Plays and Lyrics

This volume contains "Yolanda of Cyprus," a hitherto unpublished play; many new lyrics; some others that appeared in "Song-Surf," a volume whose publishers failed before it reached the public; and "David," which came out in America in 1904. The author's desire has been to include only his best work.

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Scene: A dim Hall, of blended Gothic and Saracenic styles, in the Lusignan Castle, on the island of Cyprus near Famagouste. Around the walls, above faint frescoes portraying the deliverance of Jerusalem by the Crusaders, runs a frieze inlaid with the coats-of-arms of former Lusignan kings. On the left, and back, is a door hung with heavy damask, and in the wall opposite, another. Farther down on the right a few steps, whose railing supports a Greek vase with jasmine, lead through a chapel to the sleeping apartments. In the rear, on either side, are guled lattice windows, and in the centre an open grated door, looking upon a loggia, and, across the garden below, over the moonlit sea. Seats are placed about, and, forward, a divan with rich Turkish coverings. A table with a lighted cross-shaped candlestick is by the door, left; and a lectern with a book on it, to the front, right. As the curtain rises, the Women, except Civa, lean wearily on the divan, and Halil near is singing dreamily,

The music falls and all seem yielding to sleep. Suddenly there are hoof-beats and sounds at the gates below. Halil springs up.

(All start up.)

(He runs to curtains and looks.)

(He admits Olympio, who enters insolently down. All press around him gaily.)

(He starts off, but is arrested by laughter within. It is Civa who enters, holding up a parchment.)

(She points to Alessa, who, reading, has paled.)

(She rends the parchment.)

(Forms appear without.)

(Berengere coldly, as if consenting to it, enters.)

(Sees their disquiet—starts.)

(Camarin enters.)

(The women leave.)

(Rises.)

(He leaves her by the divan.)

(The women re-enter with silver lighted lamps; behind them are Hassan and the slave Smarda. They wait for Berengere, who has stood silent, to speak.)

(The women go by the steps. Berengere follows.)

(Renier enters behind, with Moro.)

(Turns, and stares amazed.)

(Hassan goes, confused.)

(To Smarda.)

(Smarda goes.)

(Vittia enters unnoted.)

(Renier starts and turns.)

(He half recoils and stands. Smarda enters hastily to them.)

(By the loggia, with Moro, he goes; the slave slips out. Yolanda enters, sadly her gaze on the floor. She walks slowly, but becoming conscious starts, sees Vittia, and turns to withdraw.)

(A pause.)

(Waits a moment.)

(They start and listen. Approaching hoofs are heard.)

(The fall of chains is heard.)

(Enter Berengere.)

(Looks from one to the other.)

(The curtains are thrown back.)

(Hastens down and takes her, passive, into his arms. Berengere goes.)

(Bends back her head.)

(Goes to the lectern.)

(Berengere enters. He turns to her.)

(He kisses her and hurries off.... A silence.)

(She rises.)

(She embraces Berengere; goes slowly up steps and off.)

(Thinks a moment, then takes the crucifix from her neck.)

(Lays it on table.)

(Goes firmly from door to door and looks out each. Then lifts, uniting, the cross-shaped candlestick; and waving it at the loggia, turns holding it before her.)

(Has seen with terror the candlestick's structure.)

(Lets it fall.)

(Sinks feebly to the divan, and bows, overcome.)

(Enters, locking the grating behind him, Then he hurries down and leans to lift her face.)

(Shrinks.)

(He goes behind and puts his arms around her.)

(Yolanda, entering an the balcony, hears, and would retreat, but sees Renier come to the grating.)

(Renier draws a dagger and leaves the grating. With a low cry Yolanda staggers down: the Two rise, fearful.)

(She struggles to think.)

(Camarin goes to the curtains and returns.)

(Berengere goes.)

(He clasps her, and they wait.)

(Renier enters with Moro.)

(Yolanda with a cry, as of fear, loses herself, pretending to discover Renier, who is struck rigid.)

(The dagger falls from him.)

(Yolanda, realising, stunned, sinks back to the divan.)

Curtain.

Several Days have Elapsed.

