Jurgen: A Play in Three Acts. James Branch Cabell
such material.
Jurgen
Who can be proud of such folly? Yet—who can regret it? My heart will keep the memory of that bliss until life ends.
Old Monk
There is something in that, Jurgen.
Jurgen
What is the good of revisiting one’s youth if one is no longer young?
Old Monk
Do you think that will help?
Jurgen
It can’t hurt.
Old Monk
So be it. All who see you now will see you to be Jurgen as you were twenty years ago. Only your mirror will tell you the truth.
Jurgen
How can I thank you?
Old Monk
It is my pleasure. I like experiments.
(The Old Monk exits.)
Jurgen
Well, it’s certainly nice to be young again. Now, where did he go? Oh, well. Hmm, my shadow certainly isn’t that of a young man. Let’s hope no one notices. Look at these doomed people. There is my mother Azra—she never had any confidence in me—the only woman, I suspect who really understood me. She will die in ten years—and I won’t learn of it for several months. Ah, but these things are not yet—and besides, these things are inevitable. Why think about it. Yet the inevitability of all this is decidedly not fair. And there is Rainault Vinsauf laughing. In six years he will have his throat cut like a pig while held by three Burgundians. I wonder if he would laugh quite so loudly now if he knew that. And I shall forget all about him, although he is worth three of me. How can they laugh? Still, they may be wise in not glooming over what is inevitable; and I certainly cannot go so far as to say they are wrong—but still—at the same time—
(Enter Dorothy. She runs to him.)
Dorothy
There you are. I met the most horrible man.
Jurgen
My heart’s desire, I am sad tonight, for I am thinking of what life will do to us, and what offal the years will make of you and me.
Dorothy
Sweetheart, do we not know you are to be an Emperor and conquer the Holy Land?
Jurgen
We are more now than we will ever be. Our splendor will be wasted. And such wastage is not fair.
Dorothy
First, you will conquer France; then you will preach a Crusade and lead an army against the infidels.
Jurgen
No, heart’s desire—I shall be quite otherwise.
Dorothy
How proud I shall be of you.
Jurgen
You will not think of me at all.
Dorothy
Can you really think I care a damn for any man but you?
(Hetman Michael approaches.)
Dorothy
I have promised to dance with this old fart, and so I must. He must be nearly thirty.
Jurgen
Now, by Heaven, wherever Hetman Michael does his dancing, it will not be hereabouts.
Michael (very civilly)
I fear I must rob you of this fair lady, Master Jurgen.
Jurgen
The next dance is to be mine.
Michael (good-naturedly)
We must leave it to the lady.
Jurgen
Au contraire. Were I to do that, my fate would be sealed. I am not the same callow thing I was twenty years ago.
Michael (puzzled)
Your remarks, Master Jurgen, are somewhat strange.
Jurgen
But, I will tell you a stranger thing. There seem to be three of us here, but actually there are four.
Michael
Four?
Jurgen
The fourth is a goddess whom no prayers or sacrifice can placate.
Michael
You speak of death?
Jurgen
You have a jumping wit, Hetman. But hardly quick enough to outrun the whim of the Goddess.
Michael
Ah, my young bantam—the Goddess and I are acquainted—I have dispatched many stout warriors to serve her underground.
Jurgen
My notion is, Hetman, that the Goddess should not leave us unescorted. One of us, as a gentleman, cannot fail to accompany her.
Michael
You are insane. But you extend an invitation I cannot possibly refuse.
Jurgen
Hetman, I bear you no ill will. But it is highly necessary that you die tonight in order that my soul not perish twenty years hence.
(They draw their swords and fight. Hetman is easily Jurgen’s master.)
Jurgen
This is highly annoying, Hetman. You are the better swordsman and it is not fair.
Michael (disarming Jurgen)
So now, Master Jurgen—there is the end of your nonsense. But you needn’t wet your pants—I don’t intend to kill you—it is not my custom to kill children—and besides, I prefer to dance with this lady.
(Michael turns his back to Jurgen and offers Dorothy his arm.)
Jurgen
Not this I call insufferable! Did I come back to my youth only to lost it again? This is unjust.
(Jurgen snatches a dagger and stabs Hetman Michael in the back.)
Michael
Oh, I am slain. (dies)
Dorothy
Oh, dear, dear. But I don’t blame you—he was such an old fart and he was going to carry me off. I’ll bet he was over thirty. (thinking seriously) But, what will become of you? They’ll hang you for sure.
Jurgen
I will take my doom—and without whimpers, so that I get justice. But I shall certainly insist upon Justice. The man was stronger than I and wanted what I wanted. It wasn’t fair. So—I have compromised with necessity to get that which was requisite to me. I cry for Justice to the power that gave him strength and gave me weakness—but gave us both the same desires. (impressively) I have done what I have done.
Dorothy
Oh, my hero. You’re so brave.
Jurgen (dragging the body and concealing it under a bench)
Rest here, brave sir, until they find you.
Jurgen
Come to me now, heart’s desire. Here I sit, (Dorothy sits on his lap) with my true love—upon the body of my enemy. Justice is satisfied. Oh, that I could detain this moment! Could I but get into words the softness of this girl’s hair—for I shall forget all this beauty—this be-drenching moonlight.
Dorothy
You shouldn’t have done it. Even if he was an old fart—he wasn’t so