Page:Poet Lore, volume 36, 1925.pdf/366

 city, from that tiring, enchanted circle of ennui, where day after day there is nothing but entertaining, theatres, pastoral plays, revelry, tournaments, fire works, gossiping, intrigues; and everything so polished, so artificial; falsehood and dagger thrusts all bedecked, garlanded, of saccharine sweetness, versified, distasteful speech dressed up in superficial array. And instead of a soul, wit; instead of ardor and spirit, gallantry prevails.

Courtier.—Society has its own laws. The higher a person is—

Princess.—The more in fetters he is. And I have longed for freedom and sought it here far away from the city.

Courtier.—Is true, entire freedom possible?

Princess.—If there were at least a change here! But one tiresome thing after another. It takes forever for a day to pass. It tortures me, tortures me. O, how I anticipated this, and how I looked forward to it! Instead of freshness and vigor, instead of naive friendliness, only bent necks and curved backs. I was eager for unpainted cheeks, for honest, bright faces, and instead I could hardly look any one in the face because of their continual bowing. Bows, bows, bows! And when I did catch a glimpse of a face, it had the expression of bland terror or the light of servile, saccharine devotion.

Courtier.—Such are the people here. What did you expect?

Princess (Teasingly).—Perhaps some Daphnis.

Courtier.—Why, Your Grace!

Princess.—And you some Chloe.

Courtier.—Your Grace I know what my station requires, what my dignity and perhaps even—my age. I am not one of those who yearn to visit the grove of Cythera, to adorn the altar of Cupid and to dream—

Princess.—O sweet heure du berger! (Sighs.) No Daphnis has appeared to me here as yet.

Courtier (Rebukingly).—Your Grace! Please remember—(Points to the window.)

A report from a mortar, another immediately following.

Courtier.—Do you hear?

Princess.—I am arriving.

Courtier.—I will watch. (Stands near the window.)

Princess.—O, I will tell you about it myself from here. (Standing in the centre of the hall, describing wittily.) I am just passing through the ranks, a row on the right, a row on the left, two rows of bowed backs.