The Last Witness
Court Official
Please your Lordship, lend an ear
You should see this musketeer
He wants to address the court
Looks impressive…and I thought
Judge Coras
Wait!
Very well, show him in, let him speak
Villager
But my lord!
(Martin enters and stands on the platform)
Judge Coras
State your name
Martin
My name is Guerre…Martin Guerre
(Guillaume runs to look at him closer)
Arnaud
Can’t you see by the look on his face, it’s not him!
Bertrande
He’s been sent by a devil, a demon, a ghost… Oh God, please!
Arnaud
Can’t you see this apparition here is the imposter
He’s been sent from hell to torment me
And at the same time would steal my wife and steal the name of Martin Guerre!
My lord, it’s all a ploy devised by them
Pierre Guerre, when he found I was a Protestant hated me!
He never wanted me to inherit the land!
Martin
My friend, my friend, it’s
me, Martin
(he throws Arnaud the pouch they had on the battlefield in Flanders)
Judge Coras
Is there anyone here who can vouch for this man?
If there’s anyone here I insist they come forward and speak
(Lubin measures Martin, Galoche measures his feet)
Villager
That’s Martin, my lord, I should know, I used to work with him!
Crone
If you’re asking me, sir, I know who
I’d prefer
Lubin
And the arm, look, it’s neither too long or too short
Galoche
And his feet are exactly the size that they ought
Pierre
It’s him…my own flesh
Welcome home, Martin
Mme de Rols
Please forgive us, my son, you’re back
Three Crones
Can you be sure Martin is back?
Martin
I have come for my name
I am Martin Guerre
Judge Coras
Bertrande, I call on you once again
You must condemn one of these men
(Catherine and Mme de Rols help Bertrande onto the platform)
Mme de Rols
Remember, dear, you’re one of us
Pierre
Remember Artigat, Bertrande
Bertrande
Martin, Martin…
What shall I do?
Catherine
Did he lie to you?
Villager
He lied to us all
Bertrande
Martin, what shall I say?
Villagers
You must condemn one of these men
Bertrande
Martin, what have we done?
Judge Coras
The time has come to tell the truth, only the truth
Villagers
Tell us the truth
Judge Coras
Only the truth can help you now
(the villagers surround Bertrande, pulling her in all directions)
Arnaud
My name…is Arnaud du Thil
Here Comes the Morning (reprise)
Arnaud
I met Martin Guerre in the war where he told me about his life
(Guillaume laughs hysterically)
Then I saw him fall and I believed that he was dead
(Guillaume laughs maniacally again)
I came to steal all he had, name, land, and wife
(Guillaume continues to laugh)
And with witchcraft I put a spell on the village and on Bertrande
She never knew…she never knew…
Bertrande
How many more lies do we tell?
How many more truths dare we hide?
The truth is only this – I love him
I knew from the start he was not Martin Guerre…
Martin
Here ends my journey
Arnaud
Here ends the dreaming
Martin
Here ends my nightmare!
Here comes the morning…
Guillaume
(in despair)
Damn all their lies, the love they steal
Arnaud
This is your morning
Guillaume
The scars I bear will never heal!
Martin & Arnaud
The skies are clear now
And all that we’ve known, that we’ve sworn
Revealed by the light of the dawn
Arnaud
You’ve come home
Martin
Here comes the morning
Arnaud
And the mask that I’d stolen is torn from my face
Martin
Crystal clear morning
Bertrande
(standing face to face with Martin)
Martin, why did you have to come back to this place…
The Sentence
Judge Coras
Having considered all the facts, having examined every side, here is the verdict of the court
(Arnaud stands on the platform)
Of the crime for which you stand, I must find you guilty
(The villagers cheer)
But! The sentence shall befit the man, you are neither witch nor wizard
You monsieur will go to jail, for seven years you’ll go to jail!
(The villagers protest in dismay)
Bertrande, I find you guilty too, but no more so than all of you!
For you are all imposters here, liars, cheats, and hypocrites
Your sentence shall be more severe
Live in Artigat, live with yourselves
I give Bertrande to Martin, let him do as he sees fit
The imposter’s court is dismissed
(Arnaud is taken to jail. Bertrande follows him. The villagers are in an uproar in the streets.)
Villagers
Can you forgive us, please Martin?
Artigat needs you here to rescue our land!
Will you turn your back once again?
Please, Martin, will you give a child your name?
