runs away. Scene 14. Go René, Gortibus, Scannarelle. Upon my word, this is funny. How people jump out of the windows in this place. I must just stop here and see what comes of it. Scannarelle hides. I cannot find the doctor. I wonder where he went to hide himself. Seeing Scannarelle returning with his doctor's gown. Ah, here he is. It is not sufficient, sir, to have forgiven your brother. I beg you to give me the satisfaction of seeing you embrace him. He is in my house. I was looking everywhere for you to ask you to make your peace with him in my presence. You are joking, Mr. Gortibus. Is it not sufficient that I should have forgiven him? I will never see him again. Do it for my sake, sir. I pray. I can refuse you nothing. Tell him to come down. While Gortibus goes into the house by the door, Scannarelle goes in by the window. Gortibus at the window. Here is your brother waiting for you, Yonder. He has promised me that he will do all you like. Scannarelle at the window. Mr. Gortibus, I beg of you to make him come here. Let me see him and ask him in private to forgive me, for no doubt he would treat me roughly and would shame me before everybody. Gortibus comes out of his house by the door. Scannarelle by the window. Very well I will tell him. Sir, he says that he is thoroughly ashamed and he begs you to come in and ask you in private to forgive him. Here is the key. You may come in. I beg of you not to refuse me, but give me the satisfaction. There is nothing I can refuse you. You will hear how I will speak to him. Within the house. Ah, so you are here, Scannarelle. My brother, I beg your pardon. I assure you it was not my fault. Prophlegate wretch, I will teach you to dare import you, Gortibus, and plague him with your absurdities. Ah, my brother, hold your tongue, I tell you. I will not discharge. Be silent, rascal. Rourené coming forward. Who do you think is in your house at present? Why, it is the doctor with his brother Narcissus. They have had a quarrel, but they are making it up. Do take it if they are more than one. Scannarelle within the house. Drunkard that you are, I will teach you how to behave. He may well look down. He feels he has done wrong. The good for nothing scoundrel. Ah, the hypocrite, how he pretends to be good. Gortené to Gortibus. Sir, do ask him just for fun to make his brother show himself at the window. Very well. Sir, pray make your brother show himself at the window. Scannarelle from the window. He is unworthy of being seen by honourable people, and besides I could not bear to have him by the side of me. Sir, do not refuse me this favour after all those you have granted me. Scannarelle from the window. Truly, Mr Gortibus, you have so much power over me that I can refuse you nothing. Show yourself scoundrel. After having disappeared one moment he reappears as a valade. Mr Gortibus, I am so much indebted to you. Disappears and reappears again as doctor. Well, did you see that picture of drunkenness? Gortené to Gortibus. I know they are but one, and to prove it tell him that you want to see them both together. But grant me the favour of showing yourself with him and of embracing him at the window before me. Scannarelle from the window. It is a thing I will refuse to anyone but you, but to show you that I would do anything for your sake, I consent, though with difficulty, and I wish that he should first ask you to forgive him for the trouble he has given you. Yes, Mr Gortibus, I beg your pardon for having troubled you so much, and I promise you, my brother, in the presence of Mr Gortibus to be so careful in future that you will never have reason to complain. I beg of you not to think any more of what is past. He kisses his head and his rough, which he has put at the end of his elbow. Well, did you not see them both? Upon my word. He is a sorcerer. Scannarelle coming out of the house as doctor. I give you back the key of your house, sir. I do not wish this scoundrel to come down with me, for he makes me ashamed of him. I would not for anything that he should be seen with me in this town where I have some reputation. You can send him away when you please. I wish you good morning, and I am your humble servant. Faints to go, but after having thrown down his gown enters the house by the window. I must go, and set this poor fellow free. To say the truth, if his brother has forgiven him, it is not before ill treating him very much. He goes into his house and comes out with Scannarelle as a servant. Thank you very much, sir, for the trouble you have taken and the kindness you have shown me. I shall be obliged to you for it all my life. Gros-René to Gorgibus. Where do you think the doctor is now? He has gone away. Gros-René, who has picked up Scannarelle's gown. I hold him under my arm. There is the nave who played the doctor and deceived you. And while he is deceiving you and playing you off, Valère and your daughter are together doing as they like. Ah, how unfortunate I am. But you shall be hanged. You nave? You scoundrel? Why, sir, what good will it do you to hang me? Hear a word or two, I beg of you. It is true that, thanks to my strategy, my master is with your daughter. But while serving him, I have done you no wrong. It is a good match for her, both as to birth and money. Believe me, do not make a scandal which would turn to your shame. But send this nave here to the devil along with Vilbrecain. But here are our lovers. Sin 15. Valère, Lucille, Gorgibus, Scannarelle. We come to ask you to forgive us. I forgive you, and aren't seeing such a good son-in-law think myself happily deceived by Scannarelle. Now, let us all go to the wedding and drink