Part 12 (1/2)

MR. POUR. They are a few words I remember from reading novels.

SBRI. Ah! I see.

MR. POUR. To show you that I understand nothing of chicane, I beg of you to take me to a lawyer to have advice upon this affair.

SBRI. Willingly. I will take you to two very clever men; but, first, I must tell you not to be surprised at their manner of speaking. They have contracted at the bar a certain habit of declaiming which looks like singing, and you would think all they tell you is nothing but music.

MR. POUR. It does not matter how they speak, as long as they tell me what I wish to know!

SCENE XIII.--MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC, SBRIGANI, TWO LAWYERS, TWO ATTORNEYS, TWO SERGEANTS.

1ST LAWYER (_drawling out his words_).

Polygamy's a case, you find, A case of hanging.

2ND LAWYER (_singing and speaking very fast_).

Your deed Is plain and clear, And all the gear Of wigs and law Upon this flaw One verdict bear.

Consult our authors, Legislators and glossators, Justinian, Papinian, Ulpian and Tribonian, Fernand, Rebuffe, Jean Imole, Paul Castro, Julian Barthole, [15]

Jason, Aloyat, and Cujas That mighty mind!

Polygamy's a case, you'll find, A case of hanging.

BALLET, _while the_ 2ND LAWYER _sings as before_.

All nations civilised, French, Dutch, and English, Portuguese, Germans, Flemish, Italians and Spanish, By wisdom's sceptre swayed, For this the self-same law have made.

The affair allows no doubt, Polygamy's a case, A case of hanging.

(MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC, _irritated, drives them all away._)

ACT III.

SCENE I.--eRASTE, SBRIGANI.

SBRI. Yes; everything is succeeding splendidly; and as his knowledge of things is very shallow, and his understanding of the poorest, I put him in such a terrible fright at the severity of the law in this country, and at the preparations which were already set on foot to put him to death,[16] that he is determined to run away, and in order the better to escape from the people who, I have told him, are placed at the city gates to stop him, he has decided upon disguising himself as a woman.

ERA. How I should like to see him dressed up in that way!

SBRI. Take care you carry out the farce properly; and whilst I go through my parts with him, you go and ... (_Whispers to him._) You understand, don't you?

ERA. Yes.

SBRI. And when I have taken him where I mean.... (_Whispers._)

ERA. All right.

SBRI. And when the father has been forewarned by me....