Scene III
THE SAME PERSONS, JOHN, THE COMMISSARY OF POLICE, his Secretary, Two Agents
By an involuntary movement Lionnette places herself on the side opposite to that on which she was with Nourvady. In this way they become separated. Nourvady walks in front of the Commissary of Police. Lionnette seats herself upon the couch, one arm half supported on the back of the couch, the other upon the little table which is there. Her three-quarters' profile is turned towards the audience in an attitude of anger and defiance at what is going on. John points her out to the Commissary, and wants to run towards her. The Commissary stops him.
The Commissary
By virtue of an official mandate, I am required to come at the request of Count Victor Charles John de Hun, who is here, to prove the clandestine presence of the Countess Lionnette de Hun, wife of the said Count Victor Charles John de Hun, in the house of Mr. Nourvady, and to establish according to law the offence of adultery.
Nourvady
Sir!
The Commissary
You will please be silent, sir, and reply only to my questions, if I have any to put to you. (To John.) This gentleman is, I believe, Mr. Nourvady, whom you accuse of being an accomplice with your wife?
John
Yes.
The Commissary (to Lionnette)
Do you deny that, madam?
Lionnette
No. I am, indeed, the legitimate wife of that gentleman, and Countess de Hun, alas!
The Commissary (to an Agent)
See that no one enters here! (To the Secretary.) Sit down and write. (The Secretary sits down and prepares to write.)
Nourvady (to The Commissary)
But really, sir?
The Commissary
I am Commissary of Police in your district; here are my insignia, sir. (He shows one end of his scarf; dictating to his Secretary). Having betaken ourselves to one of the residences of Mr. Nourvady…
Lionnette
That is not correct, sir! Mr. Nourvady is not here in his own house, but in mine; this house and all that is in it belongs to me. Be kind enough to open this cabinet at your left and you will find there my title-deeds of ownership, which prove what I am stating.
The Commissary (to one of his Agents)
Open it. (The Agent gives him all the papers that he finds in the cabinet. The Commissary reads them over.) These papers are not quite according to law; it is a purchase made in your name but you have not ratified it, and your signature is wanting. (While he is speaking he carries the papers to Lionnette.)
Lionnette (taking the papers and signing)
There it is, and as the Count de Hun and I were married under the act of separation of property, and, as he legally gave me the right of acquiring and disposing of my property, I do not know what he wants here, in my house.
John (menacing her)
Madam!
The Commissary
Silence, sir, I beg of you. (Dictating.) We presented ourselves at the house which was indicated to us as one of the residences of Mr. Nourvady. Our visit was foreseen, and an order had been given to the servants to open the door to no one. After three legal summonses on our part, and three refusals on the part of the persons shut up in a room on the first floor, we broke open the door, and found in this room a man and woman, recognized to be Mr. Nourvady and the Countess Lionnette de Hun. The said lady, when we attributed to Mr. Nourvady the ownership of the house, formally declared to us that she was the owner of the house in which we found her, and furnished proofs of the same; also, she affirmed that Mr. Nourvady was paying her a visit there.
John
Add, if you please, sir, that I have disowned all participation in the ownership of this house, acquired without my consent, and by illegitimate means, which will be proofs of the charge of guilt.
The Commissary (to the Secretary)
Record the declaration of the Count de Hun. (Dictating.) After the refusal that was given to us, first by the servants of the house and then by Mr. Nourvady… You were the one, sir, were you not, who refused to open this door? (He turns towards Nourvady.)
Nourvady
Yes, sir.
The Commissary
After the refusal given and repeated three separate times by Mr. Nourvady, to open the door of the room where he was shut up with the Countess de Hun, although, according to the declaration of this lady, he was not in his own house, but her's, and, therefore, under the circumstances, she alone had a right to command there – after these repeated refusals, we found nothing to furnish us with convincing proofs of the charge that the complainant wished us to establish.
(While speaking, The Commissary has run his eye over the stage, looking at the furniture, and lifting up the screens that separated the drawing room from other rooms.)
John
The presence of my wife in this house is sufficient to prove the crime.
The Commissary
No, sir.
John
In a case like this the intention is enough.
The Commissary
We are not here to judge according to intentions, but to state according to facts.
JOHN (picking up Lionnette's veils).
What more do you require than this triple veil, which proves that my wife has come here concealing her face, as I saw, in short, for I followed her? A strange manner to enter her own house, since she maintains it to be her's. (Pointing to Lionnette.) Look at this, sir; what more do you require?
The Commissary
Be as calm as possible, sir; the law will do its duty, however painful it may be. (He dictates.) Still, the attitude and bearing of the Lady de Hun, at the moment of our entrance, was at least suspicious. Her hair was half falling on her shoulders.
Nourvady (to The Commissary)
Be good enough to note, sir, that at this point of your accusation I interrupted you, and that I affirmed most emphatically and on my word of honour the complete and perfect innocence of the Countess Lionnette de Hun, whose honour, whatever the appearances may be, should not be doubted for a moment.
