LA HURIÈRE
It was with him in mind that I sharpened my rapier.
COCONNAS
While he’s sleeping?
LA HURIÈRE
All the more reason!
COCONNAS
Oh! Oh!
LA HURIÈRE
You are saying!
COCONNAS
I say it’s hard. de La Môle supped with me, and I don’t know if I ought.
MAUREVAL
Yes, but de La Môle is a heretic, he is condemned, and if we don’t kill him, others will kill him.
COCONNAS
That’s true, but it doesn’t seem to me to be a satisfactory reason.
MAUREVAL
Come, come, hurry up, gentleman, hurry up. A shot, a hammer blow, rapier thrust, a hit with a fire iron, however you wish—but let’s finish it.
LA HURIÈRE
I’ll go to his room and in a twinkle.
COCONNAS
Wait! I’ll go with you.
LA HURIÈRE
What for?
COCONNAS
By God, I’m curious to see it done.
(He goes upstairs behind La Hurière.)
MAUREVAL
And I will wait for you. I also have something to do in the meanwhile.
(he goes to the Admiral’s door and marks it with a 2nd cross)
For this one here, better to put two crosses than one.
LA MÔLE
(rising)
What’s that noise?
(He takes a pistol from the table.)
LA HURIÈRE
(listening at the door)
Eh! I think he woke up.
COCONNAS
It seems that way to me.
LA HURIÈRE
He’s going to defend himself then.
COCONNAS
He’s capable of it. Say, Master La Hurière, if he were to kill you—it would be funny.
LA HURIÈRE
Him! Him!
COCONNAS
I think you are drawing back.
LA HURIÈRE
Me? Get out! Drawing back? Never!
(He kicks on the door. He finds himself face to face with La Môle entrenched behind his bed with a pistol in each hand.)
COCONNAS
Now this is getting interesting.
LA MÔLE
Ah—he intends to murder me, so it appears! And is it you, wretch?
LA HURIÈRE
Monsieur de Coconnas you are witness that he has insulted me.
(La Hurière aims his arquebus and fires. The ball brushes by his head. La Môle aims.)
LA MÔLE
Help, Monsieur de Coconnas, help me!
COCONNAS
My word, de La Môle, the best I can do in this affair is not to put myself against you. Get out of it as best you can.
LA MÔLE
Ah—double traitors—since that’s the way it is.
(He fires both pistols. Coconnas is struck in the left shoulder.)
COCONNAS
By God! I’m hit. Well then against us both since that’s what you wish. Ah, I came with good intentions and you reward me with a ball in my shoulder—wait! Wait!
(drawing his sword)
LA MÔLE
(reaching an open window)
Murderer! Murderer!
(jumping out the window)
LA HURIÈRE
By God! He’s getting away.
COCONNAS
Him! Wait.
LA MÔLE
(fleeing, pistol in hand)
Get the assassin!
COCONNAS
(pursuing him)
Get the Huguenot.
SEVERAL VOICES
Get the Huguenots! Kill! Kill!
(Several shots ring out.)
MAUREVAL
(to La Hurière)
Quickly—this will give the alarm to the Louvre—to the Louvre.
(Armed men run by. The tocsin sounds. Shots, shouting. Several wounded fall in the street.)
CURTAIN
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
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