University of Virginia Library

SCENE THE FIFTH.

Gomez, Isabella.
Gom.
Pardon my too great boldness; but I sought,
And here expected to have found, the king.

Isa.
He quitted me this instant.

Gom.
I'm compell'd
To seek him then elsewhere. Undoubtedly
He feels impatient the event to know.

Isa.
Event? a moment stay: say what thou meanest ...

Gom.
If thou hast spoken to him, he has told thee
His doubtful expectation of the sentence
About to be pronounced.

Isa.
No: but to me,
He, in obscure and most ambiguous terms,
Hinted of treason.

Gom.
Did he not tell thee, then,
The traitor's name?

Isa.
The prince ...

Gom.
Thou know'st it all.
I from the council come ...

Isa.
What council? whence?
Alas! what tidings dost thou bring to him?

Gom.
The mighty business was discuss'd at length,
And with one voice at length it was concluded.

Isa.
What? Speak? ...

Gom.
'Tis written in this scroll—the sentence.
The royal signature alone is wanting.

Isa.
The tenor of it then ...

Gom.
Is death.

Isa.
Assassins!
Death? and of what offence is he convicted?

Gom.
Did, then, the king conceal it from thee?

Isa.
Yes.
He spoke it not.

Gom.
Th'offence of parricide.

Isa.
Carlos! oh, heavens!

Gom.
The father is the accuser.

Isa.
The father? ... and what proofs can he adduce?
False proofs. Ah, surely, there are other crimes
From me concealed. Tell me his real trespass.

Gom.
His real trespass? If thou dost not know it,
Can I reveal it to thee? Such incaution
Might risk my life.

Isa.
Alas! what dost thou say?
Art apprehensive that I shall betray thee?

Gom.
Further disclosure would betray the king.
But whence arises such an anxious wish
To investigate the truth?

Isa.
I? ... I am urged
By curiosity alone.

Gom.
But tell me,
What interest hast thou in this transaction?
In imminent danger is the prince, perhaps
Will fall a victim to it. But to him
What tie, save that of father's wife, can bind thee?
Thy interests are not injured by his death.
Rather to children who from thee may spring
It clears the passage to the throne. Attend.
In part, at least, of Carlos's trangressions,
The first, and real origin, is love.

Isa.
What say'st thou?

Gom.
Love, with which the king beholds thee.
Yes, it would please him far more to behold
A son of thine inheriting his throne,
Than e'er to see his successor in Carlos.

Isa.
I breathe again. What base regards in me
Presum'st thou to imagine?

Gom.
I presume
The feelings of my monarch to express:
They are not, no, such are not mine; but I ...

Isa.
'Tis true, then, that which I could ne'er suspect,
The father ... yes, the father ... hates his son?

Gom.
Ah, lady, how much do I pity thee,
If thou hast, hitherto, so little known
The king.

Isa.
But, ah! in whom then may I trust?
Thou perhaps ...

Gom.
Since pity I behold in thee,
That profound silence which oppresses me
For once I lay aside. 'Tis too, too true,
The prince is guilty of no other crime
But that of being son of such a father.

Isa.
Thou mak'st me shudder.

Gom.
I am stricken, lady,
With no less horror than thyself. Dost know
Whence this unnatural hate derives its source?
From envy.—Philip's simulated virtue
Cannot endure th'upbraiding spectacle
Of undissembled virtue in a son.
Too great a contrast to himself he sees him;
And, impious in his envy, he prefers
To that superiority his death.

Isa.
Unnatural father! but since it condemns
To death the guiltless, I esteem the council
More guilty than the king.

Gom.
To such a king
What council could oppose itself? Th'accuser
Sits on the throne: the accusation's false:
Each knows this; but each, trembling for himself,
Silent in mercy's cause, affirms its truth;
On us the blot of guilty judgment falls;
Vile instruments of cruelty in power—
Shuddering we are so: but in vain we shudder;
He who dared question what the monarch wishes,
Would quickly fall a victim of his vengeance.

Isa.
Can that be truth which now I hear? struck dumb
Am I with blank astonishment. No hope
Doth there remain? Must he unjustly perish?

Gom.
The monarch in profound dissimulation
More than in aught is skilled. He will affect
To hesitate at first; a vain display
Of pity and of grief will doubtless make,
Perhaps for a time procrastinate decision.
Fool will he be, that, in that well-feigned struggle,
Believes that real grief or pity enter;
That in that heart, because it may delay,
Profound resentment swerves from its fix'd purpose.

Isa.
Ah! if thou have not equally with him
Thy soul by crimes indurated, do thou,
Ah, do thou, Gomez, be compassionate.

Gom.
What can I do?

Isa.
Perchance ...

Gom.
With fruitless tears,
But carefully concealed, I may embalm
The memory of that murdered innocent.
More I cannot perform.

Isa.
Of such dire guilt,
Who ever saw, who ever heard, a deed?

Gom.
If it were possible to save the prince,
Prompt would I be to sacrifice myself;
To this bear witness, Heaven: With fell remorse
In all its bitterness, the consequence
Of fatal friendship with so dark a tyrant,
My bosom with excruciating pangs
Is gnaw'd; but ...

Isa.
If it be sincere in thee,
This deep remorse, thou mayest befriend him still;
Yes, thou may'st do it, and not risk thyself.
The king suspects thee not; thou may'st afford him
Means of escape clandestinely: and who
Th'assistance would betray? Nay, who can tell
But that in future moments of compunction,
Philip, the generous boldness may reward
Of one, that saved his glory and his son.

Gom.
And if, perchance, I dared do this, think'st thou
That Carlos would consent? How proud he is
Thou knowest. Already I foresee his rage,
In hearing only the mere name of flight
And sentence. Ah! each messenger of death,
That haughty and unconquerable nature
Would seek in vain t'intimidate. E'en now
I see him obstinately bent on death.
Further, all counsel and all aid from me
Would be at once suspicious and offensive.
He deems me the confederate of the king.

Isa.
Is there no other obstacle? Contrive
For me to see him; to his prison guide me:
Thou surely hast access; I fondly hope
To persuade him to flight. Refuse me not
A favour so immense. As yet the night
Is not far spent. Meanwhile do thou the means
For his escape prepare; do thou delay
The presentation of the fatal sentence,
Which, perhaps, the king doth not expect so soon.
Thou hearest, ... Do not disappoint my prayers;
In such a cause the heavens shall be propitious:
I do conjure thee to exert thyself.

Gom.
Who could refuse so merciful an office?
At all events the effort will I make.
Advance. The heavens suffer not to perish,
Except those victims who deserve to perish.