 | Alasco |  |
Scene continued.
The battle rages—trumpets sound, and parties engaged pass over the stage.—The Baron and Alasco appear entering at the back scene, and skirmish to the front.
HOHENDAHL.
I asked of fate to meet thee.
ALASCO.
Then, thou'rt gratified.—
Before we part, you'll find the boon is fatal.
Come on!—
HOHENDAHL.
“My soul is thirsty for thy blood—
“Else should I leave thee, traitor! to the laws,
“And not defraud the scaffold.”
ALASCO.
Villain! no more!
“Thou art too base for parley—defend thyself!
“My country's wrongs cry out for vengeance on thee,
“And make my sword the instrument of justice.”
HOHENDAHL.
Yet one word more—I would not have thee die,
Till thou hast drain'd, e'en to the very dregs,
The cup of my revenge.—Hear, and despair!—
Thy lov'd Amantha's lodged within the castle;
Prepared, like Venus, to receive her Mars,
And crown, this night, my triumph o'er Alasco.
ALASCO.
Wilt thou, just Heaven! permit this violation!—
Monster abhorr'd! thou hast o'ercharged my heart,
And thus the double vengeance bursts upon thee!
[They fight—the Baron falls.
HOHENDAHL.
Furies confound thee! shalt thou thus prevail?
ALASCO.
Thank Heaven! once more, Amantha, thou art rescued.
HOHENDAHL.
Baffled in love and vengeance!—Fiends and devils!
Could I but close thee in this hug of death,
And disappoint thy raptures!
ALASCO.
Bear him from the field.
HOHENDAHL.
Slave, strike again!—I will not be thy prisoner—
E'en with this remnant of a life, I dare thee!
[Attempts to rise, but falls again, and is borne off.
ALASCO.
Shall guilt and rage, grimacing valour thus,
Profane the courage that belongs to virtue!
Now, gallant friends! press boldly on the foe.
Ere victory crown our banners, they must wave
O'er yon proud castle's walls. On, to the assault!
There is a treasure there, that fires my soul,
And to the patriot's, adds the lover's ardour.
[Trumpets sound retreat.
Ha! the signal of retreat! it cannot be!
Enter Conrad, hastily.
CONRAD.
Fly! fly, my Lord Alasco! all is lost!
If you would live to save or serve your country,
Fly!
ALASCO.
Such counsel's somewhat new from Conrad.
CONRAD.
“He had not given it, if to fight or die
“Could now avail.”
ALASCO.
What sad reverse confounds thee?
CONRAD.
A sudden force has poured into the field,
And swept it like a tempest. Panic struck,
E'en in the moment of our victory,
At such unlook'd-for onset, all our bands,
Broken and scatter'd, fly like frighted hares,
Before the lion, Walsingham.
ALASCO.
What! he!
Is Walsingham already in the field?
CONRAD.
He leads their charge, and in his prowess, quite
Forgets his age.
ALASCO.
Then all is lost indeed!
I fear'd this cloud might burst upon our heads,
But not so suddenly. Disastrous chance!
CONRAD.
The foe draws near; I fear not for myself;
But thou art all the hope that's left for freedom,
Or for Poland.
ALASCO.
Brave Conrad! thou and I
Were early tutor'd in the schools of war,
And went through some hard lessons; but to fly
Was not amongst them: shall we now begin
To practise such a part? No, no, my friend.
There is but one resource for him whose sword
Has fail'd to free his country—'tis—to die!
CONRAD.
To die!—agreed—I had almost forgot
That game was on the cards.
ALASCO.
It is, my friend,
And we will play it nobly.
CONRAD.
Then, lead on!
To life or death; Alasco gives the word,
And when or where has Conrad failed to follow him?
ALASCO.
Let us then boldly rush upon our fate,
Like soldiers, sword in hand. Our names shall live
With honor in the records of the brave,
And tingle in the startled ear of tyrants.
[As Alasco is going off, he is met by Walsingham, who enters at the head of an advanced party of the victors. They regard each other with great emotion, as they come forward to the front of the stage—Conrad escapes.
WALSINGHAM.
And is it thus we meet, unhappy boy!
ALASCO.
We meet like men, whose fortune has prescribed
Hard duties—You, Sir, know yours.
WALSINGHAM.
