Yvette monologue — The Goddess of Reason: A Drama in Five Acts

With what a sudden glory shines the sun! It gilds the streets, it gilds the running Loire! And from them both the blood-stains fade away! Ah, let us rest from death in Nantes to-day, And think how falls the eve in Bethlehem!— There is a little village that I know, A hungry village by a hungry sea, As worn and grey as any calvary! The hungry shadows ate the sunshine up; The children cried, the women wailed at morn; The very Christ looked hungry on the Cross; When lo! a miracle! for suddenly The starving, haggard folk began to laugh, The tender green put forth, the flowers bloomed, Blue shone the sky, the lark sang overhead, And mild the face of Christ and heavenly kind! The little village had its fill of bread, Yea, wine it drank, and cheerful breath it drew, And, by the well, of this strange plenty talked, Of tolls withdrawn, of perfect friendliness!