the health of the company. The End End of The Flying Doctor by Molière Translated by Charles Herron Wall At St. Judas by Henry Blake Fuller This is the LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. At St. Judas Al fondo che divora Lucifero con Giuda Inferno 31. In the abyss which swallows up, Judas with Lucifer. Longfellow's translation Persons The Bridegroom, read by Nima The Best Man, read by Thomas Peter The Sacristan, read by Todd A procession of priests and acolytes, eight painted windows Stage directions, read by Sonia The sacristy of the Church of St. Judas Time, ten minutes before noon Appealing of bells is heard The sacristy is a great octagonal room of sculptured stone Its groin vaulting is upheld by one central column Which is wreathed from base to capital With a band of pale, carven flowers And its eight windows, broad and high, trifoiled and quartrifoiled Flood both floor and roof With an endless stepple and ripple of variegated light Under one of these windows an open door leads into the church Through this doorway one sees the chancel banked with flowers And above the decorous murmur of a thousand tongues When he hears the tones of the organ And the voices of the choir-boys Present in the sacristy the Bridegroom and his Best Man Both are in full uniform Each wears white gloves and carries a sword In ten minutes, ten minutes more In ten minutes, as you say The Bridegroom, fastening his glove Is that a long time or a short time? A long time, I think A short time, but much may happen within a short time Much may happen in ten minutes How soberly said Are you as jovial as one's closest friend should be? Perhaps not This day It means so much for me The Bridegroom, unfastening his glove As much as it means for me? As much, yes Quite as much Perhaps more Not more, for it means everything in the world for me It means everything in the world for me Now, that voice vibrates with such a degree of interest As I have felt this day demanded Now, I begin to recognize you The first time for a month I am the same I am unaltered The Bridegroom, refastening his glove No, no You've never been quite the same since I told you Since you heard of the great change in store for me How did you tell me? In your sleep Your own pillow close to mine I felt myself an eavesdropper I felt that I had betrayed your confidence Not betrayed Only anticipated You would have known within a day You have known everything else You have shared my thoughts, my ideas, my secrets, my ambitions We have eaten together We have slept together We have fought side by side We are the same age, the same height My eyes have always been able to look level into yours We are the same bulk as well Who shall say that even at the present moment I am not wearing your coat and you mine That has happened more than once You have saved my life I have saved yours Have we not pledged an unbreaking friendship? We have The first of the eight windows comes to life There is a flux of color And of outline among its molly and lights Gradually, two figures among its ranks of churchly warriors Become strangely secularized They raise their crossed swords on high While their left hands meet in a clasp of friendship The colors upon the pavement shift in correspondence And from the church, or from spaces far above and beyond it There come the tones of the Eche Quambonum But for you, my bones, hacked by African sabers Might now be bleaching upon the desert sands But for you, my own, gnawed by nameless fishes Might now be lying at the bottom of the sea Your arm sweeping through that burning air Saved me for today Yours cleaving through those angry waters Saved me for, for To himself For what? Yes, you have saved me for today A moment more, and I shall stand where I have long hoped to stand And shall take the vow that so long has been ready on my lips At last all obstacles are brushed aside At last the way stands clear Those obstacles You know my combat with them as well as I myself At every step, on every hand This mysterious opposition This determined and unceasing enmity From what source could it come? From what motive? What enemy have I? The worst should stay his hand at such a time as this True, true I pass over the attempt to embarrass my fortune And I will say nothing of the efforts made to transfer me to another regiment And to have me sent back to the wars Nor will I dwell upon the conspiracy disclosed By the repeated advice from so many friends to forgo this marriage For few of these advisors were close enough to me to have the right to speak Fewer still had any definite reason to tender And all were but too plainly moved Some of them unconsciously perhaps By one hidden yet dexterous hand Let all that pass How did the real attack begin? What was the first thing to be insinuated? Yes, I remember The second of the eight windows is endowed with a moving consciousness Ten honourable knights rise in a semi-circle And look down with an opener prehension in their pure young eyes Upon the pair beneath An indignant diapason rolls in from the organ And distant voices are heard to chant the inco-corrigate A shameful whisper Creeping hither and thither named me a cheat, a trickster, a game-ster I have played, yes, it is the privilege of my order, of my profession But I have never played otherwise than honourably Never otherwise than honourably A hundred tongues came to my defence Only one was silent, yours I can never thank you enough for that Your perfect confidence would not deign Your certainty of my innocence made it seem Unnecessary to defend The knights look into one another's eyes And shake their heads and turn away their