 | Philip |  |
SCENE THE FOURTH.
Philip, Isabella, Carlos, Gomez.Phi.
Approach me, prince. Now tell me when will dawn
That day in which, with the fond name of son,
Thy father may accost thee. Thou should'st see,
(Ah, would'st thou have it so) blended at once
The name of father and of king; ah, why,
Since thou lov'st not the one, fear'st not the other?
Car.
My lord, though these unmerited reproaches,
Ere now, have often jarred upon my ears,
They always sound most harsh and unprovoked.
Silence from thee seems not so wonderful;
Guilty I am, if in thy sight I seem so.
'Tis true my heart assents not to the charge,
Free from conviction and remorse it glows,
But not the less profound regret it feels
That thou esteem'st me guilty.—
Oh, could I trace the source of my misfortunes,
Or, if the phrase seem more appropriate,
Know the true origin of my offences!
Phi.
Thy love so lukewarm towards thy native country;
And towards thy father thy ... no love at all;
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Enquire no further why thou dost offend me.
Car.
I am pleased, at least, that thou hast not ascribed
This to a nature innately perverse.
I may make some amends for what is past;
Learn with what fondness I should love my father,
And how to love my country; learn the means
To banish grovelling flatterers from my presence,
Who, in proportion as the father's power
That of the son's transcends, the father's ears
With lies more pertinaciously assault.
Phi.
Thou art still a youth. Thy heart, thy look, thy actions,
Too plainly tell that much beyond discretion
Thou trustest to thyself. This I should deem
Only a venial error of thy age,
If I did not with disappointment witness,
That, as thy years advance, thy judgment seems,
Instead of perfecting, more immature.
I shall account thy error of to-day
A youthful indiscretion, though, alas!
It bears the marks of veteran turpitude.
Car.
Error? ... but what?
Phi.
And thou dost ask it of me?
And art thou not aware that all thy thoughts,
Much more thy daring deeds, thy thoughts most secret,
To me are all reveal'd? Queen, thou beholdest;
'Tis not to be, but not to feel himself
Worthy of blame, that constitutes his guilt.
Car.
Father, at last from doubt deliver me:
What have I done?
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So manifold thy crimes,
That doubt of which shall prompt my just reproach,
Serves thee instead of innocence. Now hear me.
Say, hast thou not had commerce with that soil
Where most the furnace of sedition blazes?
E'en in my palace, did'st thou not perchance,
Before the dawn of day, clandestinely,
A trait'rous and protracted audience give
To the orator of the Batavian rebels?
To that base miscreant who comes begging pity,
If you believe his words, but who, in heart,
Perfidious machinations cherishes,
And projects of rebellion unavenged.
Car.
Father, must my most unimportant actions
Be all ascribed to guilt? 'Tis true, I spoke
At length to the ambassador; 'tis true
That I, with him, compassionate the fate
Of those thy hapless subjects, and I dare
Avow the same compassion in thy presence.
Nor thou thyself would'st long withhold thy pity,
Provided that, like me, thou hadst heard at length
Of the iron government, in which, oppressed
Beneath proud, avaricious, inexpert,
Weak, cruel, yet unpunished ministers,
So many years they have groan'd. For their misfortunes
My heart with pity bleeds; I boldly own it:
And say, would'st thou, that I, the son of Philip,
Possessed a vulgar or a cruel heart?
The hope perhaps was too presumptuous
That I, with stating the unvarnished truth,
Could wake, this day, thy bosom to compassion.
But how can I be thought to offend a father
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If thou on earth dost wish to represent
The Ruler of the skies, what attribute
Like that of mercy, fixes the resemblance?
But, notwithstanding, of my punishment
Thou art arbiter supreme, if I appear,
Or am, on this occasion criminal.
The only boon I dare to challenge of thee,
Is to be spared th'unworthy name of traitor.
Phi.
A noble pride breathes in thy every word.
Ill canst thou, nor should'st thou affect to do it,
The lofty motives penetrate, or judge,
That influence thy king. Hence thou should'st tame
That turbulence undisciplined; that bold
Impatient wish to give advice unasked;
Thy judgments, as if fraught with mighty sense,
Officiously to impart. Learn to be cautious,
If on the mightiest of the thrones of Europe
Thou art destined to be honour'd by the world.
That indiscretion now in thee may please,
Which then may cast upon thy character
A stain of deep reproach. 'Tis time, I warn thee,
T'assume a new deportment. Thou hast sought
Pity from me, and pity shalt thou find;
But for thyself: all are not worthy of it.
Leave me to be sole judge of my own measures.
Erewhile in thy behalf, and not in vain,
The queen at length addressed me. Of my love,
No less than of her own, she deems thee worthy ...
To her, more than to me, thou owest thy pardon ...
To her. From this day forward I expect
That thou wilt better know both how to prize,
And how deserve my favour.—Now behold,
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Oh queen; and, urged by thee, consent to learn
Not only to forgive, but love my son.
Isa.
My lord?
Phi.
To thee I owe it, and to thee
Alone. For thee have I repressed my wrath,
And in th'indulgent character of father
Have I reproved my son. Of this day's mercy
Mayest thou ne'er give me reason to repent.
Oh, son! that thou mayest not defeat her hope,
Strive to attach her more by thy deportment.
That he may be progressive in amendment,
Do thou, oh queen, more frequently permit him
Thy presence to enjoy ... speak to him ... guide him ...
And listen to her thou, and shun her not.
I will that it be so.
Car.
Oh, how the sound
Of pardon, when addressed to me, is irksome!
But if I must accept it from my father,
And, lady, thou obtain that pardon for me,
May my fate grant (my fate my only crime)
That I may never more endure the shame.
Phi.
Rather should'st thou take shame to have needed pardon,
Than, needing, to have gain'd it from thy father.
Let this for once suffice: weigh well my words.
Do thou, oh queen, withdraw to thy apartments;
Thou shalt, ere long, behold me there. Meanwhile
I must bestow on other weighty cares
A few brief moments.
| Philip | |