University of Virginia Library

ACT IV.

SCENE I.

—The Bay, and View of Naples.
Enter Colonna and Vicentio, L. H. with their swords drawn;—passing across to R. H.
Col.
Yonder, my lord, beside the cypress grove
Fast by the church-yard—there's a place, methinks,
Where we may 'scape the eye of observation.

Vic.
I follow, sir—the neighbourhood of the grave
Will suit our purpose well, for you or I
Must take its measure ere the sun be set.

[Exeunt, R. H.
Enter Ludovico, L. H. S. E. as they go off.
Lud.
Ha! there they go!—the furies, with their whips
Of hissing serpents, lash you to your fate—
My dull and passionate fools—you fall at last
Into the pit I have dug for you—the grave.—
You grasp the murdering hilt, while I, in thought,
Already clench the glorious staff of empire.
I hate you both!—One of you has denounced me—
The other, robbed me of a woman's love.
They have already entered in the grove
Of funeral cypress.—Now they are lost
Amid the crowded trunks—and yet a moment
And they will be about it!—Now, Vicentio,
Thy fate is sealed.—Colonna's arm—
Ha! who comes here?
Evadne!—yes—my eyes deceive me not—
'Twas happiest chance that led me to the field—
She must be interrupted—let me think—
I have it.—

Enter Evadne, L. H.
Evad.
For heaven's sake, whoe'er you are,
Tell me which way they passed—doth not this lead
To the eastern gate of the city.—Ha! Ludovico!
My lord, my lord—my brother, and Vicentio—

Lud.
I know it all—and I shall thank the fate
That made Ludovico the messenger
Of such blest tidings to Evadne's ear—
Your brother and Vicentio.

Evad.
Speak, my lord—
For heaven's sake, speak!

Lud.
They are secure—thank heaven,
Their purpose is prevented.—

Evad.
Secure!
My brother and Vicentio are secure.

Lud.
By providential circumstance, before
Their purpose was accomplished, both were seized,
And all their furious passions are as hushed
As the still waters of yon peaceful bay.

Evad.
Ludovico, I cannot speak how much
Thou has bound me to thee, by the holy sounds
Thou hast breathed upon mine ear!—But, tell me, sir,
Where, how, and when was this? What blessed hand—
Speak, my lord.

Lud.
'Twas I!

Evad.
'Twas you, Ludovico?

Lud.
The same!
Hearing Olivia's marriage with Vicentio,
I saw the dreadful issue, and I flew
With the strong arm of power to intercept them.

Evad.
'Twas you, Ludovico—what shall I say?
I know not what to tell you.—But, heav'n bless you!
A thousand times heav'n bless you!—On my knees,
And at your feet I thank you.

(Kneels.)
Lud.
Beautiful Evadne!
Loveliest beneath the skies, where every thing
Grows lovely as themselves—Nay do not bend
Your eyes, and hide beneath these fleecy clouds
Stars beaming as the evening one, nor turn
That cheek away, that, like a cold rose, seems
Besprankt with snow!—nor strive to win from me
Those hands, which he who formed the lily, formed
With imitative whiteness—I will presume,
For your dear sight hath made a madman of me,
To press my rapture here—

(Kisses her hand.)
Evad.
My lord, I own,
That you surprise me, and were I not bound
By strenuous obligation, I should say,
Perchance you did offend me—But I will not!
Accept my gratitude, and be you sure
These thanks are from a warm and honest heart.
Farewell—I do forgive—

Lud.
You fly me then!

Evad.
I do not fly your presence, but I go
To seek my brother's bosom—

Lud.
And Vicentio's!

Evad.
You would be merry, sir.

Lud.
I have not cause—
Nor shall you, madam—You would fly me thus,
To rush at once into my rival's arms—
Nay, do not start—he well deserves the name—
I know him by no other.

Evad.
Sir, I hope
You will not revive a subject that has long
Between us been forgotten.

Lud.
What! forgotten?
I did not think to hear it—said you forgotten?
Nay, do not think you leave me—in return
For such small service as I have done to-day,
I beg your audience—tell me what's forgotten?
I would hear it from your lips.

