University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

CONSUL'S HOUSE. Consul and Erminia.
Erminia.
Father! why are not all the bells set ringing?

Consul.
What should the bells be ringing for to-day?

Erminia.
Such a procession comes along the road
As never was: some bishop at the head:
And what a horse is under him! and what
Beautiful boys . . they really are but boys,
Dear father . . hold the bridle on each side!
Scarlet and gold about their surplices,
And waving hair; not like church servitors,
But princes' sons. I would give all the world
To see their faces . . not quite all the world . .
For who would care about boys' faces, father?
Beside, they are too distant, very far.

Consul.
Art thou gone wild, Erminia?

Erminia.
Come and see.

Consul
(listening, and rising).
What means this tumult? Senators enter.

Consul! we are lost.

Consul.
How so?

First Senator.
The archbishop comes, from Barbarossa,
Against the city.

Consul.
What archbishop comes?

Second Senator.
Of Mentz.

Consul.
Then close the gates, and man the walls,
And hurl defiance on him. Bring my robe,
Erminia! I will question this proud prelate.
Gasparo, lift my armour from the wall
In readiness.

Officer.
A herald, sir, claims entrance.

Herald enters.
Consul.
What would your master with his perfidy?

Herald.
My master is the emperor and king.

Consul.
The more perfidious. Binds him not his oath
To succour Italy? Is slavery succour?
Tell the false priest thou comest from, that priest
Who took the name of Christian at the font,
'Twere well he held not in such mockery
The blessed one he bears it from. But wealth
And power put Wisdom's eyes out, lest she rule.

Herald.
Sir Consul! if the archbishop never preaches,
Pray why should you? It ill becomes my office
To bandy words: mine is but to repeat
The words of others: and their words are these:
“The people of Ancona must resign
Their lawless independence, and submit
To Frederick, our emperor and king.”

Consul.
Brief is the speech; and brief is the reply.
The people of Ancona will maintain
Their lawful independence, and submit
No tittle, sir, to emperor or king.

Herald.
Is this the final answer?

Consul.
Lead him forth.

Officer
(enters).
Sir! ere you hasten to the walls, look once
Toward the harbour.

Consul.
Gracious Heaven! what sails
Are those? Venetian?

Officer.
Yes; and they take soundings.

Consul.
Venice against us? Freedom's first-born child,
After the deluge that drowned Italy.
Alas! the free are free but for themselves;
They hate all others for it. The first murderer
(Their patron) slew his brother. Thus would they. [To the Officer.

Merluccio! hasten, man! call back again
Our mariners to leave the battlements
And guard their sisters and their mothers here.

Officer.
Mothers and sisters follow'd them, to bring
Munition up the towers.

Consul.
Bid them return:
The beach is open: thither is my road
Until more hands arrive.

Messenger
(enters).
Sir! they weigh down
Machines for storming.

Consul.
Go thou, tell Campiglio
To intercept them, if he can, before
They join the Germans on the hills above.

Erminia.
O father! here are none beside ourselves:
And those few people hauling in the boats
Can help us little; they are so afraid.

Consul.
Think not they are afraid because they pull
The oars with desperate strength and dissonance:
Who knows if they have each his loaf at home,
Or smallest fish set by from yesterday?
The weather has been rough; there is a swell
From the Adriatic. Leave me now, Erminia!

Erminia.
Alone, dear father?

Consul
(placing his hand on the head of Erminia).
He who watches over
The people, never is alone, my child!

Erminia
(running back).
Here come the men who were debarking.

Minuzzi and others.
Minuzzi.
Hail,
Sir Consul! All our fears then were but vain?

Consul.
So! you did fear?

Minuzzi.
Ay did we. The Venetians
Ride in huge galleys; we ply boats for trade.
But since, Sir Consul, you expected them,
We are all safe. I did not much misgive
When one in gallant trim, a comely youth,
Outside the mole, but ready to slip in,
Beckon'd me from his boat, and gave me, smiling,
This letter, bidding me deliver it
Into no other hand beside the consul's,
And adding, “All will soon be well again.”
I hope it may. But there was cause for doubt!
The galleys have cast anchor.

Consul.
Sure enough
They join our enemies.

Minuzzi.
How! One free state
Against another! Slaves fight slaves, and kings
Fight kings: so let them, till the last has bled:
But shall wise men (and wise above the wise,
And free above the free are the Venetians)
Devastate our joint patrimony . . freedom?
I fear not him who falls from such a highth
Before he strikes me. At him! my brave boys!
At him! the recreant! We have borne too much
In seeing his attempt. Could not we cut
The cables?

Stamura.
Rare, rare sport for us!

Consul.
Stamura!
If wise Minuzzi deems it feasible,
Ye shall enjoy the pastime, while the wind
Sits in this quarter, blowing from due-east
Hard into port: else must ye to the walls,
To meet full twenty thousand, well approved
In arms the most-part, all athirst for plunder.

Minuzzi.
Where are they posted?

Consul.
At the battlements.

Minuzzi.
Lads! we must lose no time.

Sailor.
Now let us see
Whether we too may not be mischievous
As they could wish us, this fine April morn.

Minuzzi.
[They go.
Father John enters.

Consul
(presses his hand).
And these are breasts despotic power would crush!

[Minuzzi going, meets Father John, who had listened.
Father John.
Talk ye of hatchets?

Consul.
Father John! good day!

F. John.
Yea, with God's blessing, we will make it so.

Consul.
I want your counsel on a perilous move.
Father! you were a diver in time past.

F. John.
And in time present may be one again.

Minuzzi.
Ah! could you join us in our enterprise!

F. John.
What is it?

Minuzzi.
Why, to dive and cut the cables
Of yon Venetians dancing there so gaily,
And bowing in bright pennons to each other.

F. John.
Is this the Doge's wedding-day with Adria?
No dame in Venice ever played him falser
Than she will do, and haply before night.
Ye spoke of hatchet! 'Twould but do poor work
Against a cable.

Stamura.
We can hold our breath
A good while on such business.

Consul.
Father John,
Could you devise some fitter instrument?

Minuzzi.
Ah! what inventions have not priests devised!
We all of us are what we are thro' them.

F. John.
I love this reverence, my grey boy! and aptly
Hast thou believed that Father John could frame
What will perform the work, else difficult.
I thought of Turks and Saracens, and flags
Bearing the crescent, not the winged lion,
When I prepared my double-handed sickle
To reap the hemp-field that lies under water.
I will dive too, and teach you on the way
How ye shall manage it. So fare you well,
Sir Consul! [To the Man.

We have all the day before us
And not long work (tho' rather hard) to do.