Grotesques Sprite. [Beckoning her, as she turns from him.] He cannot hold you [A pause: then the Sprite snaps his fingers indifferently.] Man. They are gone. Sprite. Forth I follow the brook-to the end-where a pixie [Exit. Outside the frame he falls inert.] Capulchard. The end is not far distant either way; To left, to right, the picture has an edge. Girl. [Passing her hand across her brow.] How came I to this forest? The anti-climax, princess-the routine That ends all well. Instead, a love-theme weave, A tapestry of passion darker-toned: Placing the Woman-motive in her stead, Re-draw the Man as Warrior-. Girl. You will protect me? Man. Ever then From all danger. Come! Capulchard. [Grasping the Girl] [He replaces the Girl inanimate among the Grotesques, right; then he returns to the Man, who now is alone on the stage, giving him a mantle and sword instead of a bow. As he does this, the Man, by a great unconscious effort, tries to reach towards her. Capulchard is surprised, but smiles ironically. The impulse dies.] Capulchard. A mantle, then a sword: thus achieve strength, Intelligence, rank, power, and the rest That give a warrior capability To lead an army to a city's gates. And she, the daughter of his foe [He lifts the Woman, giving her a costume that suggests a princess; and places her at the right edge of the decoration.] Capulchard. [To the Man.] Adjust to rhythm of the new design. Man. The shout of battle has ceased from the darkened plain; Black swords now no more clash in a white sky. Here shall I rest till dawn, not victor while Their four-walled city holds unvanquished. Woman. [Holding out her hands towards him.] Forth from the citadel I bear a gift. Man. Would it were thou! Woman. Desire as thou wilt. [To herself, of the city which love had tempted her to betray to him.] No longer am I peril of my realm. No barrier lies between my will and me. Man. Go!-lest that, weary after battle, I— [A pause, which leads to a new grouping.] Man. This bank shall be our bed, O my beloved! Woman. This brook shall be the music of our night. e Grotesques Man. The lotus shall yield wine, O my beloved! Woman. Perfume of drowsiness-desire Man. Thou to the might of my love captiveCapulchard. Translate the rhythm from their words to deeper silence. None draw the erotic quite as Beardsley could. Yet strange this governed transcript of a mood Tang always? Well, then chance shall wreck their love. To bring thee Man. [Forcing her from him, with a vitality of rhythmic line which suggests will-effort.] To thy realm thou shalt return. Quick! lock thy beauty by a thousand bars, That my one longing may give armies strength To find my way to thee. Woman. That strength is vain The dawn shall tell them that from thee I come. Capulchard. Disaster. Climax. Let us turn the page, New-motive her as Queen, the Man as one 'Neath even her scorn, an Outlaw. Meanwhile, say: Woman. come; The dawn shall tell them that from thee I And they will send me forth an outcast, shamed. [Capulchard with his hand touches her as she moves to the edge of the decoration, right.] Capulchard. [After a pause.] That every episode must this way end Limits the rhythm like a clash of line, Man. She does not answer. Where? An afterglow? Searching? Interpret as avoiding search. Man. [Uncertainly.] They hunt me-Warrior . . . Outlaw She is lost . I. Capulchard. [Concealing apprehension.] Let the theme Create me ex-officio spectre. Appear! Man. [Recoiling, in the grotesque manner, in response to a direct gesture from Capulchard.] What figure tense, dark-robed, phantom against the dark? Capulchard. [Resuming his mastery.] The Outlaw, baffled in his strength, aghast Stares seemingly, since he is a Grotesque, Ha! Grotesques Man. [As before, vaguely, to himself.] He speaks to someone. Capulchard. Does the marionette grasp at its strings? Man. [Slowly and with effort, but turning directly towards Capulchard.] You speak Capulchard. [To the Audience.] Howe'er this lead, exit waits poised Whereby to render him inert. Man. [With increasing persistence.] You speak. [After a moment of indecision, he kneels slowly in an attitude of worship before Capulchard, at a distance from him.] Capulchard. Eh! what's this? Man. Gods look upon us?—He has seen the gods! Capulchard. I speak with them. Man. [Faltering.] They answer? Capulchard. [After a pause.] They are there. Man. High priest! Capulchard. [To himself, not without self-consciousness.] [He steps aside.] True, I address the gods. Man. [Left kneeling to vacancy, looks up.] Vanished! [He rises, devoutly.] |