University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

[Hall of Judgment in the Ducal Palace. The Duke. upon a raised throne on the left. Falcone near his chair, and Angelo on the opposite side of the stage with a guard. Isabella behind the guard, disguised as a monk. Tortesa stands near the centre of the stage, and Zippa and Tomaso in the left corner, listening eagerly. Counsellors at a table, and crowd of spectators at the sides and rear.]
DUKE.
Are there more witnesses?

COUNSELLOR.
No more, my liege!

DUKE.
None for the prisoner?

COUNSELLOR.
He makes no defence
Beyond a firm denial.

FALCONE.
Is there wanting
Another proof, my liege, that he is guilty?

DUKE.
I fear he stands in deadly peril, Count.
(To the Counsellor.)
Sum up the evidence.

(He reads.)
COUNSELLOR.
'Tis proved, my liege,
That for no honest or sufficient end,
The pris'ner practised on your noble Grace
And Count Falcone a contrived deceit,
Whereby he gained admittance to the lady.

(Tomaso exhibits signs of alarm.)
DUKE.
Most true!

COUNSELLOR.
That, till the eve before her death,
He had continual access to the palace;
And, having grown enamoured of the bride,
Essay'd by plots that never were matured,
And quarrels often forced on her betrothed,
To stay the bridal. That, against the will
Of her most noble father and the Duke,
The bride was resolute to keep her troth;
And so, preparing for the ceremony,
Upon her bridal morning was found dead.
'Tis proved again—that, while she lay in state,
The guard, at several periods of the night,
Did force the pris'ner from the chapel door;
And when the corse was stol'n from sanctuary
All search was vain, till, in the pris'ner's hands
Was found the veil that shrouded her. To these,
And lighter proofs of sacrilege and murder,
The prisoner has opposed his firm denial—
No more!

DUKE.
Does no one speak in his behalf?

TORTESA.
My liege! so far as turns the evidence
Upon the prisoner's quarrels with myself,
I'm free to say that they had such occasion
As any day may rise 'twixt men of honor.
As one of those aggriev'd by his offences,
You'll wonder I'm a suitor for his pardon—
But so I am! Besides that there is room
To hope him innocent, your Grace's realm
Holds not so wondrous and so rare a painter!
If he has killed the lady Isabella,
'Tis some amends that in his glorious picture
She's made immortal! If he stole her corse,
He can return, for that disfigured dust,
An Isabella fresh in changeless beauty!
Were it not well to pardon him, my Lord?

ISABELLA,
(aside.)
Oh brave Tortesa!

DUKE.
You have pleaded kindly
And eloquently, Signor! but the law
Can recognize no gift as plea for pardon.
For his rare picture he will have his fame;
But if the Isabella he has painted
Find not a voice to tell his innocence,
He dies at sunset!

ISABELLA,
(despairingly.)
He is dead to me!
Yet he shall live!

(She drops the cowl from her shoulders, and with her arms folded, walks slowly to the feet of the Duke.)
FALCONE,
(rushing forward.)
My daughter!

ANGELO,
(with a gesture of agony.)
Lost!

TORTESA.
Alive!

ZIPPA,
(energetically.)
Tortesa'll have her!

(Isabella retires to the back of the stage with her father and kneels to him, imploring in dumb show; the Duke and others watching.)
TORTESA,
(aside.)
So! all's right again?
Now for my lands or Isabella?—Stay!
'Tis a brave girl by Heaven!
(Reflects a moment.)
A sleeping draught,
And so to Angelo! Her love for me
A counterfeit to take suspicion off!
It was well done! I feel my heart warm to her!
(Reflects again.)
Where could he hide her from our search to-day?
(Looks round at Isabella.)
No? Yet the dress is like! It was the picture!
Herself—and not a picture! Now, by Heaven,
A girl like that should be the wife of Cæsar!
(Presses his hand upon his heart.)
I've a new feeling here!

