Three Plays: Six Characters in Search of an Author, Henry IV, The Mountain Giants (Oxford World's Classics) (15 page)

DIRECTOR
. So you’re not here?

SON
. He’s the one who wanted to come, dragging us all along and then going off with you to fix up this play about what really happened—and, as if that weren’t enough, about what never happened at all.

DIRECTOR
. So tell me, at least tell me what did happen. You left your room without saying anything?

SON
[
after a moment’s hesitation
]. Nothing. Precisely because I didn’t want to make a scene.

DIRECTOR
[
urging him on
]. Right. And then? What did you do?

SON
[
taking a few steps across the stage as everyone looks at him with
agonizing attention
]. Nothing … As I was crossing the garden … [
He breaks off, dark and brooding
]

DIRECTOR
[
still urging him to say more, impressed by his reluctance
]. Well then, as you were crossing the garden?

SON
[
exasperated, hiding his face with his arm
]. But why do you want me to say it, sir? It’s horrible!

The
MOTHER
is all trembling as she looks towards the fountain with stifled groans
.

DIRECTOR
[
in a low voice, as he notices that look, turning to the
SON
with growing apprehension
]. The little girl?

SON
[
looking straight ahead into the auditorium
]. There, in the bowl of the fountain …

FATHER
[
still on the ground, with a pitying gesture toward the
MOTHER
]. And she was following him, sir.

DIRECTOR
[
to the
SON
,
anxiously
]. And then you?

SON
[
slowly, still looking straight ahead
]. I ran, I rushed to fish her out … But suddenly I stopped, because behind those trees I saw something that froze my blood: the boy, the boy who was standing there, stock still, with mad eyes, looking at his sister drowned in the fountain.

The
STEPDAUGHTER
,
still bent over the rim of the fountain hiding the
LITTLE GIRL
,
responds with desperate sobs, like an echo from the deep. Pause
.

SON
. I started towards him; and then …

A pistol shot is heard from behind the trees where the
YOUNG BOY
is hiding
.

MOTHER
[
with a terrible scream, running in that direction together with the
SON
and with all the
ACTORS
in the general uproar
]. My son! My son! [
And then, amid the cries and confusion
] Help! Help!

DIRECTOR
[
amid the shouting, trying to make his way through, while the
YOUNG BOY
is lifted by the head and feet and carried off behind the white backdrop
]. Is he wounded? Is he really wounded?

Except for the
DIRECTOR
and the
FATHER
,
who is still on the ground near the stairway, everybody has disappeared behind the sky backdrop where they remain talking in anxious whispers. Then, from both sides of the backdrop, the
ACTORS
come back onto the stage
.

LEADING LADY
[
entering from the right, distressed
]. Dead! Poor boy, he’s dead! Dead. What an awful thing!

LEADING MAN
[
entering from the left, laughing
]. Dead, my foot! It’s only pretending, pretending! Don’t you believe it!

OTHER ACTORS ON THE RIGHT
. Pretending? No, it’s real, it’s real! He’s dead.

OTHER ACTORS ON THE LEFT
. No. It’s just make-believe, make believe!

FATHER
[
standing up and shouting
]. How can you say make-believe? It’s reality, ladies and gentlemen, reality! [
He too goes off in despair behind the backdrop
]

DIRECTOR
[
at the end of his tether
]. Make-believe! Reality! The Devil take the lot of you! Lights! Lights! Lights!

All of a sudden the stage and the whole auditorium is flooded with light. The
DIRECTOR
takes a deep breath as if released from a nightmare, and they all look at each other, dazed and uncertain
.

DIRECTOR
. Well, I’ve never seen anything like this. They’ve made me waste a whole day.
^*
[
He looks at his watch
] Off you go, off you go! What do you think you can do now? It’s too late to pick up the rehearsal. See you tonight. [
As soon as the
ACTORS
have left, he calls out
] Hey, you at the lights, switch everything off. [
Before he even finishes speaking, the whole theatre is plunged into total darkness
] Oh for God’s sake! Leave me enough to see where I’m going.

Immediately, as if through some faulty connection, a green spotlight comes on behind the backdrop, projecting large and clear the silhouettes of the
CHARACTERS
,
except for the
YOUNG BOY
and the
LITTLE GIRL
.
When the
DIRECTOR
sees them he scutters from the stage in terror. At the same time the spotlight goes out, and the stage is once more bathed in the blue of night
.

