 |
|
| 1. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 2. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 3. |
| 1. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 4. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 5. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
|
|
| 1. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 2. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 3. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
|
|
| 1. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 2. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 3. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 5. | Scene V |
| 5. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
|
| 1. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 2. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 3. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 4. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 7. |
| 5. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
 | The unpublished plays of Thomas Holley Chivers |  |
Scene V
(Boradale. The sea shore. A ship at anchor, lying in the distance. A storm. Thunder and lightning. Enter Charles Stuart disguised.)Charles Stuart
The splintery lightnings scourge the angry clouds,
Until they weep themselves to death in rain;
While yonder sea lies hovering as with fear.
The mighty thunder rolls from cloud to cloud.
Shaking the ponderous earth with tremendous fear,
As if Heaven's battlements were tumbling down.
It is the footsteps of the mighty God
Walking in storms.
Boisdale
(without)
Howl on!
144
He comes.
(Enter Boisdale not observing Charles Stuart.)
Boisdale
Howl on,
Ye mighty Thunders, howl! the voice of Fiends
Were silence to the thunders of my thoughts.
Come down, ye massy clouds! Come down in floods,
And drown me like the sea. Tear up the pines
And pile them on my head as high as heaven.
Lead me to some impending cliffs, where rolls
The noiseless river of the dead—then pitch
Me down to Hell!
Charles Stuart
You stand upon that cliff.
Below is Hades! there, the inky stream
Which rolls in sullen lethargy along
The Vale of Death!
Boisdale
Is there oblivion in
That wave?
Charles Stuart
Eternal death! Oblivion stands,
With open arms to hide thee from the Past.
145
Put memory in the grave and all is well.
Charles Stuart
Thy life is forfeited!
Boisdale
Whose voice is that?
I know that voice—it echoes through my soul.
The dead sea of my heart is turned to fire,
And every hope lies drowned beneath the wave!
Charles Stuart
This sword shall be thy passport to that place!
Boisdale
Who wields that sword?
Charles Stuart
An enemy to thee!
Behold! (Throwing off his disguise.)
Boisdale
(Drawing)
Usurper! villian that thou art!
I am destruction—proof! You cannot hurt
Me now! Come on!
Charles Stuart
Strike, traitor, for thy last!
(they fight. Boisdale falls.)
146
Down—down among the Fiends!
Boisdale
The Fiends are here. (Dies.)
(Enter Flora Macdonald attended by Francisco, the Monk, and the Page.)
Charles Stuart
Oh, Flora, you have come in blessed time! (Embracing her.)
Flora
My lord, that traitor said that you were gone.
Charles Stuart
What traitor?
Flora
Boisdale.
Charles Stuart
Ah, name him not.
See where he lies—beneath the reach of hate.
The earth that gave him life now drinks his blood.
Where is Sir Ronald?
Page
Ah, he may be slain!
Charles Stuart
Macdonald?
147
He is dead. I saw him die.
Charles Stuart
Ah, Flora, noble Flora, is he dead?
Flora
He is, my lord. Fernando says he is.
Charles Stuart
Then let me help you weep, for he was great.
Page
He bade me tell you, ere he died, he could
Not live to see his country's fall.
Charles Stuart
Alas,
All that could dignify the valorous heart,
And make him nobler than the rest of men,
Impelled him onward in his country's cause.
Page
He bade me say that Flora was your wife.
Charles Stuart
She is my wife—my noble wife! (Embracing her.)
(Enter Sir Ronald and Lochiel.)
Sir Ronald
My lord!
148
My noble friends, you are most welcome here!
My gratitude is all that I can give.
Sir Ronald
'Tis all we wish. We are most glad you live.
Charles Stuart
(Pointing to Boisdale.)
Look on the opprobrious earth! There lies
A traitor slain—rotting upon the earth
That valor has denied to him.
Sir Ronald
Poor fool!
If he had lived a thousand years, he could
Not have been better slain!
Lochiel
His life was one
Continual strife for that which Nature had
Denied to him!
Page
(To Sir Ronald)
Have you no word for me?
Sir Ronald
My heart is bankrupt for sufficient words
To give thee praise.
Charles Stuart
In all my sorrow there
149
Page
For sorrow is life's shade—the moon
Shines brightest in the darkest night—so does
The light of joy upon the greatest grief.
Charles Stuart
Thou art the Ministering Angel of my life,
And could I now behold my child—my own
Dear Madalena—I would die in peace.
Page
Then you shall die in peace—for here she is—
Behold thy child! (Throwing off his disguise.)
Charles Stuart
(Amazed)
What do I see? my child?
A spirit or my child?
Madalena
Thy child, thy child!
Charles Stuart
Come to my arms, my child! it is my child! (Clasping her in his arms.)
Sir Ronald
Great God, my heart is in my throat!
Charles Stuart
Look down
150
Upon a father's love, who would not give
His child for all the thrones on earth.
Sir Ronald
Look down,
Ye Angels, who have watched above our souls!
She is the “Nymph of Dian!” (Embracing her.)
Madalena
God of War!
Flora
“Apollo” of the masquerade?
Madalena
The same
And thou sweet Melpomene the Tragic Muse!
Sir Ronald
As Stuart's “Page” I loved thee from my heart;
As “Nymph of Dian” better than his Page;
As Madalena better far than all!
Madalena
As Ronald's self alone, I loved you first;
“God of War”, I loved you none the less;
And now, as Ronald, first and last, I love
You still!
151
Then I am happy—happier far
Than if a king!
Charles Stuart
And I am king indeed!
Before high heaven, I join your hearts and hands.
Sir Ronald
I wish I had a thousand hearts; I'd give
Them with a thousand hands.
Charles Stuart
She is thy wife.
And now, sweet Flora, let me take thy hand,
And in the face of heaven pronounce thee mine.
Francisco
(Joining their hands)
I do present thee to thy lord, while with
The present, I bestow thy lord on thee.
(Alarums.)
Sir Ronald
Friends of my soul, we are in danger yet!
Charles Stuart
Come to my arms, my wife, my child!
(Alarums.)
Sir Ronald
They come!
Come, Lochiel, we must meet them front to front;
And save our friends!
(Exeunt Lochiel and Ronald. Alarums.)
152
We must not tarry here.
Come to the ship, the ship!
Madalena
Nay, father, stay!
I see Sir Ronald's plume! it waves! he reels!
He totters! sinks to the earth! he's slain! (She faints.)
Charles Stuart
She falls! Sir Ronald's slain! Now, we must fly!
(He bears his daughter in his arms, and they enter the ship as the curtain falls.)
| The unpublished plays of Thomas Holley Chivers | |