Pamela Giraud: A Play in Five Acts

by Honoré de Balzac

SCENE FIRST
(The stage setting represents the private study in Dupre's house. On
one side is a bookcase, on the other a desk. On the left is a window
hung with heavy, sweeping silk curtains.)
Dupre, Pamela, Giraud and Madame Giraud.

(Pamela is seated on a chair reading; her mother is standing in front
of her; Giraud is examining the pictures on the wall; Dupre is
striding up and down the room.)
Dupre (stopping, addresses Giraud)
Did you take your usual precautions in coming here this morning?
Giraud
You may rest assured of that, sir; when I come here I walk with my
head turned backwards! I know well enough that the least want of
caution quickly results in misfortune. Your heart, my daughter, has
led you astray this time; perjury is a terrible thing and I am afraid
you are in a serious mess.
Mme. Giraud
I agree with you. You must be very careful, Giraud, for if any one
were to follow you and discover that our poor daughter was here in
concealment, through the generosity of M. Dupre—
Dupre
Come now, enough of that! (He continues to stride hastily about the
room.) What ingratitude! The Rousseau family are ignorant of what
steps I have taken. They believe that Pamela has been arrested, and
none of them trouble their heads about it! They have sent Jules off to
Brussels; De Verby is in the country; and Rousseau carries on his
business at the Bourse as if nothing else was worth living for. Money,
ambition, are their sole objects. The higher feelings count for
nothing! They all worship the golden calf. Money makes them dance
round their idol; the sight of it blinds them.
(Pamela has been watching him, she rises and approaches him.)
Pamela
M. Dupre, you are agitated, you seem unwell. I fear it is on my
account.
Dupre
Have you not shared my disgust at the hateful want of feeling
manifested by this family, who, as soon as their son is acquitted,
throw you aside as a mere tool that has served their purpose?
Pamela
But what can we do about it, sir?
Dupre
Dear child, does your heart feel no bitterness against them?
Pamela
No, sir! I am happier than any of them; for I feel that I have done a
good deed.
Mme. Giraud (embracing Pamela)
My poor dear daughter!
Giraud
This is the happiest moment of my life.
Dupre (addressing Pamela)
Mademoiselle, you are a noble girl! No one has better ground for
saying it than I, for it was I who came to you imploring you to speak
the truth; and pure and honorable as you are, you have compromised
your character for the sake of another. And now they repulse you and
treat you with contempt; but I look upon you with hearty admiration—
you shall yet be happy, for I will make full reparation to you!
Pamela, I am forty-eight years old. I have some reputation, and a
fortune. I have spent my life as an honest man, and will finish it as
such; will you be my wife?
Pamela (much moved)
I, sir?
Giraud
His wife! Our daughter his wife! What do you say to that, Mme. Giraud?
Mme. Giraud
Can it be possible?
Dupre
Why should you wonder at this? Let us have no idle phrases. Put the
question to your own heart—and answer yes or no—Will you be my wife?
Pamela
You are a great man, sir, and I owe everything to you. Do you really
wish to add to the debt? Ah! my gratitude—!
Dupre
Don't let me hear you use that word,—it spoils everything! The world
is something that I despise! And I render to it no account of my
conduct, my hatred or my love. From the moment I saw your courage and
your resignation—I loved you. Try to love me in return!
Pamela
Ah, sir, indeed I will!
Mme. Giraud
Could any one help loving you?
Giraud
Sir, I am only a poor porter. I repeat it, I am nothing but a porter.
You love our daughter, you have told her so. Forgive me—my eyes are
full of tears—and that checks my utterance. (He wipes his eyes.)
Well, well, you do right to love her! It proves that you have brains!
For Pamela—there are a great many landowners' children who are her
inferiors. But it is humiliating for her to have parents such as us.
Pamela
O father!
Giraud
You are a leader among men! Well, I and my wife, we will go and hide
ourselves somewhere far into the country! And on Sunday, at the hour
of mass, you will say, "They are praying to God for us!"
(Pamela kisses her parents.)
Dupre
You are good people, and to think that such as you have neither title
nor fortune! And if you are pining for your country home, you shall
return there and live there in happiness and tranquillity, and I will
make provision for you.
Giraud and Mme. Giraud
Oh! our gratitude—
Dupre
That word again—I should like to cut it out of the dictionary!
Meanwhile I intend to take you both with me into the country, so set
about packing up.
Giraud
Sir!
Dupre
Well, what is it?
Giraud
Poor Joseph Binet is also in danger. He does not know that we are all
here. But three days ago, he came to see your servant and seemed
scared almost to death, and he is hidden here, as in a sanctuary, up
in the attic.
Dupre
Call him down-stairs.
Giraud
He will not come, sir; he is too much afraid of being arrested—they
pass him up food through a hole in the ceiling!
Dupre
He will soon be at liberty, I hope. I am expecting a letter which will
relieve all your minds.
Giraud
At once?
Dupre
I expect the letter this evening.
Giraud (to his wife)
I am going to make my way cautiously to the house.
(Madame Giraud accompanies him, and gives him advice. Pamela arises to
follow her.)
Dupre (restraining Pamela)
You are not in love with this Binet, are you?
Pamela
Oh, never!
Dupre
And the other?
Pamela (struggling with her feelings)
I shall love none but you!
(Pamela starts to leave the room. A noise is heard in the antechamber.
Jules appears.)

