Yuya now begged to present her Lord a bit of a poem, which Munemori read as follows: "The passing of spring in the capital Should be lamented. And how the flowers of my Northern home Fall and fall:" Into the poem Yuya had put her own sorrowful thought of her mother lying alone in her Northern home, which deeply impressed even the cold heart of her Lord. Munemori now exclaimed in great sympathy, "I fully understand our daughterly love. I grant you leave now gladly. Depart, Yuya, as quickly as you desire." She thanked the Goddess of Mercy by whose grace, she thought, her Lord's coldness had been thawed. As she feared his fancy might take a reverse course she turned her face toward Azumaji or the Eastern Highway, where she found a travelling companion in a bird who also returned to the Northern sky. MASTER PIERRE PATELIN AS TRANSCRIBED FROM THE MEDIAEVAL FRENCH BY MAURICE Dedicated to my Friend, Stanley Vaughen Ladow. THOSE OF WHOM THE TALE IS TOLD: THE JUDGE, whom none dare judge. PATELIN THE LAWYER, a counsellor indeed, possessing all those virtues which a good counsellor should possess. GUILLEMETTE HIS WIFE, a fit wife for a lawyer. GUILLAUME JOCEAULME THE DRAPER, a successful merchant, who has been cheating his buyers from the day he commenced selling. TIBALD LAMBKIN, A SHEPHERD, a fellow who if his lot of life had been better might have become a lawyer like PATELIN, or a merchant like JOCEAULME. This happened in a little town in France in the year 1400 A. D. SCENE I On either side of the stage is a street scene. In back, a curtain is partly drawn to each side showing the interior of PATELIN'S house. PATELIN sits in bed reading a large folio, on a chair next to the bed GUILLEMETTE sits mending an old dress. On a bench a little to the side are some kitchen utensils: a frying pan, a broom, etc. On the bed lies a nightgown and a cap. Guillemette.-You have nothing to say now, I suppose, have you? . While I must mend rags a beggar would be ashamed to wear, and you, a member of the learned profession!. Patelin. a lawyer There was a time when my door was crowded with *All rights reserved. Privilege of production must be obtained from the author. Address c. o. Comedy Theatre, New York City or POET LORE Magazine. Guillemette. Of what good is that today?-ch? Patelin.-Wife, I was too sharp for them. Men don't like people wiser than themselves. Guillemette.-Aye, you could always beat them at law. But that was long ago. Patelin. It hurts me truly to see you mending rags and wives of men who are thick skulled asses wearing golden threaded cloth and fine wool. There is that draper's wife across the way Guillemette.-Cease the cackling (Silently working for a while). I'd give something rare and costly for a new gown on St. Mary's day. Heaven knows I need it. Patelin. So you do and so do I as well. It is not fit to see one of the learned profession walking about like a beggar on the roads. Ah! If I could only get some clients! I know my law well enough yet. There is not many a one can beat me at the finer points. Guillemette.-A fig for it all! Of what good is it? We are all but starved and as for clothes,-look. (Holds up the dress.) Patelin.-Silence good wife! Could I but have some business and put my head with seriousness to it Who knows but the days of plenty would soon enough return! Guillemette.-There is not a soul in town but a fool who would trust himself to you. They know too well your way of handling cases. They say you are a master LIN rises indignant.) Patelin. They mean at law at cheating. (PATE at law, good wife. and Ha, I should like to see a lawyer beat me at it (Suddenly stops, thinks for a moment, then his whole face lights up). I am going to market. I have just thought of a little business I have there. (Gets out of bed.) Guillemette. Going to market? What for? You have no Guillemette.-Holy Saints! You know well he is more closefisted than any other merchant in town. He'll never trust you. Patelin.-Ah, that's just why I am going. The more miserly, the easier to gull; and (Measuring her with his arm's length) two and one-half for you (Measuring himself in the same way) three for me What color would you want it? Green or red? Guillemette.-Beggars can't be choosers. But don't think I believe what you say here. I am not a fool. You'll never get any from Master Joceaulme. He'll never trust you, I am certain. Patelin.-Who knows? Who knows? He might and then really get paid ho, . Ho, Guillemette.-Don't you think you had better make haste, lest all the cloth is sold? Patelin (Offended, walking off).-Wife, I forgive you. You are only a woman. I'll teach you a fine lesson now. If I don't bring home a fine piece of cloth,-dark green or blue, such as wives of great lords wear, then never believe another word I say. Guillemette. But how will you do it? You haven't a copper in your pocket.. Patelin.-Ah! That's a secret? Just wait and see? So (To himself as he walks slowly away) two and one-half for her and three for me Look well to the house while I am away, wife. (Exit.) Guillemette.-What fool of a merchant?-.. unless he is blind and deaf! (The back curtains are closed and now only the Street Scene is visible.) SCENE II PATELIN comes from his door and walks slowly across to THE DRAPER'S table. THE DRAPER is just coming out with a pack of cloth and wools which he throws on the table. He busies himself arranging his goods. PATELIN looks on for a while, then goes right up to him. - Patelin.-Ho, there, worthy Master William Joceaulme,permit me the pleasure of shaking your hand. How do you feel? The Draper.-Very fine, the Saints be thanked. Patelin. I am truly happy to hear that. And business? The Draper.-You know how one day one way, the other, altogether different. You can never tell when ill luck may blow your way. Patelin. By the Holy Saints! It's the very phrase I often heard your father use. God rest his soul among the Martyrs! What a man he was! No other was more esteemed. And you, -they say that you are more and more like him each day. The Draper.-Do seat yourself, good Master Patelin? The Draper.-Oh, but you must. (Forcing him to sit on the bench.) Patelin.-Ah! I knew him well,-your father. You resemble him as one drop of milk another. Lord, what a man he was! Wise! We, among the learned, called the weather-cock. Almost every piece of clothing I wore came from his shop. The Draper. He was an honest man, and people liked to buy from him. Patelin.-A more honest soul there never was. And I have heard often said that the apple has fallen nigh the tree. The Draper. Of a truth, good Master Patelin. It's not flattery either. (Looking intently at him.) Lord, but you do resemble him! No child was ever so like his father. Each marked like the other. This is just his nose, his ears,-nay, the very dimple on his chin. And The Draper. Yes, they do say I look much like him. Patelin. Like one drop of water another. kindhearted! He was ever ready to trust and help, no matter who came along. The Lord knows he was ever the gainer by it. Even the worst scoundrels thought twice before cheating him.
The Draper. A merchant must always take heed, good Master Patelin. You can never know whether a man is honest or not. Patelin.-Aye, that's true. But he had a way of guessing whether it was an honest man he was dealing with that was a marvel to behold. Many a funny tale he told of it;-when we sat over a bottle of wine. (Feeling the cloth on the table.) What a fine piece of cloth! Did you make it from your own wool? Your father always used to weave his cloths from the wool of his own sheep. The Draper. So do I, Sir. From the wool of my own sheep. |