Scene VII
The Council Chamber.
The Duke and his Council assembled. Enter Alvino
attended by Leoni, and followed by Officer and
Guard. Enter, afterwards, Count Rodolph and Theresa.
Count Rodolph
(With a paper in his hand.)
My Liege, before you for an awful crime,
The murder of Count Alvar in the night,
Alvino stands accused of that foul deed!
That he was murdered in the dead of night,
When God's all-seeing eye alone could see,
Is sworn to in this sacred writ of mine.
And that the murderer stands before you now,
Is proven by this letter, which he sent
To Carlos by Don Pedro when in chains,
To prompt him to the taking of my life.
And by this handkerchief which you behold,
Which Carlos said he found upon his bed,
The which, if not sufficient to convict,
Shall be confirmed by evidence of both.
Duke
(To Officer.)
Then bring them forward—they shall both be sworn.
(Exit Officer.)
Alvino, if you have a word to say,
Against the evidence adduced, speak out!
My liege, that innocence may plead, without
Disguise, her own truth-telling cause, there is
No more than truth in what the Count has said.
That in the dead of night Count Alvar fell,
When some life-taking hand drove off his soul,
And left him sleeping in the arms of Death,
May all be true, but that this thing was done
And by Alvino's hand, must yet be proven.
Re-enter Officer, bringing in Don Carlos and Pedro.
Count Rodolph
Now, that the evidence may be adduced,
I charge you, Carlos, by an awful oath,
To say if this foul letter came from him.
Don Carlos
It did!
Count Rodolph
And that this handkerchief was found
Upon his bed.
Don Carlos
It was.
Alvino
(To Carlos.)
Oh, man! Frail man!
When thou art false, thou art, indeed, most vile!
There stands the injured cause of all this guilt,
A Sanctuary holy—perfect—pure!
From that bright bush he plucked the sweetest rose
That ever bloomed—whose virtuous sweets he stole—
Then spurned her, that she had no more to steal!
The last soft tendril of the dearest vine
That ever wreathed the pillar of affection!
The rest are gone to an untimely grave!
And, now that we are destined to that place,
Where all our ills shall be forgotten—we
Shall be the first in this assembly who
Shall covet no remembrance in this world.
And now, whatever lot may fall on one,
I crave this boon, that it may fall on both!
Duke
Alvino, that the law is blood for blood—
That justice may be given to whom 'tis due—
That human passion may rich lesson learn—
But more than all, that Heaven may be appeased,
I now pronounce thy sentence—it is Death!
May all good Angels guard thee to thy home!
Leoni
Have you no tongue to speak the same to me?
Oh, if you have, pronounce it now—yes, now!
Alvino
(Aside to Leoni)
Leoni, recollect the vow we made!
Leoni
(Taking a phial from her bosom and drinking.)
What, think you Count Rodolph has the power
To take revenge upon such love as this?
Alvino
(Aside to Leoni)
Revenge! thou hast revenge upon them all!
Yes, deeper than the depths of Heaven from Hell!
(He takes the phial from her hand and empties it.)
Leoni
(Aside.)
The sweetest death that ever mortal died!
I have another friend, if that should fail.
It sleeps beside the beatings of my heart,
Counting each anxious sorrow, one by one!
And when the curtains of dark night shall fall
Upon the eyelids of the Day—the last
Of all that is now spoken be known!
Alvino
Ye Gods, behold the power of my revenge
And pity all that has been done in hate!
End of Act Fourth. Curtain falls.
