 | Claribel and Other Poems |  |
SCENE I.
The Court-yard of the Palace.A flourish of horns. Boleslaus and his Knights and Guests returning from the chase, with Servants carrying a deer. Then follow some Huntsmen.
FIRST HUNTSMAN
It was the prince who kill'd him.
SECOND HUNTSMAN
You are wrong:
Lord Albert gave him his death-wound—I heard
Prince Casimir himself tell how it was.
FIRST HUNTSMAN
Perhaps so: but he ever crowns his friend
With the first garland. They were close enough
For such an error.
4
You are wrong again.
Not half so readily the prince resigns
His honours, even to him.
THIRD HUNTSMAN
There's truth in that:
Or else the page does with him as he will.
FOURTH HUNTSMAN
How long has he been favourite?
SECOND HUNTSMAN
They were friends
Even in their boyhood,—since your Casimir
First visited our court,—sworn friends: the prince
Would have none else for his companion.
They rode together, hunted, swam, and fought,
And studied; none e'er saw them separate.
When Albert was advanced to be the page
Of our young princess, your prince Casimir
Was jealous, as a girl, that he must lose
Some hours of him. And in her turn the girl—
The lady Claribel—grew just as fond;
And pined when he must leave her for the wars.
There he'd the hap to save the prince's life;
And so was knighted, and strode on apace
To closer friendship,—'faith, 'tis well deserved:
5
More true or kind in speech, nor one who bears
Himself more nobly, though not nobly born.
But all the same he is our lady's page:
She will not part with him. When your young lord
Left us, some months since—See, where come the friends,
Holding themselves aloof from all the rest.
Enter Casimir and Albert.
ALBERT
You have not told me yet what lucky chance
Gladdens Bohemia with your step again.
CASIMIR
No chance, my friend! you have expected me.
ALBERT
Yes! but so long, that expectation fell
Into disfavour, for a lying slave
That brought false messages of your return.
Why left you us?
CASIMIR
Well, you shall know the cause
Both of my leaving and of my return.
I was impatient of the company
Of these same wooing princes who have throng'd
6
With idle supplications. I was vex'd
To see them buzzing round the princess' ears.
I had grown up beside her till it seem'd
That she belong'd to me. And when they came
To interfere, 'twas an impertinence
That gall'd me till I could not, even to you,
Own my annoyance. So I left them here,
Trusting my deeds might well outvoice their words
In her dear estimation.—You are hurt
That I kept this so secret?
ALBERT
Hurt at that!
CASIMIR
Why then this change of countenance? Your face
Is mapp'd with hostile lines. What moves you so?
ALBERT
I fear this love may sunder us.
CASIMIR
My friend!
Should it not draw us closer, thee and me?
ALBERT
It shall. Forgive me for a moment's doubt.
7
ATTENDANT
(to Albert)
The princess has been asking for you, sir!
CASIMIR
Put off your fears; nothing can harm our loves.
ALBERT
I will be sure of it.
CASIMIR
Be here again
Quickly.
ALBERT
Ay! presently.
CASIMIR
I'll stay for you.
| Claribel and Other Poems | |