Slowly, from the right side of the backdrop, the
SON
comes forward, followed by the
MOTHER
with arms outstretched towards him; then from the left comes the
FATHER
.
They stop at centre stage, motionless like figures in a dream. Finally, from the left, comes the
STEPDAUGHTER
who runs towards one of the stairways. With her foot on the top step, she stops for a moment, looks at the other three and breaks into a shrill laugh before hurrying down the steps and running up the aisle between the seats.
She stops once again and laughs once more as she looks back at the other three up there on the stage. At last, she vanishes from the auditorium and her laugh can still be heard echoing from the foyer. There is a brief pause before the curtain falls
.

A Tragedy in Three Acts

‘Henry IV’

Marchesa Matilda Spina

Frida, her daughter

The young Marchese Carlo di Nolli

Baron Tito Belcredi

Doctor Dionisio Genoni

The Four Supposed Privy Counsellors:

1) Landolph (Lolo)

2) Harold (Franco)

3) Ordulph (Momo)

4) Berthold (Fino)

Giovanni, an old retainer

Two valets in costume

An isolated villa in the Umbrian countryside. The present day
.

A spacious room in the villa, carefully furnished to resemble the throne room of Henry IV in the imperial palace at Goslar. But, amid all the antiques, two life-size modern portraits in oils stand out on the back wall, placed just above floor level on a projecting ledge of carved wood that runs the whole length of the wall and is broad enough to sit on like a bench. They are placed on either side of a throne that interrupts the ledge with its imperial seat and low canopy. The two portraits show a gentleman and a lady, both young and dressed in carnival costumes, the former as ‘Henry IV’ and the latter as ‘Countess Matilda of Tuscany’. Exits to right and left
.

As the curtain rises, the
TWO VALETS
,
who have been lounging on the ledge, jump to their feet as if surprised and go to stand with their halberds like statues on either side of the throne. Almost immediately from the second right exit come
HAROLD, LANDOLPH, ORDULPH
,
and
BERTHOLD
—
young men paid by the
MARCHESE CARLO DI NOLLI
to act the part of ‘Privy Counsellors’—vassals drawn from the minor aristocracy at the court of Henry IV, and thus dressed as eleventh-century German knights. For
BERTHOLD
(real name, Fino), it is his first day in this job. His three companions enjoy teasing him as they brief him on his duties. The whole scene should be played in a bright and lively manner
.

LANDOLPH
[
to
BERTHOLD
,
as if continuing an explanation
]. And this is the throne room.

HAROLD
. At Goslar.

ORDULPH
. Or, if you like, in the Harzburg.

HAROLD
. Or at Worms.
^*

LANDOLPH
. Like us, it switches here or there, depending on the event we’re playing.

ORDULPH
. Saxony.

HAROLD
. Lombardy.

LANDOLPH
. On the Rhine.

ONE OF THE VALETS
[
impassive, hardly moving his lips
]. Psst! Psst!

HAROLD
[
turning round
]. What is it?

FIRST VALET
[
still like a statue, under his breath
]. Is he coming in or not? [
Referring to
HENRY IV
]

ORDULPH
. No, no. He’s asleep. Relax.

SECOND VALET
[
as both valets stand easy and breathe a sigh of relief; going to stretch out on the ledge
]. You could have told us, damn it!

FIRST VALET
[
going up to
HAROLD
]. You wouldn’t have a match?

LANDOLPH
. Hey! Not a pipe. Not in here.

FIRST VALET
[
while
HAROLD
strikes a match for him
]. No, it’s just a cigarette. [
Lights up, then goes to sprawl on the ledge and smoke
]

BERTHOLD
[
a half-amazed and half-puzzled observer, looking around the room and then inspecting his own clothes and those of his companions
]. But, hold on … this room … these costumes … Which Henry IV? … I’m not sure I get it:—It is the French one, isn’t it? [
LANDOLPH, HAROLD
,
and
ORDULPH
burst out laughing
]

LANDOLPH
[
still laughing and pointing at
BERTHOLD
as if urging his companions to keep up their mockery
]. The French one, he says.