I do—I do.
'Tis mine to strike rebellion to the earth,
Nor spare a traitor, though my heartstrings break,
To find one in Alasco!
ALASCO.
But for thee,
Success had stamp'd on him a different title,
And a freed people hail'd him as a hero.
Now—no matter!—this is no time for controversy.
A generous soldier will not wound with words,
When his good sword may serve him.
WALSINGHAM.
Mine has spill'd
No blood that shames it—these are rebel drops.
[Shewing his sword.
ALASCO.
They're tears that patriots weep when tyrants triumph;
For freedom shed;—they blister where they fall.
WALSINGHAM.
O! fatal, fatal phrenzy!—“I've pursued
“With steady step, the course mark'd out by duty:
“A rigid course! that brings me hopeless here,
“To struggle in a crisis of my fate,
“Beyond my age's weakness.”
Sustain me now, ye idols of my life!
My honor and my fame!—Thou shouldst have died.
Alasco, in the field.
ALASCO.
'Twas my intent,
And may be still accomplish'd; but, perhaps,
Thy loyal zeal may deem Alasco's blood
Were on the public scaffold better shed,
In fit atonement for the crime of him
Who would have freed his country.
WALSINGHAM.
Cruel thought!
Thou shouldst have spared this aching heart that image.
“Just Heaven! am I reserved for this?—decreed
“To be the instrument of such a fate,
“To him whom I have cherish'd as my child!”
Let me not think, lest madness seize my brain—
Lest my enfeebled spirit swerve at last,
And tarnish in its close, a life of honor.
Rebellion has been foil'd—thy followers
Dispersed in flight, or stretch'd upon the field,
Sad victims of thy mad ambition! rue
Their folly and their crime. 'Midst such disaster,
Say, hast thou still a hope from farther contest?
ALASCO.
My hope was for my country. 'Twas a light
That for a moment beam'd upon my soul;—
A dawn of glory!—thou hast extinguish'd it.
As for myself—I neither hope nor fear.
WALSINGHAM.
Surrender, then, thy sword.
ALASCO.
Yes, with my life!
The sole condition upon which a soldier
Should require it. Nor will thy spirit shrink,
When thus Alasco calls thee to complete
The sacrifice that loyal duty claims
From Walsingham.
WALSINGHAM.
God of my fathers! What!
Wouldst thou then spill more blood?—still urge the combat
Against this aged breast, and rush on death,
To take thy chance of parricide? Most horrible!
Well, then, come on—thou hast already fix'd
A dagger here, that makes thy weapon pointless.
[Walsingham and Alasco rush towards each other, as if with hostile intentions; when each, at the same moment, presents his breast to the sword of the other; they pause for an instant—drop their swords, and rush into each other's arms.
WALSINGHAM.
My son! my son!
ALASCO.
My father! O! my father!
Forgive—forgive me, if I seem'd to urge
Thy gallant nature thus to mortal contest!
Death from thy hand had been received with joy,
And deem'd a boon of kindness to Alasco.
WALSINGHAM.
Alasco, thou hast raised a conflict here—
A warfare, where all griefs and agonies
Have met, and mingled their severest pangs,
To shake the soul of Walsingham. But 'tis past—
The voice of honor still is strong within him—
[Turning to his soldiers.
Brave comrades! you behold a weak old man,
Whose worn-out spirit has but ill sustain'd
A trial too severe. But though o'erborne
A moment in the struggle—though unmann'd—
“His tortured soul confess'd a father's anguish,”
Think not the soldier can forget his duty:—
“To its last throb, this heart must still be loyal;
“Although it feels, 'tis firm!”—Seize the Count Alasco!
He's your prisoner.
ALASCO.
Nay, hang not back—Behold!
I offer no resistance. Thus subdued,
Alasco yields him on a father's summons;
Else had he sought to purchase from your swords
A death more worthy of his cause and courage.
Think not of me, my father, nor deplore
Thy part in this sad scene. “On duty's path
“We have cross'd, with rough collision, and our hearts
“Have felt the shock. My fate appals me not.”
The scaffold strikes no terrors to his soul,
Who mounts it as a martyr for his country!
[Exeunt.
The battle rages—trumpets sound, and parties engaged pass over the stage.—The Baron and Alasco appear entering at the back scene, and skirmish to the front.
