University of Virginia Library

Scene II.

—Interior of a Church.
Claricha enters, and makes an Offering of Flowers at the Shrine of the Madonna.
CLARICHA
(Solus).
Lady divine, who yet art bound to earth
By the strong tie of sorrows shared, look down
And smile upon the offering which each day
I offer for his sake; if yet on earth,
Weary he wander, strengthen and support;
If thought of me add to his happiness
Keep it alive, and if it be regret,
Let me fade gently, like a pleasant dream—
Sweet, but too faint to rest on memory!
If—but, oh, no, not even in my prayers
Can I name death.
—[Sound of approaching steps.
Some one approaches, and I cannot bear
My quiet moment broken.

—[She retires up the stage.
Enter Castruccio muffled, and a Florentine Spy.
CASTRUCCIO.
I understand their plan;
Florence will aid the strongest.

FLORENTINE.
Such is her policy; her wishes take her
Upon the noble's side.

CASTRUCCIO.
It matters not—
One victory more, and I can name my terms;
It is the secret stratagem I seek;
For that I look to thee-henceforth we meet
Within this church; few ever come this way.

FLORENTINE.
To-morrow look for tidings from the camp.

CASTRUCCIO.
I or Cesario will meet you here
At this same hour. Here is your promised gold.

FLORENTINE.
Thanks; I will be secret as the grave.

[Exit.
CASTRUCCIO.
I loathe the tools that I perforce must use;
For sooner would I hang yon knave than pay him.
Crime takes no shape so base as treachery,
And yonder slave betrays his city's council
For a few ducats; but the time will come,
When, strong in Lucca's cause, I shall not need
Such an unworthy means; the slave and spy
Belong to tyranny, and freedom works
With nobler instruments.

Going out, Claricha returns, they meet face to face, and recognize each other.
CASTRUCCIO.
My loved, my lost, my beautiful Claricha!

CLARICHA.
Oh! wake me not, Amino, if I dream.

CASTRUCCIO.
Amino! how that name recalls my youth!
But whence art thou? when last I sought our home,
There was no vestige of the humble roof
That was the shelter of our early years.
I only found a heap of blacken'd ashes
O'er which the green weeds had begun to trail.

CLARICHA.
You had not left us but a few sad months,
When, burnt and plunder'd by the Florentines,
Our village 'mid its vineyards lay in ruins;
The aid from Lucca sent, arrived too late
To save our homes; but to the chief Arrezi
I owe my life, and, placed by him, I dwelt
Long with a noble lady of his house,
Who loved me like the children she had lost.

CASTRUCCIO.
The Count Arrezi! strange we never met.

CLARICHA.
I have not been three days in Lucca—death
Left me once more alone in this cold world.
Again the Count Arrezi was my friend,
And placed me with his daughter, who is soon
To wed the Count Castruccio.

CASTRUCCIO.
I am he.

CLARICHA.
Amino!

CASTRUCCIO.
Oh, breathe that name again—let it recall
All that my youth once dream'd of hope and love!
Or rather let me hear that name no more,
It is the death-knell of all happiness.

CLARICHA.
Alas, I dare not question; yet, one word—
Have you forgotten me?

CASTRUCCIO.
Forgotten what was dearest to my soul!

CLARICHA.
Alas, how may that be, if Count Castruccio
And my Amino be the same?

CASTRUCCIO.
Evil and bitter were my early years:
Exiled in childhood, sought for but to slay,
I only re-assumed our ancient name,
When, gathering all the remnants of our cause,
I raised the banner of our line, and came
A conqueror—who but only came to spare.

CLARICHA.
I would that I had earlier known your name.

CASTRUCCIO.
How bitterly I mock the pride that kept
My birth a secret; yet 'twas not all pride,
I plann'd a glad surprise for her I loved;
In the first dawn of my success, I sought
The well-remember'd vineyards.

CLARICHA.
Farewell, Count Castruccio! had I known
The name whose triumphs fill our Italy,
I had not hoped as I have done for years;
But I should still have loved: it does not need
That words should say, the nameless, friendless girl
Is nothing to the Lord of Lucca.

CASTRUCCIO.
Weary and hard has been my path through life;
Its brief success by danger has been bought,
Yet knew I not its bitterness till now.

CLARICHA.
Farewell, my lord.