faces I strangled the slander's report The she, indeed, had never doubted me And I struck down the only man who dared repeat it openly But what came next? After defending my honour as an officer I was compelled to defend my honour as a suitor The third window sets itself in motion A band of chaste young damsels brush forward through ranks of tall and rigid lilies And curve their lustrous palms before their ears To hear the coming words of ill report Voices, not theirs, intone the words of the gnawly amulari A score of lying words placed in an honest hand A villainous bit of paper Brought to the gaze of a pair of trusting eyes Who could have done it, I ask, and why? We never learnt I have indeed lived freely But who shall say that I have seriously overpassed the bounds? The damsels blush and stoop to hide their faces among the lilies But their blushes are repeated upon the pavement No one I went to her brother What I told him satisfied him But who could have written that letter? And why? You never learnt Bad followed, or worse What was next attacked? My courage as a soldier Mine, mine The fourth window, an army with banners The leaders of the host rest on their sorthills And gaze downward with satirical and contemptuous smiles Above the ranks rise flags of scarlet and purple That flaunt in airy derision and dappled a sculpture pillar I demanded a hearing I combatted the unworthy charges sent back across those waist of sand and of sea I summoned my witnesses You spoke for me, briefly, quietly One might almost have said reluctantly You were above such accusations Your words added to those of others sufficed And that evening Angela kissed me for the untarnished soldier that I was Then I said enough To himself Too much, perhaps The leader of the army lifts a foreshortened sword and makes a movement as if of warning But neither of the pair interprets his movement for neither sees it I came at last then to stand forth whole, sound, unscathed, eye But the others, my bride, her parents The fifth window, a rising of the sheeted dead The sun, half hidden by a passing cloud But partly penetrates the dull and spectral pains A rumor ran that my orphaned bride had been born out of wedlock That no priest had ever blessed the union of Ugh, it was foul I beat at the doors of town halls I reigned blows upon the portals of parish churches My Angela should not be thus doubly and disgracefully orphaned I searched the records, dim and dusty as they were And I brought the truth triumphantly to light The sun reappears, the dead throw back their cows, their eyes sparkle, their cheeks are flushed with life They raise their full-fleshed hands in benediction But who could have started that rumor? And why? Who indeed? You have never learned But even that was not enough Worse followed, you know what? Word passed that Angela herself No, no, I cannot say it I, I heard that she was false The sixth window, a trio of female figures Love, truth and purity entwined in one another's arms Their eyes are startled, their garments quiver and scintillate In reds and embers and pale greens Their mouth open, but whether in condemnation or in defence It is too soon to say From that quarter or from another There comes the chance in Niquor's audio habouie That she was untrue, impure Yes, but the last great lie was faced and routed Here I await her One moment more, and she will have come Happy tears course irredecently down the cheeks of the three virgins Hark, hark! I hear even now their carriage-wheels without The sacriston enters Noon and past noon, and the bride does not come The chimes have long since ceased peeling The whole church questions and whispers Do you not hear? Nothing can prevent that Let the bells be heard too The sacriston closes the door leading into the church And retires by means of a second one opposite Through walls or doors or windows are heard the words Quare frimur und gentes The bells may ring, but they will bring you nothing What do you mean, my friend? She will not come The seventh window, the seven cardinal virtues They change with a slow but relentless movement of colour Of outline of feature into the seven deadly sins This transformation, like all the others, passes unheeded She will not come Have you not heard? Heard what? What everyone else has heard What fills the church with smiles and whispers even now What have you to tell me? It is always thus The most concerned is ever the last to learn What have I to learn? This, that she has sinned That should have been said before, or better, and more truly not at all They say that she has sinned and sinned with me My enemy unseen but unrelenting And what is your response? Were the other reports true? Not one of them Perhaps the times will begin again Perhaps the bride will yet appear Perhaps those whispers will cease Do you hear them? Yes, even through that door Do you hear the bells? No Do you hear the bride arriving? Not yet Ah A pause Is it true, what you say? Is it true? Is it true? Why need that matter? It is nothing, let it pass Nothing? Let it pass? Yes, I am here And she will never be You may wait, but you shall wait in vain He places his hand upon the other's shoulder If she were to come, I should not let her have you She shall not have you Nobody shall have you What is your meaning, Oliver? The deadliest of the seven sins hides her face It is too hideous for contemplation She shall not let you go Our friendship has been too long, too close, too intimate It shall not be destroyed It shall not be broken No one shall come between us Peace, Oliver, in Heaven's name Why have we lived so long together? Why shared each other's every thought