Martin, why won’t you answer us?
(Martin leaves)
Now what will happen to our land?
Who is the latest Martin Guerre?
How can we trust a foreigner like him?
He was the best friend of the infidel
What if Martin is just the devil too?
Do you think he’s a Protestant as well?
Guillaume
Of course Martin’s a Protestant, you fool
They’re planning our destruction! It’s just a matter of time!
Will you look at yourselves. Look what you’ve become
Have the people of Artigat forgotten who they are?
I Will Make You Proud
(Pierre Guerre tries to leave, but Guillaume stops him)
Guillaume
I was born a poor man, just like each of you
Born to sweat and suffer as the poor must do
Working like a cart-horse, slaving in your field
Till my back is breaking I will never yield
Bruised but never beaten
Cursed but never cowed
In the call of duty I will make you proud
Baptiste, I knew your father
Albert, I knew yours too
Men who stood for decency just the same as you
Sons, do not betray them
Daughters do not fail
In the face of peril goodness shall prevail
Stand up and be counted, rise above the crowd
Say this in their memory, I will make you proud
Look around, can’t you see what the world has become?
It is time we were cleansed of this Protestant scum!
By the blood of the martyrs, we will take up the sword
We will root out this cancer in the name of the Lord!
Everywhere is chaos, everywhere is doubt
Everywhere is heretics, the time has come to burn them out!
In your hour of danger, vow as I have vowed
Shout it from the rooftops
I will make you proud
Here I stand before you, bloody and unbowed
By the sword of Jesus
I will make you proud!!
(he begins to stomp and pulls out his knife)
The Madness
(Guillaume shows them how to kill. Everone is caught up in what Gullaume is saying, but Pierre Guerre leaves. A villager enters with Louison. Benoit screams in protest, but Guillaume sets the scarecrow on fire.)
Benoit
Come, dust and embers
Shouts dancing in the breeze
Come, who remembers where I last left Louison
(Benoit is left alone with Louison)
Come along, a scarecrow shouldn’t cry, Louison
Come along, I’ll dry your eyes, Louison
Like the trees, we’ll be strong, like the trees, we’ll belong
We’ll pray for our day to arrive
You remember how we used to sing, Louison?
You remember how we loved the spring, Louison…
(The Catholics continue to kill the Protestants)
The Jail
(Bertrande reaches through the bars of the jail to Arnaud, who is chained)
Bertrande
My love, my love, I will wait for you!
I am, and will always be your wife!
And in the spring our child will be born, strong like his father
Then together, we’ll wait
And through the seasons he’ll grow
And he’ll learn of his past!
Of the sacrifice his father made for love
Arnaud
I am Arnaud du Thil
Bertrande
Arnaud du Thil…
Arnaud
You’re not my wife!
Bertrande
Arnaud du Thil!
Arnaud
He was my friend
Bertrande
I am more your wife than his
Arnaud
I still betrayed him…Bertrande!
Everything we fought for was born of a lie!
And we deceived ourselves into believing it!
I am nobody now, I am worthless Bertrande
As I was in the past and always will be!
Both
And all I know is that nothing now can change the way I feel
And all I know is the touch of love that changes all I know!
(Martin arrives with keys to the jail, and he opens the door to let himself and Bertrande inside)
Bertrande
Please, Martin, you don’t understand…he came to tell me how you died!
Arnaud
But when I saw Bertrande, the words you said Martin, you spoke of dreams, Martin
You spoke of chance…
And the hope that you gave me was the hope that turned to loving
(Martin turns to leave, but stops)
Martin
You! Can this really be you! Is a thief and a traitor all you are made of in the end?
Arnaud
You! I believed you were dead!
Never meant to betray you, please forgive me as a friend!
Bertrande
(she pulls Martin back inside)
You! How can you talk of need!
All those years that I wasted, while I waited just for you!
He never lied to me once!
He would never deceive me, he has told me all he knew…
Martin
But still he betrayed me
Bertrande
He took the life that you left
He was the husband to love me!
He became part of my life!
It’s a life I was made for, that I prayed for all these years!
(Benoit enters)
Benoit
Why would they kill someone as beautiful as her?
Why would they burn someone as beautiful as her?
They said she was a Protestant! They’re b-burning all the Protestants…burn the Protestant scum, they said. I told them Louison’s not a Protestant, she’s a scarecrow! But they said no, she has to die, she has to die like the Protestant Martin Guerre!