(Falcone comes forward, followed by Isabella with gestures of supplication.)
FALCONE.
I will not hear you!
My liege, I pray you keep the prisoner
In durance till my daughter's fairly wed.
He has contriv'd against our peace and honor,
And howsoe'er this marvel be made clear,
She stands betroth'd, if he is in the mind,
To the brave Signor yonder!

DUKE.
This were well—
What says Tortesa?

TORTESA.
If my liege permit,
I will address my answer to this lady.
(Turns to Isabella.)
For reasons which I need not give you now,
Fair Isabella! I became your suitor.
My motives were unworthy you and me—
Yet I was true—I never said I lov'd you!
Your father sold you me for lands and money—
(Pardon me Duke! And you, fair Isabella!
You will—ere I am done!) I push'd my suit!
The bridal day came on, and clos'd in mourning;
For the fair bride it dawn'd upon was dead.
I had my shame and losses to remember—
But in my heart sat sorrow uppermost,
And pity—for I thought your heart was broken.
(Isabella begins to discover interest in his story, and Angelo watches her with jealous eagerness.)
I see you here again! You are my bride!
Your father holds me to my bargain for you!
The lights are burning on the nuptial altar—
The bridal chamber and the feast, all ready!
What stays the marriage now?—my new-born love!
That nuptial feast were fruit from Paradise—
I cannot touch it till you bid me welcome!
That nuptial chamber were the lap of Heaven—
I cannot enter till you call me in!
(Takes a ring from his bosom.)
Here is the golden ring you should have worn.
Tell me to give it to my rival there—
I'll break my heart to do so! (Holds it towards Angelo.)


ISABELLA,
(looking at her father.)
Would I might!

TORTESA.
You shall if't please you!

FALCONE.
I command thee, never!
My liege, permit me to take home my daughter!
And, Signor, you—if you would keep your troth—
To-morrow come, and end this halting bridal!
Home! Isabella! (Takes his daughter's hand.)


TORTESA,
(taking it from him).
Stay! she is not your's!
(Turns to the Duke.)
My gracious liege, there is a law in Florence,
That if a father, for no guilt or shame,
Disown, and shut his door upon his daughter,
She is the child of him who succors her;
Who, by the shelter of a single night,
Becomes endowed with the authority
Lost by the other. Is't not so?

DUKE.
So runs
The law of Florence, and I see your drift—
For, look my lord! (to Falcone,)
if that dread apparition
You saw last night, was this your living daughter,
You stand within the peril of that law.

FALCONE.
My liege!

ISABELLA,
(looking admiringly at Tortesa.)
Oh noble Signor!

TORTESA,
(to Isabella.)
Was't well done?
Shall I give Angelo the ring?

(As she is about to take it from him, Tomaso steps in behind, and pulls Isabella by the sleeve.)
TOMASO.
Stay there!
What wilt thou do for dowry? I'm thy father?
But—save some flasks of wine—

ISABELLA,
(sorrowfully.)
Would I were richer
For thy sake, Angelo!

(Tortesa looks at her an instant, and then steps to the table and writes.)
ANGELO,
(coming forward with an effort.)
Look, Isabella!
I stand between thee and a life of sunshine.
Thou wert both rich and honor'd, but for me!
That thou couldst wed me, beggar as I am,
Is bliss to think on—but see how I rob thee!
I have a loving heart—but am a beggar!
There is a loving heart—
(Points to Tortesa.)
—with wealth and honor!

(Tortesa steps between them, and hands a paper to Angelo.)
TORTESA,
(to Isabella.)
Say thou wilt wed the poorer?

ISABELLA,
(offers her hand to Angelo.)
So I will!

TORTESA.
Then am I blest, for he's as rich as I—
Yet, in his genius, has one jewel more!

ISABELLA.
What sayst thou?

