 | Griselda : A Tragedy : And other poems |  |
ACT V.
SCENE I.
Janicola's Cottage.Janicola is discovered lying on a pallet dead. Griselda enters, bearing a flask of wine, accompanied by Lenette, both in peasant clothes.
GRISELDA.
The wine will bring him strength; the good God thank them
Who gave so freely of their little store!
Father! look up!
LENETTE.
He is asleep, Madonna!
(stooping over him, and at last rising slowly).
Aye, a long sleep, Lenette, girl!—he is dead!
Oh, father, dost thou leave me all alone
In the wide, wild world? Would I were cold with thee,
For there is no one now,—not one weak help,
To stay the flood of grief, whose knocking waves
Will overflow my soul! Angels of God,
Bear him to blessed rest, and make me strong
For earth's unquiet remnant!
(While she mourns silently, enter Antonio, Pietro, and Bertram. Lenette motions them to be still.)
GRISELDA
(rising).
What would you, Sirs, with me?
PIETRO MALA.
We bear an unwelcome message; if we offend in
our coming we will await thy occasion.
I will hear what it shall please you.
PIETRO MALA.
Thou hast yonder other duties, Madam!
GRISELDA.
God hath acquitted me of them:—thou mayest
speak.
ANTONIO.
He is dead, good lady?
GRISELDA.
Aye, Sir!
BERTRAM.
Oh, signors, let us bear back our charge,—now
is no time to tell Lord Walter's will!
GRISELDA.
Bring ye aught from my Lord?
Yea, if thou wilt take it; if not, the fault of
silence shall be on us.
GRISELDA.
Now, and presently,
All times alike of mine are his; kind hearts,
Who keep unfashioned constancy, speak on;
I have some stock of sufferance.
ANTONIO.
He bids us deliver—that which spoken by
another should make matter for blood. Do thou
tell it, Pietro!
GRISELDA.
What is it stays you?
I am too low for scorn to lower me,
And all too sorrow-stricken to feel grief:
Why, say it then, Pietro!
There is coming from Bologna she who shall
be my lord's lady, and the trumpets' mouths are
to speak the greeting that none else will. Moreover,
the palace is to wear a new face, and there
is gold and velvets, and I know not what braveries,
for its bedecking.
GRISELDA.
My lord had ever a free hand.
PIETRO MALA.
In which matters he holdeth no wit rarer than
thine, and he bids thee betake thyself to his
house, and make ready the chambers to a queen's
liking.
GRISELDA.
Say that I will!
[Exeunt Antonio, &c.
He might have spared this last!
I know not that I can. Oh, false and cruel!
Were it not well to shame his marriage-show,
And let dumb patience cry?—
LENETTE.
Oh, well! most well!
GRISELDA.
To turn the new wife's laughter into tears
With the old one's story!—
LENETTE.
Oh, most well and just!
GRISELDA.
Aye, and to lay my hand upon her crown,
And break my oath, telling him he broke his!—
LENETTE.
Oh, do it!—others, Madam—
Why so, girl?
A hundred other tongues will help my tongue,
And back my sighs with swords.
LENETTE.
Oh, do so! do so!
GRISELDA.
Yet did he make one year of life all joy,
And what he took was his. I am not come
Of blood enough to mate him for his throne,
With hot mad words, and wrestle down his will!
Oh, but I think I love him even now
Too well to wish him speed,—and yet too well
Not to work all his will. Girl, I will go!
LENETTE.
Even as my lady please.
GRISELDA.
Thy lady, sooth!
Wedded a lord;—and I, I am a wench
With kitchen work to do, and a dead father
To put away into a peasant's grave.
Ah, thou didst die in time! Come, we'll away,
And end our mourning by this marriage-day!
SCENE II.
The Presence Chamber.Servants of the Palace, Jacinta, &c.
FIRST SERVANT.
Saw any the company come in yester eve?
SECOND SERVANT.
That did I!
FIRST SERVANT.
And the maiden to whom Lord Walter plighteth
faith?
She rode first of them, with her boy brother.
FIRST SERVANT.
What favour hath she?
SECOND SERVANT.
Mine, be she white or brown, for in truth I
marked not that,—her beauty is for worship, not
for weighing.
FIRST SERVANT.
Is it so rare?
SECOND SERVANT.
There be redder lips and brighter eyes than
she hath, but no such lip and eye.
THIRD SERVANT.
What years hath she?
She hath but counted thirteen. My lord must
wait yet for the maiden he betroths.
Enter Jacinta.
JACINTA.
Why idle ye all here, and the tapestries unspread?
will ye leave all the work to her?
FIRST SERVANT.
Who then?
JACINTA.
She that was worthily your mistress!
SECOND SERVANT.
Nay, we knew not—
JACINTA.
She is coming hither for your services!
We will render them gladly.
Enter Griselda, in the attire of a servant. The others bend and uncover.
GRISELDA.
I pray you regard me in nothing but your
good wills: I bade them bring hither the flowers:
see to it, my girl, and have them scattered.