Evad.
I did not mean—
Forgive, and let me go.

(Crosses to R. H.)
Lud.
What? what forgotten?
Your heartlessness to all the maddening power
Of the tumultuous passions in my heart!
What? what forgotten? all the injuries
You have cast upon my head—the stings of fire
You have driven into my soul—my agonies,
My tears, my supplications, and the groans
Of my indignant spirit! I can hold
My curbed soul no more—it rushes out!
What? what forgotten?—me—Ludovico?

Evad.
I pray you, my good lord, for heaven's sake, hear me.

Lud.
What! to behold him, like a pilferer,
With his smooth face of meanless infancy,
And his soft moulded body, steal away
That feathered thing, thy heart.

Evad.
Ludovico,
What may this sudden fury mean?—you do
But act these horrid passions to affright me!
For you to-day preserved him, did you not?
Did you not say you saved Vicentio?

Lud.
I will permit you shortly to embrace him—
I will not long detain you from his arms—
But you will find him grown as cold a lover
As moonlight statues—his fond arms will hang
In loosened idleness about your form,—
And from those lips where you were wont t'imbibe
The fiery respiration of the heart,
You will touch the coldness of the unsunned snow,
Without its purity.

Evad.
I now perceive
What you would hint, my lord;—doubtless you deem
Vicentio hath preferred Olivia's love?

Lud.
If you can wake his heart to love again,
I'll hold you for a sorceress—no, Evadne,
You ne'er shall be Vicentio's—but mine!

Evad.
Yours!

Lud.
Mine!—I have said it, and before to-night
I'll verify the prophecy.

Evad.
I know not
What lies within the dark and horrid cave
Of your imagination; but be sure
I had rather clasp Vicentio dead—I see
That you recoil with passion.

Lud.
By the fires—
Down, down, my burning heart!—So you would rather
Within Vicentio's cold and mouldering shroud
Warm into love, than on this beating heart?
But, be it so—you will have occasion soon
To try the experiment—and then, Evadne,
You will more aptly judge.

Evad.
Ha! a strong glare,
Like the last flash from sinking ships, has poured
A horrid radiance on me—Ha! Ludovico—
Let it be frenzy that before my face
Spreads out that sheet of blood—

Lud.
Well, my Evadne?

Evad.
Dæmon, hast thou mocked me?

Lud.
Didst thou not scorn—didst thou not madden me?
Didst thou not—Ha! (Seeing Colonna, crosses to R. H.)

By heavens, it is himself!—
All is accomplished—and upon my front
Methinks I clasp the round of royalty!
Already do I clasp thee in mine arms!—
Evadne!—There—look there—Colonna comes,
(Crosses to L. H.)
And on that weapon flaming from afar
He bears the vengeance of Ludovico.

[Exit, L. H.
Enter Colonna, R. H., with his sword bloody.
Col.
Evadne here!

Evad.
My brother!

Col.
Call me so—
For I have proved myself to be thy brother.
Look here!—

Evad.
There's blood upon it!

Col.
And there should be.

Evad.
Thou hast—

Col.
I have revenged thee!

Evad.
Thou hast slain—
Villain, thou hast slain Vicentio?

Col.
I have revenged thee—
For any wrong done to my single self,
I should, perhaps, repent me of the deed;
But, for a wrong to thee—Why dost thou look
Up to the heavens with such a bewildered gaze?

Evad.
To curse thee, and myself, and all the world!
Villain, thou hast slain Vicentio!—thou hast slain him
Who was as dear unto my frantic heart,
As thou art horrible!—and 'tis to me
Thou comest to tell it too—thou comest to bear
That weapon weltering with my lover's blood,
And stab these blasted eye-balls—Hide thee, villain!
Hide thee within the centre of the earth!—
Thou art all made of blood—and to the sun
Art grown detestable— (Crosses to R. H.)
—Vicentio!
My lord! my bosom's throb!—my pulse of life!
My soul! my joy—my love!—my all the world!
Vicentio! Vicentio!—

(Crosses to L. H.)
Col.
Thy passionate grief
Doth touch me more than it beseems mine honour.

