The Knights of the Daffodil
Author: Unknown
Date: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

The Knights of the DaffodilTHE KNIGHTS OF THE DAFFODIL by JULES VERNE Translated and adapted from The Companions of Marjoram by Frank J. Morlock (2003)

Translation and Adaptation Copyright © 2003 by Frank J. Morlock

This Etext is for private use only. No republication for profit in print or
other media may be made without the express consent of the Copyright Holder.

The Copyright Holder is especially concerned about performance rights in any
media on stage, cinema, or television, or audio or any other media, including
readings for which an entrance fee or the like is charge. Permissions should
be addressed to: Frank Morlock, 6006 Greenbelt Rd, #312, Greenbelt, MD 20770,

USA or FrankMorlock@msn.com. Other works by this author may be found at

CadyTech, Blackmask Online and Project Gutenberg.

Edited to HTML by Zvi Har’El from an Etext by Dagny

Characters SIMPLICE, a ferryman of the St-Romans on the Isere ferry GUERFROID, a wine grower LANDRY, a shepherd BONIFACE, an hotel keeper MARCELINE, his daughter DAME MONIQUE, his wife

The action takes place in the village of Saint-Romans in Languedoc. The stage
represents a low hall in the inn of Saint Paterne. At the back a double door,
opening on the river Isere. To the right of this door a window; to the left,
the opening of a wine room furnished with, casks both empty and full. Side
doors on the right and left. Tables and benches.

(MARCELINE is listening to the voice of Simplice in the distance.) SIMPLICE: Pretty one, before the day is over We will reach the beach. Come, before the end of the day We’ll chat about love on the beach. MARCELINE: (running in) Ah! Thank god! I hear him. Here he is ! (Marceline listens.) SIMPLICE: There, we’ll talk about intended love. A nice pastime for the one who loves you! There, we’ll talk about love From sundown to sun up. MARCELINE: Ah! Thank God! He’s here! (She opens the door.) SIMPLICE: (entering) I am here! TOGETHER:

SIMPLICE:

My courage astonishes me!

Tonight, I’m no longer afraid.

It’s love that gives me

Courage. MARCELINE:

His courage astonishes me!

Tonight he’s no longer afraid.

It’s love that gives him

Courage.

SIMPLICE: If Mr. Boniface Separates us and runs me off, I’ll laugh at his threats, I’ll stare him in the face. MARCELINE: In the face! SIMPLICE: In the face! MARCELINE: Like this! SIMPLICE: Like this! MARCELINE: Less boldly. SIMPLICE: Like that. MARCELINE: More politely. SIMPLICE: With effrontery, Insolently, Proudly. MARCELINE: (aside) What a change. TOGETHER:

SIMPLICE:

My courage astonishes me!

Tonight, I’m no longer afraid.

It’s love that gives me

Courage. MARCELINE:

His courage astonishes me!

Tonight he’s no longer afraid.

It’s love that gives him

Courage.

MONIQUE: (entering) What have I seen? SIMPLICE: (terrified) Heaven! MARCELINE: (retaining him) Well! MONIQUE: What are you doing in my home? SIMPLICE: I— MONIQUE: Speak! MARCELINE: (low to Simplice) Well go on, speak! SIMPLICE: I—I, so much the worse—my word! (pointing to Marceline) To my love I am coming to pay a visit. MONIQUE: Eh! What! By my holy patroness! Miss is giving A gallant rendez-vous. In our home! Let’s go find her father; He will know, I hope, How to run this man Out of here. TOGETHER:

SIMPLICE:

Go find her father

And, despite him, I hope,

Not to leave here. MARCELINE:

Go find my father,

He will not dare, I hope,

To send him away from here.

(Monique leaves.) MARCELINE: If my father runs you off, You laugh at his grimaces, You brave his threats, Confront him in his face. SIMPLICE: In his face! MARCELINE: In his face! SIMPLICE: In his face. MARCELINE: Like this— SIMPLICE: Less boldly. MARCELINE: Like that. SIMPLICE: More politely. MARCELINE: With effrontery, Insolently, Proudly. SIMPLICE: (aside) Annoying moment! TOGETHER:

SIMPLICE:

(aside) Despite myself I’m shivering,

I feel my heart beating,

Audacity abandons me,

I’m afraid. MARCELINE:

(aside) Audacity abandons him,

I feel his heart beating,

There he is shivering,

He’s afraid.

