William Wilfred Campbell - Daulac: Act III, Scene 1 lyrics

ACT III. SCENE 1. PLACE—Montreal, Canada. TIME—One year later. SCENE—A room in an inn. Enter DESJARDINS. DES. Well, here's a pretty pa**, to let this woman Slip through my hands like this: first 'twas Daulac, Now 'tis the Church has got her. Nothing suits But she must come to Canada like the rest Of those poor fools who, lacking misery, Would seek it in these savage-haunted wastes. She tells her beads and sighs 'tis Heaven draws her, But I have my suspicions it is Daulac. That man, that man! Have I not cause to hate him? Since his departure she hath never smiled, But mopes and prays to Heaven. Business, business She will have none of. I have noticed, too, She has grown half-suspicious of myself, And such a scornful icicle hath grown That all my cunning, all my arrogance Hath not sufficed to make me hint my love. Nay, Desjardins, caution, perseverance, These are your arms to fight with, you are but A plodding notary, but Hell's my pledge, I'll have her yet, and avenge myself on him If I've to win the poles to 'complish this; No seas, no rimless oceans shall prevent, No savage hordes of earth's most desolate waste Will daunt my vengeance; say she yea or nay, I'll go with her [Page 161]. Enter PIOTR. DES. Well, what have you discovered? PIO. Daulac is here, master, in this very inn. DES. What are his prospects? PIO. They say he is the governor of an island. DES. And p**nac? PIO. Is here, too. DES. Does Daulac know of the Lady Helène's arrival? PIO. Nay, master, not by me. DES. Nor through you, rascal? PIO. Am I not narrow enough? DES. Scarcely for my purposes. PIO. (aside) Then will I be wide for some one else's. DES. Have you carried my orders? PIO. Yea, master. DES. Then watch and bring the Governor to this room. We have a meeting here which, when 'tis ended, Will settle this same Daulac. PIO. But Fanchon, master, when shall I have her? DES. I tell you, do my work, and when 'tis ended You shall have your Fanchon, and for my part I wish you well of her. PIO. (aside) You wish me well; then I am cursed, indeed! (to DESJARDINS) But when, O master, when? DES. Go to the devil! PIO. I'm gone there now. (aside) I do his work, but me he never pays, save in fine promises; “To-morrow it will be fine, next day 'twill shine,” Doth never help the growth of gra** to-day. This working for the devil is unlucky. If this goes on I'll choose another master. [Exit. DES. (rings bell; enter waiter) Wine! [Page 162] Servant. How much, my lord? DES. Two bottles, quick, of your best. Servant. Yea, my lord. [Exit. DES. So Daulac is governor. If he knows She has given her money to the Church, And that she's here, then all my schemes are foiled. He'll win her in the face of all my plans. Nay, he'll die first, if it comes to that. I'll k** him—but of that more anon. I'll trap him first, this dreamer, in his dreams. I'll seethe him in the milk of his own glory, Or I'm no notary; get him from my path, She soon will tire of this religious waste, And back in France, I'll trust my sk** to win her. Enter PIOTR, followed by MAISONNEUEVE, the Governor. Governor. You are the gentleman who sent this letter? DES. Yea, sir, and at your service; and, methinks, One who can give a**istance to you now, And this poor colony. Be seated, sir, and pardon My sending for you to this common inn, But matters of state know not of the conventions. Enter Servant, with wine. Governor. How can you aid? My very coming here In answer to this letter you have sent Shows my extremity. Necessity knows no custom. If I have read your letter aright, you have Some business to disclose. DES. Some wine, my lord? Governor. Thanks, monsieur. [Drinks. DES. Well, now to business. Coming to this point, I understand this colony is decimated And slowly wasted by two insidious foes, Disease and the savages. Governor. From the first we are recovering; but The savages, I fear, will be our doom [Page 163]. Daily we hear the fearful war-whoop sounding, Nightly my people are butchered in their beds, Till hope is wasted; and, I fear, ere long France's lilies will wither from this coast. DES. Have you no plan to tide this terrible fate? Governor. I see no way; and now a fearful rumor Hath reached me that a thousand Iroquois Do purpose besieging us in this our hold. And do they enter here and see our weakness, Then we are lost. DES. Have you no soldiers? Governor. A few, such as they are; but what are they without a leader? DES. This is my cure. 