The Poisoned Bride and Other Stories by Robert H Van Gulik

Author:Robert H Van Gulik [Gulik, Robert H Van]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-03-30T12:23:59+00:00

INTERLUDE

Three actors enter. The stage is supposed to represent a scene on a river bank. It is late in the season, but the prune trees are still in bloom.

The first actor plays the role of the “young maiden,” the second plays the role of the “young lover,” and the third the role of the “elderly man.”

MAIDEN, speaks:

“I have come here many times, but never, it seems to me, were the blossoms as beautiful as to-day.”

sings

“Only sing of beauty, only sing of love,

Never think of duty, when you think of love!”

MAN, speaks:

“How is it an attractive young maiden like you has come out here all alone? At home there must be someone who loves you dearly?”

MAIDEN, acts coy, speaks:

“That may be so. But on a day like this who thinks of the people at home?”

YOUNG MAN, speaks:

“The other day passing along here, I admired this same view.”

MAIDEN, acts eager, speaks:

“Did you walk along the bank and see the green willow trees?”

YOUNG MAN, acts happy, sings:

“Wherever I went were flowers, were flowers all the way,

“I took from fragrant bowers, of blossoms a tender spray”

speaks:“It is late in the afternoon, I shall have to leave now.

MAIDEN, speaks:

“I don’t want to go home. At home there is a cruel, cruel man, who asks, always asks me questions. He presses me so I sometimes want to drown myself in a well!”

MAN, speaks:

“Let you and I go together and look at the blossoming trees. I would like to help you.”

MAIDEN, acts laughing, sings:

“Last year, last month, yesterday,

I knew no love, and I knew no pain;

This year, this month, and to-day,

I have both love and I have pain”

MAN, speaks:

“Let us go there then all three together. It would be sad if we were to forego this feast.”

YOUNG MAN, speaks:

“The season is already nearly over; who thinks this year of last year’s bloom?”

MAN, acts sad, speaks:

“A flowering sprig, well tended, will last long.”

MAIDEN, sings:

“I dream of the candles, the candles red and bright,

“Who thinks of tomorrow, on her wedding night?”

YOUNG MAN, speaks:

“It is said that on the festival of the flowers there shall be no difference of rank or position. Let the three of us go together, without inquiring name or surname. For after to-day we shall never meet again.”

MAIDEN, speaks:

“Yes, how sad it is that nothing is so brief as a day-dream late in spring!”

YOUNG MAN, acts happy, sings:

“When you seek for beauty, when you seek for love,

“Never think of duty, only think of love!”

Exeunt

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