ACT ONE

Prelude

Scene One - A great hall in Arthur's palace at

Carlisle. The massive redbrick walls are

covered

with tapestries, and the floor is strewn with cut

reeds. On a dais to the left is the royal throne.

As

the curtain rises, Arthur is standing in front of

his

guests, apparently in the act of concluding a

speech.

Guinevere is seated nearby. The room is filled

with

any number of knights, squires and pages,

including

Mordred and Lancelot, both of whom are

sitting in

the front row. The women are assembled

beneath

the throne on the same side as Guinevere. The

bards,

dressed in long white robes, are on the

opposite side.

ARTHUR

Glory be to all of you who fought beside your

king!

Those who destroyed our land have been

defeated!

The harsh cruel Saxon tribes have been driven

out,

And have now set sail for their own desolate

isles!

Before the mightiness of our flashing blue

swords,

They've fled our shores and taken to the high

seas!

Glory be to the brave Knights of the Round

Table,

And above all, to God, our most Heavenly

Father!

But Merlin, why aren't you here with the rest

of us

On the day when we are celebrating such a

victory?

Where on earth could you possibly be hiding

away?

Could the great Merlin himself be among the

dead?

Wherever you are, I'm sure your heart is

throbbing

To the awful sound of the battle cry of the

Britons!

King Arthur and his men have triumphed over

evil,

And this country is freed of the Saxons at long

last!

(There is much excitement to be heard among

the

crowd. As the knights strike their shields with

the

hilts of their swords, the squires at the back

wave

branches of oak.)

CHORUS

Hurrah! Hurrah! Glory be to our invincible

leader!

Hurrah! Hurrah! Arthur, your anger is truly

terrible

Each time that you brandish your sword

Excalibur!

Death and destruction forever follow in your

wake!

(Arthur raises his hand to silence his guests.)

ARTHUR

My dear friends, now that the storm is finally

over,

Let us forget about the pain that we have

suffered!

Let us lay aside these swords and weapons of

war,

And enjoy the benefits of such a hard-won

peace!

(turning to the squires)

Start pouring wine and cider and ale for my

guests,

And some mead for the brave heroes in our

midst!

Let this dear old Gallic city of ours be decked

out

With so many ferns and irises and elder-

blossoms!

(addressing the bards)

And you, my bards with those ivory harps of

yours,

Sing the praises of the most courageous of

knights,

Whose daring exploits have conquered the

enemy!

Every one of you has fought hard for our

freedom,

But it was the final battle that defeated the

Saxons,

And he was the one who led our troops to

victory!

MORDRED

It's him! He's always the one who carries the

day!

LANCELOT

(moving several steps closer to Arthur)

Forgive me, sire, but I don't deserve such an

honor!

There's not a single one among us who's not

ready

To shed all his blood in the service of King

Arthur!

BARDS

See how the knights in shining armor blind the

eye,

Like the first rays of the sun at the dawn of the

day!

See the chargers as they gallop at breakneck

speed,

Spurred on by their own rider's shouted

commands,

As swift as the great red eagle when it takes

flight!

MORDRED

(speaking quietly to a group of knights who

have

gathered around him)

This isn't fair to the rest of us! It's always

Lancelot!

KNIGHTS

(muttering among themselves)

He's always the one who is given credit for

winning!

Aren't we at least as brave as he is on the

battlefield?

Our own loyalty means less than nothing to the

king!

Oh, Mordred, even though you are Arthur's

nephew,

You might as well consider yourself a forgotten

man!

BARDS

See how he brandishes his sword made of ash

wood,

Lancelot, the most gallant knight of the Round

Table!

See how his charger is galloping at breakneck

speed,

As light as a feather as it carries him across

the plain,

As swift as the great black eagle when it takes

flight!

MORDRED

Just wait a little longer! Very soon I will avenge

us!

KNIGHTS

Oh, yes! Oh, yes! It's high time to take our

revenge!

CHORUS

Glory be to Lancelot, the bravest of knights!

Hurrah!

BARDS

See how many soldiers already lie dead on the

moor,

Mowed down by the mighty warriors of King

Arthur!

Sir Lancelot himself is leading his troops into

battle!

See their chargers as they gallop at breakneck

speed,

As swift as the great white eagle when it takes

flight!

(Arthur comes down from his throne and

approaches

the knights.)

ARTHUR

Why, my dear Lancelot, among this festive

crowd,

Are you the only one not joining in the

celebration?

What is it that seems to be making you so

unhappy?

MORDRED

(with biting sarcasm, before Lancelot has even

had

a chance to respond)

Perhaps your Lancelot is really a kindhearted

soul!

Or perhaps this deep sadness might be due

instead

To the fact that he cannot cut more Saxons in

half,

Which was how he used to like to begin each

day!

ARTHUR (severely)

Mordred, my dear nephew, I'm asking you

myself

Not to treat the most valiant knight in the

kingdom

In such a disgracefully arrogant and mocking

way!

(Mordred has barely begun to speak when

Guinevere

suddenly descends from her throne. After

receiving

a goblet from one of the squires, she

approaches

Lancelot.)

GUINEVERE

Sir Lancelot, the sword no longer reigns

supreme

When the harps raise their voices in a joyful

song!

Accept this cup from me in reward for your

valor!

It's time to forget the fierce cries of the

battlefield,

And those terrible scenes of death and

destruction!

You must not scorn the winged words of the

bards

As they sing of your feats as the bravest of

heroes!

Their tales, which are as airy as the clouds

above,

Shall bring you the fame that you so well

deserve!

Your name will only become a legend for all

time

If the bards have celebrated it throughout the

ages!

(As she presents him with the cup, she lowers

her

voice so that only he can hear her words.)

Tonight! I'll let you know when it's time to

come!

(She then moves away, passing between the

ranks

of the knights, and pausing briefly to exchange

greetings with several of them.)

MORDRED

(who has been watching her every movement)

They're whispering to each other! He's

trembling!

Ah, Guinevere, you have rejected my love for

you,

And you have given yourself to him, that

Lancelot!

May you both live to see the day of your

reckoning!

(Followed by her ladies-in-waiting, Guinevere

slowly

exits the hall. Arthur himself accompanies her

to the

back of the stage. By the time he returns to his

guests,

the banquet tables have already been set up,

and he

motions to the knights to be seated. As the

feasting

is about to begin, the curtain falls.)

Scene Two - A terraced area within the castle

walls.

On the right, a covered gallery. In the

foreground,

a porch that leads to the queen's private

apartments.

On the left, the garden. At the very back, a

balustrade

behind which treetops and turrets can be seen.