Evad.
Strike that infernal weapon through my heart!
Colonna, kill me!
Kill me, my brother!

Col.
Prithee, my Evadne,
Let me conduct thy grief to secresy—
I must from hence prepare my speedy flight,
For now my head is forfeit to the law!

Enter Spalatro, with Officer and eight Guards, R. H.
Spal.
Behold him here. Sir, I am sorry for
The duty which mine office hath prescribed!
You are my prisoner.

Col.
Sir, there is need
Of little words to excuse you—I was talking
Of speeding me from Naples, as you came,
But I scarce grieve you interrupt my flight,—
Here is my sword.

Spal.
You are doomed to death!

Evad.
To death!

Spal.
The king himself,
Hearing your combat with Vicentio,
Hath sworn, that who survived, shall by the axe—

Col.
You speak before a woman—I was well
Acquainted with my fate before you spoke it.

Evad.
Death! must you die, Colonna! must you die?
Oh! no—no—no! not die, sir,—say not die—

(Crosses to centre.)
Col.
Retire, my sister—sir, I follow you—

Evad.
Oh, not die, Colonna! no Colonna,
They shall not take thee from me!

Col.
My sweet sister!
I pray you, gentlemen, one moment more—
This lady is my sister, and indeed
Is now my only kin in all the world,
And I must die for her sake—my sweet sister!

Evad.
No, no, not die, my brother—Oh! not die!

Col.
Evadne! sweet Evadne! Let me hear
(Evadne becomes gradually insensible.)
Thy voice before I go—I prithee, speak—
That even in death I may remember me
Of its sweet sounds, Evadne—She has fainted!
Sir, I have a prayer to you.—

Spal.
It shall be granted.

Col.
My palace is hard by—let some of these
Good guardians of the law attend me thither.
Evadne, for thy sake, I am almost loth
To leave a world, the which, when I am gone
Thou wilt find, I fear, a solitary one!

[Exit, bearing Evadne, and followed by Spalatro and Guards, L. H.

SCENE II.

—A Prison.
Enter Ludovico, R. H. meeting Spalatro, L. H.
Lud.
Where is Colonna?—Not yet arrived?

Spal.
Guarded he bore
His sister to his palace, from the which
He will be soon led here.—

Lud.
Spalatro, as I passed, a rumour came,
Colonna's sword had but half done the work,
And that Vicentio was not stabbed to death—
If he still lives—but till I am sure of it,
No need to speak my resolution,—
Thou art his friend—

Spal.
Such I'm indeed accounted,
But, save yourself, none doth deserve the name.

Lud.
Then, hie thee hence, Spalatro, to inform me,
If yet Vicentio breathes— (Spalatro crosses to R. H.
—and afterwards,
I'll make some trial of thy love to me.

[Exit Spalatro, R. H.
Enter Colonna, Officer, and eight Guards, L. H.
Col.
Conduct me to my dungeon!—I have parted
From all that bound my bosom to the world—
Ludovico!—

Lud.
The same.

Col.
Come you, my lord,
To swill with drunken thirst, the poor revenge
That makes a little mind's ignoble joy?

Lud.
Guards! I discharge Colonna from your care;
He is no more your prisoner—Hence!
[Exeunt Officer and Guards, L. H.
My lord,
Such is the vengeance of Ludovico!

Col.
What is a man doomed to the stroke of death
To understand by this?

Lud.
That I am his friend
Who called me traitor!

Col.
Such I call you still.

Lud.
Well then, I am a traitor.

Col.
There is here
A kind of marvellous honesty, my lord.

Lud.
In you 'twas nobleness to bear the charge,
And yet 'twas glory to deserve it too.
Your father was the tutor of the king,
And loyalty is your inheritance—
I am not blind to such exalted virtue,
And I resolved to win Colonna's heart,
As hearts like his are won!—Unto the king
Soon as Vicentio's fate had reached mine ear,
I hastened and implored your life.

Col.
My life!—
Well, sir, my life?—

(With indifference.)
Lud.
Upon my knees I fell,
Nor can I speak the joy that in my heart—
Leaped, when I heard him say, that thou shouldst live.

