18. ENCHANTER MERLIN
(This comi-tragedy is a mock explanation
of the curse on Lord Tennyson's
Lady of Shalott.)
SCENE I
Queen Guinevere's chamber
AUTHUR
Ah, my beloved queen.
GUINEVERE
So soon from court, my lord?
AUTHUR
Yes, my love!
Thy web of beauty
Draws me away from duty.
I am caught,
Yet I am not
For 'tis mine eyes which feeds -
GUINEVERE
No! No, my lord. The essence
Of the court is thy presence.
AUTHUR
Ah dear...
Let me thy bewitched smile
Enjoy for quite a while.
GUINEVERE
(gestures)
Here comes Merlin!
MERLIN
The court awaits thy presence, lord.
AUTHUR
Merlin, thou wert my centaur.
So take my seat at this hour
And let me be with Guinevere.
GUINEVERE
Maids!
(enter maids. Authur exits reluctantly)
Let's go to the garden.
SCENE II
King Authur's court
COURT
Hail Authur our beloved king!
AUTHUR
What hath court to say to its king?
COURT
Let's go hunting, my lord.
AUTHUR
Why not? Let us.
(exeunt. Merlin re-enters)
MERLIN
What pupil of mine and his lot
For hunting leave sweet Camelot?
Now this is dreadful Camelot.
Here shalt I never rot.
(enters queen. Overhears)
GUINEVERE
What! Merlin, you speak ill of Camelot?
(Merlin exits without answering)
SCENE III
A room in the palace
AUTHUR
What, Merlin? I heard you spoke ill of Camelot.
GUINEVERE
And he answered me not!
AUTHUR
Is this true, Merlin?
MERLIN
True, my lord.
AUTHUR
What can ail thee?
MERLIN
Nothing, my lord. 'Tis only this:
In future I shall live in Berlin
As it rhymes my swet name;
And my clothing shall be of terlin
As it pleases my dame.
(exits Merlin)
AUTHUR
What is he speaking of?
GUINEVERE
Nothing I know of.
(enters Sir Lancelot)
AUTHUR
Welcome, Lancelot.
GUINEVERE
Welcome!
LANCELOT
Thank, your majesty. Thanks.
AUTHUR
Lancelot, what can ail Merlin?
He speaks of Berlin -
A place I haven't heard.
He has begun to look weird.
LANCELOT
Did he speak of a dame, lord?
AUTHUR
Yes!
LANCELOT-GUINEVERE
I think he is in love, my lord!
AUTHUR
What? Unbelievable!
LANCELOT
And, lord, as you thought
So thought he.
AUTHUR
Thought what?
LANCELOT
Thought that he looked very very weird
And said he was going to shave off his beard.
AUTHUR (to queen)
I fain would correct my tutor
Though I be no great orator.
SCENE IV
(A house at Shalott)
LADY
Who be it?
MERLIN
(clean shaven)
The man who loves thee.
LADY
Oh! I recognize thy voice
But Lancelot is my choice.
His chivalrous poise
Makes my heart rejoice.
MERLIN
(kneels down)
What seest in him that's not in me?
Wast not I who reared King Authur,
Son of Ygraine and King Uther?
What dragon slain by Lancelot's sword
Can, if alive, withstand my magic word?
Therefore, forget him; and to me give
Thy precious love without which to live
My spirit and flesh would fail me.
LADY
Nay! I love thee not; nor can I; nor will I.
For Lancelot is the moon; and you
A meaner beauty of the sky.
MERLIN
(annoyed)
Let the worst curse be upon thee!
From this day thou shalt weave
And weave and weave.
And in a mirror thou shalt view
The shadows of happy lovers new.
And if ye turn toward Camelot
Then shalt a lady be lost to Shalott.
(exits Merlin)
LADY
How could he be so cruel?
(she faints)
SCENE V
King Authur's court
AUTHUR
(recognizing Merlin with difficulty)
What fire, I beg your pardon,
Hath consumed thy chin's garden?
(the court laughs)
MERLIN
Thou deridest me, lord.
(enter king's servants)
SERVANT
Lord, we saw a lady floating
Down the river in a boat.
AUTHUR
What?
LANCELOT
Sir, allow we knights
To see what her plight might be.
(The king nods. Exit knights.)
MERLIN
Allow me, lord, to witness it too.
(The king nods and exits)
Thanks, my lord.
SCENE VI
A river bank
KNIGHT
The writ on the boat tells me
She is the Lady of Shalott.
(The knights cross themselves for fear)
LANCELOT
(muses a little space)
She has a lovely face;
God in His mercy lend her grace,
The Lady of Shalott.
(the kinghts bury her and exit. Merlin sheds a tear
and approaches the grave.)
MERLIN
Oh, what fair beauty lies here
Who was to me too dear.
Though I be Merlin the enchanter,
Into her heart I couldn't enter.
Cursed be my heart and let it rot
For having cursed the Lady of Shalott.
(He staggers and exits)
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