The Queen's Necklace. Александр Дюма
BORGO PRESS PLAYS BY ALEXANDRE DUMAS
Anthony
The Count of Monte Cristo, Part One: The Betrayal of Edmond Dantès
The Count of Monte Cristo, Part Two: The Resurrection of Edmond Dantès
The Count of Monte Cristo, Part Three: The Rise of Monte Cristo
The Count of Monte Cristo, Part Four: The Revenge of Monte Cristo
A Fairy Tale (with Adolphe de Leuven and Léon Lhérie)
The Last of the Three Musketeers; or, The Prisoner of the Bastille (Musketeers #3)
The Three Musketeers—Twenty Years Later (Musketeers #2)
Napoléon Bonaparte
Richard Darlington
The San Felice
Sylvandire
The Three Musketeers (Musketeers #1)
The Two Dianas
Urbain Grandier and the Devils of Loudon
The Venetian
The Whites and the Blues
Young Louix XIV
Related Dramas:
The Queen’s Necklace, by Pierre Decourcelle
The Son of Porthos the Musketeer, by Émile Blavet (Musketeers #4)
A Summer Night’s Dream, by Adolphe de Leuven and Joseph-Bernard Rosier
The Widow’s Husband; and, Porthos in Search of an Outfit: Two Dumasian Comedies (Frank J. Morlock, editor)
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
Copyright © 2005, 2012 by Frank J. Morlock
Published by Wildside Press LLC
www.wildsidebooks.com
DEDICATION
For Carmen Martínez
CAST OF CHARACTERS
King Louis XVI
Cardinal de Rohan
Cagliostro
Beausire
The Portuguese
Bossange
De Charny
Saint Landry
Reteau de Villette
Ducorneau
Count d’Artois
Count de Provence
Bailli de Suffren
De Breteuil
Bohemer
Gamain
De Crussol
De Coigny
De Calonne
De Besenal
De Vangriul
L’Artaigne
Marat
The Philosopher
De Polastron
A Porter
Le Positif
Le Griqneux
De Souz
The Commander
Queen Marie Antoinette
Oliva
Countess de la Motte-Valois
Duchess de Polignac
Andrea de Taverney
Princess de Lamballe
Madame Campan
Countess de Challons
Countess de Polastron
Countess de Coigny
Nicolette
Araminth
Dame Clothilde
Nina
Sylvia
Philomena
Amaranth
Zephyr
Clelie
Rosalie
Ypsibee
Hyacinth
Corinne
Countess de Grammont
Madame de Sabran
Coresondra
Cydalise
Clorinda
Madame de Beauvilliers
Madame de Deux-Ponts
ACT I
SCENE 1: DAUGHTER OF KINGS
A dilapidated room in a furnished hotel of the lowest sort, in the Hotel de Reims, Rue de la Verrerie. On the wall, a portrait—of a long, pale bearded face—pointed beard, cap on head, ruffle at his throat—with this inscription: Henry of Valois. Chimney in which smokes the wretched remains of a log.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
(alone, seated at a table, writing) “In the hope that you will indeed continue your kindness to me, deign to accept, Madame la Duchess, the very respectful homage of your very humble and devoted servant, Jeanne de Saint Rémy, Countess de la Motte-Valois.”
What can be hoped from such humiliation?
(she reads the addresses of her letters) Madame la Duchess de Polignac, favorite of the Queen—ten crowns—Madame Compan, first lady attending Her Majesty—three crowns—Mr. de Breteuil, minister of state—an audience. Mr. de Calonée—advise—Mr. de Cagliostro—five crowns, for he’s often given me. They still say that he makes gold. It’s true he promised me a visit, on which, if I am clever and determined, my destiny will depend. Clever, I am. As for determination, misery will give us some.
(knocking) Come in!
(Beausire enters.)
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Heavens, Mr. Beausire, my neighbor on the same floor. What can I do for you, Mr. de Beausire?
BEAUSIRE
Imagine that yesterday at my academy, after a series of unexpected blows in the depths of a gaming house, my belt broke,—so much so that for supper, I had to pawn my cloak—there, Countess, see my dress.
(he turns and points to an immense hole) And I was counting on your assistance.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Alas, my poor Beausire, I am as short of money as you.
BEAUSIRE
Is that possible? You, a descendant of the Valois, a daughter of kings. Come! I shall hold my hat like this—
(he makes a comic effort) —to hide my hole. Ah! We wouldn’t be reduced to this begging if Oliva had not left me.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Your unfaithful one! Who abandoned you at break of day when I moved in beside you. So you still regret her?
BEAUSIRE
Yes, I regret her! The perfidious one! But, Oliva, Madame, she was the song of my life, the bird in my cage, the sun in my sky. We argued, we insulted each other, we fought—but the candle went out, hell became a paradise! And to say that she left, on her birthday—left over a wretched flower pot.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
That