 | Foscari |  |
SCENE I.
An Apartment in the Donato Palace.Cosmo and Erizzo.
Cosmo.
Gone to the prison! No! my lord Erizzo.
I know Camilla.
Erizzo.
Well—I might mistake.
Cosmo.
Straight from her father's bier, where all night long
She watch'd and wept, to seek—Go to, thou'rt wrong!
Thou'rt wrong.
Erizzo.
Think no more of it. Doth the Senate
Meet to-day?
Cosmo.
Was she veil'd?
Erizzo.
Who?
Cosmo.
Whom thou saw'st.
She—not my sister!—Was she veil'd?
Erizzo.
She was.
Cosmo.
How couldst thou know her?
Erizzo.
By the pliant grace
Of the young form—the goddess step—the charm
Of motion. With such port the queenly swan
Glides o'er the waters. Dost thou not remember
When Foscari once—
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Avoid that name. Avoid it.
Erizzo.
She's here.
Enter Camilla.
Cosmo.
And veil'd! Whence com'st thou, sister? speak.
Why hast thou borne those tears and that wan face
Abroad amongst the happy? Whence com'st thou?
Camilla.
From one whose heart drops blood for this great grief.
Cosmo.
Whence?
Camilla.
From St. Mark's.
Cosmo.
The Doge! The poor old Doge!
Erizzo.
The Doge! It was not by the Ducal chambers
That I this morning saw—
Camilla.
My lord Erizzo,
I seek not to deceive ye. I have seen
The Doge. But 'twas another wretcheder
Of whom I spake,—one who hath long to live.
I come from where beneath the leaden roofs
Foscari lies.
Cosmo.
And she can speak that name
Sighingly, fondly! She can cast aside
Even maiden modesty! Forgive me, friend,
That trusting her I doubted thee. Approach not!
Thou art contaminate.
Camilla.
He's innocent!
Turn not away, shake me not off, as though
I were some loathed reptile. Cosmo! Brother!
We two are left alone in the wide world,
And I, that sate upon that rainbow throne
Of happiness, I am fallen, fallen.
Cosmo.
What would'st thou?
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Her tears are daggers. Speak.
Camilla.
And thou wilt listen?
Cosmo.
Patient as infancy.
Camilla.
He goes to-night;
And I—nay, start not.
Cosmo.
What of thee?
Camilla.
And I—
We were betroth'd; he goes a sentenc'd wretch—
But innocent, most innocent! He goes
To scorn, to exile, and to misery,
And I—I came to say farewell to thee
My brother—I go with him.
Cosmo.
Ha!
Erizzo.
She raves.
Look how she trembles; she is overwatched;
This is a frenzy.
Camilla.
Sir, I am not mad;
I'm a Donato born, and drank in courage
Even with my mother's milk. What if I shake!
Within this trembling frame there is a heart
As firm as thine. Speak to me ere we part,
My brother! Speak to me, whatever words,
However bitter! Any thing but silence,
Cold withering silence!
Cosmo.
Sister!
Camilla.
Bless thee, bless thee,
For that kind word!
Cosmo.
My sister, sit thee down.—
Misery hath brought her to this pass.—Camilla,
We had a father once:—he's slain. Would'st thou
Join this white hand, which he so lov'd to mould
Within his own, the soft and dimpled hand,
With one—
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Oh pure as thine! Believe it, Cosmo;
Pure as thine own!
Cosmo.
We have no father now,
And we should love each other. Stay with me.
I am no tyrant-brother: I'll not force
Thy blooming beauty to some old man's bed
For high alliance; I'll not plunge thy youth
Into that living tomb where the cold nun
Chants daily requiems, that thy dower may swell
My coffers; I but ask of thee to stay
With me in thy dear Venice, thy dear home,
Thy mistress, mine. I'll be to thee, Camilla,
A father, brother, lover. Stay with me.
I will be very kind to thee.
Camilla.
Oh cruel!
This kindness is the rack.
Cosmo.
I would but save thee
From exile, penury, shame—
Camilla.
He said so.
Cosmo.
He!
Camilla.
Aye, he urg'd all that thou canst say against
Himself and me—in vain. My heart is firm.
I go. But love me still, oh love me still
My brother!
Cosmo.
Listen.
Camilla.
He said all.
Cosmo.
Camilla!
I'd save thee from a crime, a damning crime—
Did he say that? From such a parricide,
Such unimagin'd sin—I tell thee, girl,
The Roman harlot, she the infamous
That crush'd her father with her chariot wheels,
She'll be forgotten in thy monstrous guilt,
Whitened by thy black shame.
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Oh father, father,
I call upon thee! Look on me from heav'n,
Search my whole soul—'tis white. Oh when some tale
Of woman's truth brought tears into my eyes,
How often hath he said—Be thou, too, faithful
In weal or woe! And now—farewell! farewell!
Cosmo, my heart is breaking—Say farewell,
Only farewell!
Cosmo.
Stay with me.
Camilla.
No.
Cosmo.
Then go,
Outcast of earth and heaven, of God and man!
Abandon'd, spurn'd, abhorr'd, accurst! Go forth
A murderer's bride—worse! worse! What impious priest
Will dare profane the holy words that join
The pure of heart and hand for ye, for ye,
The parricides—Oh that she had but died
Innocent in her childhood.
Camilla.
One day, brother,
Thou'lt grieve for this. Now bless thee!
[Exit Camilla.
Cosmo.
Stay!
Erizzo.
She's gone.
Cosmo.
Why let her go, foul stain upon our house!
She was his daughter still, and yesterday
An Angel! And he loved her and she him
With such a dotage! 'Twas a sight to see
How ere the pretty babe could speak its will,
The chubby hands would cling and fix themselves
Round its dear father's neck. Mother, or nurse,
Or I, the elder child that played with her
Full half the day, were nothing if she caught
One glimpse of that dear father.
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Now she'll hang
Around his murderer's neck.
Cosmo.
Do ye all forget.
That I'm her brother? Ho, Camilla!
Erizzo.
'Twill be
A triumph 'mid their shame to these misproud
Revengeful Foscari to bear off thus
The glory of your house.
Cosmo.
I'll rescue her.
Where is she? Is she gone? What ho, Camilla!
I'll follow her to the end of the earth. The laws
Give me a father's power. I'll save her yet.
Camilla! Ho, Camilla!
Erizzo.
You must seek her
With him. The time draws near.
[Cosmo rushes out.
Now, Foscari,
I have thee at my feet.
[Exit.
| Foscari | |