Scene: The forecourt of the castle, beyond which is the garden and in the distance the mountains, under the deep tropical blue of morning. On the right the wall enclosing the castle grounds run back and is lost in the foliage of cypress, palm, orange; it is pierced by an arched gate with lifted portcullis. On the left rises the dark front of the castle, its arabesqued doorway open. Across the rear a low arcaded screen of masonry, with an entrance to the right, separates the court from the garden. Before it a fountain, guarded by a statue of a Knight of St. John, falls into a porphyry basin, By the castle door, to the front, and elsewhere, are stone seats. Hassan is standing moodily by the screen, left, looking out the portcullis. He starts, hearing steps, and as the old leach Tremitus enters, motions him silently into the castle; then muttering "the old blood-letter," stands as before, while Civa, Maga, and Mauria are heard m the garden, and enter gaily bearing water-jars to the fountain. Civa sees his look and breaks into a twitting laughter. The other two join her.

(All laugh.)

(Mauria slaps her playfully.)

(They stop in mock awe before him.)

(Hassan starts at her tone.)

(Yolanda appears on the threshold with Alessa.)

(Civa flouts him, but goes to the fountain. The others follow, fill their jugs, and, singing, return to the garden. Yolanda then crosses to Hassan, who waits evasive.)

(Goes to the gate, troubled.)

(Returns.)

(She looks at him quickly—he flushes.)

(He is quelled.)

(Stands motionless.)

(Alessa turns to her.)

(They start. Vittia enters from castle.)

(They go.)

(Stops.)

(They face, opposed.)

(Berengere enters.)

(Vittia laughs and goes.)

(Turns away.)

(Breaks off seeing Renier, on the castle threshold. His look is on her, but he comes down addressing Berengere.)

(Yolanda moves apart.)

(Speaks loathly.)

(A pause.)

(Takes her hand.)

(She recoils to Yolanda, who comes up.)

(Sees Yolanda harden. Is impelled.)

(Caresses his.)

(Strains to smile.)

(Goes, looking steadfastly back.)

(Camarin appears from garden.)

(He bows, then listens rigidly.)

(Pauses.)

(Shaking off his hand, then, unnaturally wrought up.)

(Hassan appears.)

(Is numb as he hurries down from the castle to her. A pause; then her voice falls hoarsely.)

(Voices are heard perturbed within the castle. Then Amaury, putting aside Renier and Tremitus, followed by Vittia and others, enters down.)

(Takes her to him.)

(Laughs angrily.)

(Smiles disdainfully.)

(A pause.)

(She passes into the castle.)

(He staggers slowly back.)

(Hysterically.)

(A moment, then she sinks down, her face in her hands. Amaury groans; then starting goes fiercely to Hassan, and taking his sword recrosses trembling to Camarin.)

(He starts, frenzied, to strike, but suddenly staggers; then clasps at his throat, drops the sword, and sinks down moaning.)

(Runs to him. He struggles to his feet.)

(She falls back; he laughs in derision.)

(Looks long at her.)

(Starts into the castle.)

(Yolanda, for a moment whelmed, tries to laugh scorn; but, turning, her eye meets Renier's full of suspicion. He follows Amaury meaningly into the castle.)

Curtain.

The Same Day.

Scene: The Hall and loggia of Act I.; but toward sunset, and afar, on the flushed sea, are seen the fisher-boats returning pale-winged to shore. In the left distance, also, a portion of Famagouste is visible above the waves—its orient walls and towers, white domes and houses, interspersed with tall palms. The interior of the Hall is the same; only the divan is placed to the front and left, the lectern near the balcony leading to the sleeping apartments and to the chapel. Smarda is lying lithely on the divan, beguiled with her charms and amulets, and from time to time giving a low, sinuous laugh. Vittia enters, watches a moment, thoughtful, then advances.

(Sees Smarda snarl.)

(Works lividly at the charms.)

(The slave's eyes gleam.)

(She goes engrossedly.)

(Begins to dance—a charm held up before her.)

(Whirls faster with a wild grace, swaying to and fro, and chanting softly the while, till suddenly a laugh in the corridor stops her, and Pietro is heard through the curtains adoring Civa, who pushes him into the Hall, then runs away laughing.)

(Turns.)

(Bows grandly.)

(He is startled.)

(As he twitches.)

(Fumbles for them.)

(Still searching.)

(He stares at her ardour.)

(She has seized them, and is gone. He follows amazed. Sunset begins without, crimson and far. Amaury appears from the loggia, reckless, worn. He pauses, looks about him, troubled.)

(Goes to divan and sits. Vittia enters behind.)

(Starts up.)

(Vittia advances inquiringly.)

(Rises, a pause.)

(He looks surprised.)

(Turns away.)

(Rises.)

(A pause.)

(He has turned away.)

(She waits repressed—as he struggles.)