Col.
I am loth to owe you gratitude, my lord,
But, for my sister's sake, whom I would not
Leave unprotected on the earth, I thank you!

Lud.
You have no cause to thank me; for, Colonna,
He did pronounce your death, e'en as he said
He gave you life.

Col.
I understand you not.

Lud.
Your honour's death, Colonna, which I hold
The fountain of vitality.

Col.
Go on!
I scarce did hear what did concern my life,
But aught that touches honour—

Lud.
Oh! Colonna,
I almost dread to tell thee!

Col.
Prithee, speak!
You put me on the rack!

Lud.
Wilt thou promise me,—
I will not ask thee to be calm, Colonna,—
Wilt promise me, that thou wilt not be mad?

Col.
Whate'er it be, I will contain myself.
You said 'twas something that concern'd mine honour,
The honour of mine house—he did not dare
To say my blood should by a foul attaint
Be in my veins corrupted; from their height
The mouldering banners of my family,
Flung to the earth; the 'scutcheons of my fame
Trod by dishonour's foot, and my great race
Struck from the list of nobles?

Lud.
No, Colonna,
Struck from the list of men!—he dared to ask
As a condition for thy life, (my tongue
Doth falter as I speak it, and my heart
Can scarcely heave) by heavens he dared to ask
That, to his foul and impious clasp, thou shouldst
Yield up thy sister—

Col.
Ha!

Lud.
The king doth set a price
Upon thy life, and 'tis thy sister's honour.

Col.
My sister!

Lud.
Aye, thy sister!

Col.
What!—my sister!

Lud.
Yes!—your sister, sir,—Evadne!

Col.
By yon heaven,
Tho' he were born with immortality,
I will find some way to kill him!
My sister!

Lud.
Do not waste in idle wrath—

Col.
My fathers! do you hear it in the tomb?
Do not your mouldering remnants of the earth
Feel horrid animation in the grave,
And strive to burst the ponderous sepulchre,
And throw it off?—My sister! oh! yon heavens!
Was this reserved for me? for me!—the son
Of that great man that tutored him in arms,
And loved him as myself?—I know you wonder
That tears are dropping from my flaming eye-lids;
But 'tis the streaming of a burning heart,
And these are drops of fire—my sister!

Lud.
Now—
Do you now call me traitor? Do you think
'Twas such a crime from off my country's heart
To fling this incubus of royalty?—
Am I a traitor? is't a sin, my lord,
To think a dagger were of use in Naples?

Col.
Thou shalt not touch a solitary hair
Upon the villain's head!—his life is mine;
His heart is grown my property—Ludovico,
None kills him but myself!—I will, this moment,
Amid the assembled court, in face of day,
Rush on the monster, and without a sword
Tear him to pieces!— (Going, L. H.)


Lud.
Nay, Colonna,
Within his court he might perchance escape you,—
But, if you do incline to do a deed
Antiquity would envy,—with the means
He hath furnished you himself!—He means, Colonna,
In your own house that you should hold to-night
A glorious revelry, to celebrate
Your sovereign's sacred presence; and so soon
As all the guests are parted, you yourself
Should lead your sister to him—

Col.
That I should
Convert the palace of mine ancestors
Into a place of brothelry—myself!—
Tell me no more, I prithee, if thou wouldst
I should be fit for death!—

Lud.
In honour be
A Roman, an Italian in revenge.
Waste not in idle or tempestuous sound
Thy great resolve. The king intends to bear
The honour of his presence to your house,—
Nay, hold!—I'll tell him you consent—he straight
Will fall into the snare, and then, Colonna,
Make offering of his blood to thy revenge!

Col.
I thank thee for thy warning—'tis well thought on—
I'll make my vengeance certain, and commend
Thy wisdom in the counselling.

Lud.
Then, hie thee hence!
And make meet preparation for the banquet.
I'll straight return, and tell him you're all joy
In the honour of his coming.

Col.
The rigourous muscles of my clenched hand
Already feel impatience for the blow
That strikes the crowned monster to the heart.

[Exeunt; Col. L. H. Lud. R. H.