University of Virginia Library

Scene V.

The great Hall in the Castle of Yveloc prepared for a wedding. An Altar, &c.
Roland and a Friar.
Friar.
How happened it you heard not this before?

Rol.
Marvel enough I chanced to hear it now.
Some days I've been away, and well I think
Hadst thou not told me, I had scarcely heard it.
Ha, Eliduke, I read thy riddles now!
Oh, shame of manhood!

Friar.
You look angry, sir.

Rol.
Do I look angry? Man, you will not wed them?

Friar.
I must. His former wife hath taken the veil,
And by our law she is considered dead,
Which sets him free to marry whom he will.

Rol.
You will not. Think; a hand in such a deed
Would pluck the whitest angel down to hell.

Friar.
Good sir, I must not go against the law.

Rol.
God's servant thou, that sticklest for men's laws,
Which to uphold must break His own to bits?
Listen to me. I am the Lord Rolando,
That never yet broke word with friend or foe;
And here I swear upon this altar-stone
These two shall never wed.

Friar.
You will not hurt me?

Rol.
Not I.

Friar.
Nor stay me in my holy office?

Rol.
Between their plighting troths I'll thrust my sword,
Even at the junction. Peace! I hear the music.

Sweet Music. Enter the Marriage Procession. Eliduke leading Estreldis; before them fair Children treading backwards and scattering flowers. They sing.
Rol.
These flowers become Death's road. Fling down your buds!

Eli.
What hoarse-tongued villain jars us with death? Play on!

Enter Castabel dressed as a nun, leading her two Children; an Abbess with her.
Blancaflor and Women.
Rol.
Rot in thy scabbard, sword! Not while she's here,
I will not kill him.

Cast..
My most gracious lord,
And you fair lady,—

[She kneels.
Rol.
O you hanging heavens,
Can you see this, nor fall!

Cast..
On bended knees,
Unused to stoop so low, I ask a boon.

Eli.
Ask, Castabel. All that I have is thine.

Est.
Alas, I've nothing, save what thou hast given me,
More rich in that than all the world besides.

Cast..
If ever I was grateful to your eyes,
And in your youthful liking found some favour;
If I have served you with a true affection,
And this my yielding weighs at all with you,
Oh, grant me this:—let not, for my surrender,
My boy be wronged; let me retain his rights,
Though I forego my own. The boy is noble,
Becomes thy name,—he is thy eldest born.
Oh, let him not be ousted for another!

Eli.
He shall not, by my soul!

Est.
No son of mine
Shall ever set his foot upon his head.

Cast..
Deal rightly by the boy, so Heaven help you!
And now, sweet lady, take this charge of me.
Into your hands I give these little ones:
Tender them dearly, and be kind to them;
They were my dearest, next to that I gave you;
I give you all, look; oh, be kind to them!

Est.
Indeed, indeed I will. I were more monstrous
Than Fancy paints, could I be harsh to these.—
I'm thy new mother; wilt thou come to me?

Boy.
You're finer than my mother. I'll go with you.

Cast..
She wins my very children's hearts away.

Girl
(nestling in her mother's breast).
Mother, I'll stay.

Cast..
What, cherub, wilt thou stay?
Alas, thou must not. Helen, take the child.
Bring her to see me at the grate sometimes,
And the proud boy. I thank you for those tears.
To heaven my steps I turn. Farewell, my lord, for ever!

[Exeunt Cast., Abb., Blanc. &c.
Rol.
Look down, O God!

Eli.
On to the altar, sweet;
We most religiously will keep our vow.
Why dost thou shake so, Friar? O love, think
This office is so solemn, it doth put
Into its minister a soul of fear.—
Ask first, for form, if there be any bar.

Friar.
Knows any here of lawful bar or stoppage
Why these two should not be conjoined in wedlock?

Rol.
Ay, that do I!

Eli.
Roland!

Rol.
Your cheeks become you.
Am I come back in time to mar your marriage?

Friar.
What fit impediment canst thou assign?

Rol.
Will you see it? It is here!
[Lifting his sword at arm's length above his head.
Stand away, Friar!
Ha, thou false shame of manhood, where thou standest!
Thou blot upon the face of honesty!
Thou blush o' the world! whitewashed iniquity!
Thou outside face of fair, rotten within!