(Monique returns with Boniface who is armed with a stick.) MONIQUE: There he is! BONIFACE: Get out of here! SIMPLICE: Dear Mr. Boniface! BONIFACE: Get out of here!—I’m running you off! MARCELINE: (low to Simplice) There you are, face to face! SIMPLICE: What must I do? MARCELINE: (low) Stay put! BONIFACE: Begone! MARCELINE: Speak. BONIFACE: Shut up, you. SIMPLICE: I— BONIFACE: Huh? MARCELINE: Will you say something! SIMPLICE: I—I, so much the worse, my word! (pointing to Marceline) I am coming to ask for your little girl. BONIFACE: Eh, what! Can one understand Such a demand Without suddenly Raising his hand! Since he’s staying, I intend, With this stick, to pommel him On the subject, by the hour On his back. TOGETHER:

SIMPLICE:

(aside) If I stay, he’s going

To drub me by the hour!

(reaching the back) Let’s turn our back

On their proposal. MARCELINE:

(retaining him) Stay still, stay!

And don’t go on the spot

To turn your back. MONIQUE AND BONIFACE:

It’s necessary since he’s staying

With this stick, on the spot,

To drub him on his back.

BONIFACE AND MONIQUE:

Let’s go!

Show us your heels

Or we will thrash you.

We will beat you with a stick! SIMPLICE:

(aside) Let’s go!

Soon we will return

And we shall see. MARCELINE:

(aside) Let’s go!

Cursed be cowards.

Cursed be cowards.

(Simplice escapes by the rear.) BONIFACE: (drying his face) Ah! The wise guy! MARCELINE: There, he’s gone! BONIFACE: To dare to introduce himself into my home to romance my daughter— MONIQUE: It’s your fault, too. I always told you. You don’t know how to make either your daughter or your wife respected. And if I weren’t here—If I didn’t get involved sometimes, God knows what would happen. BONIFACE: Monique, my dear Monique, let’s not quarrel. MONIQUE: Go, go, Mr. Boniface—you don’t deserve a wife like me— BONIFACE: It’s true, that there are only compliments to be made to Monique on her wisdom and her good health. MARCELINE: The fact is that nobody has a face as vermilion as hers! MONIQUE: I boast of it! And here are two strong arms which will know how to protect me, if needed, from gallants. (to Marceline) As for Simplice, he has only to set his foot here again—and I will take it upon myself to throw him out the window,—On that, goodnight. (she leaves) BONIFACE: She’s right. That cursed boatman deserves a good beating! MARCELINE: Why? For having dared to ask for the hand of your daughter? BONIFACE: Him, my son-in-law! A coward—who’s afraid of me! MARCELINE: He’s only a coward because he doesn’t have a wife to protect him. BONIFACE: A ninny. MARCELINE: A ninny because he’s in love. BONIFACE: A poor devil of a boatman who has only his boat. MARCELINE: His wife will bring him what he lacks. BONIFACE: Shut up! MARCELINE: I’m shutting up. BONIFACE: Oh! Triple dummy that I am! (striking his head) Stupid donkey! MARCELINE: What’s the matter? BONIFACE: How could I have forgotten. (calling) Hola! Tomassin! Andeol! (enter two valets) Quick! Tables! Mugs! MARCELINE: What’s the matter, my God? BONIFACE: It’s that—It’s that—The Knights of the Daffodil have retained this room for tonight—and that they could come from one moment to the next. MARCELINE: The Knights of the Daffodil! BONIFACE: A troupe of young wise guys who go from village to village seducing the wives, carrying off the girls, drinking the best wines of the wine cellars, and roughing up recalcitrant inn keepers. They recognize each other by their Daffodils! MARCELINE: Wow! (aside) My! my! my! BONIFACE: They are coming tonight for the fest of Saint Severin,—and they have to gather here, at nightfall, to cross to the other side of the river. (mysteriously) The wine grower Guerfroid and Landry the shepherd have told me they will be the first to arrive, and they advised me to fill the mugs in advance. (taking two mugs from the table) That’s what I’m going into the cellar for. (heading towards the wine room) As for you, do me the pleasure of going to your room. MARCELINE: But, father— BONIFACE: You will tell your stepmother to do it, also. MARCELINE: Yes, father. (Boniface exits.) MARCELINE: (alone, going to open the door) See if Simplice has come back! If he was only half as brave as Dame Monique. (sings) Oh, what a bore to love a timid lad. Wouldn’t it be a hundred times better If he were intrepid? To boldly raise his eyes! If they marry us, Does he want them to laugh At his clumsiness? Alas! such a fiancé The world’s upside down. If the spouse is wise In his household, He keeps power undivided. It’s a good custom, And it’s a great shame, When, by chance, we usurp it. Plague on husbands who wear the skirts!

