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 pa.s.s.
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 pa.s.sed, 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 a.s.sure 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_. G.o.dLER _and_ TReVELe _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.)
SCENE V.
LIONNETTE, JOHN, RAOUL, RICHARD, G.o.dLER, TReVELe.
LIONNETTE _to_ JOHN (_running to him and falling on her knees_).
Do not leave me any more. I will explain all to you. I understand, I see it all clearly now! I am innocent, I swear to you! I swear to you! I swear to you! We will live modestly in some quiet place, wherever you like. What difference does that make now that my child has awakened my soul in me?
(_She throws herself again on her son"s neck_).
JOHN (_in the hands of_ G.o.dLER _and_ TReVELe).