Eli.
I knew that this must come.

Rol.
What mutterest thou?
Was it for this you won my mistress' heart,
To cast her when your appetite should change?
Was it for this that I became your friend,
That you might fit me to your purposes?
Was it for this I took your house in charge,
Unwittingly made up by your device
A pander to your Cornish paramour?
Was there none other to be made a stale
But only I? O injured Castabel,
Not for my wrongs I shake this angry sword.
Let's see this face that hath beguiled you so.
Ho, young adulteress, do you cover it?
Up with this veil! thou hast no sense of shame.

Eli.
Hold back thy hand!
Now for this thing thou diest.

Rol.
On! come on!
I mean to kill thee; cast the sheath away.

Eli.
Follow me, then!

Rol.
Not I! I'll kill thee here,
And at this altar wed thee unto death.
[Exit Eli.
Wilt thou not stay? Nay, then, I'll come to thee.

[Exit Roland. Estreldis rushes out after them. A clash of swords is heard behind the back of the scene; then a scream from Estreldis.
Walt.
What cry is this? Fling back the folding-doors!

[The back of the stage is thrown open, and discovers Roland sword in hand, and Eliduke wounded, with Estreldis dead in his arms; he carries her forward.
Rol.
I have killed the woman! Why did she fling herself
Between our swords?

Eli.
This is no painted masque;
Now thou art dead indeed. Lie there, pale case,
Till I avenge thee; and in air above
Let thy lapsed spirit wait a little while;
Mine shall be with it straight.—You were ever generous;
[To Roland.
Bind up my wounds, that I may live to kill thee.

Rol.
(binding his wounds).
Live, and repent.
There's blood enough been spilt.

Eli.
I will not slay thee, Roland, in revenge,
Knowing I well deserved your contumely,
For which I do forgive you; but because
You slandered this Estreldis, who is white
And chaste as is cold ice, I'll offer you
A sacrificial victim to her honour.

Rol.
Alas! you scarcely can uplift your sword.

Eli.
Into thy heart!—
[He beats down Roland's sword, and kills him.
Dead, then! Alas! Estreldis,
It was the noblest heart that ever beat.
My turn comes next. Off, clogs!
[Plucks off the bandages.
Stand back, I say!
I can strike yet. He dies that dares to help me!
The end is come; let me lie down and die.
The end is come; and I, that should have been
A torch to light men onward, must now die,—
Die with the hand of shame thus hot upon me.

Enter Blancaflor and Women.
Blanc.
D'ye keep this wedding with the clash of swords,
Startling my sister at her orisons?
What's this? Lord Roland! Who hath done this thing?

Eli.
I, Blancaflor!

Blanc.
Thou art the plague o' the world,
[She throws herself on the body of Roland.
And with thy bloody hand thou hast defaced
The image of all excellence! Might he not live
Till he had smiled a single smile upon me?—
Look up thy last! What, dead? thou soul of honour!

Eli.
I slew him. Turn, and ask who slew Estreldis,
And with a mournful voice I'll answer, I.
Who slew myself? Why, still I'll answer, I.
I am the root of ill; only from me
This spreading misery springs. Look, look upon me!
I was your man of war, your general,
Your lord, your leader. Look, how low I lie,
Not that I die, but am dropped down from virtue!
Some kind soul pray for me!—Give me more air!
How dim your lights burn! I am failing fast.—
Night gathers.—Oh, not yet!—Your hand, cold child!

[Dies, stretching towards Estreldis.
Walt.
Horror sits only here! Lift up the lady.

Blanc.
Leave me alone! Look, Helen, Margaret,
Roland is dead, the continent of valour,
And speaking tongue of truth; look where he lies!
Back to the nunnery! there I'll end my days,
Nor ever look into the world again.
Roland is dead! I'll hang for ever here!

Walt.
Roland is dead. Passionate Eliduke,
Thy mischief hath beguiled us all to death;
Upon thy soul I heap this load of ills.

A Lord.
He seemed a star, and up his eastern sky
Rose blazing, for his deeds became a man;
And in the very zenith of his fortune,
Shot by false love, stooped, and went out in ashes.
Send to the King. The wedding-day is marred.