HOHENDAHL.
I asked of fate to meet thee.
ALASCO.
Then, thou'rt gratified.—
Before we part, you'll find the boon is fatal.
Come on!—
HOHENDAHL.
“My soul is thirsty for thy blood—
“Else should I leave thee, traitor! to the laws,
“And not defraud the scaffold.”
119
Villain! no more!
“Thou art too base for parley—defend thyself!
“My country's wrongs cry out for vengeance on thee,
“And make my sword the instrument of justice.”
HOHENDAHL.
Yet one word more—I would not have thee die,
Till thou hast drain'd, e'en to the very dregs,
The cup of my revenge.—Hear, and despair!—
Thy lov'd Amantha's lodged within the castle;
Prepared, like Venus, to receive her Mars,
And crown, this night, my triumph o'er Alasco.
ALASCO.
Wilt thou, just Heaven! permit this violation!—
Monster abhorr'd! thou hast o'ercharged my heart,
And thus the double vengeance bursts upon thee!
[They fight—the Baron falls.
HOHENDAHL.
Furies confound thee! shalt thou thus prevail?
ALASCO.
Thank Heaven! once more, Amantha, thou art rescued.
HOHENDAHL.
Baffled in love and vengeance!—Fiends and devils!
Could I but close thee in this hug of death,
And disappoint thy raptures!
ALASCO.
Bear him from the field.
120
Slave, strike again!—I will not be thy prisoner—
E'en with this remnant of a life, I dare thee!
[Attempts to rise, but falls again, and is borne off.
ALASCO.
Shall guilt and rage, grimacing valour thus,
Profane the courage that belongs to virtue!
Now, gallant friends! press boldly on the foe.
Ere victory crown our banners, they must wave
O'er yon proud castle's walls. On, to the assault!
There is a treasure there, that fires my soul,
And to the patriot's, adds the lover's ardour.
[Trumpets sound retreat.
Ha! the signal of retreat! it cannot be!
Enter Conrad, hastily.
CONRAD.
Fly! fly, my Lord Alasco! all is lost!
If you would live to save or serve your country,
Fly!
ALASCO.
Such counsel's somewhat new from Conrad.
CONRAD.
“He had not given it, if to fight or die
“Could now avail.”
ALASCO.
What sad reverse confounds thee?
121
A sudden force has poured into the field,
And swept it like a tempest. Panic struck,
E'en in the moment of our victory,
At such unlook'd-for onset, all our bands,
Broken and scatter'd, fly like frighted hares,
Before the lion, Walsingham.
ALASCO.
What! he!
Is Walsingham already in the field?
CONRAD.
He leads their charge, and in his prowess, quite
Forgets his age.
ALASCO.
Then all is lost indeed!
I fear'd this cloud might burst upon our heads,
But not so suddenly. Disastrous chance!
CONRAD.
The foe draws near; I fear not for myself;
But thou art all the hope that's left for freedom,
Or for Poland.
ALASCO.
Brave Conrad! thou and I
Were early tutor'd in the schools of war,
And went through some hard lessons; but to fly
Was not amongst them: shall we now begin
122
There is but one resource for him whose sword
Has fail'd to free his country—'tis—to die!
CONRAD.
To die!—agreed—I had almost forgot
That game was on the cards.
ALASCO.
It is, my friend,
And we will play it nobly.
CONRAD.
Then, lead on!
To life or death; Alasco gives the word,
And when or where has Conrad failed to follow him?
ALASCO.
Let us then boldly rush upon our fate,
Like soldiers, sword in hand. Our names shall live
With honor in the records of the brave,
And tingle in the startled ear of tyrants.
[As Alasco is going off, he is met by Walsingham, who enters at the head of an advanced party of the victors. They regard each other with great emotion, as they come forward to the front of the stage—Conrad escapes.
WALSINGHAM.
And is it thus we meet, unhappy boy!
123
We meet like men, whose fortune has prescribed
Hard duties—You, Sir, know yours.
WALSINGHAM.
I do—I do.
'Tis mine to strike rebellion to the earth,
Nor spare a traitor, though my heartstrings break,
To find one in Alasco!
ALASCO.
But for thee,
Success had stamp'd on him a different title,
And a freed people hail'd him as a hero.
