University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

A Gallery in the Chateau.—Alarms.
Enter Albert.
ALBERT.
Where is Bertulphe? So many throng without—
Each minute brings its thousand, till their numbers
Baffle all skill.

Enter St. Prieux.
ST. PRIEUX.
Albert, the assault is made!

ALBERT
[going.]
Ha!

ST. PRIEUX.
Nay, 'tis over!
At first they bore us back—had gain'd the wall,
And all seem'd desperate; when the old Provost
Rush'd with such noble fury in the midst,
Encouraging the while, with voice and action,
The falt'ring troops, that none could stand before him;
And fortune, even from habit, following him,
Restored all we had lost.

ALBERT.
The brave old man!
I'll join him instantly.

[Exit.
Enter Charente.
CHARENTE.
The Provost!

ST. PRIEUX.
Now—what new?

CHARENTE.
In the left wing, where we had little force,
A lodgment has been made.

Enter Bouchard.
BOUCHARD.
Who leads the assault?

CHARENTE.
Thancmar.

BOUCHARD.
Then let him enter! Ill betide
The man who stops his way! Room,—room for Thancmar!
He comes! The fiend who guides him in his course
Now leads him to his fate!
[Enter Thancmar.]
Secure the doors,
And he who dares to rob me of a blow,
I'll turn my sword on him the next. Now, Thancmar,
At last we are met. I have no words for curses;
It is enough I am Bouchard! And yet
I bid thee guard thee well—my thirsting blade
Will else at once leap to thy heart, and so
Shorten my vengeance. I would have thee pour
A separate life from every felon limb
And linger to destruction.

THANCMAR.
Serf and rebel!
Here is my only answer.

[Attacks him.—Exeunt fighting.
Enter Gautier.
GAUTIER.
There is no hope!

ST. PRIEUX.
That will I not believe
While that untameable old man holds out.

GAUTIER.
When he can multiply
His single self, and station a Bertulphe
At every point on which the assailants press,
Then will I too cry hope,—but not till then.

Enter Bertulphe.
BERTULPHE.
Who says there is no hope? Sir Gautier! Shame!
I had deem'd better of you. Had a soldier
Said this, I would have hurl'd him from the walls
To show that we could spare him. What! no hope!
There IS—there shall be hope! My child!—my child!
What shall thy fate be? [Alarms.]
Hark! they come again.
Who's there? St. Prieux, take you some men-at-arms
And drive them o'er the wall—leave not a man—
Then come to me again.

[Exit St. Prieux.
GAUTIER.
'Tis a vain struggle!

BERTULPHE.
Gautier, I charge thee, do not reason with me!
My heart and brain are all so wildly jarr'd,
It little lacks of madness.—Give me action,
Noise, blows, the conflict—to fill all my soul,
And leave no space for thought.—Come!—to the walls!

Enter Bouchard.—He throws a sword at Bertulphe's feet.
BOUCHARD.
There!—feast thine eyes on that!

BERTULPHE.
What is it?

BOUCHARD.
Blood
From Thancmar's heart! [sinks on the ground.]


BERTULPHE.
But thou, Bouchard—thou art hurt!

BOUCHARD.
Ay—past all remedy—

BERTULPHE
[rushing to him.]
No—no—no—thou art not—
Thou shalt not die, Bouchard—my child—she loves you!
Look up—'tis but the loss of blood—there—there!

BOUCHARD.
Wretched old man! I seek no further life!—
For thee—farewell!—I pity—and—forgive thee!

[Dies.
BERTULPHE.
Dead!—who shall tell her this? Why now indeed
Madness is mercy—for she will not know it!—
She must not know it—she would curse her father!
My child—my poor lost child! [shriek without.]


URSULA
[without.]
Woe! woe!

GAUTIER.
What cry is that?

URSULA
[entering.]
Oh, wretched father!
Father no longer now—she's dead! she's dead!—

BERTULPHE.
Dead!—why I'm glad on't—Ha! ha! ha!—to hear
A doting father told his child is dead
And cry, I'm glad on't!—
Now I defy thee, Fate! for I am free—
I did but bear this load of life for her,
And now I cast it from me.

GAUTIER.
My brave, my wretched kinsman!

BERTULPHE.
Thou there, old comrade!—Thou hast bravely fought—
So have you all.—Go now, and make your peace—
'Twill readily be granted when you tell them
Bertulphe submits, and is their prisoner.

GAUTIER.
Never, while I have life!

BERTULPHE.
Fear nothing. [a crash without.]
Hark!
They come!

GAUTIER.
Bertulphe, I'll die defending you!

[Exit.
BERTULPHE.
So—to receive them,
[Walks slowly up the stage; as he passes the body of Bouchard, stops and gazes mournfully.
Husband of my child!
They shall not find thee thus—I will compose
Thy noble limbs with fitting decency.
[Kneels beside the body.]
Did time permit, I'd place her by thy side,
Uniting you in death, as three months since
I joined you at the altar, while I watched
Your fond eyes beaming love upon each other,
And blessed you so—and thought I saw begun
The long, long line should make Bertulphe immortal,
While my heart proudly said—I have done this.
[Starting up].
Yes! yes! I have done this! blighted you both,
Fair blossoms of such promise—'twas my work!
Be quick,—be quick—my foes, and end this torture
Ere my heart burst! [Noise without.]


[The besiegers drive in the followers of Bertulphe and fill the stage.]
HEBERT.
Yield thee,—regicide!—

BERTULPHE
[calmly.]
See! I am here!—Will you not fetch your captive?
Why gaze you thus as on some prodigy?
It is Bertulphe!—that dares you to the last—
That stands alone before you all! What would you?

HEBERT.
Thy life—for outraged justice, thou bold rebel!—
Thou Serf!

BERTULPHE.
Serf—ha! I knew 'twas there it gall'd you!
The Serf has ruled you,—curb'd your restive spirits,—
Urged on your trembling flag to victory,—
Rode the top wave in all your storms of state,
And overwhelm'd you when you would unseat him;
And still, even now, that you stand circling round him
With malice open-mouth'd, craving for vengeance—
Still to the last he is above your reach
And mocks you—even thus.

[Stabs himself.
GAUTIER
[springing to him.]
Bertulphe!—my friend!

BERTULPHE.
Good soul—'twas well done! [Raising himself.]
Dogs!
I am no Serf.

[Dies.