(Angelo reads earnestly.)
TORTESA.
In a mortal quarrel, lady!
'Tis thought ill-luck to have the better sword;
For the good angels, who look sorrowing on,
In heavenly pity take the weaker side!

ISABELLA.
What is it, Angelo?

ANGELO.
A deed to me
Of the Falcone palaces and lands,
And all the moneys forfeit by your father!—
By Heaven, I'll not be mock'd!

TORTESA.
The deed is yours—
What mockery in that?

ISABELLA,
(tenderly to Tortesa).
It is not kind
To make a refusal of your love a pain!

TORTESA.
I would 'twould kill you to refuse me lady!
So should the blood plead for me at your heart!
Shall I give up the ring? (offers it.)


ISABELLA,
(hesitatingly.)
Let me look on it!

TORTESA,
(withdrawing it.)
A moment yet! You'll give it ere you think!
Oh is it fair that Angelo had days,
To tell his love, and I have not one hour?
How know you that I cannot love as well?

ISABELLA.
'Tis possible!

TORTESA.
Ah! thanks!

ISABELLA.
But I have given
My heart to him!

TORTESA.
You gave your troth to me!
If, of these two gifts you must take back one,
Rob not the poorer! Shall I keep the ring?

(Isabella looks down.)
ANGELO.
She hesitates! I've waited here too long!
(Tears the deed in two.)
Perish your gift, and farewell Isabella!

ISABELLA,
(advancing a step with clasp'd hands.)
You'll kill me, Angelo! Come back!

TORTESA,
(seizing him by the hand as he hesitates and flinging him back with a strong effort.)
He shall!

ANGELO.
Stand from my path! Or, if you care to try
Some other weapon than a glozing tongue,
Follow me forth where we may find the room!

TORTESA.
You shall not go.

ANGELO,
(draws.)
Have at thee then!

(Attacks Tortesa, who disarms him, and holds his sword-point to his breast. Duke and others come forward.)
TORTESA.
The bar
'Twixt me and heaven, boy! is the life I hold
Now at my mercy! Take it, Isabella!
And with it the poor gift he threw away!
I'll write a new deed ere you've time to marry.
So take your troth back with your bridal ring,
And thus I join you!

(Takes Isabella's hand, but Angelo refuses his.)
ANGELO,
(proudly.)
Never! But for me,
The hand you hold were joyfully your own!
Shall I receive a life and fortune from you,
Yet stand 'twixt you and that?

ISABELLA,
(turning from Angelo.)
Thou dost not love me!

TORTESA.
Believe it not! He does! An instant more
I'll brush this new spun cobweb from his eyes.
(Approaches Zippa.)
Fair Zippa! in this cross'd and tangled world
Few wed the one they could have lov'd the best,
And fewer still wed well for happiness!
We each have lost to-day what best we love.
But as the drops, that mingled in the sky
Are torn apart in the tempestuous sea,
Yet with a new drop tremble into one,
We two, if you're content, may swim together!
What say you?

ZIPPA,
(giving her hand.)
I have thought on it before,
When I believed you cold and treacherous,
'Tis easy when I know you kind and noble.

TORTESA.
To-morrow, then, we'll wed; and now, fair Signor,
(To Angelo.)
Take you her hand, nor fear to rob Tortesa!
(Turns to the Duke.)
Shall it be so, my liege?

DUKE.
You please me well.
And if you'll join your marriage feasts together
I'll play my part and give the brides away!

TORTESA.
Not so, my liege! I could not see her wed him.
To give her to him has been all I could;
For I have sought her with the dearest pulses
That quicken in my heart, my love and scorn.
She's taught me that the high-born may be true.
I thank her for it—but, too close on that
Follow'd the love, whose lightning flash of honor
Brightens, but straight is dark again! My liege!
The poor who leap up to the stars for duty
Must drop to earth again! and here, if't please you,
I take my feet for ever from your palace,
And, match'd as best beseems me, say farewell.

(Takes Zippa's hand, and the curtain drops.)