The First Scene by Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux Lyrics
The Dispute
Translated by Neil Bartlett
Characters:
Hermiane
The Prince
Mesrou
Carise
Eglé
Azor
Adine
Mesrine
Meslis
Dina
Courtiers
The action takes à le campagne; in other words, in the country.
The First Scene
THE PRINCE, HERMIANE, CARISE, MESROU, THE PRINCE'S RETINUE
HERMIANE: Your highness, where are we going? The most isolated and godforsaken spot on earth, apparently -- and with no sign whatsoever of the show I was promised.
THE PRINCE (Laughing): Everything is ready.
HERMIANE: I see nothing; this edifice I'm invited to enter, what was such a monstrosity constructed for? Is there some significance for the extremely high walls around it?
What have you got planned for me?
THE PRINCE: A most original entertainment.
You recall the discussion which lead to us becoming so animated yesterday -- yesterday evening. You maintained, defying my entire entourage, that it wasn't your sex, but mine, which was the first to prove fickle, inconstant. In love.
HERMIANE: Yes, your highness, I maintain that still. The first inconstancy -- let's call it infidelity, shall we -- the first infidelity could only have been committed by someone shameless enough to blush at nothing. Well! How could anyone imagine that women, created innately timid, modest, timid and modest still despite all the corrupting effects of society, how could anyone think that they would be the first to fall into vices requiring as much audacity, such emotional promiscuity, such sheer nerve as those we were discussing. It's hardly credible.
THE PRINCE: Eh, quite, Hermiane, I find it no more likely than you do, but then it's not me you need to convince, I'm on your side even if most people aren't, you know that.
HERMIANE: Yes, out of gallantry; I had noticed.
THE PRINCE: If it is gallantry, it's quite unconscious. It is true I do love you, and that the extravagance of my desire to please you could, easily, influence me to agree with you; but I assure you, any influence has been so subtle I haven't noticed it. Men's hearts are worthless, and you can keep them; I find them incomparably more prone to inconstancy and infidelity than women's; all of them -- except mine, and I wouldn't grant even mine the honour of that exemption if I were to be in love with anyone but yourself.
HERMIANE: I detect a trace of irony.
THE PRINCE: For which I will be doubtless duly punished; since I am about to give you the means to damn me, should I not share your views.
HERMIANE: What are you trying to say?
THE PRINCE: Yes, we're going to put the question to Mother Nature herself; she's the only authorative judge of such matters -- and I'm sure she'll pronounce in your favour.
HERMIANE: Explain. I don't understand you.
THE PRINCE: In order to really know if the first betrayal, the first infidelity was a man's, as you, and I, assert, one would have to have been there to witness the beginning of the world, of society.
HERMIANE: But one wasn't.
THE PRINCE: But we shall be. Yes -- the men and women of those very first days, the world and its first loves -- all re-enacted before our eyes just as they were, or at least, just as they ought to have been. It won't be perhaps quite the traditional story, but it will be played out by a traditional cast; you'll see hearts as virgin as Eden, minds as unadulterated as the first minds, pure; perhaps even purer if that is possible.
(To CARISE and to MESROU.)
Carise -- and you Mesrou -- thank you; when it's time for us to retire, use the signal we agreed.
(To the ENTOURAGE.)
And, that will be all.
Translated by Neil Bartlett
Characters:
Hermiane
The Prince
Mesrou
Carise
Eglé
Azor
Adine
Mesrine
Meslis
Dina
Courtiers
The action takes à le campagne; in other words, in the country.
The First Scene
THE PRINCE, HERMIANE, CARISE, MESROU, THE PRINCE'S RETINUE
HERMIANE: Your highness, where are we going? The most isolated and godforsaken spot on earth, apparently -- and with no sign whatsoever of the show I was promised.
THE PRINCE (Laughing): Everything is ready.
HERMIANE: I see nothing; this edifice I'm invited to enter, what was such a monstrosity constructed for? Is there some significance for the extremely high walls around it?
What have you got planned for me?
THE PRINCE: A most original entertainment.
You recall the discussion which lead to us becoming so animated yesterday -- yesterday evening. You maintained, defying my entire entourage, that it wasn't your sex, but mine, which was the first to prove fickle, inconstant. In love.
HERMIANE: Yes, your highness, I maintain that still. The first inconstancy -- let's call it infidelity, shall we -- the first infidelity could only have been committed by someone shameless enough to blush at nothing. Well! How could anyone imagine that women, created innately timid, modest, timid and modest still despite all the corrupting effects of society, how could anyone think that they would be the first to fall into vices requiring as much audacity, such emotional promiscuity, such sheer nerve as those we were discussing. It's hardly credible.
THE PRINCE: Eh, quite, Hermiane, I find it no more likely than you do, but then it's not me you need to convince, I'm on your side even if most people aren't, you know that.
HERMIANE: Yes, out of gallantry; I had noticed.
THE PRINCE: If it is gallantry, it's quite unconscious. It is true I do love you, and that the extravagance of my desire to please you could, easily, influence me to agree with you; but I assure you, any influence has been so subtle I haven't noticed it. Men's hearts are worthless, and you can keep them; I find them incomparably more prone to inconstancy and infidelity than women's; all of them -- except mine, and I wouldn't grant even mine the honour of that exemption if I were to be in love with anyone but yourself.
HERMIANE: I detect a trace of irony.
THE PRINCE: For which I will be doubtless duly punished; since I am about to give you the means to damn me, should I not share your views.
HERMIANE: What are you trying to say?
THE PRINCE: Yes, we're going to put the question to Mother Nature herself; she's the only authorative judge of such matters -- and I'm sure she'll pronounce in your favour.
HERMIANE: Explain. I don't understand you.
THE PRINCE: In order to really know if the first betrayal, the first infidelity was a man's, as you, and I, assert, one would have to have been there to witness the beginning of the world, of society.
HERMIANE: But one wasn't.
THE PRINCE: But we shall be. Yes -- the men and women of those very first days, the world and its first loves -- all re-enacted before our eyes just as they were, or at least, just as they ought to have been. It won't be perhaps quite the traditional story, but it will be played out by a traditional cast; you'll see hearts as virgin as Eden, minds as unadulterated as the first minds, pure; perhaps even purer if that is possible.
(To CARISE and to MESROU.)
Carise -- and you Mesrou -- thank you; when it's time for us to retire, use the signal we agreed.
(To the ENTOURAGE.)
And, that will be all.