University of Virginia Library

ACT V.

SCENE I.

TENT OF MARCHESELLA, NEAR ANCONA. EARLY MORNING. Marchesella. Officers. Paolucci.
Officer.
My general! easily I executed
Your orders.

Marchesella.
Have they fled, then?

Officer.
Altogether.

Marchesella.
And could you reach the gate?

Officer.
And enter too.
Paolucci's seal unbarr'd it; not until
I held two loaves above my head, and threw
My sword before me.

Marchesella.
And what saw you then?

Officer.
There is a civil war within the city,
And insolence and drunkenness are rife.
Children and old and middle-aged were reeling,
And some were slipping over, some devouring
Long-podded weeds with jagged edges, cast
Upon the shore.

Paolucci.
Famine had gone thus far
(Altho' with fewer) ere we left the mole.
The ancient garden-wall was overthrown
To get the twisted roots of fennel out;
The fruit-tree that could give no fruit gave buds;
The almond's bloom was withering, but whoe'er
Possest that treasure pierced the bark for gum;
The mulberry sent her tardy shoot, the cane
Her tenderer one; the pouting vine untied
Her trellised gems; the apple-tree threw down
Her load of viscous mistletoe: they all
(Little it was!) did all they could for us.

Marchesella.
The Germans (look!) have left their tents behind:
We will explore them; for your wary soldiers
Suspect, and well they may, some stratagem.

SCENE II.

ERMINIA'S CHAMBER. Erminia. Maria. [Maria is going. Erminia calls her back.
Erminia.
Maria, is the countess very fair?

Maria.
Most beautiful. But you yourself must judge.
She sent me for you in the gentlest tone,
And far more anxious to see you, than you
(It seems) are to see her.

Erminia.
I am afraid
To see her.

Maria.
You afraid! Whom should you fear?
Beautiful as she is, are not you more so?

Erminia.
So you may think; others think otherwise.

Maria.
She is so affable! When many lords
Stood round about her, and the noblest of them
And bravest, Marchesella, who would give
His lands, his castles, even his knighthood for her . .
Whom do you think she call'd to her? . . the youth
Who cut the cables, and then hid himself
That none might praise him . . him who brought in safety
Your lover to the shore.

Erminia
(angrily).
Whom?

Maria.
Whom? Stamura.

Erminia.
What heart could he not win . . not scorn . . not break?

Maria.
I do not hear those shy ones ever break
A woman's heart, or win one. They may scorn;
But who minds that?

Erminia.
Leave me.

Maria.
And tell the countess
You hasten to her presence?

Erminia.
Is he there?

Maria.
Who?

Erminia.
Dull, dull creature!

Maria.
The brave Marchesella?

Erminia.
Are there none brave but he?

Maria.
O! then, Stamura.
No: when he led her from the mole again,
And she had enter'd the hall-door, he left her.

Erminia.
I fear'd he might be with her. Were he with her,
What matter! I could wait until . . Wait! why?
He would not look at me, nor I at him.

Maria.
No; I can answer for him. Were he born
Under the waves, and never saw the sun,
He could not have been colder. But you might
Have lookt at him, perhaps.

Erminia.
Not I indeed.

Maria.
Few men are like him. How you hug me!

Erminia.
Go . .
I will run first . . Go . . I am now quite ready.

SCENE III.

CHAMBER IN THE CONSUL'S HOUSE. Countess and Erminia.
Countess.
The depths of love are warmer than the shallows,
Purer, and much more silent.

Erminia
(aside).
Ah! how true!

Countess.
He loves you, my sweet girl; I know he does.

Erminia.
He says not so.

Countess.
Child! all men are dissemblers
The generous man dissembles his best thoughts,
His worst the ungenerous.

Erminia.
If, indeed, he loves me . .

Countess.
He told me so.

Erminia.
Ah! then he loves me not.
Who, who that loves, can tell it?

Countess.
Who can hide it?
His voice betray'd him; half his words were traitors . .
To him, my sweet Erminia! not to you.
What! still unhappy!

[Erminia weeps
Erminia.
Let me weep away
A part of too much happiness.