CASTRUCCIO.
Hear me, Claricha—be yourself my judge—
What Lucca was, let our first years recall:
Years past in war and exile—when the land
Had not one vineyard safe—one hearth secure—
How stands my country now?—at peace within,
The peasant, undisturb'd beneath his vine,
The citizen in safety, high or low,
While our fair banners flout the gates of Florence.
Not for the fair banners flout the gates of Florence.
Not for the palace only have I ruled,
But for the green fields and the market place;
Peace dwells beneath the shadow of my power.

CLARICHA.
Ah, me! I know too well how much Castruccio
Has done for Lucca.

CASTRUCCIO.
I have given youth,
And love, and hope, to be her sacrifice.
From the first hour that Lucca own'd my sway,
I only look'd to her prosperity:
The heart went with her that now turns aside;
On one side dost thou stand and happiness,
But on the other, danger, toil, and care.

CLARICHA.
And duty!

CASTRUCCIO.
A heavy duty girdles me around;
Arrezi's daughter has my plighted honour:
For Lucca's sake was the alliance sought,
To bind her father's party to my side.
A darker power than mine impels me on—
For the first time I hesitate, and fain
I would recall my purpose.

CLARICHA.
Not for me;
Look on yon heaven, Castruccio, and think
Of thine own glorious future.

CASTRUCCIO.
Has life no service I could render thee?

CLARICHA.
What is there I could ask of thee but love?

CASTRUCCIO.
I cannot part with thee: I had forgotten
That there were sweet and gentle thoughts in life;
Let me do something for thy sake, my loved one.

CLARICHA.
Oh, death, this is thy agony!

CASTRUCCIO.
The council will have met—I must away;
Who could restrain my followers in their fear
If I were missing? but not yet farewell,
I have so much to say, so much to ask.
We meet again, Claricha; I must seek
At least to be thy friend; we meet again.

CLARICHA.
Alas! why should we meet? it is in vain.

CASTRUCCIO.
I cannot choose, my heart beats quick with joy:
Youth, hope, and tenderness return with thee.

CLARICHA.
For thine own sake, Castruccio, fare-thee-well.

CASTRUCCIO.
Stay yet one moment; if thou didst but know
How faithfully this heart has kept thy name,
Its sad and secret music; years have past
Since the green vineyards heard our youthful vow;
Hurried our parting word, and parting kiss,
But not less sacred. In my first career
Thou wert my hope, my star of enterprise—
When I look'd forward, 'twas to look to thee.

CLARICHA.
And now we meet, and know that we must part,
Unpitying fate! why met we not before?

CASTRUCCIO.
My exile was repeal'd, but ere I sought
My native city, I did seek for thee;
Instead of sunny welcome in thine eyes,
I found but desolation and despair:
Dark night, and its eternal echoes, gave
The only answer when I call'd thy name.

CLARICHA.
Oh! if we had but met.

CASTRUCCIO.
Fate mocks at us; a few brief hours suffice
To stand between us and our happiness,
Thenceforth I had those gentle hopes no more,
That make the spirit gentle where they dwell.
Lucca was then my all—I had no hopes
But for the glory of my native city;
To see her free and prosperous, became
Life's sole great object.

CLARICHA.
Not for my sake shall Lucca's hero pause
Upon his glorious path; not for my sake
Forget life's noblest duties.

CASTRUCCIO.
Thou art more strong than I am—yet not so,
I see thy cheek is pale, thine eye is wet,
I cannot leave thee.

Enter Cesario hastily.
CESARIO.
I pray your pardon, but the need is great;
The late attempt fills all your friends with fear,
Not mine to check their angry eagerness,
Which now is fain to seek thee, sword in hand.

CASTRUCCIO.
To stay is madness now; my brief delay
May be atoned in blood. Love, now farewell.

CESARIO.
I pray you, lady, urge his speed.

CLARICHA.
Farewell! farewell!

CASTRUCCIO.
Meet me again, Claricha, meet me here;
Here, with high Heaven, and the dead around,
Fit for farewell like ours. Sternly I feel
The pressure of my duty to the land,
Whose people are entrusted to my keeping;
But I cannot part with thee, and know so little
Of thy uncall'd-for future.

CESARIO.
Good, my lord.

CASTRUCCIO.
Claricha, most beloved, I dare not stay,
With life on every moment, bid me go.

CLARICHA.
Farewell.

CASTRUCCIO.
We meet to-morrow; every gentle saint
Watch over thee. Farewell.

—[Exeunt.
Claricha.
(Stands looking after him, and then turns suddenly and kneels before the Madonna).
At least I still may pray for him.

—[Scene closes.