Read Online Pirandello's Henry IV by Luigi Pirandello, Tom Stoppard - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Luigi Pirandello, Tom Stoppard
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canât help provoking me, though the Doctor warned him. (
to Belcredi
) Why should I care about what happened between us?âthe part you played in my unlucky love . . . (
indicating Belcredi to Matilda
) . . . the part he now plays in your life! My life has been this one here. I wasnât there when you got old. Was that what you wanted to tell me, to show me, by dressing up, stooping to thisâon doctorâs orders? Nice one, Doctor. âBeforeâ and âAfter,â eh? But unfortunately for you, Iâm not that crazy. I knew damn well he wasnât Henry IV. Because Iâm Henry IV. Iâve been Henry IV for years . . . stuck behind my mask, while sheâs lived life and enjoyed herself for twenty years . . . and becomeâlook at her thereâsomeone I donât know anymore . . . because I know her like this . . . (
pointing at Frida and moving closer to
her
) to me this will always be her. Now you look like little children ready to jump out of your skins. (
to Frida
) And you were frightened, werenât you, my sweet, by the game they tricked you into playing. How could you know it wasnât the game they thought it was? Oh, what a marvellous terror!âthe dream that comes to life, never more alive than in you. You were only an image but they made you flesh . . . blood . . . breath. Youâre mineâmine!âmine by right!
Henry takes her in his arms, laughing insanely, while everybody shrieks in terror; but when they rush to pull Frida away from him he becomes menacing and shouts to his four Counsellors.
HENRY Â Â Â (
cont.
) Hold them off! Hold them! I order you!
The four Counsellors, stunned, fascinated, automatically try to restrain Di Nolli, the Doctor, and Belcredi.
BELCREDI Â Â Â Let go of her! Let go! Youâre no madman!
Henry takes Di Nolliâs sword.
HENRY Â Â Â Oh no? (
He runs Belcredi through.
) Are you sure?
Belcredi screams. Everyone rushes to Belcrediâs aid, shouting in confusion.
DI NOLLI Â Â Â Is it bad?
BERTOLD Â Â Â Right in the guts!
DOCTOR Â Â Â I warned you! Didnât I tell you?
FRIDA Â Â Â Oh my God!
DI NOLLI Â Â Â Frida, stay by me.
MATILDA Â Â Â Heâs mad!âMad!
DI NOLLI Â Â Â Hold him down!
BELCREDI Â Â Â (
protesting fiercely
) Oh no . . . thereâs nothing crazy about you! Heâs not mad! He isnât mad!
They take Belcredi, continuing to yell, out. Among the cries there is a more piercing one from Matilda, followed by silence.
Henry remains onstage, between Landolf, Harold, and Ordulf, with his eyes wide open, in astonishment.
HENRY Â Â Â Now . . . yes . . . no two ways about it . . . Together again . . . Henry the Fourth, now and forever.
THE END
to Belcredi
) Why should I care about what happened between us?âthe part you played in my unlucky love . . . (
indicating Belcredi to Matilda
) . . . the part he now plays in your life! My life has been this one here. I wasnât there when you got old. Was that what you wanted to tell me, to show me, by dressing up, stooping to thisâon doctorâs orders? Nice one, Doctor. âBeforeâ and âAfter,â eh? But unfortunately for you, Iâm not that crazy. I knew damn well he wasnât Henry IV. Because Iâm Henry IV. Iâve been Henry IV for years . . . stuck behind my mask, while sheâs lived life and enjoyed herself for twenty years . . . and becomeâlook at her thereâsomeone I donât know anymore . . . because I know her like this . . . (
pointing at Frida and moving closer to
her
) to me this will always be her. Now you look like little children ready to jump out of your skins. (
to Frida
) And you were frightened, werenât you, my sweet, by the game they tricked you into playing. How could you know it wasnât the game they thought it was? Oh, what a marvellous terror!âthe dream that comes to life, never more alive than in you. You were only an image but they made you flesh . . . blood . . . breath. Youâre mineâmine!âmine by right!
Henry takes her in his arms, laughing insanely, while everybody shrieks in terror; but when they rush to pull Frida away from him he becomes menacing and shouts to his four Counsellors.
HENRY Â Â Â (
cont.
) Hold them off! Hold them! I order you!
The four Counsellors, stunned, fascinated, automatically try to restrain Di Nolli, the Doctor, and Belcredi.
BELCREDI Â Â Â Let go of her! Let go! Youâre no madman!
Henry takes Di Nolliâs sword.
HENRY Â Â Â Oh no? (
He runs Belcredi through.
) Are you sure?
Belcredi screams. Everyone rushes to Belcrediâs aid, shouting in confusion.
DI NOLLI Â Â Â Is it bad?
BERTOLD Â Â Â Right in the guts!
DOCTOR Â Â Â I warned you! Didnât I tell you?
FRIDA Â Â Â Oh my God!
DI NOLLI Â Â Â Frida, stay by me.
MATILDA Â Â Â Heâs mad!âMad!
DI NOLLI Â Â Â Hold him down!
BELCREDI Â Â Â (
protesting fiercely
) Oh no . . . thereâs nothing crazy about you! Heâs not mad! He isnât mad!
They take Belcredi, continuing to yell, out. Among the cries there is a more piercing one from Matilda, followed by silence.
Henry remains onstage, between Landolf, Harold, and Ordulf, with his eyes wide open, in astonishment.
HENRY Â Â Â Now . . . yes . . . no two ways about it . . . Together again . . . Henry the Fourth, now and forever.
THE END
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