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slip； my bo。 （HE GROPES HIS WAY STEALTHILY TILL HE COMES TO
GAUNT'S TABLE； WHERE HE BURNS HIS HAND IN THE CANDLE。） A candle
… lighted … then it's bright as day！ Lord God； doesn't he see
me？ It's the horrors come alive。 （GAUNT DRAWS NEAR AND TURNS
AWAY。） I'll go mad； mad！ （HE GROPES TO THE DOOR； STOPPING AND
STARTING。） Door。 （HIS VOICE RISING FOR THE FIRST TIME； SHARP
WITH TERROR。） Locked？ Key gone？ Trapped！ Keep off … keep off
of me … keep away！ （SOTTO VOCE AGAIN。） Keep your head； Lord
have mercy； keep your head。 I'm wet with sweat。 What devil's
den is this？ I must out … out！ （HE SHAKES THE DOOR VEHEMENTLY。）
No？ Knife it is then … knife … knife … knife！ （HE MOVES WITH
THE KNIFE RAISED TOWARDS GAUNT； INTENTLY LISTENING； AND CHANGING
HIS DIRECTION AS GAUNT CHANGES HIS POSITION ON THE STAGE。）
ARETHUSA （RUSHING TO INTERCEPT HIM）。 Father； father； wake！
GAUNT。 Hester； Hester！ （HE TURNS； IN TIME TO SEE ARETHUSA
GRAPPLE PEW IN THE CENTRE OF THE STAGE； AND PEW FORCE HER DOWN。）
ARETHUSA。 Kit！ Kit！
PEW （WITH THE KNIFE RAISED）。 Pew's way！
SCENE IV
TO THESE； KIT
（He leaps through window； R。； and cuts PEW down。 At the same
moment； GAUNT； who has been staring helplessly at his daughter's
peril； fully awakes。）
GAUNT。 Death and blood！ （KIT； HELPING ARETHUSA； HAS LET FALL
THE CUTLASS。 GAUNT PICKS IT UP AND RUNS ON PEW。） Damned
mutineer； I'll have your heart out！ （HE STOPS； STANDS STARING；
DROPS CUTLASS； FALLS UPON HIS KNEES。） God forgive me！ Ah； foul
sins； would you blaze forth again？ Lord； close your ears！
Hester； Hester； hear me not！ Shall all these years and tears be
unavailing？
ARETHUSA。 Father； I am not hurt。
GAUNT。 Ay； daughter； but my soul … my lost soul！
PEW （RISING ON HIS ELBOW）。 Rum？ You've done me。 For God's
sake； rum。 （ARETHUSA POURS OUT A GLASS； WHICH KIT GIVES TO HIM。）
Rum？ This ain't rum； it's fire！ （WITH GREAT EXCITEMENT。）
What's this？ I don't like rum？ （FEEBLY。） Ay； then； I'm a dead
man； and give me water。
GAUNT。 Now even his sins desert him。
PEW （DRINKING WATER）。 Jack Gaunt； you've always been my rock
ahead。 It's thanks to you I've got my papers； and this time I'm
shipped for Fiddler's Green。 Admiral； we ain't like to meet
again； and I'll give you a toast： Here's Fiddler's Green； and
damn all lubbers！ （SEIZING GAUNT'S ARM。） I say … fair dealings；
Jack！ … none of that heaven business： Fiddler's Green's my port；
now； ain't it？
GAUNT。 David； you've hove short up； and God forbid that I
deceive you。 Pray； man； pray； for in the place to which you are
bound there is no mercy and no hope。
PEW。 Ay； my lass； you're black； but your blood's red； and I'm
all a…muck with it。 Pass the rum； and be damned to you。 （TRYING
TO SING） …
'Time for us to go；
Time for us … '
（HE DIES。）
GAUNT。 But for the grace of God； there lies John Gaunt！
Christopher； you have saved my child； and I； I； that was blinded
with self…righteousness； have fallen。 Take her； Christopher； but
O； walk humbly！
CURTAIN
Play： MACAIRE … A MELODRAMATIC FARCE IN THREE ACTS
PERSONS REPRESENTED
ROBERT MACAIRE。
BERTRAND。
DUMONT； Landlord of the AUBERGE DES ADRETS。
CHARLES； a Gendarme； Dumont's supposed son。
GORIOT。
THE MARQUIS； Charles's Father。
THE BRIGADIER of Gendarmerie。
THE CURATE。
THE NOTARY。
A WAITER。
ERNESTINE； Goriot's Daughter。
ALINE。
MAIDS； PEASANTS （MALE AND FEMALE）； GENDARMES。
The Scene is laid in the Courtyard of the AUBERGE DES ADRETS； on
the frontier of France and Savoy。 The time 1800。 The action