It is

nighttime. The sky is overcast. From time to

time, the

moon appears between the clouds. When the

curtain

rises, Lionel is sitting in solitude on the porch

steps.

In the distance, the calls of the night

watchmen can

be heard.

NIGHT WATCHMEN (off stage)

Hey, hey, hey! Stop where you are! Hey, hey,

hey!

LIONEL

Only the cries of the night watchmen can be

heard!

The rest of the world is sound asleep and at

peace!

Oh, Lancelot, what have you done? Oh, my

master,

It was you who taught me about loyalty and

honor!

I was living for that day when you would grant

me

The weapons of a true Knight of the Round

Table!

Should I condemn your actions in spite of

myself?

Your love is fated to bring about your

destruction!

Oh, Lancelot, you who are Arthur's closest

friend,

You who have always been his comrade-in-

arms,

You have lied to him! You have become a

traitor!

(He is silent for a moment.)

How can such a thing ever have happened to

him?

This love of his has taken over his entire

existence!

He's now living in some kind of a dreamlike

state,

With no idea of the crimes that he has

committed!

He's not even trying to hide his feelings

anymore!

At the very sight of her his eyes light up with

love!

And then there's Mordred always spying on

them!

Yes, Mordred! The one who's jealous of

Lancelot!

The one who was in love with Guinevere

himself,

And who's still outraged at having been

rejected!

Dear God! What if he were ever to find them

out?

I am the only one who can possibly protect

them,

By keeping watch over them throughout the

night!

(He stands up and begins to move back stage,

all the

while looking around him to see if anyone is

coming.

Clasped in each other's arms, Guinevere and

Lancelot

suddenly appear beneath the porch, and slowly

begin

to descend the steps. As soon as he notices

them, Lionel disappears among the trees.

During the following scene, he crosses the

back of the stage several times.)

Scene Three - Lancelot and Guinevere

LANCELOT and GUINEVERE

When we're alone the whole world fades away,

And we live in a magical kingdom of our own!

Transported by the power of the love we share,

We see only the beauty of nature all around us!

We wander this enchanted world hand in hand,

Bound together by the ecstasy we have known!

We can only wonder at the love we have found,

And the depth of feeling that unites us for

ever!

LANCELOT

(sitting down on a stone bench and drawing

Guinevere closer to him)

Let me hold you once more in my loving arms,

So closely that I feel the beating of your heart!

Lay your sweet head right here upon my

breast,

Like a delicate little flower bent over its stem!

GUINEVERE (most tenderly)

Yes, my dear Lancelot, I'm yours completely!

Take my mouth! Press your lips against mine!

Take my eyes! Your face is ever before them!

Do with me what you will! I live only for you!

LANCELOT

Whenever I hear the sound of your sweet voice,

My heart is filled with hope and joy once more!

Just promise me that you'll never leave my

side!

Only when I'm with you, my dearest Guinevere,

Can I forget what my life was really like before,

And what's happened to me since I fell in love!

GUINEVERE

What do you mean by those words, my darling?

Why are you still so tormented about your

past?

How could a life devoted to honor and sacrifice

Ever compare to the ecstasy that we've known?

Those who love will always triumph in the end!

Give in to your feelings, my precious Lancelot,

And rejoice with me in the love we have found!

In my heart there's no place for fear or

remorse!

All I know is that I love you more than life

itself!

LANCELOT (passionately)

Oh, my darling! Oh, my one and only true love!

Just as the nightmares that come while we

sleep,

Made more terrible by the darkness of the

night,

Suddenly disappear with the first light of the

day,

The deep sadness that oppresses my aching

heart

Vanishes as soon as I hear your own sweet

voice!

Each time that I remember how beautiful you

are,

All I know is that you are now the light of my

life!

LANCELOT and GUINEVERE

In your arms my poor heart finds peace at last,

And the awful doubts that plague my thoughts

Are put to rest in the warmth of your embrace!

You and your love are all I have left to live for!

The world outside has lost any meaning for me,

So deep and abiding is this love that we share!

(They remain locked in a silent embrace,

seeming

to have lost all awareness of their

surroundings,

when Lionel suddenly appears on the scene. As

he

hesitantly approaches Lancelot, he calls out to

him

in a low voice.)

Scene Four - Lionel, Lancelot and Guinevere

LIONEL

It's daylight, my master, it's almost daylight!

LANCELOT

(as if returning to his senses)

Ah! Who's there? Who's calling out to me?

LIONEL

It's almost daylight! The dawn is breaking!

NIGHT WATCHMEN (off stage)

Hey, hey! Hey, hey! The dawn is breaking!

LIONEL

Master, you must leave with me right now!

GUINEVERE

Leave?--What is it?--Is it already daybreak?

NIGHT WATCHMEN

Hey, hey! Hey, hey! The dawn is breaking!

LIONEL

Ah, master, I'm begging you, don't delay!

I can hear the cries of the night watchmen,

And the rising sun is just over the horizon!

NIGHT WATCHMEN

The sun is up, and a new day is breaking!

LIONEL

I am begging you not to tempt your fate!

GUINEVERE (rising)

Oh, my darling, our night of love is over!

It's time to go our separate ways for now!

(Lionel goes into the queen's apartments,

and reappears some moments later carrying

Lancelot's weapons.)

LANCELOT

How the hours drag by when we're apart!

When will we see each other once again?

GUINEVERE

Tonight! Perhaps tonight if all goes well!

I'll make sure that you receive a message--

(After a brief hesitation, Mordred slowly makes

his way forward from the back of the stage,

taking

care to remain hidden by the trees. As the first

glimmer of daylight appears, he suddenly

catches

sight of Guinevere and Lancelot.)

MORDRED

(turning back and shouting with all his might)

On your guard! There are traitors among us!

LIONEL

Oh, dear God, they've been caught in a trap!

GUINEVERE

Heaven help us if he goes and tells the king!

MORDRED

Everyone! Come quickly! I need your help!

LIONEL

Master, it's Mordred! He has found you out!

MORDRED

On your guard, everyone! I need your help!

LANCELOT

(as he advances on Mordred)

You miserable coward! Pick up your sword!

(After an exchange of blows, Mordred is struck

down by a terrible wound to his chest.

Guinevere,

who has been anxiously watching in the

distance,

rushes over to where he is lying on the

ground.)

GUINEVERE

Is he really lying here stone dead at my feet?

If only his tongue could be silenced forever!

LIONEL

It's broad daylight! Master, we have to leave!

GUINEVERE

Yes, go ahead now! There's no time to lose!

Go now, my darling! Don't delay any longer!

Maybe one of the guards heard him shouting!

If anyone should come--Go on now, my love!

