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SCENE III.
The apartment of Terentia: Ermingard and Aurora are discovered with Terentia, who is withdrawn to a distance from them. Ermingard is seated with his body thrown back, and his face covered with both his hands, while Aurora stands by him in the attitude of one who is entreating or soothing him.Erm.
O cease! Thy words, thy voice, thy hand on mine,
That touch so dearly felt, do but enhance
An agony too great.—Untoward fate!
Thus to have lost thee!
Aur.
Say not, thou hast lost me.
Heaven will subdue our minds, and we shall still,
With what is spared us from our wreck of bliss,
Be happy.
Erm.
Most unblest, untoward fate!
After that hapless battle, where in vain
I courted death, I kept my name conceal'd.
E'en brave De Villeneuve, master of our Order,
When he received my vows, did pledge his faith
Not to declare it. Thus I kept myself
From all communication with these shores,
Perversely forwarding my rival's will.
O blind and credulous fool!
Aur.
Nay, do not thus upbraid thyself: Heaven will'd it.
Be not so keenly moved: there still is left
What to the soul is dear.—We'll still be happy.
Erm.
The chasten'd pilgrim o'er his lady's grave
Sweet tears may shed, and may without reproach
Thoughts of his past love blend with thoughts of heaven.
He whom the treach'ry of some faithless maid
Hath robb'd of bliss, may, in the sturdy pride
Of a wrong'd man, the galling ill endure;
But sever'd thus from thee, so true, so noble,
By vows that all the soul's devotion claim,
It makes me feel—may God forgive the crime!
A very hatred of all saintly things.
Fool—rash and credulous fool! to lose thee thus!
Aur.
Nay, say not so: thou still art mine. Short while,
I would have given my whole of life besides
To've seen but once again thy passing form—
Thy face—thine eyes turn'd on me for a moment;
Or only to have heard through the still air
Thy voice distinctly call me, or the sound
Of thy known steps upon my lonely floor:
And shall I then, holding thy living hand
In love and honour, say, thou art not mine?
Erm.
(shaking his head).
This state—this sacred badge!
Aur.
O no! that holy cross upon thy breast
Throws such a charm of valorous sanctity
O'er thy lov'd form: my thoughts do forward glance
To deeds of such high fame by thee achieved;
That e'en methinks the bliss of wedded love
Less dear, less noble is, than such strong bonds
As may, without reproach, unite us still.
Erm.
O creature of a gen'rous constancy!
Thou but the more distractest me! Fool, fool!
[Starting from his seat, and pacing to and fro distractedly.
Mean, misbelieving fool!—I thought her false,
Credulous alone of evil—I have lost,
And have deserv'd to lose her.
Aur.
Oh! be not thus! Have I no power to soothe thee?
See, good Terentia weeps, and fain would try
To speak thee comfort.
Ter.
(coming forward).
Ay; bethink thee well,
Most noble Ermingard, heaven grants thee still
All that is truly precious of her love,—
Her true and dear regard.
Erm.
Then heaven forgive my black ingratitude,
For I am most unthankful!
Ter.
Nay, consider,
Her heart is thine: you are in mind united.
Erm.
United! In the farthest nook o' th' earth
I may in lonely solitude reflect,
That in some spot—some happier land she lives,
And thinks of me. Is this to be united?
Aur.
I cannot, in a page's surtout clad,
Thy steps attend as other maids have done
To other knights.
Erm.
No, by the holy rood!
Thou canst not, and thou shouldst not. Rather would I,
Dear as thou art, weep o'er thee in thy grave,
Than see thee so degraded.
Aur.
Hear me out.
I cannot so attend thee—noon and eve
Thy near companion be! but I have heard
311
Convents of maids devout in Holy Land
Establish'd are—maids who in deeds of charity
To pilgrims and to all in warfare maim'd,
In sacred warfare for the holy cross,
Are deem'd the humble partners of your zeal.
Erm.
Ay, such there are; but what availeth this?
Aur.
There will I dwell, a vow'd and humble sister.
We shall not far be sever'd. The same winds
That do o' nights through your still cloisters sigh,
Our quiet cells visiting with mournful harmony,
Shall lull my pillow too. Our window'd towers
Shall sometimes show me on the neighbouring plains,
Amidst thy brave companions, thy mail'd form
Crested with glory, on thy pawing steed
Returning from the wars. And when at last
Thou art in sickness laid—who will forbid
The dear sad pleasure—like a holy bride
I'll by thy death-bed stand, and look to heaven
Where all bless'd union is. O! at the thought,
Methinks this span of life to nothing shrinks,
And we are bless'd already. Thou art silent:
Dost thou despise my words?
Erm.
O no! speak to me thus: say what thou wilt:
I am subdued. And yet these bursting tears!
My heart is rent in twain: I fear—I fear
I am rebellious still.
[Kneeling, and taking both her hands between his, and kissing them with great devotion.
School me or chide me now: do what thou wilt:
I am resign'd and humble.
Ter.
(advancing to them with alarm).
Hear ye that noise without?—They force the door,
And angry Ulrick comes.
Erm.
(starting from his knees furiously).
Thank heaven this hated rival front to front
Shall now oppose me! God avenge the right!
Enter Ulrick, bursting into the room, followed by Bastiani.
Ul.
(to Erm.)
Vow'd, holy knight; from all vain earthly love
Pure and divided; in a lady's chamber
Do we surprise thee? Quit it instantly:
It is a place for thee unfit: and know,
In sacred wardship will I keep that maid.
Erm.
In sacred wardship! O unblushing face!
What of thy baseness, treachery, and falsehood
I could declare, my choking voice forbids,
Which utterance hath not.—Here's a ready tongue—
[Drawing his sword.
Defend thee, then, and heaven defend the right!
[They both draw, and fight furiously, Bastiani endeavouring in vain to interpose; when the legate and his train, with Garcio and the Knights of St. John, enter, and separate them.
Leg.
Put up your weapons: to the holy church
This cause belongs, and to her high award
I charge you both that you in all humility
Submit. Lord Ulrick, to the pope perforce
You must account of this your wardship give,
Or by yourself in person, or your deputy,
To Rome forthwith despatch'd.
[Ul. bows sullenly.
As for the lady, to my guardian care,
Till we before the holy father come,
She must commit herself. And thou, Sir Ermingard,
Shalt to the sovereign pontiff and the patron
Of thy most valiant order, fully show
Wherein thou'st been aggriev'd. If the bless'd cross
Thou hast assum'd, supposing other vows
That did before engage thee, were annull'd,
By false reports deceived; the holy Urban,
Our wise enlighten'd father, will, I trust,
A dispensation grant, that shall empower thee
To doff with honour this thy sacred mantle,
And in its stead a bridegroom's robe assume.
[Ermingard and Aurora both embrace the legate's knees, who raises them up gently.
It is enough; forbear, forbear, my children;
I am too richly thank'd.
And now we must with sober minds confer:
For when the wind is fair, we sail for Rome.
Some days, perhaps, it may adversely blow—
Perhaps some weeks; for I have known it oft
Hold vessels bound.
Aur.
(tossing up her arms joyfully as she speaks).
No; it will change to-morrow.
Erm.
Dear ardent soul! canst thou command the winds?
[Aur. shrinks back ashamed.
Leg.
Blush not, sweet maid; nor check thy ardent thoughts;
That gen'rous, buoyant spirit is a power
Which in the virtuous mind doth all things conquer.
It bears the hero on to arduous deeds:
It lifts the saint to heaven.
[Curtain drops.
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