University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

The Earl's Chamber of Audience.—Gautier, Hackel, Albert, St. Prieux, Hebert, and others discovered in groups.
Gautier
[to Hebert.]
Your friend, Sir Thancmar, remains long within.

HEBERT.
The Earl receives much counsel from him, sir,
On matters not yet ripe for public question.

ST. PRIEUX.
Indeed! [Aside to the others.]
Now would I wager my best horse
His present argument to escape
This combat with Bouchard; for if they meet,
My life upon it, sirs, but it will rid
The Provost of Sir Thancmar.

HACKEL.
'Tis as ever!
Bertulphe's good star serves him on all occasions,
And, on the moment opposition rises,
Gives him the means to crush it.

GAUTIER.
Hush! 'Tis the Earl.

Enter Charles attended, accompanied by Thancmar.
EARL.
Good morrow, gentlemen! but I miss one,
Whom most I wished to see.
Enter Bertulphe and Bouchard attended.
My trusty friend,
You are right welcome. I desired your aid,
And, with your customary promptness, you
Anticipate my wish.

BERTULPHE.
My gracious Prince,
I pray you overrate not my poor service.

EARL.
There is a foolish quarrel 'twixt Sir Thancmar
And your brave son; we wish their reconcilement,
And pray your mediation with Bouchard.

BERTULPHE.
I would your Highness had demanded of me
Something wherein my duty to myself
Permitted me to side with you. In this
Our judgments stand opposed: it cannot be.

EARL.
Methinks, for one, whose calm and temper'd wisdom
Should rule the fiery current of young bloods,
You are somewhat sudden. Let them speak their own.
Knowing thus far, we wish their reconcilement.

BERTULPHE.
Your pardon, sir: I have been bred a soldier,
And, it may be, am somewhat over-nice
On points of honour; and Bouchard's my son,
Or stands to me in place of one. But still,
Since 'tis your pleasure, let themselves determine.

EARL.
How say you, sirs?

THANCMAR.
My will, my gracious Sovereign,
Waits ever on your own, which still shall rule me.

BOUCHARD.
And so would mine no less, did I not hear
A higher call than even my Prince's favour,
That bids me forward;—'tis the voice of honour,
With whom, not me, this quarrel has been set.
I dare not disobey that high command,
And crave your Highness, for my honour's sake,
We may have licence to proceed.

BERTULPHE.
Your Highness
Perceives 'tis vain to patch this quarrel up;
Such rotten love would yield a wider rent
On the next touch.

EARL.
True, sir, I see 'tis vain:—
When hoary age, that should apply the curb
To youth's hot passions, plies the spur instead,
The steed will run his course.
Well, what's your will, sir?

BERTULPHE.
Your Highness' licence to decide this quarrel.

EARL.
And how if I refuse it?

BERTULPHE.
I will urge,
As oft your Highness does, our fathers' customs—
The usage of an age; and in the strength
Of your own argument, will so demand
The ancient right of battle.

EARL
[unwillingly.]
Be it so—
But I am little bounden to your love.
Sir Thancmar, 'tis with you to name the day.

THANCMAR.
I care not, sir;—to-morrow if they will.

BERTULPHE
[eagerly.]
To-morrow be it then.

EARL.
This is too sudden.

BERTULPHE.
Not so, my Lord; the longer such things rankle
The sharper grows the sore. If we would cure,
We must cure quickly. Let it be to-morrow.

EARL.
How say you, Thancmar?

THANCMAR.
As they will, my liege—
They shall not find me backward.

EARL.
Then 'tis fix'd.
And now, Sir Provost, since the business
On which we sought you is so well concluded,
We shall not need your further aid to-day.

BERTULPHE.
My Lord, a moment yet: there is a suit
(I blush to think how often I have urged it)
To which I came to press you to reply.

EARL.
The lands you claim—it shall be well consider'd.

BERTULPHE.
It shall be still.

EARL.
I have no further answer.
Nobles, farewell. Sir Thancmar, come with me,—
I wish your private counsel.