Lionnette (very calm at first, but gradually exciting herself to frenzy)
And I, in the face of the scandal that my husband wished to create, and, though appreciating the motive of Mr. Nourvady's affirmation, which it is every honourable man's duty to make who wishes to save a woman's honour, I declare it false; and the facts that the law cannot prove I declare absolutely true. Mr. Nourvady was shut up here with me, by my wish, because he was, because he is, my lover.
John (running towards her. The Commissary puts himself between them.)
Madam!
Lionnette
Whatever may be the punishment of the adulteress, I merit it. (To the Secretary, who hesitates.) Write, sir, I have not finished. Write. (She rises, and walks to the table where the Secretary is writing.) So that there may not, by any possibility, be any mistake in the scandalous trials that will follow this scene, and in order that my husband may not have to accuse himself of casting upon me an unjust and hasty suspicion, I declare that not only have I given myself to Mr. Nourvady because I loved him, but because he is rich and I am poor; that after having ruined my husband I sold myself, so incapable was I of bearing poverty. The price of my fall is there: a million in gold struck expressly for me! My husband, there, was right yesterday, when he treated me like a prostitute. I am one, and very happy to be so. And if what I have told you does not convince you; if proofs are necessary, there they are! (She steeps her bare arms in the gold, and throws handfuls of it all round her. To John.) And you, sir, if you are in want of money, take some; after the baseness that you commit at this moment, there remains only this for you to do.
John (going towards her; she looks in his face; John falls on a chair.)
Madam!.. Ah!
Lionnette (to Nourvady.)
And now do you believe that I am entirely yours?
John
In the face of the insolence and audacity of the accused, I require her immediate arrest.
The Commissary
I know the rights that the law gives me, and the duties that I have to fulfil. All that has been said has been recorded in the accusation; I limit my office to that. (To Nourvady.) As you are not in your own house, sir, you can retire; only as the avenue is full of people in front of the principal entrance, leave the house by this exit: one of my agents will join you, in order that the policeman may allow you to pass. (He points to the left. Nourvady bows to Lionnette and goes out by the left, passing in front of John, who, standing with his arms folded, pretends not to see the provoking salute Nourvady gives him.)
The Commissary (to Lionnette)
With regard to you, Madam, as you are in your own house, enter, I beg of you, into your apartment, and if you wish to go out, do not go till some time after our departure, when there will be no longer inquisitive persons outside, and you will be sure not to be insulted.
Lionnette
Thank you, sir.
(She goes out by the door at the right).
The Commissary (to John)
I am going to deliver my report to the Judge. You have ten days to withdraw your complaint, sir – a complaint that perhaps you were very wrong to bring. That woman accuses herself too much. I believe her to be innocent. Go out of this house before me, sir; the people saw us come in together, and if we go out in the same way they will recognise you as the husband, and they might say disagreeable things to you. The French people do not approve of husbands who surprise their wives by the appearance of a Commissary of Police. I have the honour to wish you good morning.
(John bows to him and goes away. The Commissary comes back and sits down near his Secretary, to complete the last formalities.)
ACT III
The same decorations as in the first Act.
Scene I
JOHN, GODLER, TRÉVELÉ
(Godler is sitting down, Trévelé standing. John is walking about in great agitation.)
Godler
And then?
John (sitting down)
Then, just as I was going to start for my sister's house, and everybody thought me gone, for I had no wish to sleep in this house, suddenly I was seized with the idea of concealing myself, and following my wife if she went out, so as to convince myself, and if she deceived me to disgrace her publicly. This morning I saw her go out veiled, take a cab, and alight at that house in the Champs Elysées. It was very clear. I went to fetch a Commissary of Police, who lives close by that house. He hesitated at first, but the fear of a greater misfortune, of a crime that I was resolved to commit, decided him to go; and on the refusal of Mr. Nourvady to open the door, they forced it open.
Trévelé
And the Countess was there?
John
Yes.
Trévelé
With Nourvady?
John
Yes.
Godler (after a little while)
And you are convinced?..
John
Her hair undone, her arms bare, her dress-body opened! And such effrontery! such impudence! (Rising, and putting his head in his hands.) I witnessed it, I witnessed it. That man has done all in his power to exonerate her, to save her. He has given his word of honour that there has never been anything between them. It was not through any gentlemanly feeling, for he who comes to your house, takes you warmly by the hand, and appropriates, steals, and buys your wife, such a one has nothing of the true gentleman in him. But I do not know why I mention that man! After all, it is not he who is guilty; he has done his work as a man, as we have all done, and as we all do. He has met a beautiful creature, coquettish, fond of luxury, ruined, heartless, destitute of womanly feeling; heedless of her good name, her husband, or her child; without the least gratitude, or the least remembrance, even, of all I have done for her. He has offered to buy her, and she has consented. He has paid her a million; that is dear; – for what is a woman who sells herself really worth? As to me, I paid her with my name, with my mother's death and curse, that is still dearer. My mother saw clearly: she is avenged. I have no right to complain.
(He sits down weeping, his head in his hands.)