LANCELOT

And leave you all alone at a time like this?

GUINEVERE

If they find you here my life will be ruined!

There's nothing you can do to help me now!

I'm begging you, just go before it's too late!

LANCELOT

Ah, my Guinevere, will I ever see you again?

GUINEVERE

Just go and wait for me in the nearby forest,

And leave Lionel here with me as an escort!

I promise that I'll meet you as soon as I can!

Never forget how much we love each other!

When we're together there's nothing to fear!

LANCELOT (in total despair)

I've betrayed both my king and my country!

I've drawn my sword against a fellow knight

To cover all the lies that my life has become!

LIONEL (urgently)

Master, I'm begging you, for the love of God--

GUINEVERE

It's time to say good-bye, my dearest darling!

(Lancelot, who is led away by Lionel, exits on

the left. Guinevere looks after him as she leans

against the balustrade, and then starts moving

in the direction of the castle. Just as she

reaches

the door to her apartments, however, Mordred

raises his head from the ground, and utters a

faint cry for help.)

MORDRED

Someone help me! Someone help me please!

GUINEVERE

(turning around in absolute terror)

Oh, my Lord God! He's alive! He's still alive!

(A detachment of soldiers descending from the

ramparts suddenly appears in the background.

As they crowd around the wounded Mordred,

the curtain slowly begins to fall.)

ACT TWO

Prelude

Scene One - The edge of a pine forest. The

tree

trunks, tall and straight, resemble endless

rows

of stately columns. On the right, a large moss-

covered rock that could be used as a place to

sit.

At the back, fields stretching out into the

distance.

It is broad daylight. The sun, filtering through

the

branches of the trees, leaves bright patches on

the

ground. As the curtain rises, a plowman is

slowly

moving across the back of the stage, scattering

seeds along the way.

PLOWMAN

Rion, the beard-stealing king of the isles,

Was said to be all of eight feet tall, ho ho!

With his band of pirates and desperadoes,

This giant would sail across the high seas,

And prowl around our towns and villages

So as to kidnap our wives and daughters!

The eagles of Lomond high up in the sky

Were keeping watch over Arthur's realm!

(He disappears on the right.)

One dark night they spied the pirate ship,

And cried out to warn their country man--

"Merlin, wake up! Go and alert the king!

The giant's here to carry off our women!"

(As Lancelot slowly moves forward from the

back of the stage, he pauses to lay his sword

and cloak down at the foot of a tree.)

Scene Two - Lancelot and Guinevere

LANCELOT

Has Lionel found a way to go and see her?

How maddening to have to stay right here,

And not be able to do anything to help her!

All I can do now is to wait for her to arrive!

(anxiously)

The daylight was just about ready to break!

What if the night watchmen recognized me

While they were up there on the ramparts?

What if Mordred isn't really dead after all?

What if my hands were trembling so badly

That I was only able to wound him instead?

Oh, God help me! What if he is still alive?

What if he has already been to see the king,

And has accused me of betraying his trust?

PLOWMAN (off stage)

"See the rich lining of my royal cloak, ho ho!

It's made of the beards of those eleven kings

That I've killed in battle throughout the years!

Oh, Arthur, I'm here for the hair on your chin!

All that I need now is one more ruler's beard,

And yours is the only one that is still missing!"

(As he comes back out and moves across the

back of the stage from right to left, Lancelot

stops to listen to the words of his song.)

The brave King Arthur turned white with rage,

And then drew out his sword Excalibur, ho ho!

He gave a great shout to the heavens up above,

And then hurled himself straight at the pirate!

Soon the field was soaked in bright red blood,

And the monstrous giant lay dying at his feet!

(As the plowman moves off into the distance

and

disappears entirely, his voice can still be

heard.)

Jesus Christ was there to watch over the King

As he did battle with the forces of evil, ho ho!

The giant monster who tried to steal his beard

Died like a dog with his face lying in the dust!

King Arthur, with the heart of a mighty falcon,

Dared to risk his own life to bring Rion down!

LANCELOT

(as if returning to his senses)

Arthur! Arthur! The greatest ruler of them all,

The saintliest king the world has ever known!

The staunchest defender of the Christian faith!

The brave warrior who conquered the Saxons!

(in the depths of despair)

Ah, I'm not worthy of his loyalty and respect!

I'm guilty of the worst crime he can imagine!

I've betrayed his confidence again and again!

I've committed treason against my own king!

I've lied to him in every way I knew how to!

I've broken each vow that I once held sacred!

And my name, which once stood for loyalty,

Will now be dragged right through the mud!

How can I ever have let myself stoop so low?

Yes, I'm a liar! And yet in my heart of hearts

I know that I'll be tied to Guinevere forever!

Everything that governed my life is forgotten

As soon as I hold her once more in my arms!

GUINEVERE (off stage)

Lancelot! My own Lancelot! Where are you?

LANCELOT

(catching sight of Guinevere in the distance)

Here she is! She's come back to me after all!

GUINEVERE

I'm begging you! You've got to protect me!

(She rushes in breathlessly, followed by Lionel,

who immediately withdraws.)

LANCELOT

Oh, my Guinevere! Just to be with you again!

Scene Three - Guinevere and Lancelot

GUINEVERE

Mordred's alive! He's accused you of treason!

Your comrades are joining forces against you!

Only Arthur is convinced that you're innocent!

He still refuses to believe what he's been told!

LANCELOT

Is there still some way in Heaven to save you?

Just tell me what it is that you want me to do!

GUINEVERE

You have to fearlessly confront your accusers!

Go back to Carlisle with your head held high!

Arthur could never believe his friend is guilty!

You're the only one who can protect me now!

I myself have already denied the accusations,

But you're the one that he wants to hear from!

LANCELOT

You want me to appear before King Arthur!

You want me to tell him that I am innocent!

What can I possibly say in my own defense?

I'm too ashamed of myself ever to face him!

GUINEVERE

You can tell him whatever it is you want to,

But I'm begging you to save your Guinevere!

LANCELOT

So you're asking me, Sir Lancelot himself,

To lie in front of everyone present at court,

And swear that these accusations are false?

GUINEVERE

You must do it! You have no other choice!

LANCELOT

You want me to lie to my lord and master?

GUINEVERE

What does one more lie matter in the end?

You've been deceiving your king all along!

LANCELOT

There's no way that I could ever face him!

GUINEVERE

Are you so afraid to tell just one more lie,

To try and save the woman who loves you?

LANCELOT

Yes, I am! I'm too ashamed to face him!

My love made me forget everything else!

I betrayed the man who was my brother!

Arthur, the most valiant knight of us all!

The king who made me his loyal friend!

