COMPIÈGNE

    [The Main Room over the Terrace of the Palace in Compiègne. An autumn night in 1782. The room is lit with many candles, and there is dancing. The Queen of France is present, the Court, and some few of the neighbouring gentry¹, among whom a Lady called Madame d'Escurolles, about forty, silent, and rather timid. A gentleman about the Court, a trifle older than herself, stands by and talks to her as she sits and looks at the dancing. He takes his title from Noirétable in the Forèz, but he has never been there.]

Madame d'Escurolles. I cannot see anything in the Queen of what you say, M. de Noirétable. She seems to be a little violent, but not vulgar.

Monsieur de Noirétable. It is precisely² as you will, but I confess she spoils a room for me. The truth is that if she jostled and elbowed she would please me better; she always looks as though she would. I am disappointed in my amusement.

Madame d'Escurolles. M. de Noirétable, she is a good woman. I can see it in her eyes. They are very frank.

[Pg 206]

Monsieur de Noirétable. Oh! Yes! Madame, they are frank enough. They are being frank just now to half the room. Ugh! I have seen market women looking so, but only at the return from market (he pauses). Have you ridden to-day?

Madame d'Escurolles (laughing gently). No, sir, I have not ridden. We do not ride at my age in Compiègne ... but, tell me, do you not think there is something majestic³ about the Queen?... You must remember I have not seen her for three years, and it may be you are used to her carriage. But do you not admire that poise⁴ of the head and that high manner; or perhaps I should say, have you not admired them?

Monsieur de Noirétable. Oh! yes, Madame, I have admired it, and I do, as also her hairdresser and her shoemaker. Am I not at Court?

Madame d'Escurolles. But they say it is at Court that she is least admired?

Monsieur de Noirétable (shocked). I would not presume to say that! God forbid! From what I have heard in the street I would say she was least admired in Paris, or, perhaps—(musing)—perhaps in the village of Louveciennes ... nay⁵, I have forgotten St. Cloud. St. Cloud would run Louveciennes hard.

Madame d'Escurolles. I have do doubt these names are well known in Versailles.

Monsieur de Noirétable. Madame, Versailles knows everything and everybody, because Versailles[Pg 207] is the Queen. For myself, after many years in the full view of Versailles and taking my money from Versailles, yet I cannot say I like Versailles.

Madame d'Escurolles (innocently). And why not, sir?

Monsieur de Noirétable (looking vaguely⁶ at the distant candles and speaking as vaguely). Upon my soul I cannot say!... It may be that Versailles is too frank or perhaps there is too much poise about it ... it is certainly majestic.

Madame d'Escurolles (as though merely to continue). It must compare well with poor Compiègne!

Monsieur de Noirétable (ceasing to look at the candles). I would not compare Versailles with Compiègne because I have seen Versailles so much and Compiègne so little. Indeed, Madame (if you will believe me!), I have but twice visited Compiègne since my year in garrison⁷ there, but that was fifteen years ago, and in those days, as you will remember, it was your father who befriended me. I found Compiègne very hospitable⁸, and if I have returned there too seldom I very readily acknowledge my error.

Madame d'Escurolles (as though to change the subject). Pray, sir, do you not find Compiègne much older? They say that age particularly affects Compiègne.

Monsieur de Noirétable (with a little humour). I know that I have aged⁹, but I would not swear for Compiègne. Madame d'Escurolles (with enthusiasm), I cannot forbear to tell you that Compiègne in my[Pg 208] eyes does not age, but grows. The walls of Compiègne are more subtle and her woods more deep; her air is more gracious and full of certitude and peace than in those days I speak of when she held me for a full year.

Madame d'Escurolles. Oh! Held you, Monsieur de Noirétable! You were under no constraint¹⁰. It was your garrison.

Monsieur de Noirétable (rapidly). Madame, my youth was held. But I have not told you all of my own ageing nor of this return to Compiègne.... You say the town has aged also. Ah! You should see other towns! There is in Compiègne to-day, I swear to you, more deep and more desirable laughter than in the youngest and most virginal of towns!

Madame d'Escurolles. Why, M. de Noirétable, you grow lyrical! (Smiling.) One would think you had seen too many towns!

Monsieur de Noirétable (lightly and rapidly). A man in the Service must see many towns.... It is not wholly his choice. I volunteered as well, and saw more towns than I positively¹¹ needed, Madame; to tell the truth, a man is none the better for visiting too many towns.

Madame d'Escurolles. It is the appetite for travel, Monsieur, and the love of adventure.

Monsieur de Noirétable. Precisely, Madame, you put it very well ... the appetite, Madame, and the love ... of adventure ... you put it very well [Pg 209]indeed. (Abruptly.) It led me to Narbonne, to Florac, and to Cahors.

Madame d'Escurolles (shuddering). Oh! Monsieur de Noirétable! What dreadful names!

Monsieur de Noirétable (lightly). Not at all, Madame! Not at all! Delightful¹²!... but passing, very passing! Believe me, in the presence of Compiègne, no man desires to return to Florac or to Narbonne, nor even to Cahors.

