Victor Hugo: The Best Works , livre ebook

THE BEST WORKS OF
Victor Hugo
Table of Contents
 
 
 
Hernani
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Autumn Leaves
Marion de Lorme
The King Amuses Himself
Ruy Blas
The Punishments
Les Misérables
William Shakespeare
Toilers of the Sea
A Fight with a Cannon
 
Hernani
First published : 1830
a play
 
 
 
Persons in the Drama
Act 1
Act 2
Act 3
Act 4
 
Persons in the Drama
 
 
 
Hernani
Charles V of Spain
Don Ricardo
Don Ruy Gomez
Doña Sol
A Mountaineer
A Page
Soldiers
Conspirators
Retainers
 
Date of action, 1519.
 
Act 1
 
 
 
Scene — King Charles and some of his noblemen are creeping into the courtyard of the palace of Don Ruy Gomez de Silva at Saragossa. It is midnight, and the palace is dark, save for a dim light coming from a balcony window .
 
THE KING: Here will I wait till Doña Sol comes down.
Guard every entrance. And if Hernani
Attempts to fight you need not kill the man.
Brigand although he is, he shall go free,
If I can win his lady.
DON RICARDO: Shoot the hawk
If you would keep the dove. The mountaineer
Is a most desperate outlaw.
THE KING: Let him live.
If I were not so passionately in love
With Doña Sol I would help Hernani
To rescue her from her old guardian.
To think that Don Ruy Gomez should have kept
So beautiful a girl a prisoner,
And tried to marry her! Had Hernani
Eloped with her before I fell in love
I would have praised his courage.
 
The balcony window opens, and as the noblemen retire , Doña Sol comes down .
 
DOÑA SOL: Hernani!
THE KING ( holding her ): Sweet Doña Sol.
DOÑA SOL: Oh, where is Hernani?
THE KING: I am the king, King Charles. I worship you,
And I will make you happy.
DOÑA SOL: Hernani!
Help! Help me, Hernani!
 
She tries to escape .
 
THE KING: I am your king!
I love you, Doña Sol. Come, you shall be
A duchess.
DO Ñ A SOL: No.
THE KING: Princess.
DOÑA SOL: No.
THE KING: Queen of Spain!
Yes; I will marry you if you will come.
DOÑA SOL: I cannot; I love Hernani.
THE KING: That brigand is not worthy of you. A throne
Is waiting. If you will not come with me,
My men must carry you away by force.
 
While he is talking Hernani appears .
 
HERNANI: King Charles, you are a coward and a cur!
DOÑA SOL ( clasping him ): Save me!
HERNANI: I will, my love.
THE KING: Where are my men?
HERNANI: In my hands. I have sixty followers
Waiting out there. And now a word with you.
Your father killed my father; you have stolen
My lands and titles from me; and I vowed
To kill you.
THE KING: Titles? Lands? Who are you, then?
HERNANI: But meeting Doña Sol, I lost all thought
Of vengeance. Now I come to rescue her,
And find you in my path again — a wretch
Using his strength against a helpless girl.
Quick! Draw your sword, and prove you are a man!
THE KING: I am your king. I shall not fight with you.
Strike if you want to murder me.
HERNANI: You think
I hold with the divinity of kings?
Now, will you fight?
 
Striking him with the flat of his sword .
 
THE KING: I will not. Murder me,
You bandit, as you murder every man
That you desire to rob! Cross swords with you?
A common thief? No; get to your trade.
Creep round; assassinate me from behind!
 
King Charles fixes his fierce, hawk-like eyes on the young brigand. Hernani recoils, lowers his sword; then, moved beyond himself by the strength of character displayed by The King, he breaks his blade on the pavement.
 
HERNANI: Be off, then.
THE KING: Very well, sir. I shall set
A price upon your head, and hound you down.
HERNANI: I cannot kill you now, with Doña Sol
Looking at us. But I will keep my vow
When next we meet.
THE KING: Never shall you obtain
Mercy, respite, or pardon at my hands.
 
He departs.
 