How could I cruelly betray a sacred trust,

And lie to him to protest my innocence?

Oh, Guinevere, do you really mean this?

Don't ask such a terrible sacrifice of me!

I would shed my own blood to save you!

Let me die for you instead! Take my life!

GUINEVERE

Ah! How could you even think of dying?

You'd ruin me right along with yourself!

LANCELOT

What more is there I could do to help you?

Isn't this at least a fair and honorable way

To protect the reputation of the one I love?

GUINEVERE

What I am asking of you is hateful, I know!

It's shameful, but we have no other choice!

My honor itself is at stake! And so is yours!

It's you, my Lancelot, and your love for me

That forever changed the course of my life!

I am begging you not to refuse this request!

I have come to you in the depths of despair!

I understand just how much it will cost you

To have to tell your king such an awful lie!

There's no other way that you can save me!

The king trusts you, but he still has doubts!

The more we delay, the more he'll suspect!

My darling, we have no time left to waste!

LANCELOT

Ah! I could never lower myself to do this!

I wouldn't be able to look him in the eye!

There is no way I'd ever find the courage

To tell such horrible lies right to his face!

Even my expression would give me away!

No, no! I can't even think of such a thing!

GUINEVERE

Ah! So you're really a coward in the end!

First you tell me how much you love me,

And then you refuse to help save my life!

You have invented every possible excuse

To avoid proclaiming that I am innocent!

Sir Lancelot, the greatest liar of them all,

Suddenly sees that he has some scruples!

So be it! Get out of my sight this instant!

I've decided to confront the king myself,

And tell him the whole truth at long last!

I don't care about what will happen next!

None of it really matters to me anymore!

All I want from you is to leave me alone!

Our love was no more than a bad dream!

I never want to lay my eyes on you again!

(Exhausted, she collapses on a grassy bank

and buries her head in her hands. Lancelot,

completely taken aback, remains motionless

in the center of the stage.)

LANCELOT

What made me say such awful things to her?

How could I ever forsake the woman I love,

Who risked everything to love me in return?

As long as I was faithful to our guilty secret,

I still believed that I was capable of loyalty!

Now all of that is over! There's nothing left!

(suddenly coming to a decision)

Ah! What do I care if I've disgraced myself?

Why should I agonize over a few more lies?

There she is, exhausted and as pale as death!

I'm the only one who can save her! And then--

(Overcome by his emotions, he stands staring

at the ground. Then he slowly makes his way

to the back of the stage to retrieve his cloak

and sword while Guinevere silently looks after

him. He hesitates several times, as if he were

waiting for her to change her mind, and finally

turns toward the left to exit the scene. Just as

he is about to leave, Guinevere, who is still

sitting with her head in her hands, calls out

to him in a voice that can barely be heard.)

GUINEVERE

Oh, Lancelot, my darling Lancelot, wait!

Just tell me where it is that you're going!

LANCELOT

(coming back on stage)

I've decided to appeal directly to the king,

And swear before Almighty God Himself

That I have never betrayed his trust in me!

Ah, Guinevere, will he believe what I say?

You keep insisting that he will forgive me

(bitterly)

Because he still loves me as he did before!

So be it! I'll find the strength to lie to him,

And commit this shameful act to save you!

When it's all over, in one battle or another,

At least I'll find a way to die a noble death,

And put an end to my miserable life at last!

GUINEVERE

How can you even think of going off to die?

(suddenly rising to her feet and rushing over

to where Lancelot is standing)

Ah! Don't ever say such things to me again!

If I could only take back those harsh words!

Lancelot, believe me! I was out of my mind!

I'm yours! All I want is to be here with you!

(She embraces him ever so tenderly.)

Why did I have to say those terrible things?

Look at me! I'm begging you to forgive me!

I don't know what suddenly came over me,

And made me lash out at you so viciously!

Oh, my love, how could I live without you?

What would I do without your sweet kisses?

I am begging you to let me share your fate!

We have nothing to fear if we are together!

LANCELOT

Your love! Your anger! It's all just torment!

You said so yourself! It's time for us to part!

Even if the king does think we are innocent,

Do you truly believe we can keep ourselves

From gazing at each other wherever we are?

And then there is Mordred and his revenge!

We'll be spied upon, and caught off guard!

Even your tenderness could give you away!

GUINEVERE

Why can't we leave everything behind us?

LANCELOT

Do you want us to run off together instead?

GUINEVERE

The love I feel for you shall see us through!

Alive or dead, your own adoring Guinevere

Shall never, ever be parted from you again!

We're bound together by our common fate!

Giving up the throne means nothing to me!

All that matters is that we have each other!

I am beside myself with happiness and joy!

I am part of you! I am yours for the asking!

Take me away with you! It's time to leave!

Your castle is there waiting for us to arrive!

Let it be our refuge for the rest of our lives!

Come away with me! Come now! It's time!

Take me off to a world of our own making,

Where we can love each other for all to see!

My darling, love shall guide us on our way!

The king will come for us, of that I'm sure,

And he may decide that we are both to die!

But at least we'll face our destiny together,

As united in death as we have been in life!

LANCELOT

Guinevere, listen to me for just a moment--

GUINEVERE

Ah, Lancelot, my dearest darling Lancelot,

Take me as far away from here as you can!

Even my royal standing and my reputation--

Nothing means as much to me as your love!

LANCELOT

To spend all the rest of our lives together!

GUINEVERE

Never to be parted from each other again!

LANCELOT

Guinevere, tell me this isn't just a dream!

Tell me what you're saying is really true!

Ah! Tell me there won't be any more lies!

GUINEVERE

I'll show the world how much I love you!

LANCELOT

We'll live only for the love that we share!

GUINEVERE

Such happiness is like a dream come true!

LANCELOT

We're free at last! No joy could be greater!

GUINEVERE

We're free! There could be no greater joy!

(They fall into each other's arms, and

remain locked in a passionate embrace.)

GUINEVERE and LANCELOT

We now belong to each other body and soul,

And our two hearts will forever beat as one!

No one else has ever loved like this before!

No one has known such heights of passion!

LANCELOT

Oh, Guinevere, my own sweet Guinevere,

I love you! I'm yours until the end of time!

GUINEVERE

Oh, Lancelot, I love you with all my heart!

Hold me close! And never let me go again!

LANCELOT

Come, my darling! Let me take you away!

(As he leads her off stage, the curtain falls.)

Scene Four - A cloister in an inner courtyard

of Arthur's castle at Carlisle. Through the

stately

columns of its galleries, a view of the garden at

its center, and the castle roofs in the

background.

