Plays of Near & Far - LightNovelsOnl.com
You're reading novel online at LightNovelsOnl.com. Please use the follow button to get notifications about your favorite novels and its latest chapters so you can come back anytime and won't miss anything.
[_They nod dumb heads gravely._
CURTAIN.
SCENE III
_On the base of Aether Mountain._
_Right, heather sloping up to left, which is rugged with tumbled grey rocks._
_Further left all the scene is filled with the rising bulk of Aether Mountain._
_Low down, far off and small in the background to the right appears a little palace of pure gold._
_Enter right the_ QUEEN _running untired and nimble, unchecked by those grey rocks._
_Following her the tired_ PRINCES _come._
ZOON _is no longer last, but about fourth, and gaining._
MELIFLOR _leads._
MELIFLOR: Permit me, great lady. My hand over the rocks. Permit ...
[_He falls and cannot rise._
MOOMOOMON: Permit me. (_He falls too._) These rocks; it is these rocks.
XIMENUNG (_going wearily_): Great lady. A moment. One moment, great lady. Allow me.
[_But_ ZOON _does not speak. Exeunt L. the Queen and those Princes that have not fallen. The curtain falls on stragglers crossing the stage._
CURTAIN.
SCENE IV
_The Summit._
_On the snow on the pinnacle of Aether Mountain, with only bright blue sky all round and everywhere, recline_ QUEEN ZOOMZOOMARMA _and the_ PRINCE OF ZOON.
THE QUEEN: You had known no love before, First of a Hundred?
PRINCE OF ZOON: There is no love on earth, O Queen of all.
QUEEN: Only here.
ZOON: Pure love is only here on this peak lonely in heaven.
QUEEN: Would you love me elsewhere if we went from here?
ZOON: But we will never go from here.
QUEEN: No, we will never leave it.
ZOON: Lady, look down. (_She looks._) The earth is sorrowful. (_She sighs._) Cares. Cares. All over the wide surface we can see are troubles; troubles far off and grey, that harm not Aether Mountain.
QUEEN: It looks a long way off and long ago.
ZOON (_wonderingly_): Only to-day we came to Aether Mountain.
QUEEN: Only to-day?
ZOON: We crossed a gulf of time.
QUEEN: It lies below us, all drowsy with years.
ZOON: Lady, here is your home, this peak that has entered heaven. Let us never leave your home.
QUEEN: I knew not until to-day of Aether Mountain. None had told me.
ZOON: Knew you never, lady, of love?
QUEEN: None had told me.
ZOON: This is your home; not Earth; no golden palace. Reign here alone, not knowing the cares of men, without yesterday or to-morrow, untroubled by history or council.
QUEEN: Yes, yes, we will return no more.
ZOON: See, lady, see the Earth. Is it not as a dream just faded?
QUEEN: It is dim indeed, grey and dream-like.
ZOON: It is the Earth we knew.
QUEEN: It is all dream-like.
ZOON: It is gone; we can dimly see it.
QUEEN: Was it a dream?
