Roses: Four One-Act Plays / Streaks of Light-The Last Visit-Margot-The Far-away Princess

Y IN

RAC

li

er

tt

resen

all pavilion situated in the p

KS OF

long disuse. At the back, in the centre, a large doorway. The glass door is thrown wide open; the shutters behind are closed. On the right and left, in the oblique walls of the

kes up the right side of the stage. In the foreground, in front of the bed, a table with plates, glasses, wine-decanters, and provisions on it. A coffee percolator stands under the table. In the middle of the stage, a little to the right, a chaise-longue. At the head of it, a small table

s. Garlands of roses hang from the chandelier and encircle the bedposts. On the small table near the chaise-longue, a large

by a napkin, upon which are seen a bottle of wine and the remai

ve years of age, intractable and passionate, with traces of a bourgeois desire to

f the castle are heard ringing. Both seem to

ressed, aristocratic young fellow who has been petted and spoiled. He is effeminate, cowar

li

ughter dies out in groans.)

bending

s. What

li

ughs and goes

straight

forehead. Then indicating the outstretched form of the woman.) Beautiful!--You beautiful anim

(tearf

let m

er

r a moment. It's tea-time, and

li

se s

er

king for me. I have

(petti

che. I want so

er

cleaning the orchid rooms in the hot-

li

cooks are simply abominable!--And the wine is always wa

er

ice that I can manage to take from the table. If I insi

li

ne--so there! That's what

er

h!--this nasty smell from the withered ones--sour--like sta

li

you know--basketsful, every morning! I wish the gardener would brin

er

you were only

li

ds out her arms to him. He comes to her. They

freeing

h

li

d

ith hidde

vously.) Pardon me!--It's

li

g days I've seen nothing of the sun except these

er

aven's

li

or a s

er

avilion is locked and that not a

li

e a hundred years ago! That's one of those old-wives' tales that everyone knows.--

er

to crawl through the woods for a hundred yards. The same performance twice a day--for a week! Now, i

li

fter that! Why, your old gardener would cut his hand off for me any day of

e (as

as

li

f down before her and weeps.) Pierre! Crying?--Oh!-

but nervously a

t I'd like to d

li

k!--My little boy has read in a naughty book that people str

e (ri

u? How much longer is the ga

li

es bloom--that was

er

th

li

le world over!--That was a clever notion of mine--writing him from Brussels--Nora, last act, last scene--and then coming straight back again! I'll wager he's in Paris now, sitting at

er

se you wish--b

li

y

er

and was at the ca

rising

-was--at th

er

ays used to come, you know--our nearest

li

e a reason

er

al reas

li

concealing so

(hesi

hat I kno

li

once? And now--why have

(sull

ring it so

li

happened? Tel

er

asked for mamma. I naturally pretended to be going out. B

li

was he--just th

er

wouldn't

li

look? Tell

er

he wore black gloves

li

And wh

er

he was everlastingl

li

else? W

er

you were improving, and that you were expected home soon. (Julia bu

li

arian watering-p

er

so--so mournfully--why, it was really

li

rian water

er

s a dreadful pity your dear wife isn't h

li

at did

er

thriving very well

li

-They always thri

er

ery peculiar is happening on our estate this year. Now I can see from where I sit that the whole place i

li

aking in your boots! Did y

er

igid--as if--as if he had been reflecting. He acted like a man who sleeps with hi

li

u come here t

(bursti

hen mamma said to him, "You don't look very well, Herr Wittich--are you ill?"--her words were like the box on the ear that she gave me when, as a lad of fifteen, I got into mischief with the steward's daughte

li

ow who has the guilty consc

er

been concerned abo

li

never belonged to any

er

You've flirted with every man who would look at yo

li

h his eyes. But you, Pierre, you were not so easily satisfied. No, the young

e (pr

. I am a dreamer. My t

li

ng, except how to scent and track out the sins that lie hidden in one's inmost soul, the secret sins that one dares not admit to oneself.--And when the prey is in reach, then you fire away with your "rights of the modern wom