The garden itself is overgrown with trees,

thickets

and vines. At the end of the gallery on the

right,

several steps that lead to the door of the king's

apartments. The curtain rises on a group of

knights

engaged in quiet conversation. Arthur enters

from

the left and addresses one of the men in their

midst.

ARTHUR

Is Sir Lancelot still nowhere to be seen?

KNIGHT

I'm sorry, sire, there's no sign of him yet!

(Arthur motions to the knights to withdraw,

and begins to walk slowly along the gallery.)

ARTHUR

I've had the same thought over and over!

I've tried so hard to get it out of my head,

But it keeps on coming back to me again!

I have lost what peace of mind I had left!

My faith in God and man is gone forever!

How can I put an end to these suspicions?

My sweet Guinevere! My loyal Lancelot!

Oh, no! They'd never deceive their king!

But why hasn't he come to me in person?

Oh, my Lancelot! Please answer my call!

I'm here to welcome you with open arms!

Just tell me that Mordred has been lying!

In my heart of hearts I still believe in you!

(As he makes his way slowly along the

gallery, he stops to ponder his situation.)

I overturned the altars of the pagan gods!

I chased the Saxons away from this land!

I founded the Knights of the Round Table

So as to bring God's justice to this world!

I'd thought these ideals would be eternal,

But the end of my dreams is here instead!

The knights are all at war with each other,

Torn by jealousy and the lust for revenge,

And no longer want to abide by the rules!

They let themselves be led on by Mordred,

Who is secretly inciting them all to revolt!

My nephew has set his heart on my crown,

And I'm sure he hates me more than ever!

I'm surrounded on all sides by conspiracy!

Are they plotting to bring down Lancelot?

Are they out to destroy him as well as me?

Am I right in suspecting him of treachery?

Why have you abandoned me, my Merlin?

You were my sole helpmate from early on!

Everything we believed in is coming apart,

And I'm powerless to prevent this disaster!

Oh, Merlin, my dear friend in days of yore,

What evil spell has kept you away so long?

Such a burden is too heavy for me to bear!

Come back to me! Where are you hiding?

Scene Five - Arthur and Merlin

ARTHUR

Merlin, I'm begging you! Hear my voice!

(The trees part slightly, revealing Merlin

himself, who is half hidden by the branches

of an apple tree. He is wearing a long white

robe, and his white beard reaches down to

his waist. Throughout the entire scene, he

remains completely still.)

MERLIN

My Arthur! Turn around and look at me!

ARTHUR

Oh, Merlin, my oldest and dearest friend,

You have answered my pleas at long last!

(He goes out into the garden.)

MERLIN

Green apple trees, who tell of the future,

Whose magical words only I understand,

How many centuries have now passed by

Since those days when you first took root!

Oh, green apple trees again in full bloom,

The day of reckoning has finally arrived!

Woe is me! The hundred-year-old eagles

Abandoned watch on Lomond this night,

And cried out their ill omens to the skies!

Oh, green apple trees, as old as the hills!

ARTHUR

I've never heard you sound so sad before!

Merlin, I'm afraid to ask what this means!

MERLIN

There is no hope at all left for the future!

What we once achieved is now destroyed!

The Round Table is doomed to extinction,

Despised and rejected by those you loved!

ARTHUR

So everything is now over and done with!

Isn't there any hope for redemption at all?

Can you at least tell me what the reason is

For the downfall of my beloved kingdom?

There was a time when you had no doubts

That what we had built would last forever!

It was you who could look into the future!

But why do you suddenly seem so strange?

Why are you sitting there as still as can be,

Half hidden among the branches of a tree?

Am I dreaming that I've found you at last?

Oh, speak to me, my Merlin! Speak to me!

MERLIN

As blind as the two of us have always been,

We have mistakenly placed too much faith

In the power and greatness of human virtue!

If this land of ours that we once held sacred

Is choked with weeds and has gone to seed,

It is because some hideous unnamed crime,

Along with the sins of false pride and envy,

Have proved all my prophesies to be wrong!

Oh, my Arthur, don't ask me anything more!

My lips have been sealed for the rest of time!

The only reason I have left my secret prison

Is to tell you that you must accept your fate!

Your final days on this earth are numbered!

The gentle murmuring of the blue-green sea,

Which once sang you to sleep in your cradle,

Shall shroud your death in mystery as well!

But when the day of your reckoning arrives,

And the great awakening has come to pass,

Oh, son of Pendragon, High King of Britain!

Leader in war and noble prince of chivalry!

The mighty oak trees shall burst into bloom,

And deck themselves in their brightest red!

The knights shall rise up from their graves,

Dressed in rare garments of silver and gold,

And the sparkling rays of the sun up above

Shall wreathe your head in a blaze of glory!

ARTHUR

Then let death come, for such is my destiny!

I'm not afraid to leave the land of the living!

Oh, my dear Merlin! Tell me one more thing!

Who among us is guilty of that deadly crime

That you spoke of in such a trembling voice?

(hesitantly)

Could it be Guinevere, my own loving wife?

Tell me she and Lancelot are truly innocent!

Merlin! See how I'm suffering! Answer me!

By your silence you condemn both of them!

Merlin, are you forgetting I'm still the king?

Speak to me! Speak to me! I command you!

(The trees close up again, and the vision of

Merlin disappears. Arthur remains motionless

for several seconds, overcome by his feelings,

and then rushes back out to the gallery.)

Ah, Guinevere, my Guinevere, return to me!

(He makes his way across the stage and exits

by the rear door.)

Scene Six - At the sound of Arthur's cries,

the knights coming running on stage in a state

of alarm and total confusion.

KNIGHTS

Someone's crying out! What's the matter?

It's the king! Why is he shouting like that?

OTHER KNIGHTS

What is it? He's beside himself with rage!

ALL

We could hear him! He sounded so angry!

KNIGHTS

It's the king? What does all of this mean?

KNIGHT

Don't you know what has happened here?

ALL

What is it? What's going on? Just tell us!

KNIGHT

The queen's gone off! She's disappeared!

ALL

She's left the king? Was it with Lancelot?

FIRST CHORUS

Who else could it have been but Lancelot!

KNIGHT

Someone saw them together in the forest!

Then they were seen riding for the coast!

SECOND CHORUS

Ah! Nothing worse could have happened!

FIRST CHORUS

What do you mean? What are you saying?

SECOND CHORUS

Why did Mordred have to open his mouth?

FIRST CHORUS

What! Should he have said nothing at all?

SECOND CHORUS

Yes! He should have kept his mouth shut!

FIRST CHORUS

Ah! Just think! We'll get rid of Lancelot!

SECOND CHORUS

Have you all forgotten about King Arthur,

And the honor of the Round Table itself?

