Thomas Starr King Middle School - Echoes Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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Aristocrat Nor Peasant JEANNE: The soup will soon be done, father. CHABLEAU: fanxiouslyj Fine, Jeanne-perhaps we'll have a night alone, dear. IEANNE: Yes-if those revolutionists don't come. CShe goes to the kitchen work-table, spends time there, then walks back and forth setting the tablej. CHABLEAU: lt's good if they do come, Qdisgustedlyj and bring another one of those scoundrel-aristocrats! JEANNE: Yes- CHABLEAU: Qexcitedj Thank God, we're rid of the king and a few others. Wllell We have the rest of those hypocrites guillotined, we'll have them, all where they belong. JEANNE: But the're not all like that, father. CHABLEAU: You're doing right well if you can find any that aren't. JEANNE: The one that helped you, he wasn't bad, was he? If he hadn't lifted that wheel of the wagon from your shoulder, you-might be dead now. Cl-IABLEAU: Yes, I guess I would be, Clouderj but the rest of them are. JEANNE: Perhaps! CI-IABLEAU: With their ruling the country we'll go to pieces, if we already haven't. If we don't drive them out, well-we'll all be peasants or even slaves. I'd still be a shoemaker, if he hadn't run me out. JEANNE: Father, please, what do you want for supper besides soup? Cl-IABLEAU: Cnot hearing herb And Merante kept me from working, locked me out! JEANNE: Father, you don't know that it was he . . . what do you want for supper, if you please? CHABLEAU: Nothing particular, thanks . . . when I catch that Merante or any other one of them, FH- JEANNE: But father- CHABLEAU: Well? JEANNE :We can always farm the way the rest of them do, can't we? Cl-IABLEAU: No, not so easily, my father was a shoemaker and his and his and so on. Oh, so far back, they've always been shoemakers. JEANNE: freturns to fireplace and continues to stir soup for a short timej lt is terrible! 3lt's too terrible! CHABLEAU: flocking towards herj It-it'll be all right. JEANNE: Cgoes to table and sits on bench with her head resting on her handj I-know, but the guillotine's blade has lowered too many times, I canlt stand it! ' fa knock is heard at leftj CHABLEAU: Crisingj Who could that be? JEAN NE: They are revolutionists no doubt. CHABLEAU: Cgoing to doorj 'Tis not their code, fpicks up stick which stands by door and holds it threateninglyj. IEANNE: Crisingj Who's there? Two Hundred Nineteen

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ARISTOCRAT NOR PEASANT A Play in C5416 Abt Scene: The cottage of Henri Chableau in a neighboring village of Orleans, France Time: Spring of 1793 during the French Revolution. CHARACTERS HENRI CHABLEAU, a revolution leader JEANNE, his daughter MERANTE, an aristocrat PIERRE, his son MMF.. MERANTE, his mother 1ST REVOLUTIONIST ZND REVOLUTIONIST 3RD REVOLUTIONIST STAGE SETTING The curtain opens to a spacious room in a typical French cottage. In the center rear is a large fireplace, in it the appearance of a fire heating a kettle of soup. To the left of it is a small table, above which hangs an old musket. South of the table is the entrance door. By the south wall there is a high bed with no head nor foot-board. To the right of the fireplace is a long work-table. Against the north wall is a cupboard, on which hangs an -apron. East of the cupboard a door leads to a bedroomg to the right of center stands a crude square dining-room tableg back of it a long bench and on either side there are short benchesg in front, center, a small chair. IEANNE is stirring the soup in the kettle in the fireplace. She is dressed in long, full skirt, and is covered by a light apron. She appears between seventeen and nineteen years of age. CHABLEAU is seated comfortably in the large chair near the fireplace. He is dressed with long trousers and a full shirt, his clothing is very plain and dark. He is about fifty' years of age. Two H undreel Eighteen

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PIERRE: ffrom withoutj Two weary travelers seeking rest and food. CCHABLEAU and JEANNE look-at one anotherj. CHABLEAU: And what may your business be? Mme. MERANTE: In search of . . . Legmz CHABLEAU: fputting stick downj Friends they are! Copens doorj. CPIERRE and Mme. MERANTE are seen. Pierre is dressed in short trousers, boots and also a coat. They are dark and plain and show long wear. He appears to be twenty or thereabouts, non-autocratic and cheerful, Mme. Merante, autocratic, she wears a dark dress covered by a full, long cape. Her clothing shows much wear also.j JEANNE: Good day, Monsieur! PIERRE: May We come in, if you please, we are so hungry and so tired? JEANNE: Ccourteouslyj Why certainly, strangers, make yourself comforts able in here by the fire fshe steps back and Mme. Merante and Pierre enter to the center of the roomj Here, have some seats near the fire, CChableau vacates his chair and Jeanne pulls up the other chair ta fireplace.j PIERRE: Ccourteouslyj Thank you, indeed! CHABLEAU: Csuspiciouslyj Wllo are you and where are you going? PIERRE: Er-I-We, I am Pierre and this is my mother. We are on our way to the next village to see-er-lVI.-Legan, you know, and we are overcome by hunger and fatigue, so naturally we stopped here to procure food. L. CHABLEAU:Oh! Fine, l1e's my friend. I'l1 take you to him tomorrow morning. He has the nearest guillotineg no wonder you Want to meet him. Here, Jeanne and I will take your Wraps. You'll be Warm enough by the fire. CMIIIC. lVIerante removes her cape and Pierre hands Chableau his hat and coat. Jeanne and Chableau exit with the wraps.J PIERRE: Cexcitedl I don't believe they suspect. But oh, tomorrow, what shall We do! We, nobility, being led to the guillotine, mother! MME. MERANTE: It's terrible, Pierre! PIERRE: We must escape! lVI'ME. MERANTE: Cfrightenedj I. believe that he is a revolutionist! PIERRE: Yes, I think he is. We might escape tonight! MME. MERANTE: Certainly! And then search for father. I wonder where he is now. PIERRE: Poor father, where could he be? And to think we were sep- arated from him in that horrible riot. IVIIVIE. INIERANTE: Ctragicallyj We may never see him again. PIERRE: Oh yes, we will! You must not Worry about that, mother dear, we will see him again. Of course, he is back in Orleans, where we were living originally. fVoices heard at right. Pierre and Mnie. Mlerante listen closelyj Shh, they're coming! fenter Jeanne and Chableau. Pierre and Mme. Merante riseJ. PIERRE: Here, have this chair, if you please. CHABLEAU: Oh no! That's all right, thanks. fChableau sits on bench at right of table. Jeanne places more sets of service on the table.D CHABLEAU: Well, my friends, Where are you from? MME. MERANTE: From Lyons. Two Hundred Twenty J