(Takes off his ring.)

(He puts it on Vittia's finger.)

(Smarda glides in.)

(Sees the slave's look, which stirs him.)

(Takes the papers.)

(Follows Smarda's eye.)

(Amaury turns dazed and goes.)

(Yolanda enters.)

(Her look of purpose changes to one of distrust. But she firmly fronts to Vittia, as the slave slips out.)

(Sits.)

(Rises.)

(Yolanda turns pale.)

(Shows ring; Yolanda falls back.)

(Slowly.)

(Recovers herself.)

(With exultance.)

(Draws out the papers scornfully.)

(Goes to her.)

(Camarin appears on loggia.)

(Camarin enters desperately.)

(Moves off. Yolanda stands silently between them. Camarin looks at her, falters, then turns on Vittia.)

(With grave joy.)

(The word overwhelms her anew.)

(Enter Hassan.)

(A pause.)

(Sinks to a seat in despair.)

(Advances.)

(Is half heedless.)

(She stands defensive, as Hassan prepares to close in.)

(His eyes are fixed on the balcony.)

(They look and fall back appalled. For slowly down the steps comes Renier following Berengere, whose eyes turn back in fluttering trance upon him.)

(Runs; takes Berengere in her arms.)

(Laughs bitterly, and at a loss, as if amazed. Then, almost against her will, led, to the end—)

(They have entered.)

(To Hassan.)

(Hassan goes.)

(He supports her—with Alessa—slowly up steps and off. Yolanda covers her eyes. Hassan returns with Moro, then, and Amaury, whose look seeks Vittia.)

(Takes a packet from his breast.)

(Hands it; she lets it fall.)

(His voice breaks tonelessly.)

(He signs the cross. Yolanda stands dazed. A silence. Then a shuddering cry and all turn toward the balcony, where Alessa bursts, pale, wild, and striving to speak.)

(Chokes rebelliously.)

(Goes trembling, belieflessly, up the balcony. A strange doubt seizes Amaury. On the rest is silence, consternation, and fear.)

Curtain.

Scene: The Chapel of the Castle—or Chapel of the Magdalen—a few hours later. It is of stone, low-arched, gloomy, and adorned with Byzantine mosaics of gaunt saints on backgrounds of gold. The altar is in the rear, and above it a large window, through which pours the still moon. In front of it, to either side, rise two pillars supporting the roof, and on one of them, halfway up, stands a stone image of the Magdalen. Forward are two other pillars whose bases form seats. The right wall has, set midway, a large door hung with heavy curtains. In the rear are smaller doors leading to a sacristy. The altar lamp and a few tapers burn. Alessa enters, rubbing her eyes as if to clear them of vision, looks around, then calls uncertainly—

(Rubs her eyes again.)

(Enter Moro.)

(Looks closely at her.)

(Is going. He stops her.)

(A pause.)

(Goes quickly, troubled.)

(Two enter, sleek, sanctimonious.)

(Moro goes. They put off cant and set to work.)

(Silence. They work faster.)

(As Alessa re-enters; hypocritically.)

(The acolytes go. She grows more disquieted.)

(Goes to them and draws them back. As she does so the chant swells louder. Then the cortège enters—Moro, the acolytes with tapers; Berengere on a litter, Amaury, Renier, Vittia, the women, Hassan, and last Yolanda. The litter, Amaury by it, comes to the altar; the chanting ceases.)

(It is placed.)

(Turning; brokenly.)

(Sinks to a seat. A pause.)

(Looking at Yolanda.)

(Goes to bier.)

(Goes again to bier.)

(She starts back from the bier.)

(Rushes to bier and shakes it.)

(Consternation. Some fall to their knees.)

(She shudders and dies, amid low-uttered awe. Renier bends, lays his hand a moment on her breast, then, with a cry of rage, springs from her and draws, and rushes on Camarin, who awaits him, desperate.)

(Renier falls back.)

(He staggers and sinks back heavily toward the pillar. There is breathless, strained suspense. Then he strikes the sacred column, and as he does so the image above sways, totters and crushes upon him. A cry, "The Magdalen!" goes up around.)

(A pause.)

(To Amaury.)

(The limp body is borne away. All follow but Amaury, Yolanda, Renier.)

(Kisses her hand and goes.)

(With deep abandon.)

(They go to the bier and stand as in a dream. A pause; then her lips move, last, as if inspired.)

(With a cry of joy he enfolds her, and they kneel, wrapped about with the clear moon.)

The End.

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