SCENE SECOND
Pamela, Dupre and Jules.

Jules (to the servants)
Let me pass! I tell you—I must speak to him at once! (Noticing Dupre)
Ah, sir! What has become of Pamela? Is she at liberty? Is she safe?
Pamela (stopping at the door)
Jules!
Jules
Good heavens! You here?
Dupre
And you, sir, I thought you were at Brussels?
Jules
Yes, they sent me away against my will, and I yielded to them! Reared
as I have been in obedience, I still tremble before my family! But I
carried away with me the memory of what I had left behind! It has
taken me six months to realize the situation, and I now acknowledge
that I risked my life in order to obtain the hand of Mlle. de Verby,
that I might gratify the ambition of my family, or, if you like, might
honor my own vanity. I hoped some day to be a man of title, I, the son
of a rich stock-broker! Then I met Pamela, and I fell in love with
her! The rest you know! What was a mere sentiment has now become a
duty, and every hour that has kept me from her I have felt that
obedience to my family was rank cowardice; and while they believe I am
far away, I have returned! You told me she had been arrested—and to
think that I should run away (to both of them) without coming to see
you, who had been my deliverer, and will be hers also.
Dupre (looking at them)
Good! Very good! He is an honorable fellow after all.
Pamela (aside, drying her tears)
Thank God for that!
Dupre
What do you expect to do? What are your plans?
Jules
What are my plans? To unite my fortune with hers. If necessary, to
forfeit everything for her, and under God's protection to say to her,
"Pamela, will you be mine?"
Dupre
The deuce you say! But there is a slight difficulty in the way—for I
am going to marry her myself.
Jules (in great astonishment)
You?
Dupre
Yes, I! (Pamela casts down her eyes.) I have no family to oppose my
wishes.
Jules
I will win over mine.
Dupre
They will send you off to Brussels again.
Jules
I must run and find my mother; my courage has returned! Were I to
forfeit the favor of my father, were my aunt to cut me off with a sou,
I would stand my ground. If I did otherwise, I should be destitute of
self-respect, I should prove myself a soulless coward.—After that, is
there any hope for me?
Dupre
Do you ask such a question of me?
Jules
Pamela, answer, I implore you!
Pamela (to Dupre)
I have given you my word, sir.

SCENE THIRD
The same persons and a servant.

(The servant hands a card to Dupre.)
Dupre (looking at the card with great surprise)
How is this? (To Jules) Do you know where M. de Verby is?
Jules
He is in Normandy, staying with his brother, Comte de Verby.
Dupre (looking at the card)
Very good. Now you had better go and find your mother.
Jules
But you promise me?
Dupre
I promise nothing.
Jules
Good-bye, Pamela! (Aside, as he goes out) I will come back soon.
Dupre (turning towards Pamela, after the departure of Jules)
Must he come back again?
Pamela (with great emotion, throwing herself into his arms)
Ah! sir! (Exit.)
Dupre (looking after her and wiping away a tear)
Gratitude, forsooth! (Opening a narrow secret door.) Come in, general;
come in!

SCENE FOURTH
Dupre and De Verby.