To be completely thundered now? Why did I save your life? To have it taken from me thus? Why did you save mine? That you might cast this blight upon it in the end? She shall not have you I will do everything to prevent it I have done everything to pre- Ha! It is you who have attacked my honour? Your honour is secure It is you who have questioned my courage? You are brave I believe that It is you who have insulted my love? No one loves you more than I The sculptured wreath entwined round the great central column Rise in descending spirals, like a vast serpent You are a liar, a traitor, a perjurer You shall die One of us shall die One of us too shall die It shall be you One of us shall die One of us three She shall die It is she who has come between us The bridegroom, drawing his sword You shall die I shall kill you with my own hands The chimes begin to ring A sound of rumbling wheels and trembling hoofses heard outside A procession of priests and acolytes crosses the sacristy On the way into the church They pause at the signs of combat Ha! She comes She believes in me And so shall all the others They do already I will not believe the throng makes sport of our fair fame To the priests Move on, move on I will follow you within a moment The procession traverses the sacristy And moves on toward the high altar The bridegroom shuts the door behind it The best man, springing forward, thrusts him from it And then stands staunchly with his own back against its panels You shall not pass You shall never pass To her Stand aside, let me through I do not mean to fail at the last moment I shall not allow so many good endeavors to go for naught Stand aside, I hate you I detest you I despise you I love you You hate me? That cannot be I hate you with my whole heart I love you with my whole soul You loathe me I who have done so much You are not fit to live You are not fit to die But die you shall I shall not kill you You shall kill yourself You shall do it now And I shall see you do it You have no other road to redemption We have been friends always I have loved you all my life God of harm made me mad Made me desperate Time presses Use your blade The eighth window The angelic host trumpeting from the clouds While Lucifer plunges headlong toward the pit The wonder is that he can fall so long, so fast, so far When the bridegroom opens the door into the church The bride is seen coming up the aisle While the choirboys and the organ unite in a resounding gloria Upon the floor of the sacristy lies the body of a man In a pool of blood As the bride and the bridegroom meet before the altar rail The eight windows deppling the floor of the sacristy With a thousand varied splotches of color But there is one broader and brighter than them all Shutter back convulsively to their pristine selves End of at St. Judas by Henry Blake Fuller The Grandmother by Law Host Bureau This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Characters The Grandmother, read by Sonja The Blonde Young Lady, read by phone The Brunette Young Lady, read by T.J. Burns The Bride, read by Elsie Salwin The Vivacious Girl, read by Jen Broda The Melancholy Girl, read by Pavia The Sentimental High School Girl, read by Devorah Allen Jovial Young Man, read by Josh Kibbey The Polite Young Man, read by Chuck Williamson The Disagreeable Young Man, read by Thomas Peter Stage Directions, read by Campbell Shelp There is only this notable thing to be said about Grandmother Her hair is snow white, her cheeks rosy And her eyes violet blue She is the most youthful and enthusiastic Best and most cordial grandmother ever beloved By her grandchildren The scene opens on a broad sunny terrace Furnished with garden furniture, chairs, Small tables and chai slonges Back of the terrace is the beautiful summer residence Of Grandpa Behind it is a large English garden In its luncheon blossoms The Disagreeable Young Man enters, yawns Stretches discontentedly, slouches here and there Picks up a volume from the table Then falls into a couch at right And, lighting a cigarette, begins to read The other grandchildren enter In groups of two and three and seat themselves Oh, my ward children, I am too full for utterance What a spread! Ah, now for a good cigar And a soft chair and I am as rich as a king We are having such charming weather It's not as park like a paradise How did you like the after-dinner speeches? Uncle Heinrich was splendid There is great laughter Uncle Heinrich was never strong in speechmaking But in the beginning even Demosthenes stuttered The trouble is that Uncle Heinrich stopped Where Demosthenes began Besides, a manufacturer has no time to parade On the seashore with pebbles under his tongue There is more laughter Children, who wants a cigarette? I The polite young man, handing them cigarettes And lighting a match for them He speaks to the bride Aren't you going to smoke? No, I thank you Lord, no, she must not The noble bride must not permit tobacco smoke To contaminate her rosy lips They all laugh May I have a cigarette too? You be careful, or the same misfortune May happen to you at any minute that happened to Lucy The jovial young man, pointing to the bride He hands the vivacious girl a cigarette If my bridegroom shall object to tobacco smoke He can pack his things and off Well, young people, what are we going to do next? Let's remain here The park looks so beautiful Oh, I object We'll remain here until the sun goes down a little And then we'll play tennis They agree Can we remain here? Let us enjoy the spring in the garden Let's play tennis A little exercise is the best cure for romance And you can enjoy your spring out there as well