 | De Monfort |  |
SCENE II.
A small apartment in Jerome's house: a table and breakfast set out. Enter De Monfort, followed by Manuel, and sits down by the table, with a cheerful face.De Mon.
Manuel, this morning's sun shines pleasantly:
These old apartments too are light and cheerful.
Our landlord's kindness has reviv'd me much:
He serves as though he lov'd me. This pure air
Braces the listless nerves, and warms the blood:
I feel in freedom here.
[Filling a cup of coffee, and drinking.
Man.
Ah! sure, my lord,
No air is purer than the air at home.
De Mon.
Here can I wander with assured steps,
Nor dread, at every winding of the path,
Lest an abhorred serpent cross my way,
To move—
(stopping short.)
Man.
What says your honour?
There are no serpents in our pleasant fields.
De Mon.
Thinkst thou there are no serpents in the world,
But those who slide along the grassy sod,
And sting the luckless foot that presses them?
There are who in the path of social life
Do bask their spotted skins in Fortune's sun,
And sting the soul—Ay, till its healthful frame
Is chang'd to secret, fest'ring, sore disease,
So deadly is the wound.
Man.
Heav'n guard your honour from such horrid scath!
They are but rare, I hope!
De Mon.
(shaking his head).
We mark the hollow eye, the wasted frame,
The gait disturb'd of wealthy honour'd men,
But do not know the cause.
Man.
'Tis very true. God keep you well, my lord!
De Mon.
I thank thee, Manuel, I am very well.
I shall be gay too, by the setting sun.
I go to revel it with sprightly dames,
And drive the night away.
[Filling another cup, and drinking.
Man.
I should be glad to see your honour gay.
De Mon.
And thou too shalt be gay. There, honest Manuel,
Put these broad pieces in thy leathern purse,
And take at night a cheerful jovial glass.
Here is one too, for Bremer; he loves wine:
And one for Jaques: be joyful altogether.
Enter Servant.
Ser.
My lord, I met e'en now, a short way off,
Your countryman the Marquis Rezenvelt.
De Mon.
(starting from his seat, and letting the cup fall from his hand).
Whom sayst thou?
Ser.
Marquis Rezenvelt, an' please you.
De Mon.
Thou liest—it is not so—it is impossible!
Ser.
I saw him with these eyes, plain as yourself.
De Mon.
Fool! 'tis some passing stranger thou hast seen,
And with a hideous likeness been deceiv'd.
Ser.
No other stranger could deceive my sight.
De Mon.
(dashing his clenched hand violently upon the table, and overturning every thing).
Heaven blast thy sight! it lights on nothing good.
Ser.
I surely thought no harm to look upon him.
De Mon.
What, dost thou still insist? He must it be?
Does it so please thee well? (Servant endeavours to speak.)
Hold thy damn'd tongue!
By heaven I'll kill thee!
(Going furiously up to him.)
Man.
(in a soothing voice).
Nay, harm him not, my lord; he speaks the truth;
I've met his groom, who told me certainly
His lord is here. I should have told you so,
But thought, perhaps, it might displease your honour.
De Mon.
(becoming all at once calm, and turning sternly to Manuel.
And how dar'st thou
To think it would displease me?
What is't to me who leaves or enters Amberg?
But it displeases me, yea e'en to frenzy,
That every idle fool must hither come,
To break my leisure with the paltry tidings
Of all the cursed things he stares upon.
[Servant attempts to speak—De Monfort stamps with his foot.
Take thine ill-favour'd visage from my sight,
And speak of it no more.
[Exit Servant.
And go thou too; I choose to be alone.
[Exit Manuel.
[De Monfort goes to the door by which they went out; opens it, and looks.
80
[Goes to the opposite door, opens it, and looks: then gives loose to all the fury of gesture, and walks up and down in great agitation.
It is too much: by heaven it is too much!
He haunts me—stings me—like a devil haunts—
He'll make a raving maniac of me—Villain!