Dupre
Strange, sir, to find you here, when every one believes that you are
fifty leagues away from Paris.
De Verby
I arrived this morning.
Dupre
Without doubt some powerful motive brought you here?
De Verby
No selfish motive; but I couldn't remain wholly indifferent to the
affairs of others! You may prove useful to me.
Dupre
I shall be only too happy to have an opportunity of serving you.
Du Verby
M. Dupre, the circumstances under which we have become acquainted have
put me in a position fully to appreciate your value. You occupy the
first place among the men whose talents and character claim my
attention.
Dupre
Ah! sir, you compel me to say that you, a veteran of the Empire, have
always seemed to me by your loyalty and your independence to be a
fitting representative of that glorious epoch. (Aside) I hope I have
paid him back in full.
De Verby
I suppose I may rely upon you for assistance?
Dupre
Certainly.
De Verby
I would like to ask for some information with regard to young Pamela
Giraud.
Dupre
I felt sure that was your object.
De Verby
The Rousseau family have behaved abominably.
Dupre
Would you have behaved any better?
De Verby
I intend to espouse her cause! Since her arrest as a perjurer, how do
things go on?
Dupre
That can have very little interest for you.
De Verby
That may be true, but—
Dupre (aside)
He is trying to make me talk in order to find out whether he is likely
to be compromised in the case. (Aloud) General de Verby, there are
some men who cannot be seen through, either in their plans or in their
thoughts; the actions and events which they give rise to alone reveal
and explain such men. These are the strong men. I humbly beg that you
will pardon my frankness when I say that I don't look upon you as
being one of them.
De Verby
Sir! What language to use to me! You are a singular man!
Dupre
More than that! I believe that I am an original man! Listen to me. You
throw out hints to me, and you think that as a future ambassador you
can try on me your diplomatic methods; but you have chosen the wrong
man and I am going to tell you something, which you will take no
pleasure in learning. You are ambitious, but you are also prudent, and
you have taken the lead in a certain conspiracy. The plot failed, and
without worrying yourself about those whom you had pushed to the
front, and who eagerly strove for success, you have yourself sneaked
out of the way. As a political renegade you have proved your
independence by burning incense to the new dynasty! And you expect as
a reward to be made ambassador to Turin! In a month's time you will
receive your credentials; meanwhile Pamela is arrested, you have been
seen at her house, you may possibly be compromised by her trial for
perjury! Then you rush to me, trembling with the fear of being
unmasked, of losing the promotion which has caused you so many efforts
to attain! You come to me with an air of obsequiousness, and with the
words of flattery, expecting to make me your dupe, and thus to show
your sincerity! Well, you have sufficient reason for alarm—Pamela is
in the hands of justice, and she has told all.
De Verby
What then is to be done?
Dupre
I have one suggestion to make: Write to Jules that you release him
from his engagement, and the Mlle. de Verby withdraws her promise to
be his wife.
De Verby
Is that your advice?
Dupre
You find that the Rousseau family have behaved abominably, and you
ought to despise them!
De Verby
But you know—engagements of this sort—
Dupre
I'll tell you what I know; I know that your private fortune is not
equal to the position which you aspire to. Mme. du Brocard, whose
wealth is equal to her pride, ought to come to your assistance, if
this alliance—
De Verby
Sir! How dare you to affront my dignity in this way?
Dupre
Whether what I say be true or false, do what I tell you! If you agree,
I will endeavor to save you from being compromised. But write—or get
out of the difficulty the best way you can. But stay, I hear some
clients coming.
De Verby
I don't want to see anybody! Everybody, even the Rousseau family,
believes that I have left the city.
A servant (announcing a visitor)
Madame du Brocard!
De Verby
Oh, heavens!
(De Verby rushes into an office on the right.)

SCENE FIFTH
Dupre and Madame du Brocard.

(Madame du Brocard enters, her face hidden by a heavy black veil which
she cautiously raises.)
Mme. du Brocard
I have been here several times without being lucky enough to find you
in. We are quite alone here?
Dupre (smiling)
Quite alone!
Mme. du Brocard
And so this harrowing affair has broken out afresh?
Dupre
It has, unhappily!
Mme. du Brocard
That wretched young man! If I had not superintended his education, I
would disinherit him! My life at present is not worth living. Is it
possible that I, whose conduct and principles have won the esteem of
all, should be involved in all this trouble? And yet on this occasion
the only thing that gives me any anxiety is my conduct towards the
Girauds!
Dupre
I can well believe it, for it was you who led astray and who induced
Pamela to act as she did!
Mme. du Brocard
I feel, sir, that it is always a mistake to associate with people of a
certain class—say, with a Bonapartist—a man who has neither
conscience nor heart.
(De Verby, who has been listening, shrinks back with a gesture of
rage.)
Dupre
You always seemed to have such a high opinion of him!
Mme. du Brocard
His family was highly thought of! And the prospect of this brilliant
marriage! I always dreamt of a distinguished future for my nephew.
Dupre
But you are forgetting the general's affection for you, his
unselfishness.
Mme. du Brocard
His affection! His unselfishness! The general does not possess a sou,
and I had promised him a hundred thousand francs, when once the
marriage contract was signed.
Dupre (coughs loudly, as he turns in the direction of De Verby)
Oh! indeed!
Mme. du Brocard
I am come to you secretly, and in confidence, in spite of all that has
been said by this M. de Verby, who avers that you are a half-rate
lawyer! He has said the most frightful things about you, and I come
now to beg that you will extricate me from this difficulty. I will
give you whatever money you demand.
Dupre
What I wish above all is that you promise to let your nephew marry
whom he chooses, and give him the fortune you had designed for him, in
case he married Mlle. de Verby.
Mme. du Brocard
One moment; you said, whom he pleased?
Dupre
Give me your answer!
Mme. du Brocard
But I ought to know.
Dupre
Very well then, you must extricate yourself without my assistance.
Mme. du Brocard
You are taking advantage of my situation! Ah! some one is coming.
Dupre (looking towards the newcomers)
It is some of your own family!
Mme. du Brocard (peering cautiously)
It is my brother-in-law Rousseau—What is he up to now? He swore to me
that he would keep quiet!
Dupre
You also took an oath. In fact, there has been a great deal of
swearing in your family lately.
Mme. du Brocard
I hope I shall be able to hear what he has to say!
(Rousseau appears with his wife. Mme. du Brocard conceals herself
behind the curtain.)
Dupre (looking at her)
Very good! But if these two want to hide themselves, I don't know
where I shall put them!