You dreamer They laugh You are as loud as the besiegers of Jericho in your planning Behold He speaketh You are so overbearing in your jollifications that it is positively disgusting For the past hour you have been giggling away without the slightest reason You have so much leisure you do not know what to do with yourselves Courage, must you always be the killjoy in the party? If you would at least take yourselves off from here But admit that today there's reason enough for every kind of jollity Is there indeed? You have finished a costly banquet and now are enjoying a good digestion You are young and have a healthy animal appetite But why deck sentimentalism on your horns? You're pardon Do you suppose that all a person gets out of this remarkable occasion is a good dinner? Have you no appreciation? How do you realize what this day means to all of us? Very well, my boy Now tell me why you are so overfilled with joy Yes, I will I am glad that I can celebrate the golden wedding of my grandfather I am glad that just thirty years ago today grandfather founded his factory I am glad because of our large and happy family that so many lovely and good and happy people have come here to celebrate this remarkable event all of them good and prosperous Prosperous? Yes, I rejoice at their prosperity The labourers down there in the foundry however are not as overjoyed at this prosperity as you are for this prosperity of yours they have been starving these past thirty years Grandfather was always good to his employees Indeed Our grandfather has managed by hook or by crook to amass an enormous fortune and you are glad that his fortune is now made and you do not have to resort to questionable means The polite young man hurt Questionable means? You do not intend to assert that our grand-papa I assert nothing but mark you this there is only one honest way to gain a large fortune inheriting it you cannot earn it without resorting to questionable means Shame to say a thing like that Shame to say that of grandfather All of them are upset and disturbed Grandmother appears on the balcony Why children, what is it? What's wrong? Why grandma, just think of it Kurt said that grandpa made his fortune by questionable means I do not say exactly that Yes, you did You said that You said that Grandmother as energetically as possible for her I think you are in error Kurt In the entire fortune of your grandpa there is not a single copper that was not earned by him in the most honest way But look grandma, what I said was generally in those cases no one Grandmother hurt When I tell you this boy, it is so When I tell you anything my child, you should never doubt it Yes grandma, you are quite right But I maintain that human learning and experience have proved Why don't you stop? Do you perhaps want to insult grandma? You are taking too great an advantage of our good nature I'll tell you that If you folks had any sense Don't you know enough To shut up Attacks him Indeed, he's right Stop, shut up The disagreeable young man in spite of the scene Wants to continue, but the protests of the others Drown his voice He casts a contemptuous look at them Shrugs his shoulders Throws himself on the sofa and begins to read Now don't trouble yourself about him any longer grandma dear Here Rest yourself nicely in this chair among us There grandma, the old folks are there at the table We young people are here in the fresh air We lacked only the youngest one of us all And here you are There is a glad ascent as the grandmother sits down Are you quite comfortable grandma dear Would you like something to rest your feet on? Thanks my child, I am quite alright And I am very happy Yes grandma, you ought to feel happy How young you look Lovely and rosy Grandma What is it my angel? Tell me, how does a woman manage so that she is admired by her husband for full fifty years As you are by grandfather? Yes, how did you manage that? You will all be loved and admired after fifty years as I have been A person must be good We must love each other But grandmother, is it not wonderful at seventy and seventy-five To love so beautifully and purely as you and grandfather have loved You must always be good and patient with each other and brave Never lose courage But look grandma, not even I could be as brave as you have been And no one can ever say that I lose courage They all laugh They still shudder when I think how in those days in March of forty-eight You had to run away Or in the sixties when the city was bombarded You with my mama and aunt Olga escaped from the burning house How interesting that was Tell us another story grandma There is loud ascent Yes, yes, grandma shall tell us another story But I have already told you so much You have heard all our history Not I grandma, I have not heard the story of when you got lost in the Fridrix Road Forest That story I have told you so often children Ask your mother about it, she'll tell you But grandma, I haven't heard it either Just tell us that one and we'll go to play tennis If you'll pardon me grandma I believe you ought to tell us a different incident today I've heard that history so often Tell us something contemporaneous Tell us about the first sewing machine Or the first railroad Or about crenellines or contemporary theatre art No, tell us about the words Yes, that's right That's the story of how you got lost The disagreeable young man shrugs his shoulder And buries his head in his book Grandmother begins to narrate And the circle of her admiring and attentive audience grows narrower Well, my children, it happened in the year 1840 A year after grandfather was almost shot by error In those