Bertrande (to Martin)
You must help us! Have you not even learned to forgive?
(Martin unchains Arnaud and they leave in a hurry.)
Benoit
Go! Go!
(Guillaume enters the jail)
Guillaume
Where are they?!
(The killing continues. Father Dominic tries to stop them but is pushed aside. Buildings are set on fire. André is killed, but Father Dominic protects Catherine. Bertrande, Arnaud, and Martin try to escape by climbing all over the buildings, escaping the fighting. Bertrande and Martin are separated for Arnaud. Bertrande begins to have trouble walking and she holds her stomach, Martin helps her walk.. Guillaume pounces on them from a hiding place. He pushes Bertrande to the ground and grabs Martin, putting a knife to his throat)
The Reckoning
Guillaume
There’s no escape! Admit defeat!
This time you’re dead! There’s no retreat!
Don’t stare…don’t try to take my love away
Right from the start this was their plan
Right from the start, keep out Guillaume!
Keep him away, far from Bertrande, keep them apart!
All I did Bertrande, I did for you!
So true, so pure…I knew you deserved much more
(he lets Martin go and grabs Bertrande)
A Martin Guerre better than them
A Martin Guerre much more like me
Arnaud
(he runs in)
Leave her alone, it’s me you want
It’s me she wants!
I’m here Guillaume, I’m here Guillaume!
Guillaume
(he grabs Bertrande and puts the knife to her throat)
Martin must die! I’ll kill Martin!
Arnaud
Then come to me…
I’m Martin Guerre!
(Guillaume lets Bertrande go and stabs Arnaud. Bertrande screams and takes him in her arms as he falls. Guillaume tries to kill Martin. They fight, and Benoit kills Guillaume by smashing his head in with his crutch. The remaining villagers enter.)
Arnaud
You showed me how to love…our love gave us a child…
I belonged here, didn’t I?
We had so little time
Still we made a life!
I love you….
(he falls back, dead)
Bertrande
When will we all learn?
We lived our lives in fear…
We say we love the same God yet there’s blood on every hand!
Let him die for peace
Can’t you understand?
If all we ever love is hate…
Will we ever hear?
(She lifts Arnaud’s arm and puts it around her. Martin comforts Benoit)
(The villagers of Artigat are left to pick up the pieces)
The Land of the Fathers
(the Protestants prepare to leave Artigat)
Mme de Rols
Will she ever forgive me, what have I done?
Pierre
Did they all have to die, can I live with this shame?
Father Dominic
For the deeds that were done in the name of our Lord
God have mercy on us
Villager
Did our faith lead us here?
Father Dominic
Did I do all I could?
Villagers
They had children like us
Will our wounds never heal?
Lord, were we wrong to fight?
They turned from you
Lord, they were friends we’d known for all our lives
Father Dominic
Help us Lord, help us please
Villagers
In the land of our fathers, we have lost more than hope
In the land of our fathers, will our village survive?
Will they stay?
Did they die for a reason?
Will we ever forget…can we learn?
We can never be certain what the future may bring!
In the land it is winter, but we hope and we pray for spring…
(The Protestants enter, with Martin and Benoit. Bertrande has her child in her arms)
Martin
May your journey be safe…may your child be strong
And one day I pray you’ll return to your land
Bertrande
But my grief would remain, and my sorrow would grow
I must build a new life!
It is my time to go…
I have no need of land for the life I must live
With my child and my faith
I may learn to forgive
(the Protestants with Benoit leave, Martin escorting them out)
Villagers
In the land of our fathers
In the home of our sons
But still we can pray
For our sons and our daughters
Villagers (overlapping with above)
Grow…pray…and hope…and weep…and hope…and laugh.. (?)
All Villagers
In the land there’s a future
As the seasons will turn
It belongs to our children
Let the story survive to tell (?)
Villagers
Grow…pray…and hope…and weep…and hope…and laugh…
Working on the Land (reprise)
Martin
(he begins to work on the land, eventually the remaining villagers join in)
Working on the land that we’re born to live for
Loving for the land, that is where we’re blessed
Dying on the land, it is where we rest
We must stay, let us pray from today for our children’s land
Villagers
Working on the land that we’re born to live for
Loving for the land, that is where we’re blessed
(Working on the land)
Dying on the land, it is where we rest
Land to last as it’s passed, man to son
When it’s done, then we’ll pray from this day for our children’s land!