'Tis a leader you want. If you are with me, I do know your man. Governor. You offer, sir? You are yourself that man? DES. Nay, nay, my lord, I'm not so tired of life. Like you, mosieur, I am a man of peace; But love naught better than setting others fighting. The man you want must be s reckless devil, Full of the vapors, moon-sick like a lover, Who yearns for danger as young ducks for water. Just such a man I know to fill your wants, Ripe like an apple, ready now to drop Into your basket do you promise glory. Governor. Who is this man? DES. Do you know of one Daulac? Governor. Not the Sieur Daulac, he who owns an island, A seigneury far up the river shore? DES. The very man. Governor. They say he plays the hermit with one man And a few Hurons whom he hath befriended. DES. He is your man. If you would save your trade, Your Church, your very Governorship itself, You'd better use him. [Exeunt both. [Page 164] Enter DAULAC and PORNAC. DAULAC sits at a table. POR. This room is yours to-night, the inn is full. To-morrow you can have a better one. DAUL. 'Tis well enough; what more does soldier want? A place to eat and sleep and wake and think, But not to die in. POR. You have not eaten, master? DAUL. I want nothing. [Leans his head on his hand and sighs. POR. (aside) My poor master, he groweth daily worse; Love-sick at heart, this life is k**ing him. There is no murdering here, save taking of scalps, And that the howling, painted pathens do. Oh, saints betide that ever we came here! This land of peace will be the d**h of him. DAUL. Look here, p**nac, I saw the priest this even; This marriage market goeth on to-morrow. Are you still minded in the same opinion As to this wiving business? Are you sure You have got cured of Fanchon? POR. Fanchon, master! Fanchon is an angel, And ever will have first place in my heart, But she is absent, and upon her place There sits a fear that we may never meet, And a more fearful fear that every night My scalp-lock will be shriven from my head, So that each morn I find it there in wonder. Now, for to medicine this same fear of mine, I have prescribed unto myself a wife. DAUL. Ha, ha, p**nac, 'tis a strange protection. POR. Not if you know it; she will either keep away savages, Or fear o' them by her company; fears, like troubles, Should hunt in couples, master; or else my fear of her Will drive out fear of them, so it's all the same [Page 165]. DAUL. But a woman, p**nac, a woman is to be protected, Not a protection. POR. Not so, master. Barring their fear of mice, gray hairs And wrinkles, I often think they out-courage men. DAUL. Then you are sure of happiness, p**nac, without Fanchon? POR. If Fanchon were here I would love her truly; But Fanchon absent is another matter. Nay, nay, I will risk it, 'tis the way of nature. DAUL. Well, p**nac, have your will; remember tomorrow, The Jesuits' church. Now go, I'd be alone. [Exit PORNAC. My interest in that poor fellow's affairs Doth make me for a moment half forget Mine own poor miseries, but once alone They all come crowding back a thousandfold To torture my spirit. O Helène, Helène, Fair spirit of the past, your memory Fills all my heart to-night. Glory's touch Is dimming fast; this is no soldier's land. The men seem ever palsied with a fear Like Damocles' sword that hangs above them, Just waiting to descend. The Indian, Though cruel in his instincts, I admire; He is a worthy foe, dreading nor d**h Nor torture. Yet meseems the men I see around me are not dead to honor. Were they but once aroused, had I the chance,— 'Tis maddening to daily have to hear Of families butchered, fields despiled, and men Carried away to fates of horrid d**h. (a knocking) Ha, who is that? Come in. Enter DESJARDINS. What? Good Heaven! 'tis Desjardins! DES. Yea, Daulac, 'tis I [Page 166]. DAUL. When did you arrive? DES. In the last ship. DAUL. And—and—I fear to ask you, Desjardins, but how is Helène? DES. Oh, she is well. DAUL. And happy? DES. As any other mad woman. DAUL. What mean you? DES. She talks of giving her property to the Church. DAUL. Then I may hope, Desjardins, I may hope. DES. (aside) Curse him, he would hope yet, would he? (to DAULAC) Nay, Daulac, she is dead to you. DAUL. Has she entered a cloister? DES. Daulac, be a man, and think no more of Helène, She is dead to you , but think of glory. DAUL. Of glory? DES. You know the state of this poor colony? DAUL. Yea, indeed, but even now I chafed At mine own weakness to better its condition. DES. Why not act then? DAUL. Who am I, a single unknown man? Had I a commission!— DES. I bring you that commission, or rather the man Who alone can grant it. DAUL. Who? DES. The Governor; he awaits you. DAUL. Where? DES. Here in this inn, presiding o'er a council Suddenly called to settle this grave matter. [Both go out. DAUL. God bless you, Desjardins, ever my true friend, my noble friend. [Goes out first. DES. (going out behind) Yea, we will see [Page 167]. CURTAIN.