University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

Tristan of Vaudemont, Geoffrey of Orange, each with a cithern slung upon his shoulder.
Geof.
(stopping in front of the concealed door).
Look to your steps! 'Tis dark as midnight here!

Tris.
Push onward! Stay! Here is a door!

Geof.
A door?

Tris.
Patience! A bolt—it yields! What do I see?

(Both enter.)
Geof.
Heavens! What a gust of exquisite perfume!

Tris.
A garden—here! shrined in the mountain waste!
What beauty, too, what order! Only look!

Geof.
I am amazed.

Tris.
What man is he, that owns
This witching spot? You know the country well,
And dwell hard by.

Geof.
Indeed, I cannot say.
Of such a paradise I never dreamed.
A garden of the tropics—studded o'er
With all rare flowers! Behold the lofty palms!

Tris.
The mansion rising through—how beautiful!
Half-hid with ivy and the clambering rose!
—And yet its inmates?

Geof.
Not a soul see I.
I could be sworn, this paradise arose
In some fair summer night, when Dian gave
One golden hour to her Endymion,
Veiling beneath these rocks their fearful joys!
But its inhabitants have taken flight.

Tris.
Nay, here be many signs of human hands,
Fair, I'll be sworn, and gentle. Here, see here
Fresh footmarks on the pathway!

Geof.
You are right.
A tiny foot and dainty! Let us on!
By following this we scarce can go amiss.
Observe, it leads right onwards to the house!

Tris.
No, let us wait till somebody appears.
We should be most discourteous. Bad enough,
That we have come thus far without consent!

Geof.
Well, as you please. So our luck fails us not,
I'll tax my courtesy, and wait in patience,
For, in good sooth, luck hath been ours indeed,
Hath it not, Tristan? See, how things have fallen!
As near the convent idly on we strolled,
Whiling the time with interchange of song,
I chanced to spy King René passing near,
Wrapt in close talk with the Cordovan leech.
To 'scape his glance, you drag me after you,
And, hurrying on o'er rock and wilderness,
Here, at the mountain's base, we chance upon
Yon secret passage, craftily contrived.
Following it up, awhile we grope about
In darkness, and, in short, have landed here.
—But tell me now, what motive prompted you,
So to avoid the king? To meet him, 'twas,
That you came here. You urged me to attend
Upon you at the interview to-morrow;
And you—'tis known familiarly to all—
You have been long affianced to his daughter.

Tris.
Affianced! Yes, they say so. Yet was I
Scarce nine years old, when I was thus betrothed.
My father made the terms with Burgundy,
When we a truce concluded with the king.
But, Geoffrey, now I'm grown to riper years;
And as this contract, in the full career
Of victory, wronged and robbed me of my rights,
So on this marriage look I now with hate.
Unwillingly I came; unwillingly
In this vile business I am like to move.

Geof.
I grieve to hear it, for King René's sake.
For many a day, I know, his joy has been
The goodly promise of these nuptial ties.

Tris.
Goodly to him they may be, I believe.
—Know you his daughter?

Geof.
No, she has been reared
In some far Spanish convent, and came home
Here to her father, but to meet with you.
—But let us, friend, bethink us where we are!
We forced our way in, and it must be owned
The spot is charming. But the question now
Is, can we quite as easily retire?

Tris.
Nay, never fear.

Geof.
Would you not, then, find out
Whether this mansion hath inhabitants?
Assail the door! Shall I, then?

Tris.
Nay, let me!
In case some demon lord it in this place.
'Tis just, the danger first should light on me,
Whose charge it was, that lured you on to it.
(Knocks at the door.)
No—no one comes!

Geof.
Try if the door will open.

Tris.
It gives not way.

Geof.
Press harder—it will yield!

Tris.
So be it, then! (Opens the door.)
Heavens, Geoffrey, what a form!

Geof.
Some spirit?

Tris.
How! A spirit? Yes, methinks—
One of the radiant ministers of light!
Look!

Geof.
(looking in).
A fair girl upon a dainty couch!
Surely she sleeps!

Tris.
She sleeps. Her breathing heaves
Her bosom gently—gently sinks it down.
See now, a smile is hovering on her lips,
As though she dreamt of our bewilderment!

Geof.
I pray you, Tristan, let us fly from hence.
This witching vision doth disturb my soul,
Too witching all, and all too beautiful.
This is some wizard's keep—let us begone!
Come! Mystic serpents threaten us, I know.
—Tristan, where are you rapt? All heavenly powers!
He's charmed already! Rooted to the earth
He stands, and stares on her. Oh, Tristan, come!

Tris.
Speak softly, Geoffrey, for a breath might wake her!
Speak softly! 'Twere a sin to break the calm,
The holy stillness, which her slumber sheds
On everything around!

Geof.
Oh, hear me, hear me!

Tris.
Hush! Not a word, I say! This place is holy!
(Kneels bending forward with outstretched arms towards the open door.)
Oh, be not angry, that with eyes profane
I have intruded on thy resting-place!

Geof.
Rise up! I tremble for you. You are caught
In an enchanter's spell. The vision is
Some cheating phantom. Follow me!

Tris.
I cannot.

Geof.
Then do not kneel there like a marble block!
Tush, be a man! If hence you will not fly,
At least command your spirits! Let us learn,
Who this fair creature is. Awake her!

Tris.
No!
That were a sin!

Geof.
If you will not, I will.

(Enters.)
Tris.
Audacious man! He calls to her—hark, hark!
How now—he clasps her hand—

Geof.
(rushing out).
Away, away!
She cannot wake. Her senses are enthralled
By some dark demon's necromantic spells.
Oh, come! I quake for fear. We've rudely broke
Into a holy place, will be our death.

Tris.
A holy place! You name it well. But it
Imports not death, but life. Well, well, no matter!
Come, let us quit this consecrated ground,
Which wrongly we intruded on. She sleeps.
It is unchivalrous to tarry—

Geof.
Come!

Tris.
Yet stay! I'll grant myself one little look,
One moment by her side, to scan her face,
Then follow you anon.

(Enters.)
Geof.
See there, he kneels!
Upon her hand imprints one gentle kiss.
How he surveys her! There, he hath unclasped
A ribbon from her neck, and bears it off.
Now, Heaven be praised, he comes to me again.

Tris.
(returns).
Now have I graven deeply on my heart
Her beauteous form. It cannot vanish now.
Ay, let us hence, and dread this witchery!
Yet did I vow to seek this spot again,
And, if I erred not, with a gracious smile
She heard my vow, and blessed it in her dreams.
See, Geoffrey, I have ta'en this ornament,
A gem of price, that lay upon her breast.
Like Jesse's son, who from the sleeping Saul
Took of his robe a fragment, for a sign
That in his hands the monarch's life had been,
So may this jewel likewise testify
That I was here, and that my life was placed
Within her hand, even while she lay in sleep.
Come, Geoffrey!

(Retires with Geoffrey towards the concealed door, as Iolanthe appears at the door of the house.)