(ii) Oh, what a bore to love such a timid lad! Who’s going to protect the house If fear makes him an invalid And deprives him of his reason! If some tender lover Comes to surprise me, So much the worse for a husband too slow Who allows a gallant to do whatever. If the husband is wise He keeps all the power undivided. It’s a good custom Because it’s a great shame, When by chance, we usurp it. Plague on all husbands who wear the skirts! (Simplice jumps precipitously through the window.) MARCELINE: God! SIMPLICE: Hush! It’s me! MARCELINE: Ah! What a fright you gave me. SIMPLICE: I just met two men down there who are heading this way, and I came to warn you. MARCELINE: What’s the good? SIMPLICE: You don’t know that I recognized them by their Daffodils! MARCELINE: Ah, bah! They are the happy companions that my father was telling me about just now. SIMPLICE: Frightful good for nothings! MARCELINE: Charming lads! SIMPLICE: Who respect nothing. MARCELINE: Who are afraid of no one! SIMPLICE: Who drink, who swear as if damned! MARCELINE: Who know how to protect their loves! SIMPLICE: You wouldn’t want me to be like them! MARCELINE: You wouldn’t do so badly, if you already resembled them a bit. SIMPLICE: Me! MARCELINE: In your place, I would ask them to take a role in their band for a while! SIMPLICE: What! You want? MARCELINE: And if it’s necessary for that to prove to them you have some courage—you will tell them the story of this poor devil who drowned in the Isere—and that you saved— SIMPLICE: What! You remember it— MARCELINE: Yes, I remember it! Didn’t you give me as a fiancée bouquet, those beautiful beribboned flowers that this man delivered to you saying: this will bring you luck! SIMPLICE: And you kept them? MARCELINE: They are upstairs in my room, and you will see them on my bodice the day when you become completely brave. SIMPLICE: Oh! really! don’t worry! If that’s what you need, you are going to see. (going to the window) There they are: let’s escape! MARCELINE: Ah! I will embolden you despite yourself. (she escapes and locks the door) SIMPLICE: Hola! Marceline! They’re here! I’m dead! (hiding behind an empty wine cask) LANDRY: Long live old wine! GUERFROID: Long live young girls! LANDRY: The sight of bottles Fills our hearts with joy! GUERFROID: The sight of red lips Works even better LANDRY: (spoken) Heyo! Colleague! GUERFROID: (spoken) Heyo! companion! Heyo! TOGETHER: Tick, tock! Mug against mug! Tick, tock! What a happy shock! Straight as a rock! Proud as a cock! Let’s drink in block The whole wine cellar! And if someone unwisely braves and defies us Let’s beat him from head to toe! (They rap the boards with their hobnailed canes. Simplice is hiding in the cask.) GUERFROID: Oh, the good life! Gay and hearty fellows, Shepherds and winegrowers, Our fate is worthy of envy. Oh, the good life! Strong, young and handsome, Winegrowers and shepherds Our fate is worthy of envy. They have to see us set the fashion For the guys’ assembly We fight and twirl the baton In the midst of melees. To laugh, to sing, morning and night, And all week, too Good God! colleague, they have to see us! We’re worth the trouble! LANDRY: Well! They will see us Always on holiday! They will hear