 | Elmerick : or, Justice Triumphant |  |
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ACT II.
SCENE I.
Queen and Ismena.Q.
Yes, I resent the King has left me thus!—
Thus in the bloom of youth to be forsaken!—
I'll have revenge.
Ism.
Forgive your servant, Madam;
Grief and impatience interrupt your reason:
You think not what you speak, or will not think it,
When time shall give you leisure to reflect.
The King, howe'er in this—
Q.
Excuse him not;
I never lov'd him, and now never will.—
You seem amaz'd! Is it so very strange,
A lady should not love the man she weds?
Ism.
My happy fortune, Madam, makes me think so,
Nor wou'd I lose that thought to be a Queen.
Q.
I wou'd I were no Queen!—at least not here!
When in Moravia, at my father's court,
The only daughter and the darling joy
Of my fond Parents love; officious Fame
Proclaim'd me as a miracle of beauty:
Justly or not is now of small importance,
'Twas then thought true, and Princes came in crouds
To love and be refus'd. The noblest triumphs
Our sex can boast, charm'd my aspiring thoughts;
And constant revels, feastings, mirth and musick
Sooth'd every sense. No grave grimace, that's call'd
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To set the Rabble free, and fetter Kings;
No anxious cares for what regards not us,
Remote posterity; obscur'd the lustre,
Or damp'd the joys of Olmutz' gallant court:
Soft am'rous sighs were all the mournful sounds,
And deep intrigues to gain some haughty Fair
Were all the business of that happy place
I left for this proud, solemn seat of dulness,
This pompous grave of pleasure, hated Buda.
Ism.
What wit and charms has education marr'd
(Aside.)
Q.
Then judge, Ismena,
Who know'st this formal Court, and sober King,
My hopeless, lost condition.
Ism.
May I hope
Your Majesty's forgiveness, should I ask,
The absence of your royal Lord excepted,
What more cou'd kind, indulgent Heaven bestow?
Power, wealth, and honour wait upon your will.
Q.
Power, wealth and honour feed man's high ambition;
But for our humbler sex, we're true to nature,
And rest content with pleasure. But to me
Pleasure's impossible, whilst my grave Master
More than forbids it by his wise example.
And then this last injurious slight has mov'd me
Beyond the power to pardon.
Ism.
Shou'd my Lord
Have left me thus, I might, I must have griev'd—
I think to death; but sure no angry thought
Had ruffled my sad bosom.
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You, Ismena,
Are a rare instance of felicity,
A happy, marry'd woman.
Ism.
'Tis true, my Lord,
Or I am partial, has not many equals:
The manly beauty of his pleasing face,
His perfect symmetry and noble mein,
His tender language, and his soft address—
Q.
I am no stranger to them—Wou'd I were!
(Aside.)
Ism.
But then the matchless beauty of his mind—
Ne'er were the great and tender so united
As in the soul of Elmerick.
Q.
Rash creature!
(Aside.)
Ism.
How happy were our sex if more were like him!
Q.
Why was not I reserv'd for such a lover?
My passions must have vent. (Aside.)
Gentle Ismena!
Wait for me near the fountain in the garden.
(Exit Ismena.
When murm'ring at my fate, to set before me,
And in so full a light, those very graces
That long have charm'd me! Vain, officious woman!—
Why have you, Heaven, so form'd this heart for love,
With no more reason, than you must foresee,
Subservient to that love, will make me wretched?
Enter Elmerick.
Elm.
Hail to the Queen! and may the news I bear,
Prove a glad omen of my future service
From this auspicious hour! Your royal brother,
The valiant Conrade, is arriv'd at Buda.
Q.
Now by the joys my soul has long been lost to,
This kind, this gen'rous haste to bring relief
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Does justice to your character. My thanks—
But that's a poor reward, current at courts
For want of something better.—I wou'd find
Some solid favour to engage your service,
Worthy of me, and worthy your acceptance.
Elm.
Is there a man so venal or so vain,
As not to think the happiness to serve
So good and great a Queen, a full reward
For all he can perform?—And then the honour
Done to my wife!—Your favour to Ismena
Exceeds all gratitude.
Q.
Gall, gall and poison.
(Aside.)
Elm.
