The Dramas of Victor Hugo: Mary Tudor, Marion de Lorme, Esmeralda Part 30

THE QUEEN.

Death to Fabiani! Do you hear that howling populace, my lords? You must throw a man out to them. The rabble is hungry!

SIMON RENARD.

What does your Majesty command?

THE QUEEN.

By heaven, my lords! it seems to me you all stand trembling around me! Upon my soul! must a woman show you your duty as n.o.blemen? To horse, my lords, to horse! Are you afraid of the rabble? Are swords afraid of clubs?

SIMON RENARD.

Don't let things go any further. Yield, madame, while there is yet time. You can yet say "the rabble"; in an hour you will have to say "the people"!

[_The cries increase, the noise comes nearer._

THE QUEEN.

In an hour!

SIMON RENARD (_going to gallery and returning_).

In a quarter of an hour, madame. The first wall of the Tower is broken down. One more step, the mob will be here.

THE PEOPLE.

To the Tower! to the Tower! Fabiani! death to Fabiani!

THE QUEEN.

How right they are who call the people terrible! Fabiano!

SIMON RENARD.

Do you want to see him torn to pieces before your eyes?

THE QUEEN.

Do you know this is infamous, that not one of you stirs? In the name of Heaven, defend me, my lords!

LORD CLINTON.

You? yes, madame. Fabiano? no!

THE QUEEN.

Very well, I will tell you all then, so much the worse for you.

Fabiano is innocent. Fabiano never committed the crime for which he was condemned. It was I, and this man here, and the engraver Gilbert.

We did it all; we invented it all; we imagined it all. It was all a farce! Contradict me if you dare, Sir Bailiff! Now, gentlemen, will you defend him? He is innocent; I swear it. On my head, on my crown, on my G.o.d, on my mother's soul, he is innocent of the crime. It is as true as that you stand there, Lord Clinton! Defend him! Annihilate these wretches as you annihilated Tom Wyatt, my brave Clinton, my old friend, my good Robert! I swear to you that it is false that Fabiano tried to a.s.sa.s.sinate the Queen.

LORD CLINTON.

There is another Queen whom he tried to a.s.sa.s.sinate--England!

[_The cries continue outside._

THE QUEEN.

The balcony! Open the balcony. I myself will prove to the people that he is not guilty.

SIMON RENARD.

Prove to the people that he is not Italian.

THE QUEEN.

When I think it is Simon Renard, one of Cardinal Granvelle's creatures, who dares to speak to me like this! Well, open that door!

open that cell! Fabiano is there. I want to see him; I want to speak to him.

SIMON RENARD (_low_).

What are you doing? For his own sake, you needn't let everybody know where he is.

THE PEOPLE.

Death to Fabiani! Long live Elizabeth!

SIMON RENARD.

They cry long live Elizabeth, now!

THE QUEEN.

My G.o.d! My G.o.d!

SIMON RENARD.

Choose, madame [_with one hand he points to the cell_], this head to the people [_with the other hand he designates the crown which the Queen wears_] or that crown to Madame Elizabeth.

THE PEOPLE.

Death! Death! Fabiani! Elizabeth!

[_A stone breaks through a pane of gla.s.s near The Queen._

SIMON RENARD.