us Repeat with all of our might: Wine’s a gift from the gods! GUERFROID: Love is the pleasure of the gods. LANDRY: Good wine that sparkles Rejoices the eyes! GUERFROID: A pretty girl Does more for me! LANDRY: (spoken) Ohey! Colleague. GUERFROID: Ohey! Companion, ohey! TOGETHER: Clink! Clank! Glass against glass! Clink! Clank! What a joyful shock! Straight like a rock! Proud like a cock! Let’s drink en block The entire wine cellar! And if some fool braves and defies us, We’ll beat him from head to toe! Clink! Clank! Glass against glass! Clink! Clank! What a joyful shock! Straight like a rock! Proud like a cock! LANDRY: (rapping on the table, spoken) Hola! hey! Papa Boniface! GUERFROID: Hola! BONIFACE: (coming from the cellar) Here! Here! LANDRY: Hurry up, slow poke! GUERFROID: Make it snappy! BONIFACE: (placing the mugs on the table) There! There! GUERFROID: How’s your wife? BONIFACE: My wife? LANDRY: She’s still young? BONIFACE: Young—meaning—young—if you like. GUERFROID: (rapping the table) We want to know if she’s young? BONIFACE: (altered) She is young! LANDRY: And your daughter, Marceline? Pretty? Is she still pretty? BONIFACE: My daughter Marceline! Pretty—if you like. LANDRY: (rapping the table) We want to know if she’s pretty! BONIFACE: She is very pretty! GUERFROID: On that note, busy yourself with supper, and take care that no one come to disturb us, or we will trim his ears. SIMPLICE: (aside) I am dead! LANDRY: What’s that noise? GUERFROID: Someone spoke. BONIFACE: It was the rats! LANDRY: Get going, scamper off. BONIFACE: Right! (he leaves by the left) GUERFROID: The country was good, colleague! LANDRY: We are not returning empty hearted, companion! (Simplice peeps out) And what we did with those victims! GUERFROID: Did we ever murder those dandies from the Midi! (Simplice hides himself) You know quite well that ten fine stout lads from Arles or Tarascon wouldn’t frighten you, Landry! (Simplice shows his head.) LANDRY: You know, Guerfroid that fifteen blokes from Provence or the Carmogue wouldn’t make you flinch. GUERFROID: Well said. (he chugalugs his entire mug) LANDRY: Well drunk! GUERFROID: (elbowing him) Say, Landry? LANDRY: Huh, Guerfroid? GUERFROID: Do you understand? LANDRY: I understand you well enough! GUERFROID: Did we come here, in advance, to rest? LANDRY: Are we going to only sleep and drink while waiting for the others? SIMPLICE: (aside) What do they mean? GUERFROID: (pulling Landry aside) The Dame Boniface—did you notice her? LANDRY: Less than you, colleague! GUERFROID: A well shaped woman! and whose got arms! and shoulders! LANDRY: Keep going! SIMPLICE: (aside) Poor Boniface! GUERFROID: It’s true she won’t listen to any joking and that her imbecile of a husband never takes his eye off her, but we will find a way to get her away from him. LANDRY: Well said! (he drinks) GUERFROID: Well drunk! LANDRY: (pulling Guerfroid aside) In your turn, Guerfroid, didn’t you see trotting around the house a tender shoot of a girl, the sight of her alone puts you in good humor? SIMPLICE: What’s he saying? GUERFROID: The daughter of Old Man Boniface! SIMPLICE: (loud) Marceline! GUERFROID What’s that—? LANDRY: Huh? (Simplice rolls with his cask.) TRIO: GUERFROID:

Who goes there? LANDRY:

Stop there! SIMPLICE:

Hey, there!

TOGETHER:

GUERFROID AND LANDRY:

May the plague get him!

He heard everything!

We’ll force him to shut up

Or indeed all is lost.

Let’s break something of his,

Ribs, legs or arms,

For fear he’ll cause us

Some new trouble.

If he comes, this devil of a man,

To discover our secrets,

First of all let’s kill him,

And we’ll worry about it later! SIMPLICE:

Ah! Against their rage

Can I be protected?

The more I consider.

The more I see I am lost!

Oh, the terrible thing.

Oh, what a scrape,

And what horror

The fear of death is causing me!

Before they murder me

With blows with sticks

If I can do it — watch

Watch how I’ll get away!

LANDRY: Look us in the face! SIMPLICE: Mercy! mercy! GUERFROID: Where’d you get this audacity? SIMPLICE: Terror is freezing me! LANDRY: What new sort of wine Is escaping from its cask? SIMPLICE: Mercy! Mercy! GUERFROID: No grimaces Or I will smash you Into twenty pieces! SIMPLICE: (stumbling) Cursed casks! REPRISE:

GUERFROID AND LANDRY:

May the plague get him!

He heard everything!

We’ll force him to shut up

Or indeed all is lost.

Let’s break something of his,

Ribs, legs or arms,

For fear he’ll cause us

Some new trouble.

If he comes, this devil of a man,

To discover our secrets,

First of all let’s kill him,

And we’ll worry about it later! SIMPLICE:

Ah! Against their rage

Can I be protected?

The more I consider.

The more I see I am lost!

Oh, the terrible thing.

Oh, what a scrape,

And what horror they’re causing me

The fear of death

Before they’ve murdered me

With blows with sticks

If I can do it like—

Like—I am going!

LANDRY: Answer frankly, or watch out! SIMPLICE: I was strolling and by inadvertence I fell into this cask. LANDRY AND GUERFROID: Who are you, vile feather-brain? Answer frankly, or beware! SIMPLICE: I am the ferryman Of the Isere ferryboat. And I’ll never ferry anymore If you don’t be nice! I am the ferryman Of the Isere ferryboat. GUERFROID: Then what! What were you doing there In the bottom of this barrel? SIMPLICE: Alas! nothing worth mentioning! I was closing my eyes and my ears To rest them. LANDRY: No, no, you lie! GUERFROID: Bad luck to the traitor! SIMPLICE: Who, me? you must know me— I am the ferryman Of the Isere ferryboat. And I’ll never ferry anymore If you don’t be nice. I am the ferryman Of the Isere ferryboat. LANDRY: And what do you want, ferryman? SIMPLICE: (aside, hesitating) Come on, courage! (aloud) I claim the honor Of entering into your company! GUERFROID AND LANDRY: Ha! ha! ha! Nice companion he’d make! TOGETHER:

LANDRY, GUERFROID:

He amuses me, he amuses me,

The poor lad!

What a confused expression

For a companion! SIMPLICE:

Let’s escape by trickery

From blows with the stick!

So long as it abuses them,

All means are good!

GUERFROID: But to join us, do you know how to drink? SIMPLICE: No question, much and fast! LANDRY: You intend to make us believe it? SIMPLICE: I’ll drink the ocean in a gulp. GUERFROID: (laughing) What! in a single gulp! SIMPLICE: Yes, in a single gulp! LANDRY: (aside to Guerfroid) He must drink, let him be drunk. He can be useful to us today! SIMPLICE: At least, they’re letting me live! LANDRY: But do you know how to make love? And to fight Like the devil himself? SIMPLICE: (after having drunk again) I’ll lick And I’ll love The whole world In one round. Yes, I’ll love the whole world. GUERFROID: Well! First off, we’ll test you And then, we will see! LANDRY AND GUERFROID: Ha! ha! Ha! Nice companion he’d make! TOGETHER:

LANDRY AND GUERFROID:

He amuses me, he amuses me!

The poor boy,

What a confused expression

For a companion. SIMPLICE:

Let’s escape through trickery

From blows with a stick!

So long as it abuses them

All means are good!

