READ STUDY GUIDE: Act V, scenes i-vi |
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Act V, Scene i
| Mother Marguerite, Sister Martha, Sister Claire, other sisters. |
| SISTER MARTHA (to Mother Marguerite): |
 Sister Claire glanced in the mirror, once—nay, twice, to see if her coif |
| suited. |
| MOTHER MARGUERITE (to Sister Claire): |
| 'Tis not well. |
| SISTER CLAIRE: |
| But I saw Sister Martha take a plum |
| Out of the tart. |
| MOTHER MARGUERITE (to Sister Martha): |
| That was ill done, my sister. |
| SISTER CLAIRE: |
| A little glance! |
| SISTER MARTHA: |
| And such a little plum! |
| MOTHER MARGUERITE: |
| I shall tell this to Monsieur Cyrano. |
| SISTER CLAIRE: |
| Nay, prithee do not!—he will mock! |
| SISTER MARTHA: |
| He'll say we nuns are vain! |
| SISTER CLAIRE: |
| And greedy! |
| MOTHER MARGUERITE (smiling): |
| Ay, and kind! |
| SISTER CLAIRE: |
| Is it not true, pray, Mother Marguerite, |
| That he has come, each week, on Saturday |
| For ten years, to the convent? |
| MOTHER MARGUERITE: |
| Ay! and more! |
| Ever since—fourteen years ago—the day |
| His cousin brought here, 'midst our woolen coifs, |
| The worldly mourning of her widow's veil, |
| Like a blackbird's wing among the convent doves! |
| SISTER MARTHA: |
| He only has the skill to turn her mind |
| From grief—unsoftened yet by Time—unhealed! |
| ALL THE SISTERS: |
| He is so droll!—It's cheerful when he comes!— |
| He teases us!—But we all like him well!— |
| —We make him pasties of angelica! |
| SISTER MARTHA: |
| But, he is not a faithful Catholic! |
| SISTER CLAIRE: |
| We will convert him! |
| THE SISTERS: |
| Yes! Yes! |
| MOTHER MARGUERITE: |
| I forbid, |
| My daughters, you attempt that subject. Nay, |
| Weary him not—he might less oft come here! |
| SISTER MARTHA: |
| But. . .God. . . |
| MOTHER MARGUERITE: |
| Nay, never fear! God knows him well! |
| SISTER MARTHA: |
| But—every Saturday, when he arrives, |
| He tells me, 'Sister, I eat meat on Friday!' |
| MOTHER MARGUERITE: |
| Ah! says he so? Well, the last time he came |
| Food had not passed his lips for two whole days! |
| SISTER MARTHA: |
| Mother! |
| MOTHER MARGUERITE: |
| He's poor. |
| SISTER MARTHA: |
| Who told you so, dear Mother? |
| MOTHER MARGUERITE: |
| Monsieur Le Bret. |
| SISTER MARTHA: |
| None help him? |
| MOTHER MARGUERITE: |
| He permits not. |
| (In an alley at the back Roxane appears, dressed in black, with a widow's coif |
| and veil. De Guiche, imposing-looking and visibly aged, walks by her side. |
| They saunter slowly. Mother Marguerite rises): |
| 'Tis time we go in; Madame Madeleine |
| Walks in the garden with a visitor. |
| SISTER MARTHA (to Sister Claire, in a low voice): |
| The Marshal of Grammont? |
| SISTER CLAIRE (looking at him): |
| 'Tis he, I think. |
| SISTER MARTHA: |
| 'Tis many months now since he came to see her. |
| THE SISTERS: |
| He is so busy!—The Court,—the camp!. . . |
| SISTER CLAIRE: |
| The world! |
| (They go out. De Guiche and Roxane come forward in silence, and stop close to |
| the embroidery frame.) |
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