 | Cosmo De' Medici |  |
SCENE VI.
The Forest. Night.—Enter Zacheo and two Pirates.Zach.
'Tis a pitch-black night. The vault above,
with that one star, looks like a long hole into some
terrible place! I fear we ha' lost him!
1st Pi.
The moon does not rise these two hours.
Zach.
Sink the moon!
1st Pi.
No, no! poor thing; she's useful.
Zach.
We ought to have fallen in with the boy ere
this, were't dark as the seventh pit.
2nd Pi.
I ha' no objection, myself, to a bit o' moon
now and then.
Zach.
Hist! what's that? Something rustled i' the
boughs!
1st Pi.
'Twas a wolf; he just shoved his nose out
from yon thicket to reconnoitre us with a sniff—but he's
a wise beast.
2nd Pi.
We are no prize for man or wolf.
Zach.
I think for myself. My head hath fifty crowns
of gold set upon it; and I am vastly suspicious that we
are not the only men groping about this forest to-night.
1st Pi.
The young man you hope to see?
And others, whom we fear. I have heard voices
i' the wind.
1st Pi.
Singing in the hollow bole of a tree, then.
Zach.
Attend to me! The young man, as I told you,
expects me here, to help him bury a friend who has
been killed by somebody in the forest.
1st Pi.
I dare say he did it himself.
Zach.
Pshaw! not he, nor I either. We shall find
him, ere long. When we hear him approach, you shall
stand fast at a little distance, till I have told him the
body is buried without his help, and have drawn him
off to the right part of the outskirts. You will then
come up, in the way of friendship, as benighted
travellers, till I give the signal to bind him, and take
him to our haunt.
1st Pi.
We understand.
Zach.
This way: hist! be silent—don't brush the
boughs so roughly.
1st Pi.
Who can help it?
Zach.
Hist!—this way—stand fast when you hear
him coming.
[Exeunt.
Enter Garcia.
Gar.
I've stagger'd blindly round the awful spot
Where he doth lie—I dared not to approach
My brother's body!—there's an atmosphere
Circling the ground, that bars me like a wall
Whereon sit spirits of the other world,
Silent as death, and doubly terrible!
Why came I here alone? I should have known
'Twas useless. Where's the swarthy, hard-featur'd man,
Who's pledg'd to aid me—he who knows it all?
All!—no, no, no!—he doth but know the end,
I've missed him at the entrance. I am here
Alone, and in a spot that seems cut off
From nature—and my feelings and my thoughts
Begin to take the tone—ghastly, accurs'd;
Yet void of action as an empty hell,
Wherein I stand a king, whose only subjects
Are rebel torments pent within his soul!
I will break through this spell! I'm innocent!
Yonder the body of my brother lies:
'Tis fit I give it burial: these my hands
Shall with a sacred feeling dig his grave,
And place him there, as in his mother's lap.
His mother's! Oh! let not my brain whirl thus!
It must be done—or here I'll wait for ever.
My soul hath sworn this to itself, and nature
Cannot oppose the power that breeds all acts!
[He retires up the stage; but rushes back with a cry of horror.
They come!—they come!—the spirits of the earth,
Abhorring murder by a brother's hand,
Will not permit him to do sacrilege
By opening her breast!—the ministers
Of nature take the office on themselves,
In horror of my deed! They come! they come!
[The body of Giovanni, covered with a dark hanging mantle, is slowly and silently borne across the back of the stage. One dim torch is carried in front. The slow train, enveloped in their cloaks, follow in darkness.
They're gone! What means it? O, thou terrible dream!
Whose pageant hath appall'd my waking soul;
Whether my brain delirious conjur'd thee,
Thy purport to me? I will fly this spot—
I can but die—and any grave will suit me,
So that it be not here!
[Rushes away.
Enter Zacheo and Pirates.
Zach.
Hist! hist!—'twas he!
Yonder he speeds, with wild, uneven steps!
The cavalcade hath scared him: well I knew
Somewhat was stirring here! Now, follow close,
And cautiously, lest we ourselves be seen!
[Exeunt.
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