The Princess of Bagdad: A Play In Three Acts

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Александр Дюма

Год написания книги

2017

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In having the left shoulder higher than the right, and a ball in the latter?

John

In having what I have not, in having forty millions.

Lionnette

Ah, yes, that would help us out of our difficulties.

John

My poor Lionnette, I am very unhappy.

Lionnette

Why?

John

Because I am not able to give you any longer what I formerly gave you.

Lionnette

I shall do very well without it.

John

You are incapable of it; you said it yourself just now.

Lionnette

There are moments when I no longer know what I say; you must not pay attention to it. Chance has done much for me in my life; it may still find a way.

John

And if chance gets tired, and if you also get as tired? I shall never say – "if you love me no more;" in your heart you have never loved me.

Lionnette

Why did I marry you, then?

John

Because your mother advised you to do it.

Lionnette

It is perhaps the only good advice she ever gave me, and I assure you I have been very grateful for what you have done for me.

John

Gratitude is not love.

Lionnette

Love comes afterwards.

John

A long time afterwards, for it has not come yet.

Lionnette

The most beautiful creature in the world could not give more than she has. I have given all I had to give. Is it love? Is it not love? I know not. I have no line of comparison, never having given to any one but you.

(She hesitates a moment before continuing.)

John

You were going to say something else.

Lionnette

No.

John

Yes. Say it, whatever it was.

(He draws Lionnette by the hand, close to him.)

Godler

There are the plots beginning again. An odd kind of a house this.

(The three persons go out on the terrace, and from there into the garden, where one sees no more of them.)

Lionnette

I was going to say that perhaps you find that I do not love you enough, because you love me too much. Then you have been much too good to me; you have done whatever I wished; you did wrong. You should have been more my master, in order to counterbalance the bad influence of my mother, to change my habits, to offer more resistance, and to save me from myself.

John

To save you? What have you done then?

Lionnette

I have ruined you.