FIRST CHORUS

It's time to put an end to the Round Table!

We're tired of living by his code of honor!

We don't want to obey his rules anymore!

SECOND CHORUS

How dare you talk like that, you traitors!

We're warning you! We've heard enough!

(Beside himself with anger, Arthur rushes over

to where the knights are standing, brandishing

his sword and shouting at the top of his voice.)

ARTHUR

Prepare for battle! Ready your weapons!

I'd rather die than let him take her away!

ALL

Prepare for battle! Ready your weapons!

ACT THREE

Prelude

Scene One - A rocky hilltop overlooking the

battlefield. To the right, several pine trees.

On the horizon, the sea. As the curtain rises,

Guinevere rushes on stage, followed by Allan,

her ancient squire.

ALLAN

Oh, mistress, I pray you to stop right here!

The battlefield is over there on the plains!

I'm begging you! Just stay where you are!

GUINEVERE

Be off with you! I'm not afraid anymore!

(She moves over to the far right, and gazes

anxiously into the distance.)

So the die is cast! He has finally given in!

Up to the very last moment I had thought

That Lancelot would back out once again!

But my prayers were answered in the end!

Sir Lancelot himself has joined the battle!

And the mighty Lancelot is bound to win!

ALLAN

(shaking his head sadly)

Oh, yes, there's no doubt he will triumph!

His final victory won't be long in coming!

(bitterly)

But Mordred, who stayed behind in camp,

In order to nurse his own wounds, he said,

Has now proclaimed himself the new king!

Among the knights who have stood by him,

Tired of living by the Round Table's rules,

All have deserted the holy cause of Arthur!

GUINEVERE (interrupting him)

Be quiet, old man! Keep your voice down!

(As Allan discreetly withdraws to the back-

ground, she continues to gaze at the distant

plain. All at once she turns away as if struck

by a sudden thought. She then returns to the

center of the stage and sits down on a rock.)

Ah! There are times when I am in despair!

I'm tormented by the most terrible doubts!

My sweet Lancelot! Does he still love me?

I don't regret for a moment what I've done,

But I can't deny how much he has changed!

ALLAN

(searching the horizon)

Look at those knights who've broken away!

They're galloping along at breakneck speed!

One of them is--Oh, no!--It can't be possible!

GUINEVERE

(lost in her own sad thoughts)

When we're together he's moody and silent,

And I can see in his face how unhappy he is!

At times his eyes seem to be avoiding mine!

ALLAN

Ah! A horse has stumbled and fallen down!

And now they're all running for their lives!

GUINEVERE

Ah! What if it's true that I've lost his love?

What if those feelings of guilt and remorse

Are too heavy a burden for his soul to bear?

ALLAN (coming back down the hill)

Mistress, look over there! Can you see him?

There he is! It's him! It's my lord Lancelot!

GUINEVERE

Allan, are you mad? For Lancelot to desert--

ALLAN (interrupting her)

It's him! It's him! And he's headed this way!

GUINEVERE (rising to her feet)

Then he must have been wounded in battle!

(As she gazes once again at the distant plain,

Lancelot suddenly appears before her in the

company of Lionel and several of his squires.

Unarmed and obviously distraught, he stops

short at the sight of Guinevere.)

Scene Two - Lancelot and Guinevere

LANCELOT

God! Guinevere! What are you doing here?

GUINEVERE

(rushing over to him)

You've been hurt! You've been wounded!

No, you haven't!--Then why are you here?

Speak to me! Tell me what has happened!

LANCELOT

I left the battle and abandoned my troops!

GUINEVERE

What are you telling me? You've deserted?

LANCELOT

Ah, Guinevere! It was you who wished it so!

Despite the sheer horror of this ungodly war,

I joined in the battle in answer to your pleas!

At first the old excitement overwhelmed me,

And I forgot I was fighting against my king!

Then suddenly my eyes caught sight of him!

There was Arthur, in the midst of his knights,

Standing head and shoulders above them all,

And holding the sword Excalibur in his hand!

Just as suddenly I could see what I had done,

And an unspeakable shame took hold of me!

I threw down my weapons, and I rode away!

GUINEVERE (to herself)

Ah! He no longer cares what becomes of us!

At the last moment I've lost his love forever!

LANCELOT

What have I done? What's happened to me?

Why has brother been pitted against brother?

How could I ever have fought in such a war?

GUINEVERE

How easily you seem to forget your promises!

Doesn't your Guinevere mean anything at all?

At the mere sight of Arthur have you given in,

And lost your loyalty as well as your courage?

You've turned tail and run at the last moment!

But no matter how cowardly your actions are,

The chain of events that you've set in motion

Shall still continue to grip you in an iron vice!

LANCELOT

(as if talking to himself)

Yes, it's senseless to even think of escaping!

I can't erase what has been done in the past!

GUINEVERE (passionately)

Why should the past matter to us anymore?

The abiding love that we feel for each other

Has bound us together until the end of time!

It's the most precious thing that we possess,

And the only reason that we have to live for!

We have committed ourselves to each other,

And you must fight to the death to defend us!

(She searches his face for some reaction.)

Lancelot! What is going through your mind?

Ah! How terrifying to see you look that way!

(most tenderly)

Go back into battle, and conquer the enemy!

My darling, this is the very last ordeal of all,

And then I'll be yours to love forever more!

LANCELOT

I've thrown down every one of my weapons,

And you can't make me take them up again!

GUINEVERE

Dear God in Heaven! What are you saying?

LANCELOT

All I can do now is try and stop the fighting!

GUINEVERE

Are you insane? You can't possibly mean it!

LANCELOT

Even if it should eventually cost me my life,

I've got to find my way directly to the king!

I'm going back to the battlefield to see him!

GUINEVERE

Then you prefer death to Guinevere's love!

LANCELOT

I still love you with all my heart and soul!

GUINEVERE

Don't say any more! I can't bear to hear it!

LANCELOT

I have no choice but to try to rid my heart

Of this passion that has consumed my life!

GUINEVERE

Ah! If you loved me as much as I love you,

How could there be anything else on earth

That is more precious to you than our love?

LANCELOT

I have broken the most sacred of my vows!

A veil has finally been torn from my eyes!

I can see! It is clear to me what I must do!

I have to obey the voice of my conscience!

Guinevere, are you ready to share my fate?

GUINEVERE

What are you asking? What do you mean?

LANCELOT

We're both guilty of having betrayed him!

Why can't we at least tell him we're sorry?

GUINEVERE

How could you even suggest such a thing?

Go back to Arthur and beg for his mercy?

And hope for his forgiveness? No! Never!