Madame d'Escurolles. No ... but he may choose to visit other places.

Monsieur de Noirétable (gravely). He may be compelled to visit them, Madame. (She looks away.)

Madame d'Escurolles (is silent for a little while and then looks up at him as gravely). Must he visit so many towns?

Monsieur de Noirétable (slightly lifting his shoulders). Oh! Must! Must! Must is a strong word, Madame. But Does, Does; does is a working word, Madame. And a man does visit many towns, and he comes back to Compiègne.

Madame d'Escurolles (thoughtfully). Sir, Compiègne has age upon it, though you are pleased to call it by prettier names. Compiègne is even sad with age. I will not deny her charm, I will even concede her beauty—but it is harder than ever to-day to be content with Compiègne. (With a sudden change of tone.) We have spoken too much of cities. We old friends who do not dance treat the place too much like a card-room, and we converse¹³ when younger[Pg 210] souls are full of the music.... Tell me, Monsieur de Noirétable—since the subject is more consonant¹⁴ with music and with dancing—are you fond of verse?

Monsieur de Noirétable (solemnly). I dote upon it! especially such verse as may be written in praise of Compiègne....

Madame d'Escurolles (laughing). Oh! Monsieur de Noirétable, you begin to be ridiculous. Come, is there no verse you may cite as your favourite?

Monsieur de Noirétable. Why, Madame, I fear to seem even more ridiculous if I quote Latin.

Madame d'Escurolles (good-humouredly). Not at all, sir! We know Latin in Compiègne!

Monsieur de Noirétable (grimly). So I seemed to remember. Well, then, I confess my favourite verse is the Horatian Ode which begins—
Donec gratus eram tibi ...

and which ends (he speaks glowingly)—
... Iracundior Hadria
Tecum vivere amem; tecum obeam libens!

Madame d'Escurolles (doubtfully). Are you quite sure you have the Latin right? (She ponders awhile.) For my own part I prefer the simple songs of our own people about here and the rhymes of children. Do you know
Nous n'irons plus aux bois
Les lauriers sont coupés?

[Pg 211]

Monsieur de Noirétable (almost yawning). Oh! Bless you, yes. Who does not.... Madame?

(The music ceases and the reverences¹⁵ to the Queen begin. Madame d'Escurolles, as she moves forward, says in a low tone to Monsieur de Noirétable as she passes him, "When do you next come to Compiègne?")

Monsieur de Noirétable (as he goes out alone, to himself). When Compiègne comes to meet me halfway¹⁶; which is perhaps a little difficult for so much stone.

1 gentry   

n.绅士阶级，上层阶级

参考例句：

• Landed income was the true measure of the gentry.来自土地的收入是衡量是否士绅阶层的真正标准。
• Better be the head of the yeomanry than the tail of the gentry.宁做自由民之首，不居贵族之末。

2 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

3 majestic   

adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的

参考例句：

• In the distance rose the majestic Alps.远处耸立着雄伟的阿尔卑斯山。
• He looks majestic in uniform.他穿上军装显得很威风。

4 poise   

vt./vi. 平衡，保持平衡；n.泰然自若，自信

参考例句：

• She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise.她犹豫片刻，但很快恢复了镇静。
• Ballet classes are important for poise and grace.芭蕾课对培养优雅的姿仪非常重要。

5 nay   

adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者

参考例句：

• He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。
• Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。

6 vaguely   

adv.含糊地，暖昧地

参考例句：

• He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。
• He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

7 garrison   

n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防

参考例句：

• The troops came to the relief of the besieged garrison.军队来援救被围的守备军。
• The German was moving to stiffen up the garrison in Sicily.德军正在加强西西里守军之力量。

8 hospitable   

adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的

参考例句：

• The man is very hospitable.He keeps open house for his friends and fellow-workers.那人十分好客，无论是他的朋友还是同事，他都盛情接待。
• The locals are hospitable and welcoming.当地人热情好客。

9 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

10 constraint   

n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物

参考例句：

• The boy felt constraint in her presence.那男孩在她面前感到局促不安。
• The lack of capital is major constraint on activities in the informal sector.资本短缺也是影响非正规部门生产经营的一个重要制约因素。

11 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

12 delightful   

adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的

参考例句：

• We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
• Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。

13 converse   

vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反

参考例句：

• He can converse in three languages.他可以用3种语言谈话。
• I wanted to appear friendly and approachable but I think I gave the converse impression.我想显得友好、平易近人些,却发觉给人的印象恰恰相反。

14 consonant   

n.辅音；adj.[音]符合的

参考例句：

• The quality of this suit isn't quite consonant with its price.这套衣服的质量和价钱不相称。
• These are common consonant clusters at the beginning of words.这些单词的开头有相同辅音组合。

15 reverences   

n.尊敬，崇敬( reverence的名词复数 )；敬礼

参考例句：

• The old man pays regard to riches, and the youth reverences virtue. 老年人注意财富，年轻人尊重德性。 来自辞典例句
• Their reverences will have tea. 牧师要用茶。 来自辞典例句

16 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。