Now—no matter!—this is no time for controversy.
A generous soldier will not wound with words,
When his good sword may serve him.
WALSINGHAM.
Mine has spill'd
No blood that shames it—these are rebel drops.
[Shewing his sword.
ALASCO.
They're tears that patriots weep when tyrants triumph;
For freedom shed;—they blister where they fall.
WALSINGHAM.
O! fatal, fatal phrenzy!—“I've pursued
“With steady step, the course mark'd out by duty:
“A rigid course! that brings me hopeless here,
“To struggle in a crisis of my fate,
124
Sustain me now, ye idols of my life!
My honor and my fame!—Thou shouldst have died.
Alasco, in the field.
ALASCO.
'Twas my intent,
And may be still accomplish'd; but, perhaps,
Thy loyal zeal may deem Alasco's blood
Were on the public scaffold better shed,
In fit atonement for the crime of him
Who would have freed his country.
WALSINGHAM.
Cruel thought!
Thou shouldst have spared this aching heart that image.
“Just Heaven! am I reserved for this?—decreed
“To be the instrument of such a fate,
“To him whom I have cherish'd as my child!”
Let me not think, lest madness seize my brain—
Lest my enfeebled spirit swerve at last,
And tarnish in its close, a life of honor.
Rebellion has been foil'd—thy followers
Dispersed in flight, or stretch'd upon the field,
Sad victims of thy mad ambition! rue
Their folly and their crime. 'Midst such disaster,
Say, hast thou still a hope from farther contest?
ALASCO.
My hope was for my country. 'Twas a light
125
A dawn of glory!—thou hast extinguish'd it.
As for myself—I neither hope nor fear.
WALSINGHAM.
Surrender, then, thy sword.
ALASCO.
Yes, with my life!
The sole condition upon which a soldier
Should require it. Nor will thy spirit shrink,
When thus Alasco calls thee to complete
The sacrifice that loyal duty claims
From Walsingham.
WALSINGHAM.
God of my fathers! What!
Wouldst thou then spill more blood?—still urge the combat
Against this aged breast, and rush on death,
To take thy chance of parricide? Most horrible!
Well, then, come on—thou hast already fix'd
A dagger here, that makes thy weapon pointless.
[Walsingham and Alasco rush towards each other, as if with hostile intentions; when each, at the same moment, presents his breast to the sword of the other; they pause for an instant—drop their swords, and rush into each other's arms.
WALSINGHAM.
My son! my son!
126
My father! O! my father!
Forgive—forgive me, if I seem'd to urge
Thy gallant nature thus to mortal contest!
Death from thy hand had been received with joy,
And deem'd a boon of kindness to Alasco.
WALSINGHAM.
Alasco, thou hast raised a conflict here—
A warfare, where all griefs and agonies
Have met, and mingled their severest pangs,
To shake the soul of Walsingham. But 'tis past—
The voice of honor still is strong within him—
[Turning to his soldiers.
Brave comrades! you behold a weak old man,
Whose worn-out spirit has but ill sustain'd
A trial too severe. But though o'erborne
A moment in the struggle—though unmann'd—
“His tortured soul confess'd a father's anguish,”
Think not the soldier can forget his duty:—
“To its last throb, this heart must still be loyal;
“Although it feels, 'tis firm!”—Seize the Count Alasco!
He's your prisoner.
ALASCO.
Nay, hang not back—Behold!
I offer no resistance. Thus subdued,
Alasco yields him on a father's summons;
Else had he sought to purchase from your swords
127
Think not of me, my father, nor deplore
Thy part in this sad scene. “On duty's path
“We have cross'd, with rough collision, and our hearts
“Have felt the shock. My fate appals me not.”
The scaffold strikes no terrors to his soul,
Who mounts it as a martyr for his country!
[Exeunt.
It is unnecessary to comment farther on the peculiar spirit which appears to have actuated the licenser in his censures of “Alasco”— had he anticipated the possibility that an unhappy dramatist could have the hardihood to rebel against his mandate, and lay open the nature and object of his operations, it is probable he would have been more on his guard, and might have qualified a little that eager hostility to every sentiment of patriotism and public virtue which he has so pointedly displayed; a hostility which must be as congenial to the feelings, as it is consistent with the interests, of a free people.
| Alasco | |