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- 12 -
| SCENE 2 | |
| [The public square of Ramla with a scaffold draped in black. Gaston is led in surrounded by knights and penitents carrying his helmet, shield and sword. The papal legate and crowds of onlookers are already assembled.] | |
| GASTON
Barons et chevaliers, devant vous je proteste et devant Dieu, car je suis innocent! Mais vous m’avez rendu mes armes. Il me reste à mourir comme doit un homme de mon sang, Écuyer, devant moi fais flotter ma bannière! |
GASTON
Barons and knights, I stand before you and before God and proclaim my innocence! Yet you have returned to me my arms. I can now die as befits a man of my rank. My squire, stand beside me and unfurl my banner! |
| LEGATE
Arréte! Condamné par le bref du saint-père, demain tu subiras la mort. Mais aujourd’hui c’est l’infamie! Oui, tu seras d’abord dégradé de noblesse et de chevalerie, déclaré traître, infâme et comme tel traité dans ta dernière postérité! |
LEGATE
Stop! Condemned by this decree from the holy father, you will die tomorrow. Today you undergo infamy! Yes, first you will be stripped of your noble rank and knighthood, proclaimed a traitor, infamous, and regarded as such for all eternity. |
| GASTON
L’infamie!... Prenez, prenez ma vie vos bourreaux, je les défile...mais mon honneur.. Mais mon honneur! |
GASTON
Infamy!... Take, oh take my life, your executioners I defy... but not my honor... Not my honor! |
| LEGATE
Tel est l’arrêt. |
LEGATE
Such is the order. |
| GASTON
Oh douleur! Oh mes amis, mes frères d’armes, voyez mes pleurs; voyez mes larmes. Le déshonneur...c’est trop affreux! N’accablez pas un malheureux. Mon dernier jour me sera doux — et je l’implore à vos genoux... mais, par le ciel, moi, traître!... Infâme!... Je pleure, hélas, comme une femme. C’est la pitié que je réclame. Par quels accents vous attendrir? Oh, mes amis! Sans me flétrir, laissez-moi, laissez-moi mourir! |
GASTON
Oh pain! Oh my friends, my brothers in arms, see how I weep; look upon my tears. Dishonor...that is too horrible! Do not crush one so unfortunate. My final day will be a sweet one to me — and I am ready for it, kneeling at your feet... but, in the name of heaven, I a traitor ! ... Infamous!... I weep for that, alas, like a woman. I beseech you, have pity. With what words can I soften your hearts? Oh, my friends! Allow me to die without disgracing me! |
| LEGATE
Qu’on exécute la sentence! |
LEGATE
Let the sentence be carried out! |
| [The herald leads Gaston onto the scaffold where the executioner stands.] | |
| KNIGHTS
Point de pitié... Point de clémence... |
KNIGHTS
No pity... No mercy... |
| HERALD
Ceci est le heaume d’un traître
|
HERALD
(Holding up Gaston’s helmet) This is the helmet of a traitorous, disloyal knight! |
| GASTON
Tu mens. Tu mens! |
GASTON
You are lying. You lie! |
| KNIGHTS
Au traître point de merci... |
KNIGHTS
No mercy for a traitor... |
| [The executioner crushes the helmet with a mace.] | |
| PENITENTS
Cum judicar exeat condemnatus et oratio ejus fiat la peccatum. |
PENITENTS
Cum judicar exeat condemnatus et oratio ejus fiat in peccatum.* |
| GASTON
Oh torture...oh douleur! Oh m’avilir ainsi! |
GASTON
Oh torture.., oh grief! To be degraded like this! |
| PEOPLE
Au fond du cœur sa voix pénètre. |
PEOPLE
His words touch our hearts. |
| HERALD
Ceci est la targe d’un traître
|
HERALD
(Holding up Gaston’s shield.) This is the shield of a traitorous, disloyal knight! |
| GASTON
Tu mens! Tu mens! |
GASTON
You lie! You are lying! |
| [The executioner breaks the shield.] | |
| PENITENTS
Fiant dies ejus pauci et hereditatem ejus accipiat alter accipiat. |
PENITENTS
Fiant dies ejus pauci et hereditatem ejus accipiat alter accipiat.* * |
| GASTON
Mon Dieu! Tu vois ce que je souffre ici. |
GASTON
My God! You see how I’m suffering here. |
| * As he is judged and condemned,
let even his prayers be a sin.
** Let his days end shortly and his benefices pass on to another. |
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