ALL THREE: We will drink. We’ll laugh, We’ll fight, We’ll love, And we’ll live As good jolly fellows! LANDRY, GUERFROID AND SIMPLICE: Hey! hey! Old Man Boniface! Hola! (Enter Boniface holding two mugs which he places on the table. He is followed by two valets bringing supper.) BONIFACE: Here! here! (noticing Simplice) This cursed boatman again! LANDRY: He’s one of us (he says some words into the ear of his valets) You understand? (the valet leaves) GUERFROID: (to Boniface, pointing to Simplice) He’s the one’s going to regale us this evening! SIMPLICE: (aside) If I knew how, I would pay! BONIFACE: Then he’s come into an inheritance. GUERFROID: Yes, he inherited from his aunt. SIMPLICE: From my aunt! BONIFACE: His aunt! Why she just remarried for the fourth time. LANDRY: (patting Simplice on the shoulder) That’s not all! (turning to Boniface) This dear friend was polite enough to invite your wife and daughter to share this supper with us. SIMPLICE: (aside) Ah! my God! GUERFROID: Aren’t they hungry? BONIFACE: They are hungry—if you like! LANDRY: We want them to be hungry! BONIFACE: They are dying of hunger. GUERFROID: Start serving! BONIFACE: (to the waiters) Serve! GUERFROID: Here are the ladies. BONIFACE: What do you mean? GUERFROID: I sent Andeol to warn them. (Monique and Marceline appear in the doorway. Andeol precedes them. Music from the orchestra.) GUERFROID: Come in, ladies. LANDRY: And deign to accept a place at our supper! SIMPLICE: (aside) I’m not even the one who had the pleasure of inviting them. GUERFROID: (to Monique) Dame Monique LANDRY: (to Marceline) Miss Marceline. (Each takes a place at the table. Simplice finds himself seated between Guerfroid and Marceline. Marceline is near Landry, Monique by Guerfroid. The music continues.) BONIFACE: (who has vainly tried to place himself) Hey! why, I don’t see any place for me. LANDRY: Come on, Boniface, some action! Make the plates circulate. Fill the cups. Raise the napkins! BONIFACE: But—why— LANDRY: To the health of Marceline! GUERFROID: To the health of Dame Monique (Guerfroid tries to embrace Monique) MONIQUE: (pushing him off) Watch out for a slap! SIMPLICE: My word! Let’s drink to have courage GUERFROID: Wine, Boniface, wine! BONIFACE: Here! LANDRY: (to Marceline) And you, my pretty, a song! SIMPLICE: A pretty roundelay, miss. ALL: Yes! a roundelay. MARCELINE: (rising) Here goes! (singing) At the market in Beaucaire, We go there twice a year, The girls wearing plain skirts, The lads in white hats. How noisy! how many people! They laugh, they dance in a circle And that’s why, For business, We go there twice a year. To the market at Beaucaire! They sell everything there at high price And the affluence is great! More than one customer is taken By the pretty eyes of a salesgirl, And asks her If her heart is included In the objects she is selling. The beauty replies in whisper What’s given’s not for sale! At the market in Beaucaire, We go there twice a year, The girls wearing plain skirts, The lads in white hats. How noisy! how many people! They laugh, they dance in a circle And that’s why, For business, We go there twice a year. ALL: At the market in Beaucaire, We go there twice a year, The girls wearing plain skirts, The lads in white hats. How noisy! how many people! They laugh, they dance in a circle And that’s why, For business, We go there twice a year. MARCELINE: But if, surprised in its turn, When love entices it The heart flees without return From the bodice of the salesgirl. Like contraband They sign the deed When the beauty demands it. In all faith and honor Her hand goes to retrieve his heart! At the market in Beaucaire, We go there twice a year, The girls wearing plain skirts, The lads in white hats. How noisy! how many people! They laugh, they dance in a circle And that’s why, For business, We go there twice a year. ALL: At the market in Beaucaire, etc. We go there twice a year, The girls wearing plain skirts, The lads in white hats. How noisy! how many people! They laugh, they dance in a circle And that’s why, For business, We go there twice a year. (They rise and dance around the