Countess.
I wish
One more could see it. From these early showers
What sweets, that never spring but once, arise!

SCENE IV.

Consul enters.
Consul.
Before you leave us, since you part to-day,
From our full hearts take what lies deepest there,
And what God wills beyond all sacrifice . .
Our praises, our thanksgivings. Thee we hail,
Protectress! But can words, can deeds, requite
The debt of our deliverance?

Countess.
What I ask
Should not infringe your freedom. Power is sweet,
And victory claims something. I am fain
To exercise a brief authority
Within the walls, appointing you my colleague.

Consul.
Lady! this very night my power expires.

Countess.
And mine, with your connivance, shall begin.

Consul.
Lady! all power within the walls is yours.

SCENE V.

ARCH OF TRAJAN ON THE MOLE. Consul, Marchesella, Countess, Senators,&c.
Consul.
We have no flowers to decorate the arch
Whence the most glorious ruler of mankind
Smiles on you, lady! and on you, who rival
His valour, his humanity, his bounty.
Nor are there many voices that can sing
Your praises. For, alas! our poor frail nature
(May it be seldom!) hears one call above
The call of gratitude. The famishing
Devour your bread. But, though we hear no praises,
There are who sing them to their harps on high,
And he who can alone reward you both
Listens in all his brightness to the song.
I do entreat you, blemish not your glory.
No exercise of might or sovranty
Can ever bring you such content again
As this day's victory, these altar-prayers
From rescued men, men perishing; from child
And parent: every parent, every child,
Who hears your name, should bless you evermore.

Countess.
I find, sir, I must win you through your daughter.

Consul.
The girl is grateful: urge her not too far:
I could not, without much compunction, thwart her.
Erminia! go: we meet again to-morrow.

Countess.
Come hither, my sweet girl! Coy as thou art,
I have seen one, once in my life, as coy.
Stand forth thou skulking youth! Here is no sea
To cover thee; no ships to scatter. Take
This maiden's hand . . unless her sire forbid . .
Holdest thou back? after confession too!
I will reveal it. To Erminia.

And art thou ashamed?

Erminia.
I am ashamed.

Countess.
Of what? thou simpleton?

Erminia.
I know not what . . of having been ashamed.

Consul.
Antonio! if thou truly lovedst her,
What, after deeds so valiant, kept thee silent?

Stamura.
Inferior rank, deep reverence, due fear.
I know who rules our country.

Consul.
I, who saved her.

[Father John enters.
F. John.
What! and am I to be without reward?

Consul.
Father! be sure it will be voted you.

Marchesella.
And may not we too make our pious offerings,
For such they are, when such men will receive them.

F. John.
I claim the hand of the affianced. Girl!
Shrink not from me! Give it to God!

Erminia.
'Tis given:
I can not, would not, will not, take it back.

F. John.
Refractory! hast thou not dedicated
To God thy heart and soul?

Erminia.
I might have done it
Had never this day shone.

F. John.
And that youth's deeds
Outshone this day, or any day before.
When thou didst give thy hand to the deliverer
Whom God had chosen for us, then didst thou
Accomplish his great work, else incomplete.
I claim to pour his benediction on you
And yours for ever. Much, much misery,
Have I inflicted on the young and brave,
And can not so repent me as I should;
But 'twas in one day only my device
Ever wrought woe on any man alive.

[Paolucci enters.
Consul.
Who enters?

Paolucci.
Who? The bridesman.

(embracing him).
My brave friend!
My father's!
Paolucci.
Ay, thy grandfather's to boot.
And there was one, about my age, before him,
Sir Stefano, who wore a certain rose,
Radiant with pearls and rubies and pure gold,
Above the horse-tail grappled from the Turk.

Marchesella.
We have not in the house that ornament.

Paolucci.
I do believe he wears it in the grave.

Countess.
There is a sword here bright enough to throw
A lustre on Stamura. Marchesella!

Marchesella.
Kneel, sir!

[He kneels to Erminia.
Countess.
Not there.

Marchesella.

Countess
(Smiling).
Stamura! would you enter now my service?

Stamura.
Yes, lady, were you wrong'd, this very hour;
Then might I better earn the bliss I seek.