University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

THE CONSUL'S HOUSE. Consul, Erminia.
Erminia.
The men you spoke with in the port have pass'd
The window, and seem entering.

Consul.
Friends, come in.

Minuzzi
(entering with Stamura and others).
Sir Consul! we are here inopportunely,
Our work is done: God prosper'd it. Young lady!
We come no feasters at a consul's board.

Consul.
Erminia! coverest thou our scanty fare
Because 'tis scanty, and not over-nice?
Child! thou hast eaten nothing.

Erminia.
Quite enough.

Consul.
No wonder thou hast lost thy appetite,
And sighest.

Erminia.
I am sure I did not sigh;
Nor have I lost my appetite.

Consul.
Then eat:
Take off the napkin.

Erminia.
Father! you well know
What is beneath it.

Consul.
Half a cake.

Erminia.
Of beans,
Of rye, of barley, swept from off the manger:
My little horse had eaten them ere now,
But . .

Consul.
The child weeps. Even such flesh must serve.
Heaven grant us even this a few days hence.

Erminia
(to Stamura).
Signor Antonio! do not look at me,
I pray you, thinking of my greediness;
Eat, eat! I kept it . . If the sea's fresh air
Makes hungry those who sail upon it, surely
It must . . after such toil . .

Stamura.
Such toil 'twas not.

Erminia.
Father! could you persuade him?

Stamura.
Pray excuse me!
I want no food.

Consul.
Take what there is, and wine,
Wine we have still in plenty, old and strong.

Stamura.
Grant me this one half-beaker.

Erminia.
Let me run
And rinse it well.

Stamura.
Forbear! forbear!

Consul.
We have
No man or maiden in the house; they all
Fight or assist the fighting.

Erminia.
He has taken
And drank it every drop! Poor, poor Antonio!
O how he must have thirsted! [To Stamura.

'Twas half water.

Stamura.
It was not very strong.

Minuzzi.
And yet the colour
Mounts to his eyes as 'twere sheer wine of Crete.

Consul.
I am impatient (you must pardon me)
To hear what you have done. Pour out the wine,
Erminia! that can cause but short delay.

[They drink, all but Stamura. Cries in the street, “Long live Stamura!”
Stamura.
Call they me? why me?

[Cries again. “Long live the brave Angelica.”
Stamura.
My mother!

Minuzzi.
Now for the wine! The boy will faint.

Angelica.
Help! father!

Officer.
Sir! saw you not the flames along the sky?
Has no one told you how that noble lady
Burnt down the tower with all its galleries,
Down to the very wheels?

Stamura.
Who minds the tower?
Sir! is she safe? unhurt?

Officer.
Sir! the ram's head,
Blacken'd with smoke, lean'd prone against the wall,
Then seem'd to shudder as 'twere half-alive.
Then fell the iron mass. It made no sound
Among the ashes. Had it made a loud one
There were much louder from the wretches crusht
Beneath it and its tower; some tearing off
Their burning armour agonised with pain,
And others pierced with red-hot nails that held
The rafters; others holding up their arms
Against the pitch and sulphur that pour'd down.
It was a sight! Well might it have detain'd,
Those who beheld it, from their duty here.
Up flew, not sparks alone, but splinters huge,
Crackling against the battlements, and drove
More men away than all their arrows could.

Stamura.
Sir Consul! I must warm myself with fighting
After this dip. [Aside.

Nor see my mother first?
She would be first to blame me if I did.

[Goes.
Consul.
God prosper thee, brave youth, God prosper thee!

Erminia
(aside).
Discourteous man! he said no word to me!
He even forgot my father.

Father John enters.
Minuzzi.
Here comes one
Who can relate to you the whole exploit
Better than we.

Father John.
Where is Antonio?

Minuzzi.
Gone
This instant. How was it ye did not meet?

Father John.
Ha! I am this time caught in my own net.
I knew the knave would run away at seeing me;
He told me if I came he would be gone,
Fearing to hear my story. So, sir Consul,
I stole in softly through the stable-door.
I can not keep my breath beneath the surface
So long as boys can. They are slenderer,
Less buoyant too, mayhap. Oft as I rose
My pilot-fish was with me; that Stamura
Would never leave me.

Erminia.
Father John! your blessing.
You always used to give it me.

Father John.
There, take it.
How the girl kisses my rough hand to-day! [Aside.

Forgetful, heedless, reckless of himself
He held a shapeless shield of cork before me,
Wherefrom a silent shower of arrows fell
From every galley, amid shouts like hunters'
As they caught sight of us. The bright steel points
Rebounding (for not one of them bit through)
Glistened a moment as they clove the water,
Then delved into the uneven furrow'd sands.
Surely the lustrous and unclosing eyes
Of well-poised fishes have enjoy'd to-day
A rarity; they never saw before
So many feathers sticking all upright
Under the brine so many fathoms deep.

Consul.
Father! your gaiety will never fail you.

Father John.
Not while it pleases God to use my arm
Or wits, such as they are, to serve my country.
But this I tell you: had the boy been less
Assiduous, or less brave, the fish had seen
Another sight they oftener see, and then
No Father John had blest that maiden more.

Minuzzi.
Stamura saved our country, saving you.

Father John.
And you too, both of you, did well your duty.

Minuzzi.
A ground are five good galleys, and their crews
Await your mercy.

Father John.
Did Stamura bring
His captive, that spruce Roman-spoken gallant?

Consul.
He brought none hither.

Minuzzi.
Now our tale is told,
A little fighting will assuage the toil
And cold of diving. Brave Stamura toss'd
The net above his forehead fifty times
And drew it off and shoved it back again,
Impatient for his mother. He will knead
(I trow) a pasty German ere he see her;
We too may lend a hand. Come, Father John!
Shrive as if we should need it.

Consul.
Fare ye well.
Thank God! I am not rich; but this one day,
My friends, I would be richer, to reward you.
The ships are yours: let none else claim one plank.