Faith's Fraud A Tragedy in Five Acts |
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| 1. | SCENE I. |
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 | Faith's Fraud |  |
SCENE I.
Cloisters of the Priory at Rolandswerth. The Church, opening into them, seen lighted beyond.Weilenberg, Father Philip, Ellen veiled, Prioress, Nuns, and Attendants returning from the funeral.
WEILENBERG.
Thanks, lady, for these pains: believe them such,
Not as they seem proportionless or faithless,
But honest as they are.
PRIORESS.
We have put forth
Our duties feebly measured by our will,
Yet with what strength we had.
WEILENBERG.
Again, good night!
As good as prayers or holier tears can make it.
She thanks thee too whose heart is with us here.
I pray make haste to visit her again.
PRIORESS.
We shall be with her yet before we sleep.
Such vigils will not rob us of our rest!
Brother, I promised for us both, with these (to Philip)
To help our prayers.
PHILIP.
Who stops us at the gate?
Move on! make way there!
PRIORESS.
Night comes earlier now:
It is not late.
PHILIP.
We draw toward ten o'clock!
I know not why we tarry thus.
178
Adrift?
2ND. ATTENDANT.
Gone whither?
3RD. ATTENDANT.
Down the stream.
1ST. ATTENDANT.
Who says they are?
3RD. ATTENDANT.
I do that saw them go.
PHILIP.
Saw what?
3RD. ATTENDANT.
The boats.
PHILIP.
Well, bring us where they are, then.
3RD. ATTENDANT.
They are gone—
The larger craft down stream unsteered and empty:
The rest across.
WEILENBERG.
What hindrance stays us thus?
PHILIP.
Where be these boatmen?
2ND. ATTENDANT.
In the pageant here:
They left their charge, to follow with the rest.
PHILIP.
The boats are gone!
1ST. ATTENDANT.
Make room! stand back!
The Seneschal, my lord!
PHILIP.
Then send him in.
1ST. ATTENDANT.
This other is a servant of the Count.
PHILIP.
Give place, and let them pass.
Enter Screitch and Hubert.
WEILENBERG.
Who sent thee, Screitch?
179
Count Albert with his page, a foolish youth,
Nor safely trusted by himself: he bears
His message to my lord.
WEILENBERG.
From whom?
SCREITCH.
The Count.
WEILENBERG.
Count Albert sent it to me!—whence?
SCREITCH.
The castle.
WEILENBERG.
He!—what does he there?
SCREITCH.
Much as if at home—
And talks about the gallows masterlike.
The castle was surprised an hour ago.
WEILENBERG.
Surprised?
PHILIP.
What says this babbler?
WEILENBERG.
Rolandseck!
PHILIP.
Do thou speak for him, son.
HUBERT.
He says the truth.
WEILENBERG.
Surprised, sir!—who surprised it?
HUBERT.
May I speak?
WEILENBERG.
Ay, so thou speak at once.
SCREITCH.
The Count surprised it.
WEILENBERG.
Then who betrayed it,—thou? (Seizes Screitch.)
PRIORESS.
I pray release him!
Think where we are, my lord!
180
A traitor too!
PHILIP.
There was a vow to God—and lo, he proves us!
Have patience still.
ELLEN.
Remember what was promised!
PRIORESS.
Peace, daughter!—come with me—do thou remember!
(She leads Ellen into the church and closes the door.)
WEILENBERG.
My child! pray speak!—Not thou, go drive him hence—
Let him not make me mad!—My daughter, sir? (swoons.)
PHILIP.
Till he can better hear thee, peace—Give help!
This passion staggers life!
HUBERT.
Stand from him, Screitch;
Leave room for air.
PHILIP.
Bring us a seat—he wakes.
WEILENBERG.
Sirrah, where is she?
HUBERT.
She is safe, my lord.
WEILENBERG.
Is there no help?—Have mercy yet awhile!
Then strike, and I will bear it—not this child!
Surprised!—it could not be surprised—he bought it—
He tarried there so long to purchase treason:
Now, where is Rudestein?
SCREITCH.
Slain before the gate:
Count Albert slew him there.
WEILENBERG.
Who sold me, then?
SCREITCH.
Where didst thou find me, youth—and what about?
PHILIP.
This trifler chafes me too!
HUBERT.
The gates were wide—
181
WEILENBERG.
This mantle chokes me!—Whom dost gaze at thus?
Be gone!
PHILIP.
He will, my lord.
WEILENBERG.
Take off this cloak—
Thy master could not make me thus—he lies—
Go, tell him so, and what thou wilt beside.
I have slept ill of late—he could not do it—
The heat has made me faint.
HUBERT.
I have no will
In bearing what I bring, my lord. It is
The curse of such as I to blush and serve.
'Twere better live by beggary, and be spared
The greater shame, than thus return a thief
Where welcome was so liberal!
WEILENBERG.
Pray forgive!
I wound the unoffending yet again—
And speak before a servant of his lord!
Thou art not yet a father, gentle youth,
Or I would ask no patience. What dost bring me?
Now for this message from the Count?—be brief!
HUBERT.
Chased out from Rolandseck, he so far makes
The balance just, he says;—in what remains,
He shall be better pleased with kinder dealings;
And that your Lordship may regain your peace
By first restoring his.
WEILENBERG.
Alas! ill-broke,
And raw to baseness—what dost falter at?
HUBERT.
I do not love my harness.
WEILENBERG.
Tell the Count—
It is to him, not of him, that I speak—
He looked for traitors where he lived a guest;
He chose an hour to strike whom Death had stricken;
He mocks me at the grave.—Wilt thou say this?
182
I will, my lord.
WEILENBERG.
There has been hate enough,
But still in honour, tell him: neither side
Has hired from fraud its cowardice till now.
Henceforth he must endure the names I send him—
Traitor, and traitor-maker, coward beside,
Unless he cast his fortune from the scale—
The difference which his fraud has made between us—
And like a soldier, meet me as I am;
Of late grown old apace. Lend arms to-night—
The thief that stole them should be so far just—
To-morrow I will hoot him at his gate;
Coward, traitor, traitor-maker, say.
PHILIP.
Thine heart
Is in thy mastery, though thy hands are not;
Keep it from counsels such as these, my son!
Where is the Lady Ellen?
HUBERT.
She is safe,
And will be honoured.
WEILENBERG.
Will she be restored?
SCREITCH.
The Lady Ellen would not hear my counsel:
But is it thrown away? I keep, and use it.
The crumbs rejected serve to feed ourselves;
Let us receive them humbly. Where didst find me?
PHILIP.
This haste may do us wrong. Give space to breathe.
She would not hear thee, sayest? Let me go with them.
Haply I shall find access where she is.
My lord, let me go too! We scarce can mar
What seems so ruinous, by awkward handling.
There needs a comforter; but time let slip
Is lost, with hopes mere precious than itself.
What sayest thou, son, wilt take me there?
HUBERT.
I will.
WEILENBERG.
If so, make haste: be with her in my place.
183
Now which way went the Prioress? Tarry for me.
Expect me at the boat.
[Exeunt.
| Faith's Fraud | |