University of Virginia Library

SCENE THE FOURTH.

Mary, Bothwell.
Both.
May I approach, the exulting spectator
Of thy recovered joy? Thy husband, say,
Of what complexion are his present thoughts?
Is he reform'd? ...

Ma.
Inflexibly the same.
What do I say? He to his former rage
Unites a smile of bitter irony;
And turns to ridicule my earnest words.
Ah, wretched me! What means have I now left
To soften his asperity? I speak
Of love; he speaks of power: I am the injured,
Yet he the plaintiff. By ambitious thoughts,
Yet destitute of all sublimity,
His bosom is attainted and depraved.

Both.
But what does he demand?

Ma.
Absolute power.

Both.
Hast thou that to confer?

Ma.
He now would deem
That power a bauble which I gave to him
Ere he compell'd me to resume the gift.
He has entirely yielded to oblivion
The perils whence I rescued him.

Both.
Yet thou
Canst not, without incurring blame, refuse
To share that power of which thyself art mistress
With him that is thy husband. That which he
Possess'd before, that which the laws give to him,
E'en at thy risk thou must restore him all.

Ma.
I still should have, if I could love him less,
E'en more than one resource: to suffer him,
Left to himself, headlong to rush at once
In numberless inextricable snares;
For the result can ne'er be prosperous
Of his ill-plann'd and worse-transacted schemes.
But I exist, assail'd on every side
By an o'erwhelming tempest. His misfortunes,
In one respect, affect me more than him;...
But yet, if he alone prefers his ruin ...
Still will that ruin be a heavy blow
To me, come when it may.—And then ... my son!...
Oh heaven! if towards my son my thoughts I turn,
On whom, perchance, the errors of his father
May one day fall! ... I am no longer able ...

Both.
Queen, thou desir'st me not to flatter thee:
And I impose it on myself to serve thee.
A mother's and a consort's love alone
Combat within thy bosom. Save thy son,
Thou should'st give all to Henry.

Ma.
And that son
Precisely, more than all the rest, he asks.

Both.
But is he thine to give? Say, is he not
Rather our public pledge? Where were the wonder
If he, a guilty spouse, proved a worse father?

Ma.
But yet, to quiet his perturbed spirit,
I promised him ...

Both.
Thy son? He to rule him?
Take heed.

Ma.
He to rule him? I myself venture not
To do it; and to others shall I yield him?

Both.
'Tis then but a precautionary step,
Lest others take him from thee?

Ma.
—To what tend
These thy insinuations? Perhaps thou knowest ...

Both.
I? ... Nothing ... But I think that perhaps by chance
Henry to-day return'd not. Hitherto
I've been the first to cut off all the means
Whence the vain threats of Henry (whether feign'd
Or real) e'er could be reported to thee
By the informers that in courts abound.
But to more culpable contrivances
Should he direct his thoughts, whate'er the risk,
'Twould be my duty to reveal to thee,
Not what he says, but what he aims to do.

Ma.
He hath been hitherto assuredly
To my repeated invitations deaf ...
And now, who knows? ... But speak ... perhaps today
Some indirect and circumventing purpose
May bring him back to court.

Both.
I do not think it;
But I should be a witless counsellor
If I from time to time suggested not
Precautionary thoughts of what may be.
He never was assail'd for this his son
With overweening fondness: wherefore then
Demand him now? Ormond likewise pretends
Anxious desire to see the royal youth:
And he brings with him all the stratagems
Of his most crafty queen: all may be fear'd;
Yet nothing there may be; but on the throne
Blind trust is an unpardonable fault.

Ma.
Must I for ever from one agony
Be driven to another? Wretched fate! ...
Yet what can I now do?

Both.
Watch while I watch;
Thou canst do nought beside: if it be false,
My fear can do no harm; if true, some good.
Under what pretext seems most plausible,
Only contrive that Henry now should have
Apartments separate from these in which
The royal youth resides; and leave him here
Guarded by thy most faithful partizans
Unintermittingly. Do thou henceforward
Go from this place, and occupy with Henry
As a more cheerful or more healthy dwelling,
The ancient castle which commands the city:
There may'st thou quickly see what influence
Thy love has o'er him: Thus thou clear'st his path,
If thoughts of reformation sway his will;
And thus, if evil purposes possess him,
Preventest him from injuring e'en himself.

Ma.
Wise is thy counsel; I adhere to it.
Do thou meanwhile for my security,
Glory, and peace, efficient means invent,
And gentle ones, whence I may frustrate ills
Past remedy, if gathering strength from time.