table.) LANDRY: (to Marceline) Marceline—(whispers to her) MARCELINE: (moving away) Your servant! GUERFROID: (to Monique) Charming Monique! (he kisses her) MONIQUE: (whacking him) Goodnight! GUERFROID: Now there’s a slap that Boniface will pay me for! (The two women escape and leave.) LANDRY: (to Simplice) Keep Boniface busy. (to Guerfroid) The husband mustn’t see any more of this. (Landry and Guerfroid leave by the back. Night begins to come on.) SIMPLICE: Now they’ve left! I’d really like to go to sleep too. BONIFACE: (emptying the bottles) Hey! Hey! My wine is fine! SIMPLICE: (aside) My head is swimming! Why did they tell me to keep Boniface busy? BONIFACE: (singing and dancing at the same time) To the faire at Beaucaire We go there twice a year, The girls wearing plain skirts, The lads in white hats. How noisy! how many people! They laugh, they dance in a circle And that’s why, For business, We go there twice a year. SIMPLICE: Good night, Boniface! BONIFACE: Heavens! the Boatman! Ah! ah! ah! You’re not leaving my boy! You’re not leaving! Why do you want to go? SIMPLICE: I’m going to go to bed. BONIFACE: (retaining him) Not at all! SIMPLICE: I think I’ve drunk too much! BONIFACE: Ah, bah! since you’re an heir—one doesn’t inherit every day! Ah! ah! ah! SIMPLICE: Until tomorrow, Papa Boniface, until tomorrow! BONIFACE: (retaining him) Wait up. And we’ll settle up. It’s a question of doing our bill. You don’t leave without paying! SIMPLICE: What’s he saying? BONIFACE: I say you must pay. SIMPLICE: But—but—I don’t have a wooden nickel to give you! They were making fun of you, Papa Boniface. They were making fun of you ! Ask the companions to pay! Me, I’ve got nothing! BONIFACE: (holding him by the neck) Ah! that’s the way it is. SIMPLICE: So, there you are informed! Goodnight! BONIFACE: One moment, I’m not releasing you. SIMPLICE: But, since I haven’t a sou altogether. BONIFACE: (taking him by the collar) You won’t leave! MONIQUE: (screaming outside) Ah! rogue! good-for-nothing! BONIFACE: (releasing Simplice) That’s my wife’s voice. SIMPLICE: (aside) And Landry’s instruction! BONIFACE: Let’s run, great god! SIMPLICE: (stopping him and grabbing him by the fist) In your turn, you won’t leave. BONIFACE: Let me go, Simplice; there’s something going on with my wife! SIMPLICE: Heavens! But I’ve got a solid fist! BONIFACE: Let’s go! This is not the time to joke! SIMPLICE: I’m not joking—I’m exercising to become strong! MONIQUE: (outside) Boniface! Boniface! BONIFACE: Are you going to release me? SIMPLICE: Why, here, I have pity on you. BONIFACE: (disappearing through the door on the right) Here I am, Monique! SIMPLICE: (alone) Heavens! (astonished) I’m stronger than I would ever have thought. I have a solid fist when I want it. Ah! ah! ah ! that poor Boniface. Is it this wine I drank that’s giving me courage? Why, no! I recall what Marceline said to me. To be worthy of her I feel myself capable of facing all these Knights of the Daffodil! Marceline! Darling Marceline! LANDRY: (entering) Marceline! SIMPLICE: Huh? LANDRY: May the devil take her! I waited an hour for her under the trees; the little idiot didn’t come. SIMPLICE: (aside) Ha! LANDRY: I fear that poor Guerfroid hasn’t been any luckier than me. SIMPLICE: Ah! ah! LANDRY: For I saw the husband running with his valets armed with pitchforks—he had only time to jump out the window or risk falling again into the Isere. And this time he would really have been able to stay there. One doesn’t always find an imbecile who’s devoted enough to save him. SIMPLICE: Ah, bah! (aside) Heavens—it was him! LANDRY: (pulling him aside) Listen. SIMPLICE: What is it? LANDRY: I’ve one hope remaining. SIMPLICE: What is it? LANDRY: We are going to pretend to leave, Marceline is going to go to church for the angelus. SIMPLICE: Yes—like every night with Dame Monique. LANDRY: We will post ourselves in the shadows, we will carry the two of them off—we will transport them in your boat and we will take them to the other shore. SIMPLICE: To the other shore! LANDRY: Do you understand? SIMPLICE: Yes—-yes—the angelus to the other shore—that’s