Scene IV
The same apartment in Count Rodolph's house.
Enter Count Rodolph and Theresa.
Count Rodolph
The trial comes at the hour of three.
Theresa
But will he be condemned?
Count Rodolph
As sure as fate.
But you will be required to swear that he,
Don Carlos, threatened him with instant death.
Leoni was the cause.
Theresa
Who told you so?
I heard the thing from good men's mouths. Then, mark!
The evidence against Don Carlos will
Be truer than the truth, when that is known.
Theresa
Why so?
Count Rodolph
Because he killed him for that girl.
Theresa
But as Alvino married her, why did
He not revenge himself upon the Count?
Count Rodolph
There is the mystery which will be cleared
Of all its darkness when the truth is known,
And brought before the Council. Who comes there?
Withdraw—perhaps he may dissolve the doubt.
(Exit Theresa.)
Enter Don Pedro.
Pedro
(Bowing)
My lord.
Count Rodolph
Don Pedro?
Don Pedro
That's my name, my lord.
Count Rodolph
Who saved you when the sentence of your death
Was registered upon the Book of Fate?
Don Pedro
Count Alvar did.
Count Rodolph
Then why forsake that man?
Why, rather than be faithful to your friend,
Colleague yourself with that damned infidel,
Who, laden with the heavy chains of State,
Now reads his destiny among the dead?
Don Pedro
Because the trust reposed in me by him,
Was sacrificed to gain another's love.
Count Rodolph
Who could be dearer to you than he was?
Don Pedro
My love for her—Elvira's love for me.
Count Rodolph
No, thou art forging in thy cursed heart
The lying words which hang upon thy lips,
I will not suffer thee to live an hour!
Don Pedro
Hold, let me show thee to thy naked eyes,
That Carlos is not guilty of the deed!
(Handing him the letter.)
Count Rodolph
(Reading it.)
Now tell me at the peril of thy life,
If under any circumstance of hate,
Alvino wished to instigate thee, by
This letter to Don Carlos, to destroy
My life!
Don Pedro
He did, my lord. He surely did,
Leoni being prompter to the deed,
This handkerchief was found upon his bed.
(Giving him the handkerchief.)
Count Rodolph
Ye Gods, how eloquent is this poor thing!
My ears are sated with its silent speech.
It says more than the clamorous tongue of man,
With all his liquid fluency of words!
There is no evidence against his soul,
Can speak so loudly as this drop of blood!
Don Pedro
And then his name is on the corner there.
Count Rodolph
Alvino, yes, it is most true—'tis here!
And though he used the cunning of his soul,
To keep the secret of the deed untold,
Yet, he has spoken more by this same thing,
Then if he had proclaimed it to the world.
But go—tell Carlos he is free again—
Alvino shall be prisoner in his stead.
(Exit.)
Don Pedro
And man may call me coward, if he will,
But who would not, in such an hour as this,
Lie boldly in the very face of truth,
To gain possession of that woman's love!
Since but to hesitate is losing all!
Then, as my interest prompts me to the act,
And as Elvira will be mine, if done,
And happiness must follow, if she is,
There shall be nothing to deter my power.
(Exit.)
