Page:Orphée aux Enfers (Chicago 1868).djvu/14

10

Death to me comes smiling

When it strikes me near thee;

It attracts, it tempts me—

Death! I call thee, take me with thee.

Death! thy charm penetrates me;

Thy cold brings me no suffering.

It seems as if I were to be born again,

Yes, born again, instead of dying.

Adieu! adieu! (she falls senseless.)

. Zest—all right, one tear, one tear only and let us go. But before going let us take advantage of our divinity and defy the husband. (Eurydicea awakes and arises under Pluto's influence. Pluto snatches a quill and gives it to her and shows Orpheus' cabin. She writes the following four verses which appear in letters of fire:)

I leave this shanty,

For I am dead,

Aristee is Pluto;

And the Dl takes me.

The poetry is not rich, but riches do not make men happy! and now to the sombre shores. (Exeunt through a trap door.)

Who the dickens has been disturbing everything up there? By Jove! what means this? It is my wife's writing. (He reads:)

I leave this shanty,

For I am dead;

Aristee is Pluto,

And the Dl takes me.

(Enters the cabin and returns instantly.)

How is it that she is dead? It is not possible. But it is indeed so. She must be dead when she says so herself. Thanks. Thanks, Jupe! who is that? But, no, it is a mistake. I can testify all my joy! Let us inform her whom I love of the happiness which befals me. (Thunder and lightning.)