 | Songs of Doubt and Dream (Poems) |  |
II.
(Blondival and Sylvia.)BLONDIVAL.
She keeps her word. The people adore her so
They bear even this magnificent caprice
As though 'twere some slight change of mode at court,
Gaudier insignia, deeper bend of head,
The delicate heightening of a shoe-heel—Pah!
I curse her when I think what sway she keeps.
SYLVIA.
Hush! These dim faces on the tapestries
Look as though listening when your speech flows thus.
Oh, God! a few weeks gone, and I do think
It would have turned my blood ice had I heard
The Queen's name used except obeisantly!
BLONDIVAL.
There is no Queen. She hath been dead two months;
Would Heaven one more month raised her not to life!
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How can you hate her when she loves you so?
BLONDIVAL.
I do not hate her, Sylvia, yet she bars
My reach from two dear purposes—thyself
As queen, her throne to reign on at thy side.
SYLVIA.
My spirit was not shaped for regal shows;
I have the violet's meekness in my blood.
Perchance 'tis therefore that with dark bold brow
And will imperious thou hast so enthralled
This frailty and softness born thine opposite.
BLONDIVAL.
Oh, Sylvia, men with turbid souls like mine,
Vexed by ambition, feverish for new gains,
Love just these gentler lives that gleam in calm
Below the fret and tumult of their own.
The gaunt crag somewhere throws its blot of shade,
And oft a pastoral meadow harbors it.
Yet do not dream, sweet girl, my love shall gloom
Thy future; glorious, rather, may it wrap
The destiny it fain would clasp and mould.
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His grip on power well-clutched in fingers firm.
Kiss me.
SYLVIA.
Thy kiss breeds terror yet delight.
BLONDIVAL.
Terror will fade from it; delight, please fate,
Shall linger till we two stand crowned and throned.
Nay, do not start and tremble. I am strong.
Deep is the tide I swim, and deeper yet
'Twill wax ere shallower; yet I'll breast its rush
And bear thee with me in these buffeting arms!
(The Queen enters, discovering them.)
THE QUEEN.
Nay, wherefore let those arms untwine themselves?
Anguish hath lost its novelty of pang;
Days ere to-day I knew thee what thou art.
(Exit Sylvia.)
Poor girl! I do not hate her, though I might.
Her sensitive spirit should not bruise its wings
Thus piteously in thy harsh copse of thorns.
Nor do I blame her; 'twere as well to blame
The delicate bird-breast, not the shaft it sheathes.
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His hand that led you where those draperies fall,
Was Malmondel's, who hath been my bitter foe
Since you, his cousin, wed me.
THE QUEEN.
Malmondel
Told nothing. I had waited. Eavesdropper
Neither I was nor would be, though folk said
One might but lift an eyelid to discern
Thee and thy paramour commingled thus.
No, Blondival, the spy that spied on thee
Was woman's misery, woman's hate of guile.
All is so different, now .. I scarce can phrase
How wrath is dashed subservient unto grief.
This was your love—the love that bought a throne!
BLONDIVAL.
A three months' throne. Fine recompense indeed!
THE QUEEN.
For what? The proof that thou art grossly false?
BLONDIVAL.
You spoke of wrath. Tempt not mine. 'Tis a king's.
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False, false .. immeasurably false! You dare
Flaunt in my face this kingship I have wrought?
BLONDIVAL.
Yes; from the height thyself did build I dare
Look veto, autocracy. Recall thine oath.
THE QUEEN.
Recall it? Canst thou know the sacredness
It meant and means, O traitorous profligate?
BLONDIVAL.
Come, since I am king at thy decree, forbear,
Lest I shall turn against thee thine own gift.
THE QUEEN.
There is no loathsome act of infamy
I should expect not now from thy base heart.
It is my shame that I should love thee still,
'Tis even a sort of horror to myself.
A girl, they taught me that no fault of man
Rated more meanly than ingratitude.
I did not dream that love could live at all
When scorn became its mate and counsellor.
Now do I see the terrible hardihood
Of love, which flowers in air grown taint and mirk.
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(in wrath).
These two short royal months of mine have bred
Intolerance for such flame of rude revolt.
Bethink you, madam, that your palace-walls
Hold chambers where the axe may dint the block,
Live necks being cleft between them. Did I choose,
I could this day do some such deed as those
Emperors of Rome's rich dying grandeurs did.
Half am I willed so through mere sight of thee,
In thy pale accusation and contempt.
THE QUEEN.
I see; this power I gave hath made thee drunk.
Then, too, thou wouldst usurp the isle and set
Sylvia beside thee as new spouse. For years
None dreamed how Nero hid that devil in him.
I dreamed it not of thee; else had I shrunk
From squandering thus my kingdom. Still, the oath
I swore thee stays inviolate. More than this,
The imperishable love I bear thee yet
Makes me desire to probe in utmost way
Thy capability of dark unfaith.
BLONDIVAL.
Rightly thou sayst I am grown drunk with power.
Moreover, in harsh truth, I do avow
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Into thine ear was falsehood. Void thy throne,
And leave me, with what statecraft I can wield,
To play upon thy people's whims and greeds.
Fare from the isle. We have spoke of Rome. Perhaps
'Twill grant, if deftly bribed, our clear divorce.
These are brute blows I am dealing; such were best;
I sicken of artifice; the man I was
Henceforth shall sink beside me like a cloak
Tossed from the shoulders; he that actually
I am shall flare defiant and shameless forth.
THE QUEEN.
Monster! And I have loved thee, and still love!
BLONDIVAL.
Put then that stubborn love to test, and smooth
My path toward kingly permanence.
THE QUEEN.
Not so.
To loan my kingdom has been folly enough;
I will not hurl it into ruin. If death
Take me at thy decree, let Malmondel
Succeed me, avenge me, strike thee from thy prey.
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Than I have done!
BLONDIVAL.
If he doth reign at all,
This Malmondel I hate as I hate thee!
THE QUEEN.
Thou canst not hate me, Blondival. I stand
Between thyself and thy base-hungering hope;
Thy sin stares large and hideous; yet I say
It is not possible thou hatest me.
BLONDIVAL.
Some stealthy scheme lurks here to trap me tight.
Yet think not thou shalt win by devious wiles.
Never in all earth's annals hath it chanced
That mortal woman could prove meek as thou,
Save guile crouched tiger-wise below her looks.
And yet, whate'er the plot thou hatchest, know
My influence with the soldiery hath waxed
Already great; I shall die hard, be sure.
THE QUEEN.
Thou shalt not need to die through choice of mine.
BLONDIVAL.
So then thou art loath to foil and raze me quite?
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Yes; but thou aimest to destroy thyself.
BLONDIVAL.
By heaven, I aim to do no such wild thing.
But thou wilt seek to thwart this lust I show
For individual empire? Answer plain.
THE QUEEN.
The words that late I spoke unaltering bide.
Thou hast heard them. Read their portent as thou choose.
BLONDIVAL.
Woman, what art thou?
THE QUEEN.
Once I was thy queen.
I am now thy conscience. King, beware of me!
BLONDIVAL.
King! 'Tis a syllable that fires my soul!
I'll tell thee how I fear thy cautionings.
The guards are yonder. See, I summon them.
(Guards enter.)
This woman dies to-morrow. Escort her hence.
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(to guards, as they stand aghast).
Your duty! Dare you flout the King's command?
(She goes out with the guards.)
BLONDIVAL.
I shall not be the first who strove to grasp
A crown by wading through its wearer's blood.
| Songs of Doubt and Dream (Poems) | |