DOÑA SOL: Now let us fly.
HERNANI: No; I must go alone.
It means death! Did you see King Charles’s face?
It means death. Oh, my love, my sweet, true love!
You would have shared with me the wild, rough life
I lead up in the mountains: the green couch
Beneath the trees, the water from the brook.
But now I shall be hunted down and killed.
You must not come. Good-bye.
DOÑA SOL: Oh, Hernani!
Will you leave me like this?
HERNANI: No, I will stay!
Fold your arms closely round me, love, and rest
Your dear head on my shoulder. Let us talk
In whispers, as we used to, when I came
At night beneath your window. Do you still
Remember our first meeting?
 
There is a clash of bells.
 
DOÑA SOL: Hernani,
It is the tocsin!
HERNANI: No; our wedding-bells.
 
Shouts are heard. Lights appear in all the windows. The noise of the bells grows louder. A mountaineer runs in, with his sword drawn.
 
THE MOUNTAINEER: The streets are filled with soldiers.
DOÑA SOL: Save yourself!
Here is a side gate.
THE CROWD ( out in the street ): Bring the brigand out!
HERNANI: One kiss, then, and farewell.
DOÑA SOL ( embracing him ): It is our first.
HERNANI: And it may be our last. Farewell, my love!
 
Act 2
 
 
 
Scene — Don Ruy Gomez, an old, grey-haired, but superb-looking man, is standing in the hall of his castle in the Aragon mountains.
 
DON RUY GOMEZ: Only an hour, and then she is my wife!
I have been jealous and unjust, and used
Some violence. But now she is my bride
She shall know how a man can love.
 
A Page enters.
 
PAGE: My lord,
There is a pilgrim at the gate, who craves
For shelter.
DON RUY GOMEZ: Let him in. On this glad day
Give friend or stranger welcome. Is there news
Of Hernani?
PAGE: King Charles has routed him
And killed him, so they say.
DON RUY GOMEZ: Thank Heaven for that!
My cup of happiness is full. Run, boy!
Bid Doña Sol put on her wedding-gown,
And as you go admit my pilgrim guest.
( The Page retires. )
Would I could let the whole world see my joy!
 
Hernani enters, disguised as a pilgrim.
 
HERNANI: To you, my lord, all peace and happiness!
DON RUY GOMEZ: And peace and happiness to you, my guest!
Where are you bound for?
HERNANI: For Our Lady’s shrine.
 
Doña Sol enters, arrayed in a wedding-dress.
 
DON RUY GOMEZ: Here is the lady at whose shrine I pray.
My dearest bride! Where is your coronet?
You have forgotten it, and all the gems
I gave you as a wedding gift.
HERNANI ( in a wild, loud voice ): What man
Wishes to gain ten thousand golden crowns?
This is the price set upon Hernani.
( Everyone is amazed. Tearing off his pilgrim robe, he shows himself in the dress of a mountaineer. )
I am Hernani.
DOÑA SOL: Ah! he is not dead!
HERNANI: Ten thousand crowns for me!
DON RUY GOMEZ: The sum is great.
I am not sure of all my men.
HERNANI: Which one
Will sell me to King Charles? Will you? Will you?
 
The retainers move away from him. Doña Sol makes an imploring gesture; she is speechless with fear.
 
DON RUY GOMEZ: My friend, you are my guest, and I will slay
The man that dare lay hands on you. I come
Of noble race. And were you Hernani
Or Satan, I would keep the sacred law
Of hospitality. My honour is
A thing I prize above all else on earth,
And King Charles shall not stain it while I live!
Come, men, and arm, and close the castle gate.
 
He goes out, followed by all his retainers. Doña Sol remains, her face white with anguish. Hernani glares at her .
 
HERNANI: So he has bought you, this old wealthy man!
Bought you outright!
Oh, God, how false and vain
All women are!
DOÑA SOL: When I refused the throne
Offered me by King Charles, was I then false?
Is this an ornament vain women wear
Upon their wedding day?
( She takes a dagger from her bosom. )
Oh, Hernani,
They told me you were killed! I have been dressed
For marriage, but against the bridal night
I kept this dagger.
HERNANI: Slay me with it, love!
I am unworthy of you! Blind and mad
Was I to doubt the sweetest, bravest soul
That ever walked in beauty on this earth.
DOÑA SOL ( clasping him in her arms ): My hero and my lover, and my lord,
Love me, and love me always!
HERNANI: Unto death.
 
As he embraces her, Don Ruy Gomez enters.
 
DON RUY GOMEZ: Judas!
HE