University of Virginia Library

Scene XVIII.

A HALL IN CYPRIAN'S HOUSE.
AT THE END IS AN OPEN GALLERY, THROUGH WHICH IS SEEN THE COUNTRY.
Cyprian, The Demon, Moscon, and Clarin.
Demon.
Since the hour that I have been
In your house a guest, you ne'er
Show a gay and cheerful air.
Sadness in your face is seen.
It is wrong your cure to shun,
Seeking to mislead mine eyes,
Since I would unsphere the skies,
Shake the stars, and shroud the sun,
For the least desire you feel
That more pleasantly you might live.

Cyprian.
Magic has no power to give
The impossible I conceal,
Though the misery I betray.

Demon.
Come, confess the longed-for bliss.

Cyprian.
I love a woman.

Demon.
And is this
The impossible that you say?

Cyprian.
If you knew her, you'd agree.

Demon.
Well, describe her, I'm resigned;
Though I can't but smile to find
What a coward you must be.

Cyprian.
The fair cradle of the skies,
Where the infant sun reposes,
Ere he rises, decked with roses,
Robed in snow, to dry heaven's eyes.
The green prison-bud that tries
To restrain the conscious rose,
When the crimson captive knows
April treads its gardens near,
Turning dawn's half frozen tear
To a smile where sunshine glows.
The sweet streamlet gliding by,
Though it scarcely dares to breathe
Softest murmurs through its teeth,
From the frosts that on it lie.
The bright pink, in its small sky
Shining like a coral star.
The blithe bird that flies afar,
Drest in shifting shades and blooms—
Soaring cithern of plumes
Harping high o'er heaven's blue bar.
The white rock that cheats the sun
When it tries to melt it down,
What it melts is but the crown
Which from winter's snow it won.
The green bay that will not shun,
Though the heavens are all aglow,
For its feet a bath of snow,—
Green Narcissus of the brook,
Fearless leaning o'er to look,
Though the stream runs chill below.
In a word, the crimson dawn,
Sun, mead, streamlet, rosebud, May,
Bird that sings his amorous lay,
April's laugh that gems the lawn,
Pink that sips the dews up-drawn,
Rock that stands in storm and shine,
Bay-tree that delights to twine
Round its fadeless leaves the sun,
All are parts which met in one
Form this woman most divine.
For myself, in blind unrest,
(Guess my madness if you can)
I, to seem another man,
In these courtly robes am drest.
Studious calm I now detest,
Fame no longer fires my mind,
Passion reigns where thought refined,
I my firmness fling to tears,
Courage I resign to fears,
And my hopes I give the wind.
I have said, and so will do,
That to some infernal sprite
I would offer with delight
(And the pledge I now renew)
Even my soul for her I woo.
But my offer is in vain,
Hell rejects it with disdain,
For my soul, it may allege,
Is a disproportionate pledge
For the interest I would gain.

Demon.
Is this, then, your boasted courage,
In the footsteps of dejected
Swains to follow, who grow timid
When their first assault's rejected?
Are examples then so distant
Of fair ladies who surrender
All their vanities to entreaties,
All their pride to fond addresses?
Would you make your breast the prison
Of your love, your arms her fetters?

Cyprian.
Can you doubt it?

Demon.
Then command them
To retire, those two, your servants,
So that we remain here only.

Cyprian.
Go: both leave me for the present.

Moscon.
I obey.

[Exit.
Clarin.
And I as well.—
Such a guest must be the devil.

[Aside, concealing himself.
Cyprian.
They are gone.

Demon
(aside).
That Clarin's hiding,
Is to me of small concernment.

Cyprian.
What more wish you now?

Demon.
First fasten
Well this door.

Cyprian.
Yes; none can enter.

Demon.
For the possession of this woman,
With your lips you have asserted
You would give your soul.

Cyprian.
'Tis so.

Demon.
Then the contract is accepted.

Cyprian.
What do you say?

Demon.
That I accept it.

Cyprian.
How?

Demon.
So much have I effected
By my science, that I will teach you
How by it to get possession
Of the woman that you worship;
For I (though so wise and learnéd)
Have no other means to win her.
Let us now in writing settle
What we have resolved between us.

Cyprian.
Do you wish by new pretences
To prolong the pains I suffer?
In my hand is what I tender,
But in yours is not the offer
That you make me; no, for never
Conjurations or enchantments
Can free will control or fetter.

Demon.
Give me, on the terms you spoke of,
Your signed bond.

Clarin
(peeping).
The deuce! This fellow
Is no fool, I see. No greenhorn
In his business is this devil.
I give him my bond! No, truly,
Though my lodgings wanted a tenant
For the space of twenty ages,
I wouldn't do it.

