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Si viellesse pouvait!
SCENE.—A small neat Room. In a high Voltaire Chair sits a white-haired old Gentleman.
MONSIEUR VIEUXBOIS. BABETTE.
M. VIEUXBOIS [turning querulously].
Day of my life! Where can she get? | |
| Babette! I say! Babette!—Babette! | |
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BABETTE [entering hurriedly].
Coming, M’sieu’! If M’sieu’ speaks | |
| So loud, he won’t be well for weeks! | |
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M. VIEUXBOIS.
Where have you been? | 5 |
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BABETTE.
Why, M’sieu’ knows:— | |
| April!… Ville-d’ Avray!… Ma’am’selle Rose! | |
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M. VIEUXBOIS.
Ah! I am old,—and I forget. | |
| Was the place growing green, Babette? | |
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BABETTE.
But of a greenness!—yes, M’sieu’! | 10 |
| And then the sky so blue!—so blue!— | |
| And when I dropped my immortelle, | |
| How the birds sang! [Lifting her apron to her eyes. | |
| This poor Ma’am’selle! | |
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M. VIEUXBOIS.
You ’re a good girl, Babette, but she,— | 15 |
| She was an Angel, verily. | |
| Sometimes I think I see her yet | |
| Stand smiling by the cabinet; | |
| And once, I know, she peeped and laughed | |
| Betwixt the curtains… | 20 |
| Where ’s the draught? [She gives him a cup. | |
| Now I shall sleep, I think, Babette;— | |
| Sing me your Norman chansonnette. | |
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BABETTE [sings].
Once at the Angelus | |
| (Ere I was dead), | 25 |
| Angels all glorious | |
| Came to my Bed;— | |
| Angels in blue and white | |
| Crowned on the Head. | |
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M. VIEUXBOIS [drowsily].
She was an Angel … Once she laughed… | 30 |
| What, was I dreaming? | |
| Where ’s the draught? | |
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BABETTE [showing the empty cup].
The draught, M’sieu’? | |
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M. VIEUXBOIS.
How I forget! | |
| I am so old! But sing, Babette! | 35 |
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BABETTE [sings].
One was the Friend I left | |
| Stark in the Snow; | |
| One was the Wife that died | |
| Long,—long ago; | |
| One was the Love I lost … | 40 |
| How could she know? | |
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M. VIEUXBOIS [murmuring].
Ah, Paul!… old Paul!… Eulalie too! | |
| And Rose … And O!… the sky so blue! | |
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BABETTE [sings].
One had my Mother’s eyes, | |
| Wistful and mild; | 45 |
| One had my Father’s face; | |
| One was a Child: | |
| All of them bent to me,— | |
| Bent down and smiled! | |
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| He is asleep! | 50 |
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M. VIEUXBOIS [almost inaudibly].
How I forget! | |
| I am so old … Good night, Babette! | |
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