er

ound a great deal of

li

began softly, gently, to bind me to you with glances and caresses that were like chains of roses!--Yes, and that I become maddened by roses as cats by valerian, that, too, you soon found out.--Then--then you began to speak to me of the lover's pavilion--all covered with roses--where your ancestors spent happy, pastor

er

u, I have to g

li

I tell you something--a big secret? You are tired of

er

are offensi

li

too sudden.--Let me stay here as long as the roses bloom--here, where he can't find me! Oh, if I leave this place I shall die of fear!--Nowhere e

half to

ou say t

li

as continually had the notion of an admirer in his head. That was the danger-signal! Pierre, if he surmised--then yo

er

you

li

on. Search for the faded petals of the roses upon which, night after night, Pierre and I celebrated our union. Search the highway for the bl

er

the kind, you-- (Seiz

(lau

rength! (Disengages hers

er

it out of m

li

t time that you have flung it in my face.--What have I done that was bestial excep

voice, breathing

-the end is

li

are

er

ou must--l

li

are

er

--You must leave t

li

-jus

er

ow--you are no l

turning

her?--Not ev

er

l you everyt

li

to some new

er

down the steps, he asked--ve

li

park

er

oms that had been cut from it. Then--in the linden lane--I kept pushing to the left--

(terri

pavi

er

tai

(shudd

n

er

see the old thing o

li

s that's impossible--he k

er

sure that's how

li

at did

er

lent--and

li

But he'll

er

e into a pretty

li

top pitying yourself, and

er

t I to

li

go away! He can't come in her

er

lock in the night--behind the park wall. Take

li

I hadn't taken the cartridges out of his revolver in those days, he-- Why, I've seen him pick up two unmanageable boys on our place and swing them over his shoulder into t

igning ind

the ace of hearts at twe

li

about your duels! He'd make a clod of earth out of you before you'd have time to take off your hat!--I tell you, bolt

er

If that's the case, then--h'm, then the best

ing to cli

s go away

(moving

ight s

li

ould go to India or to Texas--and yet, if he took it into his head, he would find us none the less. Even if we s

(stam

d--have

(wil

wn!--at night--from behind!--It doesn't

er

mad? Don't you see tha

li

a cad and a cow

er

are! But go! Leave my property!

li

then? W

er

rney--that you have reconsidered--that you can't live without him. Tell him t

li

me, step by step, here to this pavilion

er

else!--Oh, now I ha

li

s sake, speak! I'll lov

er

im. His he

li

hen he's in a

er

re that he lov

li

e me so much, wh

er

feet and tell him everything. Tell him, for all I care, that you hate me--that you loa

li

ivorce--or perhaps merely a separation. For, I no longer dare hope to live with him as his wife, even if I were satisfied to be no better than his dog for the rest of my days!--Ah, but it cannot be! It cannot be! You don't know him. You don't know what he's like when the veins stand out on his forehead!--He would kill me!--Rather than that--kill me yourself!--Here--now--this moment!--Get yo

er

ve!--But how? Where

li

other's arms and remain motionless in mute despair. After a tim

(trou

e

li

you? Perhaps it i

er

do yo

li

ng ourselves into this notion

er

wanted to do nothing b

li

possible,

er

nothing very u

li

d asserted itself. Ha! Ha! What a silly litt

er

always rather eas

hing withou

rre, let's make some co

er

now--I ha

li

e now. See there! The streaks of light have gone. (Indicates a corner of the room in which the streaks of light have just grown dim.

(list

. (Carries the coff

li

e small door just a tiny bit? No

er

e shrubbery, it's eve

li

try it--w

er

e! (Opens the d

li

! And that disgusting odour--a mixture

er

our by-gone days--they li

li

door! Hurr

e (do

u how it

li

shutters at the large door so tha

er

some one happened to be looking

oing to

ering a low cry of fear, and retreats to the foreground,

er

the m

li

autiously, then softly.)