The air wherein thou drawst thy fulsome breath
Is poison to me—Oceans shall divide us! (Pauses.)
But no; thou thinkst I fear thee, cursed reptile;
And hast a pleasure in the damned thought.
Though my heart's blood should curdle at thy sight,
I'll stay and face thee still.
[Knocking at the chamber door.
Ha! who knocks there?
Freberg.
(without).
It is thy friend, De Monfort.
De Mon.
(opening the door).
Enter, then.
Enter Freberg.
Freb.
(taking his hand kindly).
How art thou now? How hast thou pass'd the night?
Has kindly sleep refresh'd thee?
De Mon.
Yes, I have lost an hour or two in sleep,
And so should be refresh'd.
Freb.
And art thou not?
Thy looks speak not of rest. Thou art disturb'd.
De Mon.
No, somewhat ruffled from a foolish cause,
Which soon will pass away.
Freb.
(shaking his head).
Ah no, De Monfort! something in thy face
Tells me another tale. Then wrong me not:
If any secret grief distract thy soul,
Here am I all devoted to thy love:
Open thy heart to me. What troubles thee?
De Mon.
I have no grief: distress me not, my friend.
Freb.
Nay, do not call me so. Wert thou my friend,
Wouldst thou not open all thine inmost soul,
And bid me share its every consciousness?
De Mon.
Freberg, thou knowst not man; not nature's man,
But only him who, in smooth studied works
Of polish'd sages, shines deceitfully
In all the splendid foppery of virtue.
That man was never born whose secret soul,
With all its motley treasure of dark thoughts,
Foul fantasies, vain musings, and wild dreams,
Was ever open'd to another's scan.
Away, away! it is delusion all.
Freb.
Well, be reserved then; perhaps I'm wrong.
De Mon.
How goes the hour?
Freb.
'Tis early still; a long day lies before us;
Let us enjoy it. Come along with me;
I'll introduce you to my pleasant friend.
De Mon.
Your pleasant friend?
Freb.
Yes, him of whom I spake.
[Taking his hand.
There is no good I would not share with thee;
And this man's company, to minds like thine,
Is the best banquet feast I could bestow.
But I will speak in mystery no more;
It is thy townsman, noble Rezenvelt.
[De Mon. pulls his hand hastily from Freberg, and shrinks back.
Ha! what is this?
Art thou pain-stricken, Monfort?
Nay, on my life, thou rather seemst offended:
Does it displease thee that I call him friend?
De Mon.
No, all men are thy friends.
Freb.
No, say not all men. But thou art offended.
I see it well. I thought to do thee pleasure.
But if his presence be not welcome here,
He shall not join our company to-day.
De Mon.
What dost thou mean to say? What is't to me
Whether I meet with such a thing as Rezenvelt
To-day, to-morrow, every day, or never?
Freb.
In truth, I thought you had been well with him;
He prais'd you much.
De Mon.
I thank him for his praise—Come, let us move:
This chamber is confin'd and airless grown.
[Starting.
I hear a stranger's voice!
Freb.
'Tis Rezenvelt.
Let him be told that we are gone abroad.
De Mon.
(proudly).
No! let him enter. Who waits there? Ho! Manuel!
Enter Manuel.
What stranger speaks below?
Man.
The Marquis Rezenvelt.
I have not told him that you are within.
De Mon.
(angrily).
And wherefore didst thou not? Let him ascend.
[A long pause. De Montfort walking up and down with a quickpace.
Enter Rezenvelt, who runs freely up to De Monfort.
Rez.
(to De Mon.)
My noble marquis, welcome!
De Mon.
Sir, I thank you.
Rez.
(to Freb.)
My gentle friend, well met. Abroad so early?
Freb.
It is indeed an early hour for me.
How sits thy last night's revel on thy spirits?
Rez.
O, light as ever. On my way to you,
E'en now, I learnt De Montfort was arriv'd,
And turn'd my steps aside; so here I am.
[Bowing gaily to De Monfort.
De Mon.
