007 - The Lady of Lyons- In The Lyons Den

In the Lion's Den from Mister Puncher's Dramatic Sequels by sin John Hankin. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. The Lady of Lyon.

By by Amanda Friday.

Claude Melnott read by Lambda James Manservant.

Read by Elizabeth Klett.

Missus Melnott read by Karen Savage. Missus de Chapelle read by Capricia Page Narrator read by Ruth Golding. In the Lion's Den, seen the drawing room of Claude Melnott's house, Pauline is sitting by the fire, Claude leaning with his back against the mantelpiece. James, a manservant in livery, enters with a card on a salver reading card.

Missus Smith not at home, James.

Who can never quite get out of his habit of speaking in first.

Why are you not at home? To mister Smith, my dear Claude.

That woman mister Smith kept a greengrocer's shop. Tis true, he made a great deal of money by his contracts to supply the armies of the Republic with vegetables, but they are not gentle people.

In his most byronic manner, what is it makes a gentleman? Pauline, ye is said to have a cousin in the peerage.

Partly that dear or is to.

Be honest, simple kind. But I have no.

Reason for believing mister Smith to have been more honest than the general run of army contractors.

Continuing gentle in speech and action as in name. Oh, it is this that makes a gentleman, and mister Smith, although ye kept a shop, me very properly be so described.

Yes, I know, dear, everybody calls himself a gentleman nowadays, even the boy who cleans the boots. But I'm not going to give in to these unhealthy modern ideas, and I'm not going to visit missus Smith. She is not in society.

Off again on his high horse.

What is society all noble men?

But mister Smith isn't a nobleman?

Clod and women in whatever stationed born these only these make up society.

But that's such a dreadful misuse of words, Dear. When one talks of society, one does not mean good people, or unselfish people, or high minded people, but people who keep a carriage and give dinner parties. Those are the only things which really matter socially.

Pauline, Pauline, what dreadful sentiments. They show a worldly and perverted mind. I grieve to think my wife should uttern them.

I wish Claude you try and give up talking in blank verse. It's a very bad form, and it's very bad verse too. Try and break yourself of it off.

Again, all noble thoughts, Pauline.

No, no, no, Clode, I really can't have this ranting byronics are quite out of.

Fashion, relapsing gloomily into prose.

You may laugh at me, Pauline, but you know I am right.

Of course, you're right, dear, much too right for this wicked world. That's why I never can take your advice on any subject. You're so unpractical.

Breaking out again the world, the world?

Oh how I aid this world?

Now, that's silly of you, dear. There's nothing like making the best of a bad thing. By the way, Clode, didn't you say Missus Melnot was coming to call this afternoon.

Yes, dear mother, how nice will be to see her again?

It will be charming, of course, I do hope no one else will call at the same time. Perhaps i'd better tell James we are not at home to any one except missus Melnot.

Oh no, don't do that. My mother will enjoy meeting our friends.

No doubt, dear. But will our friends enjoy meeting your mother?

Seeing him about to burst forth again?

Oh yes, Clode, I know what you are going to say. But after all, Lyons is a very purse, proud vulgar place. You know how my mother can behave on occasions, and if missus melnot happens to be here when other people paul it might be very unpleasant. I really think I had better say we are not at home.

To any one rises to ring the.

Bell, Pauline, I forbid you sit down at once. If my family are not good enough for your friends, let them drop us and be hanged to them.

Clode, don't storm. It's so vulgar, and there's not the least occasion for it either. I only thought it would be pleasanter for all our visitors, your dear mother among the number, if we avoided all chance of disagreeable scenes. But there, dear, you've no savoir faire, and I'm afraid we shall never get into society.

It's very sad, touched by her patience.

I am sorry, my dear. I ought to have kept my temper, but I wish you weren't so set upon getting into society. Isn't it a little.

Snobbish, wilfully misunderstanding him?

It's dreadfully snobbish, dear. The most snobbish sort of society I know all provincial towns are like that. But it's the only society there is here, you know, and we must make the best of it.

My poor Pauline kissing her.

But you know, Clode, social distinctions do exist, why not recognize them? And the late mister Melnott was a gardener.

He was an excellent gardener.

One of the lower classes.

In a republic. There are no lower classes in a republic.

There are no higher classes, and class distinctions are more sharply drawn than ever.

In consequence, so much the worse for the republic.