ORDULPH
. He thought it was the French one.
^*

HAROLD
. Henry IV of Germany, old boy. The Salian dynasty.

ORDULPH
. The great and tragic emperor!

LANDOLPH
. The one who came to Canossa. Day after day we act out the terrible war between Church and State. Oh yes.

ORDULPH
. The Empire against the Papacy. Oh yes.

HAROLD
. Anti-popes against popes.

LANDOLPH
. Kings against anti-kings.

ORDULPH
. And war against the Saxons.

HAROLD
. And all the rebel princes.

LANDOLPH
. Against the Emperor’s own sons.

BERTHOLD
[
covering his head with his hands to ward off this flood of information
]. Now I see! Now I see! That’s why I didn’t get it, when I saw myself dressed up like this and coming into this room. I was right: just not sixteenth-century costume.

HAROLD
. Nowhere near sixteenth-century!

ORDULPH
. Here we’re somewhere in the eleventh century.

LANDOLPH
. Work it out for yourself. If on 25 January 1071, we’re at Canossa …
^*

BERTHOLD
[
more lost than ever
]. God, what a mess-up!

ORDULPH
. Well, of course! If he thought he was at the French court.

BERTHOLD
. After all that history I read up …

LANDOLPH
. We’re four centuries earlier, dear chap! To us you’re still a child.

BERTHOLD
[
angrily
]. But for Christ’s sake, they could have told me it was the German one and not Henry IV of France! The books I’ve skimmed through in the fortnight they gave me to get ready; you’ve no idea!

HAROLD
. Hold on, didn’t you know that poor Tito was Adalbert of Bremen?

BERTHOLD
. What Adalbert? I didn’t know a damn thing!

LANDOLPH
. No, don’t you see? When Tito died the young Marchese di Nolli …

BERTHOLD
. He was the one, the young Marchese! Why couldn’t he have told me?

HAROLD
. Maybe he thought you already knew!

LANDOLPH
. He didn’t want to take on anyone as a replacement. He thought the three of us who were left would be enough. But
him
, he started shouting ‘Adalbert’s been driven out’—because for him, you see, it wasn’t that poor old Tito was dead. No. As Bishop Adalbert, he’d been driven away from the court by the rival bishops of Cologne and Mainz.

BERTHOLD
[
burying his head in his hands
]. But I don’t know the first thing about all this stuff.

ORDULPH
. Then you’ve got a real problem, old chap.

HAROLD
. And the trouble is that
we
don’t know who you are either.

BERTHOLD
. Not even you? Who am I supposed to act? Don’t you know?

ORDULPH
. Hm. Berthold.

BERTHOLD
. What Berthold? Why Berthold?

LANDOLPH
. ‘They’ve driven out Adalbert? Then I want Berthold! I want Berthold!’ That’s what he started shouting.

HAROLD
. We three just looked at each other: who on earth is this Berthold?

ORDULPH
. And here you are, dear boy—Berthold!

LANDOLPH
. And you’ll be absolutely splendid!

BERTHOLD
[
protesting and about to leave
]. Ah, but I just won’t do it! Thanks very much. I’m off! I’m off out of here! I’m off!

HAROLD
[
amid laughter, helping
ORDULPH
to hold him back
]. No. Calm down, calm down!

ORDULPH
. You’re not, by any chance, the Berthold of the folk tale?
^*

LANDOLPH
. If it’s any comfort, we don’t know who we are either, come to that. He’s Harold, he’s Ordulph, I’m Landolph … That’s what he calls us. We’re used to it. But who are we? Period names! And you must have a period name as well: Berthold. Only poor old Tito had a really good role, one you can read about in history: Bishop of Bremen. He really did look like a bishop. Splendid he was, poor old Tito!

HAROLD
. No wonder, with all those books where he could read up the part!

LANDOLPH
. He even gave orders to His Majesty: he took over, guided him like a tutor, like a counsellor. We’re ‘privy counsellors’ too, of course, but just to make up the numbers; because history tells us that Henry IV was hated by the great lords for surrounding himself at court with young nobles of lower rank.

ORDULPH
. Meaning us.

LANDOLPH
. Just so. Minor royal vassals; devoted, a bit dissolute, cheerful …

BERTHOLD
. I’m supposed to be cheerful as well?

HAROLD
. And how! Just like us!