occupies an interval of from twelve to fourteen hours： from four
in the afternoon till about five in the morning。
NOTE。 … THE TIME BETWEEN THE ACTS SHOULD BE AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE；
AND THE PIECE PLAYED； WHERE IT IS MERELY COMIC； IN A VEIN OF
PATTER。
MACAIRE
ACT I。
The Stage represents the courtyard of the Auberge des Adrets。 It
is surrounded by the buildings of the inn； with a gallery on the
first story； approached； C。； by a straight flight of stairs。 L。
C。； the entrance doorway。 A little in front of this； a small
grated office； containing business table； brass…bound cabinet；
and portable cash…box。 In front； R。 and L。； tables and benches；
one；L。； partially laid for a considerable party。
SCENE I
ALINE and MAIDS； to whom FIDDLERS； afterwards DUMONT and CHARLES。
As the curtain rises； the sound of the violins is heard
approaching。 ALINE and the inn servants； who are discovered
laying the table； dance up to door L。 C。； to meet the FIDDLERS；
who enter likewise dancing to their own music。 Air： 'Haste to
the Wedding。' The FIDDLERS exeunt playing into house； R。 U。 E。
ALINE and MAIDS dance back to table； which they proceed to
arrange。
ALINE。 Well； give me fiddles： fiddles and a wedding feast。 It
tickles your heart till your heels make a runaway match of it。 I
don't mind extra work； I don't； so long as there's fun about it。
Hand me up that pile of plates。 The quinces there； before the
bride。 Stick a pink in the Notary's glass： that's the girl he's
courting。
DUMONT （ENTERING； WITH CHARLES）。 Good girls； good girls！
Charles； in ten minutes from now what happy faces will smile
around that board！
CHARLES。 Sir； my good fortune is complete； and most of all in
this； that my happiness has made my father happy。
DUMONT。 Your father？ Ah； well； upon that point we shall have
more to say。
CHARLES。 What more remains that has not been said already？ For
surely； sir； there are few sons more fortunate in their father：
and； since you approve of this marriage； may I not conceive you
to be in that sense fortunate in your son？
DUMONT。 Dear boy； there is always a variety of considerations。
But the moment is ill chosen for dispute； to…night； at least； let
our felicity be unalloyed。 （LOOKING OFF L。 C。） Our guests
arrive： here is our good Curate； and here our cheerful Notary。
CHARLES。 His old infirmity； I fear。
DUMONT。 But Charles … dear boy！ … at your wedding feast！ I
should have taken it unneighbourly had he come strictly sober。
SCENE II
To these； by the door L。 C。； the CURATE and the NOTARY； arm in
arm； the latter owl…like and titubant。
CURATE。 Peace be on this house！
NOTARY （SINGING）。 'Prove an excuse for the glass。'
DUMONT。 Welcome； excellent neighbours！ The Church and the Law。
CURATE。 And you； Charles； let me hope your feelings are in
solemn congruence with this momentous step。
NOTARY （DIGGING CHARLES IN THE RIBS）。 Married？ Lovely bride？
Prove an excuse！
DUMONT （TO CURATE）。 I fear our friend？ perhaps？ as usual？ eh？
CURATE。 Possibly： I had not yet observed it。
DUMONT。 Well； well； his heart is good。
CURATE。 He doubtless meant it kindly。
NOTARY。 Where's Aline？
ALINE。 Coming； sir！ （NOTARY MAKES FOR HER。）
CURATE （CAPTURING HIM）。 You will infallibly expose yourself to
misconstruction。 （TO CHARLES。） Where is your commanding
officer？
CHARLES。 Why； sir； we have quite an alert。 Information has been
received from Lyons that the notorious malefactor； Robert
Macaire； has broken prison； and the Brigadier