The Princess of Bagdad: A Play In Three Acts

Godler

Who acquired such a taste for these delicious fruits, that he wanted to eat nothing else, had no wish to go away, had no inclination whatever for study, no longer wished to reign – he wanted to marry. However, the king, informed and satisfied on the subject, recalled his son. He must go back to Bagdad. Daphnis wept, and Chloe also.

Trévelé

You are king, you cry, and I depart.

Godler

And that is how the beautiful Lionnette came into the world; having for legal father a Marquis de Quansas, a ruined gentleman, rather a bad character, who turned up just at the right moment to lay his hand on a marriage portion, give his name to the mother and daughter, and die a short time after, without falling into the hands of the correctional police, as every one expected to see him do.

Trévelé

Then the countess is daughter of a prince?

Godler

Daughter of a king, even – for the prince succeeded his father.

Trévelé

What a strange country!

Godler

Daughter of a king and of an adventuress; daughter herself of no one knows who. From that comes, no doubt, the strangeness in the nature of Lionnette, whom we, who know the circumstances, named, when she was very young, the Princess of Bagdad. People never knew what it meant, but it is useless for all the world to know what some things mean.

Trévelé

And the mother, the Marchioness of Quansas, has she seen the king again since that adventure?

Godler

Often, and for several years. Thence comes the great luxury and style of the house. But she became so badly-conducted, and abused so much the goodness of the king to her, that he – himself now become father of a large family, as everything led to hope after his return from Paris, and the marchioness no longer being young – lost all patience, and gave no more money, except to his daughter, whom he adored, and whom he saw in secret. But he died quite suddenly.

Trévelé

I know whom you mean.

Godler

Then we both know it, that is sufficient. After the death of the king all the resources disappeared. Fortunately, the love and marriage of our friend John de Hun were found in the nick of time, to maintain for some time the importance of the house; but at this moment I think the downfall is not far off, and all these comings and goings of to-day may very well be the last signs of it. All the legitimate ways are exhausted; there remains nothing now but the others.

Trévelé

Which are happily the most numerous. It costs too much for us, my poor old Godler. For the present it is just the affair of the gloomy millionaire: we shall see later on. There is nothing more to drink; they have quite forgotten us. Put your comb in your pocket again, your lock of hair is very well like that; now let us go away. A peculiar kind of a house. Where is my hat?

(While they both look for their hats, their backs turned to the bottom of the room, John enters, very pale, and visibly affected.)

Scene IV

THE SAME PERSONS, JOHN.

John

I beg your pardon, gentlemen, for having left you so long alone in my house, but I have been suddenly called away. I reckoned upon being back sooner. And…

(He draws his hand across his forehead.)

Godler

You are suffering much?

John

It is nothing… A little fatigue, it is very warm.

Trévelé

We are going away.

John

However, it may be that I shall stand in need of two sure friends. Can I count upon you?

Trévelé (aside)

Nourvady was right.

Godler

Certainly; we shall breakfast, Trévelé and I, to-morrow at 12 o'clock at the club. If you have anything to say to us.

John

Thank you. Till to-morrow then.

Godler (aside, as he goes out)

Poor fellow.

Trévelé (aside, as he goes out)

The weather is getting stormy, as the sailors say.

Scene V

John alone at first, afterwards Lionnette