ORDULPH
. And it’s not all that easy, you know.

LANDOLPH
. It’s really a pity! Because, as you see, all the trappings are there; our wardrobe would make a fine show in one of those historical dramas that are such a success in the theatre nowadays. As for subject matter, oh, the story of Henry IV would be matter
enough for several tragedies, not just one. Instead of which, all four of us, and those two poor devils over there [
pointing to the
VALETS
] when they’re standing stiff before the throne, we’re … well, we’re there with nobody to set us up and give us a scene to act. We’ve got … how can I put it? … we’ve got the form without the content!—We’re worse off than the real privy counsellors of Henry IV; granted, nobody had given them parts to act either; but at least they didn’t know they were supposed to be acting. They played their parts because they played their parts: in short, it wasn’t a part, it was their life. They looked after their own interests at the expense of others, sold investitures and who knows what. Not like us lot. We’re all here, dressed up like this, in this splendid court … to do what? Nothing. Like six puppets hanging on the wall, waiting for someone to take them down and move them this way or that, and give them a few words to say.

HAROLD
. Ah no, my friend. Pardon me! You have to give the right answer, know the right answer! Big trouble if he speaks to you and you’re not ready to answer the way he wants.

LANDOLPH
. Well, yes, that’s right. That’s dead right.

BERTHOLD
. That doesn’t help me much! How can I give him the right answers when I get all ready for Henry IV of France and then, lo and behold, up pops Henry IV of Germany? [
LANDOLPH, ORDULPH
,
and
HAROLD
start laughing again
]

HAROLD
. Well, you’d better start putting that right straightaway.

ORDULPH
. Don’t worry. We’ll help you out.

HAROLD
. We’ve got so many books in there! Give them a good lookover. That’ll do for a start.

ORDULPH
. You must have some general idea …

HAROLD
. Look there! [
Turning him round and showing him the portrait of the Countess Matilda on the back wall
] For example, who’s that?

BERTHOLD
[
looking
]. That one? Well, I’m sorry, but to start with, it’s hopelessly out of place: two modern paintings in the middle of all these genuine antiques.

HAROLD
. You’re right. And, in fact, they weren’t there at the beginning. There are two niches behind those paintings. The original
idea was to have two statues, carved in period style. But since the niches stayed empty, they covered them with those two paintings.

LANDOLPH
[
interrupting and continuing
]. Which certainly would be out of place if they were real paintings.

BERTHOLD
. So what are they? Aren’t they paintings?

LANDOLPH
. Yes, if you go and touch them, they’re paintings. But for
him
[
pointing mysteriously to the right, referring to
HENRY IV
]—who never touches them …

BERTHOLD
. No? So what are they for him?

LANDOLPH
. Oh, it’s just my impression, mind you. But I think that deep down it’s right. They’re images. Images like … well, like something reflected in a mirror, see what I mean? That one over there [
pointing to the portrait of
HENRY IV
] represents him, alive the way he is, standing in this throne room, which is also, as it should be, in period style. So what’s so surprising? If they put a mirror in front of you, wouldn’t you see yourself, alive, here and now, dressed up like this in ancient costume? Well then, it’s as if there were two mirrors, giving living images here in the midst of a world that—don’t worry, you’ll see, you’ll see, when you’ve been with us for a while, how all that comes to life as well.

BERTHOLD
. Now look, I’m not going to let this place drive me crazy!

HAROLD
. What do you mean, crazy? You’ll enjoy it.

BERTHOLD
. Let me just say … well, how did you all get to be so knowledgeable?

LANDOLPH
. My dear chap, you don’t go back through eight hundred years of history without gathering a bit of experience along the way.

HAROLD
. Come on, come on. You’ll see, it won’t take long for us to give you the hang of it.

ORDULPH
. And in that school you’ll become pretty knowledgeable yourself.

BERTHOLD
. Yes. But for God’s sake, help me out right now. At least, give me the outlines.

HAROLD
. Leave it to us! A bit from one, a bit from another …

LANDOLPH
. We’ll tie your strings and fix you up like the best and
handiest of puppets. Come along! [
He takes him by the arm to lead him off
]

BERTHOLD
[
stopping and looking at the portrait on the wall
]. Wait! You haven’t told me who
she
is. The Emperor’s wife?