I thank you, sir; you do me too much honour.
[Proudly.
Rez.
Nay, say not so; not too much honour surely,
Unless, indeed, 'tis more than pleases you.
81
(confused).
Having no previous notice of your coming,
I look'd not for it.
Rez.
Ay, true indeed; when I approach you next,
I'll send a herald to proclaim my coming,
And bow to you by sound of trumpet, marquis.
De Mon.
(to Freb., turning haughtily from Rezenvelt with affected indifference).
How does your cheerful friend, that good old man?
Freb.
My cheerful friend? I know not whom you mean.
De Mon.
Count Waterlan.
Freb.
I know not one so nam'd.
De Mon.
(very confused).
O pardon me—it was at Basle I knew him.
Freb.
You have not yet inquir'd for honest Reisdale.
I met him as I came, and mention'd you.
He seem'd amaz'd; and fain he would have learnt
What cause procur'd us so much happiness.
He question'd hard, and hardly would believe;
I could not satisfy his strong desire.
Rez.
And know you not what brings De Montfort here?
Freb.
Truly I do not.
Rez.
O! 'tis love of me.
I have but two short days in Amberg been,
And here with postman's speed he follows me,
Finding his home so dull and tiresome grown.
Freb.
(to De Mon.)
Is Rezenvelt so sadly miss'd with you?
Your town so chang'd?
De Mon.
Not altogether so;
Some witlings and jest-mongers still remain
For fools to laugh at.
Rez.
But he laughs not, and therefore he is wise.
He ever frowns on them with sullen brow
Contemptuous; therefore he is very wise;
Nay, daily frets his most refined soul
With their poor folly to its inmost core;
Therefore he is most eminently wise.
Freb.
Fy, Rezenvelt! you are too early gay.
Such spirits rise but with the ev'ning glass:
They suit not placid morn.
[To De Monfort, who, after walking impatiently up and down, comes close to his ear and lays hold of his arm.
What would, you Monfort?
De Mon.
Nothing—what is't o'clock?
No, no—I had forgot—'tis early still.
[Turns away again.
Freb.
(to Rez.)
Waltser informs me that you have agreed
To read his verses o'er, and tell the truth.
It is a dangerous task.
Rez.
Yet I'll be honest:
I can but lose his favour and a feast.
[Whilst they speak, De Monfort walks up and down impatiently and irresolute: at last pulls the bell violently.
Enter Servant.
De Mon.
(to ser.)
What dost thou want?
Ser.
I thought your honour rung.
De Mon.
I have forgot—stay. Are my horses saddled?
Ser.
I thought, my lord, you would not ride to-day,
After so long a journey.
De Mon.
(impatiently).
Well—'tis good.
Begone!—I want thee not.
[Exit servant.
Rez.
(smiling significantly).
I humbly crave your pardon, gentle marquics.
It grieves me that I cannot stay with you,
And make my visit of a friendly length.
I trust your goodness will excuse me now;
Another time I shall be less unkind. (To Freberg.)
Will you not go with me?
Freb.
Excuse me, Monfort, I'll return again.
[Exeunt Rezenvelt and Freberg.
De Mon.
(alone, tossing his arms distractedly).
Hell hath no greater torment for th' accurs'd
Than this man's presence gives—
Abhorred fiend! he hath a pleasure too,
A damned pleasure in the pain he gives!
Oh! the side glance of that detested eye!
That conscious smile! that full insulting lip!
It touches every nerve: it makes me mad.
What, does it please thee? Dost thou woo my hate?
Hate shalt thou have! determin'd, deadly hate,
Which shall awake no smile. Malignant villain!
The venom of thy mind is rank and devilish,
And thin the film that hides it.
Thy hateful visage ever spoke thy worth:
I loath'd thee when a boy.
That men should be besotted with him thus!
And Freberg likewise so bewitched is,
That like a hireling flatt'rer at his heels
He meanly paces, off'ring brutish praise.
O! I could curse him too!
[Exit.
| De Monfort | |