The Hunchback. Paul Feval

me at the inn and who must have followed me. (the page is seen descending the stairway on the left.)

      LAGARDÈRE: It’s him. This way, little fellow.

      PAGE: You are surrounded, Milord, lost!

      LAGARDÈRE: Bah! There are only eight of them.

      PAGE: There are twenty. When they learned there are two of you, they added reinforcements.

      LAGARDÈRE: Do you think you can slip out of here?

      PAGE: Yes.

      LAGARDÈRE: Run to the inn. Jump on my horse, and find my volunteers who are in the hamlet of Cernay. Tell them, “Lagardère is in danger.” Are you ready?

      PAGE: Yes.

      LAGARDÈRE: You are a brave little chap. (pointing to the stairway) Kill my horse, but get there, little one, get there. (The page vanishes)

      NEVERS: (pointing) Watch out, Chevalier, I see a sword shining down there.

      LAGARDÈRE: Do as I do, Duke, and quickly. ( he pulls the cart and aided by the Duke, they hastily improvise a barricade using bales of hay.)

      NEVERS: Chevalier, henceforth between us it’s life and death; if I live all is common between us—if I live.

      LAGARDÈRE: Bah! You won’t die—

      NEVERS: If I die, my daughter needs a protector—

      LAGARDÈRE: Well, on my place in paradise, I will be her protector.

      NEVERS: My brother!

      LAGARDÈRE: To our swords. Here they come.

      (The assassins approach from two directions. Cocardasse and Passepoil from the breach at the right. Staupitz and the bullies from the rear. Still others by the left.)

      LAGARDÈRE: I’ll watch over the child. Don’t show yourself too much.

      STAUPITZ: There he is.

      NEVERS: Yes, it’s me. I’m here.

      STAUPITZ: Just Nevers?

      LAGARDÈRE: Lagardère, also, my wise guys.

      COCARDASSE: Sonofabitch! The Parisian is in it. Do like me, littler one, push, my pebble, push. (The circle is narrowed but they seem hesitant to strike the first blow.)

      NEVERS: Well, cowardly assassins, you don’t dare to come forward.

      LAGARDÈRE: They will need pikes to make a hole in our breasts.

      STAUPITZ: Forward: (First skirmish. With the support of their fortifications they repulse the first assault.)

      LAGARDÈRE: (pushing his sword.) Here’s for you, Staupitz; Yours, Saldagne. (wounding them both)

      PASSEPOIL: He’s superb to watch from a distance.

      COCARDASSE: Alert, the rest of you. We are going to have a real battle. Here are the King’s volunteers; I unbutton for them.

      LAGARDÈRE: (calling) Help Lagardère, my braves, help Lagardère.

      CARRIGUE: (in the distance) Here we are, Captain, here we are.

      (He appears with his men and enters the moat through the breach)

      NEVERS: Forward, Lagardère. Let’s charge.

      LAGARDÈRE: Charge!

      (They emerge from their fortification and charge in their turn. Gonzague, masked, sword in hand can be seen hanging back at the side.)

      NEVERS: Clumsy bunch!

      GONZAGUE: Neither Philippe nor this Lagardère must leave this place alive.

      LAGARDÈRE: Victory! (he makes the bandits retreat)

      FAENZA: Get Nevers!

      NEVERS: I am here. (wounding him)

      GONZAGUE: This has got to stop. (plunging his sword into Nevers’ back)

      NEVERS: Ah, help me, Lagardère, help me!

      LAGARDÈRE: Here I am. (with his redoubtable sword, he attacks Gonzague while while Carrigue and his volunteers protect him from Gonzague.) Assassin! I haven’t seen your face, but I will recognize you anywhere.

      (Lagardère strikes him with his sword in the right hand, and the pain causes the sword to drop from Gonzague’s hand.)

      NEVERS: (to Lagardère) Gonzague—my daughter. Brother, avenge me. Save her. (he falls)

      LAGARDÈRE: (going to Nevers) Dead!

      ALL: Dead!

      LAGARDÈRE: (taking the child and pointing to the stairway at the left) Nevers is dead. Long live Nevers!

      (he rapidly climbs the stairs to the bridge.)

      GONZAGUE: Nevers’ daughter—a thousand pistoles to the one that captures her.

      LAGARDÈRE: (reaching the head of the bridge) Come find her behind my sword. Your hand will bear my mark, and when the time comes, you won’t come to Lagardère, Lagardère will come to you.

      C U R T A I N