Godler (much moved)
My poor old friend!
John
I beg your pardon. It is not to tell you all this that I have asked you to come here; but, after all, I have no one else now. Here am I, alone in the world. You are my friends – you have said so at least; and then again you did not come to my house to take her away, did you? Never mind, let us try to put my ideas a little in order. I do not know very well what I am about, you can understand that. However, you are convinced that I am an honest man? That is the reason I wanted to see you. You must tell me that you esteem me still. I may have been easily smitten, very stupid. I was so young then! Alas! I feel a hundred years old to-day. I may have been foolish to marry a creature unworthy of me; but you believe me, you know me incapable of all connivance with her; you feel certain that I have no hand in all this disgusting money affair? and when I have gone away, when I am dead, for it will certainly kill me in one way or another, you will take care to say, to affirm strongly, to swear to it even, that I was ignorant of the whole thing. I shall have lost my mother, my faith, my fortune, my life, for that woman; so be it, but at least I have preserved my honour!
Godler
Rely on us, my dear friend, and understand that we think you the most upright man in the world; that we esteem you for your honourableness, and sympathise with you in your great misfortune.
(Trévelé, on his part, takes John warmly by the hand.)
Trévelé (aside)
Poor fellow!
John
Then, you understand why I have raised this scandal instead of provoking the man. If I had been killed, a suspicion would always have rested on me. Mr. Nourvady paid the debts of my wife; they would have said that I did not find this enough, that I had asked for more, that he had refused me, that then I had quarrelled with him, that he had killed me, and that he had done right. If, on the contrary, I had killed him, they would have said worse things still; that I had waited until he had paid all household debts and had given my wife a fortune (for she has a splendid mansion), a million for her own use; and having arranged all that, and after all these disgraceful artifices, I had killed this generous lover; and that this was my way of settling with my creditors, and setting up my establishment again. This is why I have acted in this way. I wanted to raise an unmistakable scandal, well-spread abroad, from which it would be reported that she is a wretch and I an honest man … and besides, before doing anything else, I must pay back his money.
Godler
According to the light in which you place the situation, I understand now what, with the habits of our set, I did not take in directly; from the point of view in which you place the thing, you have nothing else to do, – whatever may happen.
John
What do you mean by whatever may happen?
Godler
We never know! The human heart…
John
You believe me so weak, so much in love, and so base as to pardon this woman after what she has done! You know perfectly well that you despise me. It is my fault. My past weakness gives you the right to believe anything of me.
Godler
I believe nothing, I suppose nothing, but the whole thing appears to me very obscure, and passion, perhaps, has made you see things that do not exist. All I know is, that yesterday, in this house, Nourvady, before leaving us, spoke a long while in a low tone to the Countess. I heard nothing, but Trévelé was relating all sorts of nonsense to me, and I was supposed to be listening to it…
Trévelé
Continue.
Godler
I looked unperceived at the Countess de Hun. Not only did she not listen with interest to her interlocutor, but two or three times her attitude and looks were indicative of anger. She threw something violently out of this window. I do not know what – a note, a trinket, a ring perhaps; and when Nourvady took leave of her, she said, – The insolent fellow! (To Trévelé.) Is it true?
Trévelé
It is quite true…
John
She changed her mind afterwards. Night brings counsel: and she is only all the more guilty, as she knew very well what she was doing. Do not speak of her any more, I shall have to think enough about it for the rest of my life, which fortunately will not be long. At present I am going away, as I have no money, and must go and look for some.
Godler
My dear fellow!..
John
You understand, without my telling you, that I ask you for none, and that I should accept none. I confide in you because you are the only persons that I can consider at all as friends in our station, where one has so few; and what you do not give me out of friendship, you give me in esteem and compassion.
(Godler and Trévelé take him warmly by the hand.)
Trévelé
But the Countess, where is she?
John
She is, no doubt, in her house in the Champs Elysées.
Trévelé
Then she will not come here?
John
Yes, she can come here. The house is hers; she can live here as much as she likes. It is I who am not at home here, and who come only to make my last preparations for departure.
Trévelé
And Raoul? Your son?
John (with a bitter laugh)
Are you quite sure that he is my son?
Trévelé
Do not let your anger mislead you.
John
In any case he is the son of that woman; I do not wish to see him any more. He can live with her, that she may bring him up in her new life. He will avenge me one day. When he is twenty years old he will insult her. Or something else may occur. The tribunal which will pronounce our separation will order that the child shall be sent to college, or to boarding school, from which his mother will have no power to take him.
Trévelé
At his age! He will be very unhappy.
John
All the better for him. He will suffer at an earlier age – he will understand more easily.
A Servant (entering)
Mr. Richard.
John (aside)
It is not I who sent for him? Does he know anything?
Godler
Would you like us to leave you?
John
No. I have nothing to say that you may not hear… unless you have something else to do.
Trévelé
No, nothing. (To Godler.) Nor you, have you?
Godler
I – no, nothing. (To Trévelé, combing his whiskers and pulling forward his lock of hair.) Florimonde is waiting for me.
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