Lucindo.You have no name yourself,and yet you'd give one,You who have never seen me,save this once;
And seeing's a lie,the eternal mockery That hounds us down:we see,and that is all.
Pertini.Good.But who grasps more than is seen?
Lucindo.Not you.
You've seen in all things what you are:a scoundrel.
Pertini.True;I'm not easily fooled by the first glance.
But that manhe was not born yesterday!
Believe me,he has seen a thing or two.
What if we knew each other?
Lucindo.I don't believe it.
Pertini.But is there not a poet,wondrous strange,A gloomy aesthete,butt of ridicule,Who spends his hours in subtle meditation,Who would make rhymes of Life,and would most gladly Himself be author of the poem of Life?
Lucindo.Ha!It might well be chance.You don't deceive me!
Pertini.Chance!Such is the language of philosophers When reason doesn't come to rescue them.
Chanceit's so easily saidone syllable,A name is also chance.Anyone's name Might be Oulanem if he had no other.
And so it is pure chance if I so call him.
Lucindo.You know him?Heavens!Speak!In Heaven's name!
Pertini.You know the boys'reward?Its name issilence.
Lucindo.It sickens me to ask of you a favour,But I beseech you,by all you hold dear!
Pertini.Dear?You think that I am going to bargain?
A coward,you know,is deaf to all entreaty.
Lucindo.You must,then,if you would wipe out the taunt Of coward,you must speak without delay.
Pertini.Let's duel now,I'll fight you as you are.
You're good enough for me,so let us fight.
Lucindo.Don't drive me to the extreme,not to that verge Where there are no more bounds,where all things end.
Pertini.Listen to him!We want to try extremes,As Fate draws,so it draws.So let it be!
Lucindo.Ha!Is there no way out,no hope at all?
His breast as hard as iron,all feeling withered,Cankered and dried with scorn,he mixes poison And rubs it in for balsam.And he smiles.
This may be your last hour,man,yes,your last,Seize it,absorb it,for in less than no time You'll stand before your Judge;so break the chain Of your life's vicious actions with one last,One last good deed,one solitary word,As lightly breathed as air!
Pertini.'Twas chance,good friend.
Believe me,I believe in chance myself.
Lucindo.In Vain!allall But stop,you shallow fool,It won't be settled that way,no,by God!
Your sharp eye has deceived you once again.
I'll call him here in person.Then you may stand,Before him,face to face and eye to eye,Just like a little boy caught doing wrong.
You cannot hold me,man!Out of my way!(He rushes off.)
Pertini.A greater plan now rescues you,my lad;
Pertini can't forget,believe you me!
Pertini (calls).Lucindo,ho!In Heaven's name,come back!(Lucindo returns.)
Lucindo.What would you?Off with you!
Pertini.There's honour for you!
Go,tell the worthy gentleman we quarrelled;
You challenged me,but being a good boy A good boy and a very pious child!
Repented,begged forgiveness,were forgiven.
Then shed a pious tear,and kiss his hand,And cut the rod for your repentant back!
Lucindo.You drive me to it.
Pertini.You let yourself be driven.
This sounds as moral as a children's primer.
Do you believe in God?
Lucindo.Confess to you?
Pertini.Don't you demand that I confess to you?
I shall.But say,do you believe in God?
Lucindo.What's that to you?
Pertini.It's hardly fashionable,So I'd much like to hear you tell me plainly.
Lucindo.I don't believe with what is called belief,And yet I know Him as I know myself.
Pertini.We'll talk of that when mood and moment suit;
How you believe is all the same to me,At least you do believe.Good.Swear by Him.
Lucindo.What?Swear to you?
Pertini.Yes,swear you must that never Will your tongue blab a single syllable.
Lucindo.By God,I swear it.
Pertini.Then swear you'll cherish only friendship for me.
See,I am not so badonly outspoken.
Lucindo.By God,I would not swear it for a world That I loved you or held you in esteem.
I cannot and I will not ever swear it,But what is past,let that be all wiped out As if it were a loathsome,evil dream.
I'll plunge it down where all dreams disappear to,Deep in the rolling waves of oblivion.
That I will swear to you by Him that's holy,From whom the worlds come whirling up through space,Who with His glance brings forth Eternity,I swear!But now the guerdon for my oath.
Pertini.Come!I will lead you to a quiet place,And show you many a sight:rocky ravines,Where lakes have welled up from volcanic Earth,Cradling in quietude their rounded waters;
And where the years rush past in silent sequence,Then will the storm indeed subside,and then
Lucindo.What's this?You speak of stones,bays,worms and mud?
But rocks and crags tower upwards everywhere,In every spot a spring comes bubbling forth:
Whether impetuous,low,highwhat matter?
Mysterious places still are to be found Where we are held enraptured and spellbound.
To see them wakes excitement in my breast,And if it bursts,why,it is jest,no more.
So take me where you will,yes,to that goal!
Waver and falter not,but let's away!
Pertini.The rolling thunder first must cease its din Ere the pure lightning cleanse your breast within.
So to a spot I'll make myself your guide Where,I much fear,you'll wish too long to abide.
Lucindo.Oh,let our journey's goal lie where it may,I'll follow you,if you will lead the way.
Pertini.Mistrustful!(They both go out.)Scene 3A room in Pertini's house.Oulanem is alone,seated at a table,writing.Papers lie about.
Suddenly he springs up,walks zip and down,then stops abruptly and stands with folded arms.
Oulanem.All lost!The hour is now expired,and time Stands still.This pigmy universe collapses.
Soon I shall clasp Eternity and howl Humanity's giant curse into its ear.
Eternity!It is eternal pain,Death inconceivable,immeasurable!
An evil artifice contrived to taunt us,Who are but clockwork,blind machines wound up To be the calendarfools of Time;to be,Only that something thus at least might happen;
And to decay,that there might be decay!