er

er

li

(They cautiously change places. Pierre utters a lo

er

be the g

li

--the--g

er

s it

li

-and lock--th

weak fro

ca

li

ps toward the door when the streaks of li

er

--g

li

here--no

er

opportunit

li

er

er

house--quick--be

li

ight--half dr

er

n the left. They both stand rooted to the spot. The knock

in damp strands; his beard is straggling and unkempt; his face is haggard and perspiring, his eyes lustreless. He staggers heavily in walking. He speaks

tt

turbing you. (Both stare at h

(taking

p-plea

tt

to make coffee. Reall

(stam

th-there's n

tt

ll, panting, utters a low groan. At the sound of her voice, Wittich catches his breath as if

g up to Julia

understa

ng back--asid

ar the

as Witti

u

tt

wanted to--look after--my-

aside to

quite out

li

ar the

tt

nour. I'm a plain man. I only know about such things from hearsay. And any w

e (as

n't h

(stamm

't--understan

ointing t

! Go t

li

a bit lik

er

n! G

li

e!--I am guilty!--I have sinned before God and you!--I acknowledge my crime!--My life is in your hands!--Crush me--grind me to dust!--But God knows, I o

aring strai

talk like that--i

li

giv

tt

oing to kill any one. What good would it do

er

kneel there--like

li

aises me. Raise me! Take me

tt

y always say. (Sinks

(aside

suppose I may assume, Herr Wittich, that you

tt

ell imagine that my wife--er--that the

er

esitate to say that,

tainly adopt

ed, Pier

tt

ems to have plen

ughing ne

es--p

tt

lady has made any arra

still t

king my home in Pari

er

r tastes and inclinations--a life such as she cannot

tt

comes high. Has my wife--er--has the l

(embarr

ome of age I shall be in a

tt

until tha

er

er-

tt

woman whom--until recently--I called my wife. And to save

er

that, of

tt

in the way of your desire

er

--really--very t

tt

upon my rights in this affair, but because

er

w often we have discussed this

li

hall be free! Even as I ask nothing better than to follow my own inclinations. If I am ru

tt

what those inc

li

d my fate in my own hands!--I want-- Oh, why talk about it? What is one poor, human life?--especi

tt

felt that way about it--I should have mad

li

me! P

er

ll us--

tt

e at the castle know nothing of this

er

dear sir, that I know wha

tt

o one saw me coming here. So

er

be most agreeable to

tt

propose to leave her

er

sir, let that

tt

me that the best plan would be for the lady to put on a decent dress, walk

er

er--? What's t

tt

e'd returned--and we'

er

y one is going

h (pro

should the

rightene

o do that! Pierre! I want to stay with

er

us suppose that your plan

li

afterward-

tt

the other, uncertainly, almost im

er

u go on with y

tt

ide--and honour--and all the rest of it--long ago.--Then nothing is left him but--his duty.--And

er

ease--

tt

n the left wing--quite apart; so that some day, in case--you ever--came back-- Oh, well--it doesn't matter now. But the room

er

s and laughs.) I suppose that sort of thing is

tt

king to y

li

appreciate it. But after--this, I should always feel ashamed before you--I should fee

correcti

de to Julia.) D

thout notic

word of reproach from

li

st be free to do exactly as I please--to go away--come back--just as I like. There is s

er

can't possi

tt

way as far as it lies

li

demand that. Just look about you here. You know how passionately fond of roses I am. My soul demands s

tt

roses enough

(nerv

see no reason why we should

tt

ou got to s

er

t want to offend you. But--as Julia and I have fo

li

re so near--and yet could never see each other or talk togethe

er

well, it would be

li

mmunication with our neighbors? How would Pierre explain it to his mother? Why, he simply couldn't! No; if we are to

er

nsive glance toward Wittich.

ing control

your condi

sort of nerv

it, Pierre, dear? (Pierre does

tt

is full height, his face flushes, and he looks arou

li

u looking f

tt

asps as if

li

rge! What's

tt

d cry, he falls upon the weapons

li

p! Pierre

at the s

ort pause, Julia appears at the large door in the centre. She tries to go further, fails, supports herself against the door posts for an instant, and then reels into the ro

nd groaning. In the distance Pierre is shouting for help. Th