LANCELOT

Guinevere! Why won't you come with me?

GUINEVERE

I'll never go back! Not in a thousand years!

(As the sounds of battle become louder and

louder, the blare of trumpets can be heard

from both sides of the stage.)

LANCELOT

Listen! The trumpets! They're still fighting!

So much blood is being shed on both sides!

What am I doing here? There's no time left!

What if the king has lost--or been wounded?

Dearest Guinevere, it's all over between us!

I'll never see you again as long as I'm alive!

(He stands gazing at her broken-heartedly,

and then somehow regains his composure.)

Good-bye, my love! May God be with you!

(He makes his way to the back of the stage

to address the squires.)

I'm entrusting you with guarding the queen!

Take her to a port in Gaul on board my ship!

She'll be safe from danger once she's there!

And you, Lionel, you'll be coming with me!

LIONEL

My dear master! Think what you're saying!

GUINEVERE

(throwing herself into Lancelot's arms)

Lancelot! I'm begging you, don't leave me!

If there is no way to be together in this life,

Then let our two souls be reunited in death!

We have vowed never to be separated again,

Even if it means dying in each other's arms!

LANCELOT

Ah, Guinevere, Guinevere! Listen to me!

From now on my life belongs to the king!

GUINEVERE

Ah! Get out of here! Get out of my sight!

(She pushes him away from her and rushes

over to the other side of the stage. As Lionel

leads Lancelot from the scene, the sound of

trumpets blaring in the wings becomes louder

and louder. After a brief pause, the squires

silently approach the queen.)

GUINEVERE

(in a harsh, shrill voice)

What are you doing? Go down to the ship!

Get ready for us to depart as soon as I say!

(As the other squires exit to the left, Allan

hesitates to follow them.)

ALLAN (timidly)

Forgive me, my dear mistress, do you need--

GUINEVERE

Get out of here! Go away! Leave me alone!

(Allan slowly withdraws from the scene, and

Guinevere is left alone. As she begins pacing

back and forth across the stage, she can be

heard moaning softly to herself. The sounds

of battle gradually fade away.)

Scene Three - Guinevere alone

GUINEVERE

Ah! He's betrayed me and scorned my love!

Nothing I could say would change his mind!

I even tried begging him to take pity on me,

And at least let me die in peace in his arms!

But he wouldn't listen to my pleas anymore!

What if he is still longing for his Guinevere,

And has reconsidered before it was too late?

My aching heart just can't bear to lose him!

He made it clear that he is not coming back,

And yet I still love him more than life itself!

(Suddenly realizing that the sounds of battle

have ceased entirely, Guinevere moves to the

right and looks out over the plain.)

Dear God! Everything is suddenly so silent!

(broken-heartedly)

Ah, yes! That means that the battle is over!

And now he's abandoned me forever more!

(She collapses onto a rock and remains in

complete silence for a moment, her head

buried in her hands.)

Did he truly think I could live without him?

What use is there in going on with this life

When I've lost the glorious gift of his love?

Now that he's gone I feel nothing but pain!

This most terrible day is coming to an end,

And my future is as bleak as the night sky!

Ah, Guinevere, you must depart this world

With whatever dignity you might have left!

(She rises to her feet in search of some sort

of weapon. While touching her brow, she

stops short, as if struck by a sudden idea,

and begins loosening the plaits in her hair.)

Oh, you who made me a beautiful woman,

Whose long, dark tresses Lancelot adored,

Even you were not able to hold on to him,

Though you were once my crowning glory!

You were my pride and joy in better times,

And now I need your help more than ever!

Let me die, just let me die, just let me die!

(She winds her hair around her neck, and

strangles

herself until she falls to the ground and dies.)

(The curtain descends ever so slowly.)

Scene Four - The battlefield at the edge of the

sea.

In the foreground on the left, a number of

small trees,

several low rocks, and clusters of gorse,

daffodils

and everlasting flowers. At the back, the

shoreline

below forms a sort of bay surmounted by a

steep cliff.

It is day's end. As the curtain rises, Lancelot is

lying

unconscious in the middle of the stage. He is

surrounded

by a group of soldiers whose fellow warriors

can be seen

recovering the dead and wounded stretched

out on the

ground at the back of the scene.)

THIRD SOLDIER

(leaning over Lancelot's body)

His entire body is covered with wounds!

FOURTH SOLDIER

Look! He's been wounded in both arms!

FIRST SOLDIER

He's been wounded in the head as well!

THIRD SOLDIER

I count at least ten wounds in his chest!

SQUIRE

Is there a chance that he might be alive?

FOURTH SOLDIER

(placing the flat of his sword in front of

Lancelot's mouth)

There's no sign at all that he's breathing!

(bending over his chest)

But his heart still seems to go on beating,

Even if it's so faint you can barely hear it!

SECOND SOLDIER

Do you think the light could revive him?

SQUIRE

Lay him down near that rock over there!

(The soldiers pick Lancelot up and carry

him over to a rock on the left, where they

lay him down in a sunny spot.)

THIRD SOLDIER

I didn't know how big and strong he was!

FIRST SOLDIER

And I didn't know he was so handsome!

See how much pride there is in his face!

FOURTH SOLDIER

We'll never see another Lancelot again!

SQUIRE

Ah! He's the most valiant of all knights,

And yet he has rebelled against his king!

(As other soldiers come forward to join them,

they are able to hear the squire's last words.)

SOLDIERS

Ah, yes! He fought against King Arthur!

If the Round Table has seen its last days,

There is nobody to blame for it but him!

SQUIRE (interrupting them)

And who are we to sit in judgment of him?

(turning to the first soldier)

Just go and tell the king what's happened!

THIRD SOLDIER

Lionel has already gone in search of him--

SECOND SOLDIER

(looking to his right)

Here he comes now with the king himself!

(As the soldiers line up behind Lancelot's body,

Arthur enters in the company of Lionel, who is

recounting the final circumstances of his

master's

death.)

Scene Five - Lionel, Arthur and Lancelot

LIONEL (to Arthur)

They wouldn't obey his orders anymore!

Even though he was weaponless by then,

He tried to disarm the ones still fighting!

(Arthur motions to Lionel to remain silent,

and then points to where Lancelot is lying

on the ground surrounded by soldiers. He

stands over him in quiet contemplation as

the soldiers retreat to the back of the stage.)

ARTHUR

Guinevere! Lancelot! Both of them dead!

I loved them more than anyone on earth,

And together they have broken my heart!

But this wound is too deep to be healed!

The only thing human I can feel is grief!

Everything is crumbling before my eyes!

My life's work is now all but destroyed,

And there's no one left that I can turn to

To help soothe this aching heart of mine!