Madam, I take my leave. The Prince is ent'ring.
Q.
My Lord, when our first interview is over,
We shall expect your presence.
(Exit Elmerick.
Enter Conrade.
Conr.
My Matilda!
Long let me press thee to my joyful breast,
I who have often mourn'd thy tedious absence,
Thou dear, dear object, both by choice and nature,
Of my fond love, my sister and my friend!
Q.
And was it tedious? Did you think it long?
Why should I doubt it? When was you not kind?
When did thy active genius let me want
New pleasures to repel intruding thought,
And lash the lazy minutes into swiftness?
Our Parents—
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Are well. There is no sorrow in Moravia
But from the want of thee.
Q.
I have not known,
'Till now, a joyful moment since I left it.
Conr.
We have been happy: And shou'd Fortune prove
Once more propitious to me, those gay fires
That shone so bright at Olmutz, may revive
And blaze at Buda.
Q.
What, my dearest Conrade,
Has Hungary to give worth thy desiring?
Conr.
Forgive, Matilda, while I own my Heart.
Though I have ever lov'd and fondly love thee,
I had, besides the joy of seeing thee,
Another powerful hope that fired my soul,
And wing'd my haste to Buda.
Q.
You surprize me!
Conr.
When first I led you here to warlike Buda,
And gave you blooming to your royal husband,
You must remember, during my short stay,
I saw and lov'd the daughter of Bathori.
Q.
I know it well, and all her rigors to you;
But thought your am'rous and inconstant heart
(Lost often, and as many times retriev'd
Since I beheld you last) had not retain'd
The least impression of Ismena's charms.
Conr.
Not all the gaudy pleasures I once courted,
Can cure the rooted passion, raging still,
Invincible as ever. It has cost me,
While distant from her charms I pin'd in absence,
A sickness almost fatal to my life;
Which though my youth recover'd, the soft poison
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And makes me hate my being:—I will die,
Or find relief. And therefore am I come,
Determined, to attempt my fate once more:
My state cannot be worse.—That she is wedded
To Elmerick, I know: Yet he's a subject;
And were he more, his greatness shou'd not awe me.
Q.
This favours my design on Elmerick's heart,—
If he should gain Ismena, Elmerick's mine.
(Aside.)
Let me dissuade you from a wild attempt,
Your rashness must defeat. Lord Elmerick,
Who now resides, as Regent, in the Palace,
Must soon perceive your love, and will find means
To guard his honour, and secure Ismena
From bold solicitation.
Con.
I'm convinc'd
That course were wrong, do you direct me better,
Or see me die the victim of despair.
Q.
How, Conrade! can you think I would assist
In such a purpose?—But were virtue silent,
A cloud of difficulties rise before me:
Lord Elmerick is Palatine and Regent—
Terms must be kept with him. And then Ismena,
Fond of her Lord, and vain of such a choice,
Will hear you with disdain. For happy Elmerick
Fills all her tender wishes, all her heart.—
Yet should some accident disturb their loves,
There might be hope: For she who once has lov'd,
May love again. The softness in our frame,
That has dispos'd us first to the fond passion,
Is ready to betray us ever after.
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This distant glimpse of hope, this poor reversion,
To one that loves as I do, is despair—
But 'tis from her alone, who rules my fate,
That I can learn my doom. Where may I find her?
Q.
I gave her charge to wait me in the garden,
And soon shall meet her there.
Conr.
Unkind Matilda,
Cou'dst thou know this, and yet detain me here?
I wou'd not lose the present, lucky moment
For ages in reversion.
(Exit Conrade.
Q.
Yes, my Conrade,
Though you was ever dearly welcome to me,
I now behold you with unusual transport.
O! may your sighs, your vows, your importunities
Subdue Ismena's heart; as Elmerick,
Without their pleasing aid, has conquer'd mine:
At least divide, break, and confound their peace:
Raise storms of jealousy, and fill their souls
With darkness and despair: 'Till in the tempest
Love be for ever lost, and the wild wreck
Compel abandon'd Elmerick to seek
For shelter in some near and friendly port,
And find the blest asylum in my arms.
(Exit Queen.
SCENE II.
A Garden.Conrade and Ismena.
Conr.