[All bow and retire, except Bouchard, and Bertulphe, who remains with his eyes fixed on the Earl as he goes out with Thancmar.
BERTULPHE
[bitterly.]
Do you so?
And thus you'd think to frown me from my purpose—
That will be difficult. Your private counsel—
I pray you do not scant it, gentle sirs,
'Twill be your last.—Bouchard, prepare thee now;
I know thy skill, but let thy heart go with it.
Say, thou art matched against thy fiercest foe,
Yet be not rash—he is an adversary
Worthy thy sword:—be patient, calm, and watchful,
But deadly in thy purpose.

BOUCHARD.
Yet I pray you,
Wherefore this bitterness against Sir Thancmar?
He is a noble knight, and well reputed,
Although I love him not.

BERTULPHE.
Boy! there are creatures
From which with natural antipathy
The eye turns loathing, and when these unite
A poisonous power to injure us, we crush them:—
Such Thancmar is to me—now ask no farther,
But go;—thou know'st thy duty—fit thee for it.

BOUCHARD.
You shall not find me wanting.

[Exit.
BERTULPHE.
'Tis gained—Thancmar at length is in my grasp!—
The fool—I had thought him wiser! Yet success
Has been most dearly purchased. Charles resents
The froward course my fate imposes on me,
And thrusts me from his heart,—yes, that is bitter:
'Tis cruel, when the loves that we had cherish'd,
And hoped should twine their last around our graves,
Wither within our living grasp, and leave
But ashes in their stead— (with deep melancholy)

Charles, Charles, thou lov'st me not.
Enter Constance.
Why, how now, girl!—is this a place for thee?
What dost thou here?

CONSTANCE.
To seek my dear father, now my only hope.
Oh! I have learn'd it all—this threaten'd combat—
But you have power to bid them yet be friends:
For your child's sake!—Bouchard will yield to you,
Though I implore in vain. We were so happy—
The wars all ended,—and I called him mine,
Without a fear:—father, preserve him to me:—
Say but this shall not be—and he is safe.

BERTULPHE.
Thou silly child, is this thy mighty grief?
For a mere pass of arms—a common joust
Upon a point of honour—thou hast seen
A hundred such. They meet and break a lance—
Bouchard unseats him, and the quarrel's ended.

CONSTANCE.
But who can say 'twill be such easy conquest.
Oh! should mischance befall him—father, father,
I shall die too.

BERTULPHE.
Art thou a soldier's wife!
What means this whining? I had deemed of thee,
Thou shouldst be mother to a race of heroes!
But I was wrong—go, spin among your maids,—
Go, go, you trouble me.

CONSTANCE.
Oh, you are angry,
And that is more than all;—turn to me, father—
Turn, smile upon me, I am but a woman,—
You should remember that, but I will be
All you would have me, that my sex permits.
I cannot aid my Lord but with my prayers;—
They are a woman's weapons; be they mine,—
And if some tears should mingle with them, think
They are a woman's too, and so forgive them.
Nay, now you smile again, and I am happy.

Enter Page.
My Lord, a letter from the Earl.

[Exit.
BERTULPHE
[opens the letter—reading it, starts, then pacing the stage with great irritation.]
'Tis to insult me.

CONSTANCE.
Is aught ill?

BERTULPHE.
Ill! no!
A most rare jest, no more,—nought but a jest!—
I asked this grateful Earl for certain lands,
In bare requital of my services;
Which lands he promised me, but still delay'd
To give his word effect; and now he writes
They shall be mine, provided I perform
The customary homage.

CONSTANCE.
What is that?

BERTULPHE.
Oh, nought!—a jest, a very merry jest!—
Crawl on my knees into his gracious presence,
And pray him use me for his vilest service.
Is it not rare! I like that rising flush!—
That look! 'tis good! thou art my daughter!—come!
What shall we answer?

CONSTANCE.
Fling his offers back!

BERTULPHE.
Good! but still not enough. It is Bouchard
Must answer him;—nay, now thou art pale again!
'Tis Thancmar that has set Charles on to this
For his own profit—for, on my refusal,
He will accept the lands and do the homage:—
Trust me he will,—he shall live to do it.

CONSTANCE.
Oh! my father!

BERTULPHE.
Now by my soul, if thus you rave and sigh,
You shall not see Bouchard—he must be strong!—
Well! thou shalt take a parting kiss,—no more!
But we will have no tears; look well to that.
Why, there they stand, even now!—What, was I harsh?
Nay, I meant nothing,—only these things turn
The blood to gall;—come, smile, my love,—come, come.

[Leads her off.