days the happenings took us quite far away from here To Fridrix Road, my dears, where you have never been Your grandfather had a small estate there And that's how we made our livelihood We always wished and prayed to get the management of the large estate of the Count of Schwanhausen But we lived there humbly in the little house Was my mama home then? No, she was not in this world yet But a year later she was born So your grandfather and I lived then in this little red-roofed house Your grandfather used to be busy with the land the entire day Those days I was taking on weight And to reduce I would take long walks through the country One day in October, in the afternoon It was beautiful sunny autumn weather As usual I went again on my long walk The country there is very beautiful All hills covered with dense forests This afternoon my way led into the famous forest of Fridrix Road When there I kept on walking Here and there I would stop to pick a flower Don't forget, Grandma, that it was quite late when you left your house You are correct, my dear After our dinner I had some things to attend to in the house And that is why I started that day later than usual I was walking through the forest, going in deeper and deeper And suddenly I began to realize that it was getting dark It was in the autumn and the days were getting short When I saw how dark it was I turned homeward But in the meanwhile evening came sooner than I counted And suddenly it got dark altogether Now thought I must hustle I hurried as well as I could But as much as I hurried I did not get home Had I gone home the right way I would have reached it then And so it dawned on me that I had lost my way Great heavens! Indeed, my child, I was really lost in the woods And in the Fridrix Road forest besides What that meant you cannot now realize Since that time these woods have been considerably cleared Then also we live in a different world today But in those days Fridrix Road forest was a very, very dismal place It spread away into the outskirts of the Hearts Mountains And was a wild, primeval, guard forsaken forest Where highway robbers were hiding And in the winter it was full of the wolves from the mountains There is a short pause And what did you do, Grandmother? Really, my child, a great anxiety came upon me I stood still and tried to fix my direction Then I turned to a path which I figured ought to lead me home After a walk the half hour, however, I found that the forest Instead of getting lighter was getting thicker and thicker Three or four times I changed the direction But no matter what I did I was walking deeper and deeper into the dark woods Although the moon was shining then The branches of the trees were so thick that I could see but little And that which I saw only frightened me all the more Every tree stump, every overhanging bow excited my fear My feet were continuously caught in the roots of big trees And the undergrowth tore my bleeding face and feet And it was getting cold I felt frozen and dismally quiet Terribly dark was the night in the forest There is a pause and suspense Good heavens, how perfectly terrible! Then I collected all my wits I said to myself, if I keep on walking I will lose my way all the more I ought to remain where I am and wait When grandfather arrives at home and misses me He will start a search with all the help and people They will go into the woods with torchlights And then I will see the lights from the distance And hear them call And in that way I can get home How clever of our grandma! And how brave! After I figured it out that way I looked about for a sheltered nook In between two great big tree trunks There was a cave, like a little house And a place all filled with soft moss A pleasant camping place I fell into this and prepared myself for a long wait I waited and waited The night peopled the woods with every kind of sound There was whistling, whispering, humming Blowing, screeching And once from a distance a long drawn, deep howling This undoubtedly was the wolves Then even I lost my courage I wanted to run, run as long as my legs would carry me But I realized that the wiser thing was to be brave and to remain So I set my teeth and kept on waiting And then gradually the howling ceased So I sat there on this moss bank Gazing before me and thought of many things Suddenly I heard a noise Straightened up and listened It was a breaking sound And a rustle as though someone were brushing aside the underbrush The noise was getting nearer and nearer I was all ears I could clearly distinguish now that the sound was the footstep of a human being Frightened I started through the darkness And in the dull moonlight I saw that actually a man Was wading through the thick underbrush What was I to do? I pressed against a tree trunk And my fast and loud beating heart seemed to be in my throat The man was coming directly toward me When he was about three paces away from me And I could distinguish his features I felt like fainting It was Red Mike A very dangerous fellow from our neighborhood Everyone knew that he was a robber Later on he was imprisoned for murder But he escaped from the prison Now he was there What should I do? What did you do Grandma? Great heavens Frenzied I pressed against the tree trunk I wanted to hide But the robber came directly toward me It was as though he could see me even in this darkness And behind the tree trunk Later on when he was caught I found out that he had prepared this very place For his night's resting place He had brought all this soft moss there Of course I did not know that he just came there To rest himself All I saw was that he was making