The day is dying, and the
intoxicating odor of the elders is wafted to me; the flowers close
their petals in the gray of the evening--
STRAFOREL. [Aside to the violins] Music!
[The musicians play softly until the end of the act.]
PERCINET. I tremble like a reed. She is coming!
STRAFOREL. [To the musicians] Amoroso!
PERCINET. My first evening meeting--I can scarcely stand! The
evening breeze sounds like the fluttering of her dress. Now I
can't see the flowers, but I can smell them. Ah, this great tree,
with a star above it--Music? Who--? [A pause.] Night has come.
[After another pause, a clock strikes eight in the distance.
SYLVETTE appears at the back of her park.]
SYLVETTE. The hour has struck. He must be waiting.
[A whistle is heard. STRAFOREL rises in front of SYLVETTE, and
torch-bearers appear in the background. SYLVETTE screams. The
swordsmen seize and put her into the sedan-chair.]
SYLVETTE. Help! Help!
PERCINET. Great Heavens!
SYLVETTE. Percinet, they are carrying me off!
PERCINET. [Leaping to the wall] I come! [When he reaches the
top of the wall, he draws his sword, jumps down on the other side,
and engages four or five swordsmen in combat. They flee before
him.
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