LIONEL

(kneeling over Lancelot's body)

Sire, look here! He's opened up his eyes!

And his lips are moving! He's still alive!

LANCELOT

(regaining consciousness)

Stop! I'm ordering you to stop the battle!

LIONEL

Master, the fighting is long over by now!

You're suffering! What can I do for you?

LANCELOT

(still unaware of Arthur's presence)

Arthur!--I'm surrendering myself to you!

Here! Take my sword! Strike me down!

(As he turns his head, he sees the king.)

Oh, Arthur! It's really you! You're here!

(Supported by Lionel, he tries to sit up,

but falls back down again immediately.)

I can't!--My body has lost all its strength!

Put me to death! And avenge your honor!

ARTHUR (dispassionately)

You dare to speak to me about my honor!

How could you even think that it depends

On anybody else in this world but myself?

I know full well that the time has arrived

For me to leave this earth behind forever!

But I don't regret that the hour has come!

There's hardly anything human about me!

My poor face is haggard and ghostly pale,

And I can see the shadow of death upon it!

The things of this world that had meaning

Have already begun to fade from my eyes,

As if I were seeing them through a shroud!

Now that darkness is descending upon me,

I can look back on what was once my life

With no feelings of anger left in my heart!

I am only sorry for what might have been!

LANCELOT (to himself)

How horribly embittered he seems to be!

If only I had lived up to my sacred vows,

And served him as his most loyal friend!

Mine is a wasted life! A futile existence!

ARTHUR

Now I know that I was doomed to failure!

Ah! I so believed in the power of the will,

And each man's efforts to better himself!

I struggled endlessly to uphold my ideals,

And what is left of my entire life's work?

Nothing but disappointment and despair!

LANCELOT (to Arthur)

No one knows how long ideals shall last,

Or what may endure throughout the ages!

Even if your name is some day forgotten,

Those values you instilled in your people

Are fated to live on until the end of time!

The love of justice that inspired your life

Shall light the way for future generations!

Your memory shall be kept alive forever!

For the rest of mankind death is oblivion!

They leave nothing behind of themselves!

Nothing at all! Just like me! Just like me!

(He dies.)

LIONEL

Sire, he is dying! Ah! My master is dead!

ARTHUR

(looking down at him sorrowfully)

May your tortured soul now rest in peace!

(At a sign from Arthur, the soldiers come

forward to remove Lancelot's body. As they

carry him away, Lionel follows behind.)

Scene Six - Arthur alone

ARTHUR

Oh, my Lord, I deliver myself into your hands!

My courage has left me! My hopes are dashed!

Please help me to put an end to this suffering!

Help me to find comfort in an unending sleep!

(An invisible chorus suddenly raises its sweet

voice in song.)

CHORUS

Come with us now beyond the blue waves!

ARTHUR

What voices are these? Who is calling me?

CHORUS

Come with us beyond the stars high above!

Let us take you with us to a far better place,

Where life's mysteries are at last revealed!

Let us take you beyond those earthly things

That are here today and are gone tomorrow!

Come with us, Arthur! Come to sleep now!

Let us take you along to your heavenly rest!

ARTHUR

Ah! Mysterious spirits from another world,

I don't even dare believe what I have heard!

Have you come all this way to spread a veil

Of forgetfulness over my poor, weary eyes?

CHORUS

Come with us! The one who sent us to you

Has decreed your destiny shall be sublime!

Your heart and soul shall find peace at last

Not through death, but deep, endless sleep!

ARTHUR

Close my eyes and let the world fade away!

Depart this sad life forever and be no more!

Put an end to all of this pain and suffering!

(The back of the stage is suddenly bathed in

the

pink and gold light of the setting sun, and a

barge

filled with women appears on the horizon. As

the

vessel approaches the shore, one of women,

who

is standing in the stern, spreads open her

wings

as if they were sails.)

CHORUS

Come along! Leave this vale of tears behind!

Come with us now and rest your weary soul!

Come to an island whose shores are caressed

By bright, sparkling waves of gold and azure,

And whose calm, cool breezes for ever blow,

Rustling the branches of the lush green trees!

In the cool shade of its gently swaying palms,

You shall sleep peacefully to the end of time!

All the carnations and the roses and the lilies

Shall bend their sweet heads to kiss your lips,

And the irises shall burst into glorious bloom

To perfume the bed upon which you shall lie!

ARTHUR

Oh, my beloved Brittany, the land of my birth,

Whose soil is soaked by my ancestors' blood!

You, wild Camelerd, and you, green Cambria,

The time has come for me to bid you farewell!

CHORUS

Oh, Arthur, you were the glory of knighthood!

You truly believed in the nobility of mankind!

But those you trusted most in this cruel world

Proved unworthy of your loyalty and devotion!

ARTHUR

The days of our great adventures have passed,

And the knights in shining armor are no more!

Yet like rocks standing firm against the waves,

They once upheld the ideals I had taught them!

CHORUS

All those hopes and dreams for a better future

Were destined to fail from the very beginning!

They fell victim to the frailty of human beings,

And the tide of events that worked against you!

ARTHUR

(slowly unfastening his shield and sword)

You who have served me so well in every

battle,

Pridwann and Excalibur, I now bid you

farewell!

Sleep in peace in the waters that bathe

Cornwall,

So that no one else shall ever take you up

again!

(Arthur goes over to the edge of the cliff and

hurls

his weapons into the sea. When the barge has

finally

reached the shore, he slowly descends the path

that

leads down to it. As he climbs on board, the

vessel

disappears behind the rocks.)

CHORUS

All your heroic efforts have not been in vain!

Those of your knights who fought to the end

To support the cause of justice in this world

Shall live on in the hearts and minds of men!

And when the day of reawakening has come,

You shall tear the veils away from your eyes!

Your head shall be crowned with bright stars,

As you come down to the earth from the sun!

(As the barge reappears and begins to make its

way to the back of the stage, Arthur can be

seen

sleeping peacefully on a sort of couch.)

CHORUS

You shall come back again in a blaze of glory

To the land that you left in such utter despair!

You shall continue the great work you began,

And take up your mighty weapons once more!

Arthur, your majestic brow shall be wreathed

In those victory laurels you once had scorned,

In tribute to the magnificent accomplishment

Of having dared to believe in an Ideal World!

(As the sun plunges into the sea, its blinding

light temporarily obscures the barge. By the

time it has disappeared below the horizon, the

stage is empty. The sky darkens, and the

curtain

slowly begins to fall.)

End of the Opera

--Translation by Judyth Schaubhut Smith

(c) 2000 Judyth Schaubhut Smith