University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

The outer court of the castle. Hermit, pilgrim, and several mendicants, discovered standing round the gateway at the bottom of the stage.
Enter, on the front, Ludovico, Gauvino, and Gomez.
Gau.
The rumour of our lady's bounteous alms
Spreads o'er the country quickly; every morning
Adds to the number of those mendicants,—
Those slothful pests, who thus beset our gates.

Lud.
Rail not so bitterly; there are, thou seest,
The sick and maim'd, and truly miserable,
Although some idle vagrants with the crowd
Have enter'd cunningly. Dost thou not see
Our hermit is among them?

Gau.
What, comes he too a-begging? Shame upon him!
His cot is stored with every dainty thing
Our peasant housewives rear, poor simple souls!
And prowls he here for more?

Gomez.
He never came before.

Lud.
Ay, and belike
He rather comes to give than to receive.

Gau.
And what hath he to give? God mend thy wit!
A broken rosary?

Lud.
A good man's blessing.

Gau.
Pooh, pooh! what folks are wont to sell at home,
They will not go abroad to give for nothing.

Gomez.
And see yon aged pilgrim by his side,
How spent and spare he seems!

Gau.
Hovels, and caves, and lazar-houses soon
Will pour their pests upon us.

Lud.
Hush, man! thou art a surly heartless churl!
Yonder the lady comes.

Enter Countess.
Mendicants
(advancing, and all speaking at once as she enters).
Blessings upon your head, most noble lady!

Countess.
I thank you all: have they been careful of you?

Mendicants.
Ay, bless you! they have served us bountifully.

Countess.
But wherefore stand ye here? Retire within,
Where ye may sit at case and eat your morsel.
Good pilgrim, thou art weary and lackst rest;
I fear the hardships of thy wand'ring life
Have blanch'd thy scanty locks more than thine years.

Pilgrim.
No, gentle lady: heav'n provides for me.
When ev'ning closes, still some shelt'ring cave,
Or peasant's cot, or goatherd's shed is near;
And, should the night in desert parts o'ertake me,
It pleases me to think the beating blast
Has its commission, by rough discipline
To profit me withal.

Countess.
The beating blasts have well fulfill'd on thee
Their high commission.
But, oh! exceed not! Wander forth no more.
If thou hast home, or wife, or child, or aught
Of human kind that loves thee, O return!
Return to them, and end thy days in peace.
Didst thou but know the misery of those
Who hear the night-blast rock their walls, and think
The head to them most dear may be unshelter'd,
Thou couldst not be so cruel—
(Turning round.)
Who twitch'd my robe?

Lud.
It was our holy hermit,
Who press'd, e'en now, its border to his lips,
Then shrank aside.

Countess.
But how is this? He hurries fast away.

Lud.
He is a bashful man, whose hooded face
On woman never looks.

Countess.
Has he some vow upon him?

Lud.
'Tis like he may; but he will pray for you.

Countess.
And good men's prayers prevail, I do believe.

Lud.
Ay, madam, all the peasants round, I trow,
Set by his prayers great store. E'en mothers leave
The very cradles of their dying infants
To beg them. Wives, whose husbands are at sea,
Or absent, or in any jeopardy,
Hie to his cell to crave his intercession.

Countess.
Do they? Most blessed man!
[Beckoning to the hermit, who stands aloof.
I have words for thine ear; approach, I pray.
[Leading him apart, on the front of the stage.
The absent and in jeopardy by thee
Remember'd are, and heav'n receives thy prayers:
Then, oh! remember one, who for himself,
Depress'd, discouraged, may not to God's throne
Meet supplication make!
[Taking him further apart, and in a lower voice.
There is a lonely wand'rer in the world
Of whom thou wottest. When the vespers sweet
And ev'ning orisons of holy men
Sound through the air, and in his humble cot,
With all his family round, th' unlearn'd hind
Lifts up his soul to heaven; when e'en the babe,
Tutor'd to goodness, by its mother kneels
To lisp some holy word,—on the cold ground,
Unbleer'd of earthly thing, he'll lay him down
Unblest, I fear, and silent. Such a one
Thou wottest of, good father; pray for him.
How's this? thou'rt greatly moved, and dost not answer.
Have I requested what thou mayst not grant?
Heav'n hath not cast him off. O do not think it!
The heart that loved him hath not cast him off,
And do not thou. Pray for him: God will hear thee.
[He retires from her; she still following him.
I do entreat, I do beseech thee, father!
I saw thy big tears glancing as they fell,
Though shrouded be thy face. Wilt thou not speak?

Hermit
(in a disguised voice).
I will obey thee, lady.

Countess
(to herself).
He hath a strange, mistuned, and hollow voice,
For one of so much sympathy.
[Alarm bell without.
Ha! the alarm! What may it be? Ho! Pietro.

Enter Pietro, in haste.
Pie.
Haste, shut the castle gates, and with all speed
Muster our strength,—there is no time to lose.
Madam, give orders quickly. Where's Rovani?

Countess.
What is the matter? Why this loud alarm?

Pie.
The Marquis of Tortona, not far distant,
With hasty march approaches, as I guess
Three thousand strong.

[Alarm rings again, and enter Rovani, Gonzalos, and others, from different sides.
Countess.
Heav'n be our trust! Hearest thou this, Rovani?

Rov.
I've heard the larum bell and strange confusion.

Countess.
Tortona with his hostile force approaches—
(To Pietro.)
Tell it thyself; saidst thou three thousand strong?

Pie.
Yes, madam, so I did compute his numbers;
And with him, too, one of those horrid engines
So lately known, which from its roaring mouth
Sends horrible destruction.
Not two leagues off I met him in array
Skirting the forest; and through dell and stream,
Fast as my feet could bear me, I have run
To give you notice.

Countess.
Heaven aid the weak! I fear our slender force
Will be as nothing 'gainst such fearful odds.
What thinkest thou, Rovani? for on thee
Our fate depends.

Rov.
Fear not, my noble mistress!
I will defend you. In your service bold,
Each of your men will ten men's strength possess.
Withdraw, then, I entreat you, to your tower,
And these good folks dismiss. [Pointing to the mendicants that still remain.
[Exeunt Countess and all the mendicants except the hermit, who retires to a corner of the stage.


Gon.
(advancing to Rovani on the front).
Rovani, be thou bold, yet be not rash.
I warn'd thee well of this; but let that pass:
Only be wiser now. There is a leader
Of bold condottieri, not far distant;
Send to him instantly: there may be time.

Rov.
I will not: we can well defend these walls
'Gainst greater odds; and I could swear that coward
Has number'd, in his fright, Tortona's soldiers
Threefold beyond the truth. Go to thy duty:
Muster the men within, while I, meantime,
From place to place all needful orders give.

[Exeunt Gonzalos and Rovani severally, while many people cross the stage in hurry and confusion, Rovani calling to them sometimes on one side, sometimes on another, as he goes off.
Gomez
(to Ludovico, following Rovani with his eye).
A brave man this, and gives his orders promptly.

Lud.
Ay; brave enough, but rash. Alack the day!
Would that our valiant lord were here himself,
His own fair dame and castle to defend.
Alas! that evil deed e'er stain'd his hand,—
If this were so: we'll see his like no more.

Hermit
(going close to Ludovico).
Fear not, good man, who lov'st thy hapless lord;
Give me thine ear.

[Whispers to him.
Lud.
(aside to hermit).
Conceal thee in that tower!

Hermit.
Hush, hush! and come with me: I will convince thee
That what I ask is for thy lady's good.

[Exeunt, hermit leading off Ludovico from Gomez.