directly for me Then such a great fear seized me That instead of pressing against a tree And letting him go past me I shrieked just as he came within reaching distance And began to run away There is a pause and feverish suspense And what did the robber do? My sudden outcry and quick dash and flight Scared him for the moment But as soon as I appeared in the moonlight He saw that it was only a woman who had frightened him He hesitated about half a minute And then started to pursue me I flew I was young then and I could run fast But it was dark And I did not know my way As I pressed forward I ran into a low branch And tore my cheek so that it bled My skirt was torn into shreds Suddenly I stumbled and fell to the ground I hurt myself quite painfully But in spite of that I arose quickly again and commenced to run And the robber after me all the time I could always hear his footsteps in my wake My legs were about to give up under me When I got an idea to hide behind a stout tree trunk But the robber began to look through the underbrush In the spot where he last saw me And he finally found me He came near me How terrible! With one single leap I jumped aside And started to run again Once more I fell down and again I rose Aimlessly I ran wildly over roots and stones And the robber kept right on after me And the distance between me and my pursuer Was getting smaller and smaller Then, all of a sudden I heard the sound of his footsteps close to me To escape him I tried to dash away to the side of him But with a sudden leap he was by my side Grabbing me by my shoulder he threw me on the ground And I fell upon my back He had to run so fast that he dashed A couple of paces past me He turned about And then I saw that he had a long knife in his hand Merciful heaven! I could not budge When unspeakable fear ceased me Then I uttered a piercing shriek The robber approached me I cried out There is a pause Then? Then? Well what then what? I cried out like an insane person Now the robber was near me He bent over me Suddenly a voice sounded Who's crying here? The voice seemed to be near The footsteps were audible Who's crying here? It asked the second time The branches parted And the man in a hunting habit With a gun in his hand appeared The robber took to his heels And flew into the woods The robber now came near me And called to a second man who followed They helped me to rise And they carried me over to a small clearing There I saw a light buggy Into which they lifted me Soon they fetched the horses And in a half hour I was in the Schwanhausen castle Sipping hot brandy Which they had prepared for me The man in a hunting habit Was the count of Schwanhausen Who had been hunting in the woods How interesting! In the castle I quite recovered Then the count ordered another carriage To drive me home And at six in the morning I landed safely in our house Your grandpa was sick with worry He and his people had searched For me in the woods for hours And that's how I was almost lost A few days later Grandpa went to thank the count For my rescue The count took a liking to him And soon after that Grandfather got the management Of the entire Schwanhausen estate Which proved the cornerstone Of his good fortune And that, my dears, is the story Of my night-wander In the forest of Friedrichsrode I made a general approval To give him the account Of my life And I gave him the account Of my life And I gave him the account A made general approval Grandma is surrounded Everybody is indebted to her They all speak at once Except the disagreeable young man We thank you cordially It was wonderful, Grandma, dear Interesting Beautiful Grandma is a storytelling genius A most wonderful one Very well, my dears But now run along to your tennis game I'll come over later to watch on They all agree Three cheers for our very dear Beloved, charming Grandma They all cheer three times Then they surround her, kiss her cheeks And head and stroke her hair Adieu, old sweetheart I'll feed a zane precious Grandma The sentimental high school girl Inspired Grandma She rushes over to her She covers her with kisses Grandma bears all these amiabilities With pleasurable tolerance She strokes and pats the grandchildren And as they retire, she fondly gazes After them, nodding to them with laughter Kurt, are not you going with the others? No Why not, Kurt? Why don't you follow the others? They think that I am bad And I know that they are stupid Grandmother seats herself in silence The disagreeable young man continues to read He lights a new cigarette While lighting the cigarette Grandma What is it, my child? Whatever you say might, of course, never be questioned No, my child But do tell me, Grandma Did that story really happen in that way? What story? The night wandered through the Friedrichsrode forest Certainly it happened Exactly as you told it Are you quite sure that you remember all those details? Yes, why? Oh, just so I merely wanted to inquire, Grandma But why did you want to? I was just interested Thank you very much Do not let me disturb you further, Grandma He takes up his book and continues to read The grandmother remains seated But is greatly embarrassed She would like to keep on gazing into the park And enjoying her quiet But she is unable to concentrate her thoughts She is getting more and more disturbed There is a pause Kurt Yes, Grandma, dear? Kurt Why have you asked me if the forest incident happened that way? I merely wanted to find out, Grandma You just wanted to find out But one does not ask such things without some good reason I was interested Interested? But why are you interested? Just in general But do not get disturbed on