Cyprian.
Sir, such jesting
May with merry friends be pastime,
Not with those who are dejected.

Demon.
I, in proof of what I am able
To effect, will now present you
With an example, though it faintly
Shows the power my art possesses.
From this gallery what is seen?

Cyprian.
Much of sky, and much of meadow,
Wood, a rivulet, and a mountain.

Demon.
Which to you doth seem most pleasant?

Cyprian.
The proud mountain, for in it
Is my adored one represented.

Demon.
Proud competitor of time,
Rival of the years for ever,
Who as king of fields and plains
Crown'st thee with the cloud and tempest,
Move thyself, change earth and air;
Look, see who I am that tell thee.—
And, look thou, too, since a mountain
I can move, thou mayest a maiden.

[The mountain moves from one side to the other in the perspective of the theatre.
Cyprian.
Never saw I such a wonder!
Ne'er a sight of so much terror!

Clarin
(peeping).
With the fright and with the fear,
I enjoy a twofold tremble.

Cyprian.
Mighty mountain bird that fliest,
Trees for wings replacing feathers,
Boat, whose rocks supply the tackle,
As thou furrowest through the zephyr,
To thy centre back return thee,
And so end this fear, this terror.

[The mountain returns to its original position.
Demon.
If one proof is not sufficient,
I will give you then a second.
Do you wish to see the woman
You adore?

Cyprian.
Yes.

Demon.
Then, thy entrails
Ope, thou monster, to whose being
The four elements are servants.
Show to us the perfect beauty
That thou hidest in thy centre.
[A rock opens and Justina is seen sleeping.
Is this she whom you adore?

Cyprian.
Whom I idolize beyond measure.

Demon.
But since I have power to give her,
I can take her too, remember.

Cyprian.
Now impossible dream of mine,
Now thy arms will be the centre
Of my love, thy lips the sun,
Burning, brimming as with nectar.

Demon.
Stay; for till the word you gave me
Is affirmed, and well attested,
You can touch her not.

[Cyprian rushes towards the rock, which closes.
Cyprian.
Oh, stay
Cloud that hides the most resplendent
Sun, that on my bliss e'er dawned!—
But 'tis air my void arm presses.—
I believe you art, acknowledge
Now I am your slave for ever.
What do you wish I do for thee?
What do you ask?

Demon.
To be protected
By your signature here written
In your blood, at the foot of a letter.

Clarin
(peeping).
Oh! I'd give my soul that I
To stay here had not been tempted.

Cyprian.
For my pen I use this dagger,
Paper let this white cloth serve for,
And the ink wherewith I write it,
Be the blood my arm presents me.
[He writes with the point of a dagger upon a piece of linen, having drawn blood from one of his arms.
Oh! I freeze with fear, with horror!
[Aside.
I, great Cyprian, say expressly
I will give my immortal soul,
(Oh! what lethargy, what frenzy!)
Unto him whose art will teach me
(What confusion! what strange terror!)
How I may of fair Justina,
Haughty mistress mine, possess me.
I have signed it with my name.

Demon
(aside).
Now to my deceits is rendered
Valid homage, when such reason,
When discourse like his must tremble
Even when my help is sought for.—
Have you written?

Cyprian.
And signed the letter.

Demon.
Then the sun you adore is thine.

Cyprian.
Thine too, for the years eternal,
Is the soul I offer thee.

Demon.
Soul for soul I pay my debtors,
Then for thine I give to thee
Thy Justina's.

Cyprian.
In what term then,
Think you you can teach to me
All your magic art?

Demon.
A twelvemonth;
But on this condition. ...

Cyprian.
Speak.

Demon.
That within a cavern buried,
Without any other study,
We may live there both together,
In our service having no one
For us two but this attendant,
[Drags out Clarin.
Who being curious hid him here;—
By securing thus his person
That our secret is well kept,
We, I think, may be quite certain.

Clarin
(aside).
Oh, that I had never waited!
How does it happen though, so many
Neighbours prone to pry, as I am,
Are not caught thus by the devil?

Cyprian.
So far well. My love, my genius
Have this happy end effected:
First Justina will be mine,
Then by my new lights, new learning,
I will wake the world's surprise.

Demon.
I have gained what I intended.

Clarin.
I not so.

Demon.
You come with us.—
O'er my great foe I've got the better.

[Aside.
Cyprian.
Ah, how happy my desires,
If I reach to such possession!—

Demon
(aside).
Never will my envy rest
Till I gain both souls to serve me.—
Let us go, and in the deepest
Cavern this wild world presenteth
You to-day will learn in magic
Your first lesson.

Cyprian.
Let us enter,
For my mind with such a master,
For my love with such incentive,
Will the sorcerer Cyprian's name
Live before the world for ever.