Lyrics - Act Four by Hammill Peter

(
The following morning)
MADELINE
That must be
Montresor...
Good morning!
Oh, how lovely to see you - since
Roderick told me you were coming
I have been so excited.
Now you are here, all will be well once more.
I was not here last night to greet you, you must think me ill-mannered, but sadly
I am not enjoying the good health
I used to...
MONTRESOR
Yes.
Madeline,
I must confess it's hard finding words that say what
I feel...
MADELINE
Oh,
Montresor, you're being solemn and it's all quite uncalled for.
I feel quite sure
I'm growing stronger and the doctor agrees with me - so you see all will be well once more.
Five years ago we were a very different family, but how things change!
Roderick and
I were both living abroad when father died.
We both returned from
Florence to take up
Roderick's inheritance.
The
House was dark and so full of sadness.
But you know my brother and how sensitive he is.
He lives in the music of his wild melodies.
Now as time went by so his songs grew sadder, now he never smiled as he played.
Now he sings of death and some things even madder; shuts himself away, brooding to himself, come to me at night, staring at my face 'till
I fell afraid.
MADELINE
MONTRESORWhen
I am better we must allholiday togetheras in the old days.
Yes, you know how much
I'd love that
You would be good for us both,as good for us both as before
You look so much the same!
I must confess that you have changed...
Do you remember?
Everything.
The fragile hour, the silent walk with a friend.
MONTRESOR
As we walk so we tread&
MADELINE on the words left unsaid
I can't say them no matter how hard
I try
We chatter on, then the moment's gone, the one for which
I've hoped and
I've prayed and
I've planned.
Stop the clock's advance!
I need a second chance,
I need that second's glance when my hand touched you hand.
I'd take you in my arms and say '
I love you' but it won't come back to me.
It's over now, it's over now, it's over now, you see.
If
I hadn't been afraid to touch you would you have been afraid to fall in love with me?
Would it be over?
Would it be over now?
Perhaps it wouldn't be.
And each hour limits choice in so gentle a voice 'till the hour that we realise no choice remains.
So we await just one chance to cheat our fate, but then if we hesitate we lose the power to act at all.
For once that moment's past we simply stand aghast as life rolls to disaster and we stand an watch it fall.
I'd take you in my arms and say '
I love you' but
I think we both agree.
It's over now, it's over now, you see.
It's over now, it's over now, you see.
If
I hadn't been afraid to touch you would you have been afraid to fall in love with me?
Would it be over?
Would it be over now?
Perhaps it wouldn't be.
If
I hadn't been afraid to touch you would you have been afraid to fall in love with me?
Would it be over?
Would it be over now?
The way it seems to be. (
Madeline exits as
Usher enters)
USHER
MONTRESORYes, she does not know it yet;
Perhaps for the bestso sure she will recoverand so full of life full of lifefull of life,my brave my brave
Madeline
Madeline
This
House devours her so take her from this placepreparing the final tormentof its empty space empty spacea silent, empty space silent empty spacewithout without
Madeline
Madeline
Madeline
This is only a house my friend
USHER
Which, by dint of long and undisturbed endurance. by its mere form and substance, has obtained an influence, a silent yet importunate and terrifying hold which, for centuries, has moulded the destiny of my family and now makes of me whatever it is
I am.
The
House is
Usher and
Usher is the
House: the two are indivisible.
It was born with us, prospered with us, suffered too.
And it will, in some way, die with us, soon.
I am the last of the
Usher, mine is the last drop of
Usher blood,
The last of the
Usher!
The
House has told me in midnight breathing from my chamber walls, the
House has told me in the secret murmur of the stones that none can hear save
I.
I am the last of the
Usher, my sister's death shall leave me so;
I am the last of the
Usher, so in
Usher's
House
I will wait alone.
MONTRESOR
Roderick, this is nightmare talk.
Come back with me, both of you, while you're yet able
You can't stay here and rot!
USHER
There will be no rot!
No rot in
Usher!
We have lived with thunder, and with thunder shall we fall!
MONTRESOR
I cannot make you come but hear what
I say.
Send
Madeline with me to some healthy place.
USHER
No rot!
No rot in
Usher!
We have lived by lightning and but lightning shall we fall!
No slide into slow decay, no shrivelling splendour no gradual ebbing away, no quiet surrender!
No rot!
No rot in
Usher!
We have lived as
Titans and as
Titans we must fall!
USHER
MONTRESORDon't talk of rot
Stop!
No rot in
Usher!
Stop!
Roderick, try and calm yourself
Just tell me why
I should! this cannot do you good.
These thoughts...
No! are folly.
No!
Everything
I've tried to
I have tried to help youtell you, you've misunderstood
I've done everything
I could.
Come, why should we fightthis waywe have enough troubles.
What was it we used to say?
What was it we used to say?
A problem shared is doubled!
A problem shared is doubled!
Ushers do not flee!
Ushers to not flee!
Montresors stand firm!
Montresors stand firm!
So we stand together,
So we stand together,stand together stand together
By dint of longand undisturbed endurance... we could defeat the
House, my friend.
VOICES
OF
We shall not
THE
HOUSE let him go!
We shall not let him go!
End of
Act
Four

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