Her charms are still the same, and at her sight
Love burns with double fury: Yet I want
My former resolution: I am aw'd,
And scarce have courage left me to approach her.
(Aside.)
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To see me here, and see me still your slave:
Yes, those all-powerful beauties, that subdu'd
My ranging heart to constancy and truth,
Still hold the binding charm: To love Ismena
Is, as I feel too well, to love for ever.
Ism.
As you are brother to my royal mistress,
I'm not surpriz'd to see you here, Prince Conrade;
But as I'm wife to noble Elmerick,
To hear you hold this language does surprize me.
Conr.
Nor time, nor absence, nor the last despair,
For I have prov'd them all, can cure my passion,
A mortal passion, that must soon consume me,
Unless you bid me live.
Ism.
Live, and be wise;
Live, and be noble: break your vassalage
To passions that debase the name of Prince,
While that of Man is forfeited and lost.
Conr.
This high disdain, this counsel urg'd in scorn,
Is cruel and unjust.—Too haughty Fair!
Wilt thou ne'er learn compassion? Never melt
At my long tender sorrows? Let me hope—
Ism.
What have I done to raise your vanity
To this presumptuous heigth?
Conr.
O call it love,
And I'll confess it soars to all the heights
Of fond, distracted passion.
Ism.
Impious trifles!
Are these the arts by which false man betrays?—
Unhappy women! do they yield to guilt
Because a madman raves, a traitor flatters?—
I thought, vain Prince, I had been better known;
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At least, had taught you wisdom.
Conr.
I confess
My love was then to blame, so to expose
Your virgin honour: You have now a husband—
Ism.
You sink beneath my scorn—I have a husband—
And such an one as loose incontinence
Would want the will to wrong. Sir, if I bear
This insult unreveng'd, 'tis to my prudence,
Not to your birth and name, you owe your safety.
Conr.
My safety!—Hell!—let the proud Palatine
But dare to threaten thus—
Ism.
Take my advice,
And dare not to provoke him. Thus far, Prince,
I judge my scorn sufficient.
Conr.
Oh! 'tis too much, and all that I can fear:—
I'll conquer it or perish.
Ism.
Since your reason
Is wholly lost in this impetuous frenzy,
To shun your madness shall be all my care.
Conr.
Fly where you will, honour, as well as love,
Compels me now for ever to pursue you.
Ism.
The light, vain Libertine grows formidable!—
His insolence may lay a scene of ruin,
That chills my blood with horror but to think on.
Conr.
Her Cynick father!—There's another champion.
What with her innate pride and high alliances
She makes a strong resistance; and my passion,
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By opposition irritated, burns
More fiercely to attempt the noble conquest.
(Exit Conrade.
Bath.
Prince Conrade just now leaves you?
Ism.
Let him go.
Bath.
You seem disorder'd.
Ism.
Howe'er misplac'd by Fortune, Nature form'd me
For the domestick joys of calm retreat:
I'm sick of court already.
Bath.
For what cause?
You know your Lord, by his high trust compell'd,
Here must reside: It cannot be dispens'd with.
Ism.
'Tis true, and all our happy days are past:
For insolence and Conrade still pursue me.
Then judge, when this shall reach my husband's ear,
As soon it must, how will his soul endure
This outrage on my virtue and his honour?
Shall I not see his hands stain'd with the blood
Of the Queen's brother, or the noble Elmerick
(A thousand, thousand deaths are in the thought)
Bleed by the rage of impious, desperate Conrade?
Bath.
Unheard-of insolence! He shall be taught
The difference between the passive slaves
Of loose Moravia, and our free Hungarians.
Your Lord must never learn this daring insult:
For know, my Child, I hold myself sufficient
To shield a daughter from this princely Libertine,
And awe him into silence and respect.
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You know him not: He is not to be aw'd:
There is but one, one only way to shun him:
Let me forsake the court, with you retire
'Till Conrade quits the kingdom.
Bath.
Rightly judg'd.
Thy prudence is thy guard; safer in that
From being made the theme of busy rumour,
Ever injurious to a woman's fame,
Than in an army rais'd for thy defense.
My house and arms are ready to receive thee.
Exeunt.
End of the Second Act.
| Elmerick : or, Justice Triumphant | |