understood! LANDRY: Offer to accompany her to the church—bring her to me, and by Jove—you will be one of us! (heading toward the door) SIMPLICE: (retaining him) One moment! LANDRY: What? SIMPLICE: It’s not going to happen! LANDRY: Huh? SIMPLICE: (going for his throat) I forbid you to do it! LANDRY: What’s wrong with him? SIMPLICE: I want to kill you! LANDRY: You? SIMPLICE: Yes, me! LANDRY: Are you crazy? SIMPLICE: I’m in love with Marceline, that’s all. (The angelus can be heard,) LANDRY: Ah, bah! SIMPLICE: And I will prevent you from kidnapping her! LANDRY: Ah! ah! we are going to see! SIMPLICE: What are we going to see? GUERFROID: (entering) Ah! bad kid—you let the husband escape ! SIMPLICE: Yes,—and I did it deliberately. LANDRY: And he’s refusing to help me because he loves Marceline. SIMPLICE: Rather die a thousand times! GUERFROID: In that case his account is going to be paid in full? SIMPLICE: As will yours! GUERFROID: Then you want to taste it, my little fellow. SIMPLICE: As you say, my big boy! LANDRY: You want to play with the stick! SIMPLICE: Whenever you like, kids. GUERFROID: Right away if it doesn’t displease you too much. SIMPLICE: En garde, then, because nothing is more agreeable to me. GUERFROID: One moment! Let’s do this by the rules, because the thing is serious. (he takes off his hat and coat and secures a stick in his hand) Hold yourself on the side, Landry, you are going to judge the hits. (low) He’s going to ask mercy of me, he’s going to see how I act. (Guerfroid gives the customary bow and goes on guard.) SIMPLICE: (trying vainly to imitate him) I don’t know all your thrusts, but I’m going to play well and with good money. (he seizes his oar and rushes on Guerfroid) (Boniface, Marceline and Monique enter with torches that light up the stage.) FINAL SONG: MONIQUE: Hey! what a row! Peace! Calm down! See what rage! Those guys are crazy. LANDRY AND GUERFROID: (rushing on Simplice) No, we are fighting. Watch out for the blows! SIMPLICE: Watch out for the blows! MONIQUE, BONIFACE: You are crazy. Listen to us! GUERFROID: No, no mercy! no mercy! Let’s avenge ourselves, friend, let’s avenge ourselves. BONIFACE: (restraining Simplice) Peace, hey, peace! MARCELINE: (running in) At your knees, For my spouse It’s I that ask mercy! LANDRY AND GUERFROID: Him! Your spouse? Can you think it! MARCELINE: Since at last I am sure of your courage, Look at this withered bouquet, All beribboned, That I’ve pinned to my corsage. (holding her hand to Simplice) It’s my marriage bouquet! GUERFROID: That bouquet! MARCELINE: Well! GUERFROID: I recognize it! It’s mine. ALL: His! GUERFROID: It was shipwrecked with me on the Isere one night. MARCELINE: (pointing to Simplice) And he’s the one who fished you out of the water! GUERFROID: What! LANDRY, MONIQUE, BONIFACE: You! SIMPLICE: Me! LANDRY AND GUERFROID: It’s incredible! It’s unheard of! What! It was him! The poor devil! What! It was him! MARCELINE: Yes! It was him! ALL: It was him! GUERFROID: Well! in that case, my boy—put it there! (offering his hand) SIMPLICE: With all my heart! LANDRY: I’m interested in your luck. (turning towards Boniface) (speaking) Then, she’s your wife (pushing Simplice into Marceline’s arms) BONIFACE: (speaking) His wife? If you like! GUERFROID: (threatening him) We want her to be his wife! LANDRY, GUERFROID: But listen—down there—down there. Don’t you hear? Those are our friends coming to meet us! Let’s not make them wait! SIMPLICE, MARCELINE, MONIQUE, BONIFACE: (aside) Thank god! They’re going to get out of here! GUERFROID: (to Boniface) No hard feelings! LANDRY: (to Simplice) No hard feelings! GUERFROID, LANDRY: Come on, Let’s go to seek fortune. (to Simplice) You will be sacred to us. LANDRY: But henceforth, bad luck to all! Excepting you! TOGETHER:

LANDRY AND GUERFROID:

Against all we are linked,

Knights of the Daffodil!

Against all we are linked,

Under the watch! BONIFACE, MONIQUE, SIMPLICE, MARCELINE:

Against you, the watchful eye,

Knights of the Daffodil!

Against you, the watchful eye

Will be linked!

Curtain

JV.Gilead.org.il Copyright © Zvi Har’El $Date: 2003-08-03 09:39:40+03 $