Claude, I begin to think you are an anarchist.

I I am a colonel in the French army.

But not a real colonel, Clode, only a Republican colonel.

I rose from the ranks in two years by merit.

I know, dear, real colonel's only rise by interest.

Claude gasps, opening the door and showing in a wizened old lady in rusty black garments and a bonnet. Slightly awry missus Melnot Pauline goes forward to greet her. Not seeing her, Oh my dear son runs across the room to Claude. Before the eyes of the deeply scandalized James and kisses him repeatedly.

How glad I am to see you again, and your grand house and your fine servants in livery too.

Pauline shudders, and so does James. The latter goes out.

My dearest mother.

Kisses her, beaming on Pauline, how.

Do you do, my dear, Let me give my Claude's wife a kiss.

Does so in resounding fashion, as soon as she has recovered from the warmth of this embrace.

How do you do, Missus Melnott. Won't you sit down?

Thank you kindly, my dear I don't mind if I do.

A ring is heard outside, followed by the sound of someone being admitted. Pauline looks anxiously towards the door to herself a visitor.

How unlucky I wonder who.

It is throwing open the door, Missus de Chapel.

Great heavens.

My mother falls back, overwhelmed into her chair in her most elaborate manner.

My dear child, you are unwell. My coming has been a shock to you. But there a daughter's affection.

Claude shaking hands with him.

How wonderful it.

Is, dear mother. We are delighted to see you.

Of course I ought to have called before. I have been meaning to come ever since you returned from your honeymoon. But I have so many visits to pay, and you have only been back ten weeks.

I quite understand, mother, dear.

And as I always say to your poor father, when one is a leader in society, one has so many engagements. I am sure you find that.

I have hardly begun to receive visits yet.

No, dear, But then it's different for you. When you married Colonel Melnott, of course you gave up all social ambitions.

I am sure no one could wish for a better braver husband than my Claude.

Turning sharply round and observing Missus Melnott for the first time, I beg your pardon.

I said no, and could have a better husband than.

Claude, dumbfounded, appealing to Pauline, Who who is.

This person I think you have met before? Mother, This is Missus Melnott.

Oh, the gardener's wife, melodramatic at.

Once, Yes, the gardener's wife and my mother.

Of course, I know the unfortunate relationship between you, Claude. You need not thrust it down my throat. You know how unpleasant it.

Is for me shocked at this bad taste.

Mother, Oh, yes.

It is as I was saying to your poor father yesterday. Of course Claude is all right. He is an officer now, and all officers are supposed to be gentlemen. But his relatives are impossible, quite impossible.

This insolence is intolerable. Madame Dischival Claude Cloude, don't be angry.

Remember who she is.

I remember well enough. She is Madam Deschapel's and her husband as a successful tradesman. He was an English shop boy, and his proper name was Chapel. He came over to Franz grew rich pu de dieu before his name, and now gives himself airs like the other parvenus monster.

My dear Clode, how wonderfully.

Interesting rising, my son, you must not forget your manners. Missus Deschapelle is Pauline's mother. I will go away now and leave you to make your apologies to her.

Claude tries to prevent her going.

No, No, I.

Will go really, good bye, my son, good bye, dear.

Pauline, kisses her and goes out.

If that woman imagines that I am going to stay here after being insulted, by you as I have been. She is much mistaken. Please ring for my carriage Claude rings. As for you, Pauline, I always told you what would happen if you insisted on marrying beneath you, And now you see I'm right.

You seem to forget, Mamma that Papa was practically a bankrupt when I married, and that Clode paid his debts.

I forget nothing, and I do not see that it makes the smallest difference. I am not blaming your poor father for having his debts paid by Colonel Melnott. I am blaming you for marrying him.

Good Bye, she sweeps out in a towering passion.

Sit down, Clode, and don't glower at me like that. It's not my fault. If Mamma does not know how.

To behave struggling with his rage.

That's true. That's true.

Poor mamma. Her want of breeding is terrible. I have always noticed it. But that story about mister Chappelle explains it all. Why didn't you tell it to me before.

I thought it would pain you pain me?

I am delighted with it. Why it explains everything, It explains me, It explains you even and miss Chappelle might marry any one. Don't frown, Clode laugh. We shall never get into society in Lions, but at least we shall never have another visit from Mamma. The worst has happened. We can now live happily ever afterwards.

Curtain end of in the Lion's Den.