account of that, Grandma The grandmother is silent The disagreeable young man picks up his book The grandmother wants to drop the subject at this point She does not succeed but continues to look over toward the young man He reads on Kurt Yes, Grandma, dear? Kurt, you shall tell me this instant the reason you asked if the incident really happened that way But, Grandma I have already told you that Don't you tell me again that you asked because the matter interested you You would never have asked such a question if you did not have some special reason for it But, Grandma Kurt, if you do not this moment tell me why you said that, then I will never Her voice becomes unusually strong and shakes I'd never in my life will speak to you again But, Grandma, I do not want to insult you You will not insult me if you will be sincere and open Be sincere always and you will not insult me But when you're trying to hide something from me that's when you insult me This cannot remain in this way I must know what you are thinking of I must know that Grandma, I was afraid you would be angry with me If you keep on concealing things I shall be angry No matter what you have to say I will not hold it against you Are you not angry now? No, I promise you I will not be angry Say whatever you please The disagreeable young man hesitates Well then, out with it Speak up, my child Be it what it may as long as it is frank and sincere Speak up now Very well then, Grandma It is impossible that the story could happen in that manner Grandmother offended You mean that I told an untruth Oh no, I did not say that the incident did not happen I just maintained that it could not have happened in that fashion But why not? On account of the details Let us take it for granted, Grandma, that as you state You commenced your exercise walk in the afternoon Yes Let's say that you had household duties and started out quite late About four o'clock Grandmother disturbed but following the cross-examination intently Yes Very well, you started at four o'clock The walk was a good one and consumed, let us say, one hour and a half Yes Yes, this brings us to half past five o'clock In October and in a dense forest besides that half past five It gets fairly dark at that hour It was then that she lost her way The grandmother nods her head in a scent Another hour and a half spent in wandering That brings us to seven o'clock You now reached the night lodging of the robber Here you were resting Exactly Quite right Here you were waiting and resting Now we want to allow a long time for it Three... Let us say three and a half hours Not that long Oh yes, let us... We'll then have reached half past ten o'clock It could not have been later when this forest bandit came These pirates never go to their bed earlier They shut light and must get their sleep Where the world is the darkest He could not sleep during the day even in the darkest forests In short then it was half past ten Half past ten Now began the flight in the pursuit You ran, let us say, full twenty minutes That is a great deal I was a track runner in college And I know what a twenty minute stretch means Shall we say twenty minutes? Twenty minutes? In any circumstances It was not even eleven when you were safely out of danger Yes And... And a half hour later you were sipping hot brandy In the Schwanhausen castle Yes The disagreeable young man is silent Grandmother shaking with excitement And... What else? The disagreeable young man is silent Grandmother she shakes with fear as to what will follow But forces herself to face it Well, say on... What else? At six on the following morning You reached your home and... He pauses Grandmother if her loud speaking could be called an outcry Then she cries out What else? What happened then? Go on, say it What else? The disagreeable young man He makes a new attempt to tell everything bravely at once But hesitates In the morning at six you arrived at home The others had no idea as to the distance Between Schwanhausen and Friedrichsrod But I wanted to see it myself So last year with a friend I made a walking trip through that country I tried this distance In a half hour of slow walking I reached from one place to the other And the horses in the count stables And the state roads were then in as good condition as today Well, then you started from the castle At half past five in the morning But you reached there at half past eleven The preceding night You spent six entire hours in the castle Then another point They all speak of the count The benefactor of us all As the old count When he died five years ago He was of course an old count An old man of seventy But thirty-five years ago He was a young count of thirty years of age The grandmother stares blindly At the disagreeable young man Alarmed over grandma's fright He rises He would very much like to make up to her But he lacks words The grandmother rises She is trembling With a shaking hand She is nervously setting her dress to rights Twice she turns to the young man To speak to him But is unable to utter a word Then she turns She is about to return into the house But remains near the doorstep Again she turns Then she is about to go in But turns again and remains standing The disagreeable young man frightened Grandma, you gave me a word That you would not be angry Grandmother, she stumbles forward a few steps She is disturbed, shivering Beside herself, complaining, almost sobbing You are an evil child You are a bad, bad and evil child For fifty years I have told the same story Always the same, same way And that it happened Differently, never, never even came into my mind Kerching End of The Grandmother