Jacinta, tell the seneschal that my lord drinks
to-day in the emerald beaker. Wherefore is not
the cloth of gold laid,—and the canopy?
SERVANTS.
We will see it done, my lady!
GRISELDA.
Thanks, for they come anon.
Enter Gentleman of the Princess.
Would you aught, sir?
With you, I think. I pray you, are you she
who hath my lady's lodging in charge?
GRISELDA.
Even so.
GENTLEMAN.
She would thank you herself if your occasion
serves.
GRISELDA.
I will attend her.
[Exit Griselda.
(The servants are busied in completing the preparations.)
GENTLEMAN
(to Jacinta).
How name you her to whom I made my
message?
JACINTA.
Griselda.
She hath a noble bearing!
JACINTA.
What she hath well learned in twelve years, a
week hath hardly untaught her!
GENTLEMAN.
Hath she been better than a servant?
JACINTA.
She hath been served of a hundred servants,—
Lord Walter's wife.
GENTLEMAN.
And he hath brought her to this?
JACINTA.
Thou seest!
Enter Griselda and the Princess, talking together.
I know I weary you.
GRISELDA.
No, not a whit!
PRINCESS.
Oh, then speak still to me. I do not know
Wherefore I love your voice, and look at you;
Nor why you seem so like one of my dreams,—
One I dreamed long ago.—Do you love me
In these three minutes so?
GRISELDA.
I must not say
How well, being a servant.
PRINCESS.
Art thou so?
Yes! my sweet mistress.
PRINCESS.
Oh! that must not be.
I shall be queen, thou knowest; when I am queen,
Thou shalt be next me ever: wilt thou?
GRISELDA.
Nay!
Thou wilt have other tendance.
PRINCESS.
Oh, no! no!
Lord Walter will say yea to what I ask,
And what I ask for first will be for thee.
Is he not gentle?—they did tell me so.
GRISELDA.
They told thee very truth.
Then, hast thou seen him?
GRISELDA.
Yes, lady.
PRINCESS.
In the Court?
GRISELDA.
Yes.
PRINCESS.
Art thou then
One of his following?
GRISELDA.
I was so once.
PRINCESS.
And not so now! Oh, you look pale and sad,
Stand here by me, and tell me all the names
Of these brave knights and ladies.
Enter Marquis with the Prince, Lords, Ladies, &c. He advances to where the Princess is seated.
MARQUIS
(kissing her hands).
Sweet one, I pray thee take my love with this:
I and my house are thine. Please you to think
That these poor fineries bid you welcome here.
PRINCESS.
How shall I give you thanks?
MARQUIS.
By thinking them
Worth but your slightest. Wilt thou, fair one, now
Grace our slight feast?
(He takes her hand, a flourish of trumpets, and they seat themselves in place.)
(to the Princess).
Whom spake you with, sister?
PRINCESS.
When?
PRINCE.
At our entering,—she gazes on us now,—who is she?
PRINCESS.
With the sad kind face—oh! thou wilt love her.
PRINCE.
Nay! I do.
(The banquet proceeds, and the wine is poured round.)
MARQUIS
(rising).
Fill to the beaded rims, and let no lip
And said a welcome, for the fair young faces
That ask your love.—What ho! Griselda girl,
Brim me a beaker with the Cypriot;
No lesser liquor than the king of wines
Befits our pledge.
Griselda fills a cup and presents it. The Marquis drinks, and, turning round, addresses her.
Griselda,
How liketh thee my wife? Seem these young roses
Fair enough for a lord to wear at heart?
GRISELDA.
Right so, my lord; for in good faith and truth,
A fairer saw I never one than she;
I pray they wither not: I pray to God
To send you both of his good grace delights,
And pleasance, and fair fortunes, and long loves,
Unto your life's end.
Thou bad'st me tell thee what I was at Court,
Fair mistress mine. I was what thou wilt be.
There were some few did love me,—for my sake
I bid them love my sweet supplanter so!
(Griselda turns to the Marquis.)
I shall not speak again. Let me say this,
I do beseech you, and I humbly warn,
That, as ye have this tender maiden ta'en,
Ye try her not; nor grieve her tenderness.
I pray you think I say it of true heart,
For your dear peace. She is not like as I,—
She hath been fostered with high nourishing
More daintily; and to my thinking, lord,
She might not all adversity endure,
As could a poorly fostered peasant-girl!
(The Marquis starts from his seat, and embraces her with passionate fondness.)
This is enough! Griselda mine! end fear,
Die doubt! Oh, now my heart hath room to beat!
Oh, sorely, surely tried,—oh, great of heart;
Oh, noble wifely patience,—now I know
That nothing breaks it! Brave heart, pardon me!
(Griselda is speechless and amazed.)
Oh, dost thou doubt me yet?
Griselda, by the God that for us died,
Thou art my wife! no leave to change I had,
Nor wished for; so God save me! This fair child
Is daughter of thy body, and this boy
Her twin-born brother! See, I kept them safe!
They were at Padua,—oh, not dead!—not dead!
Take them with twelve years' beauty more than when
Thou gavest them me. And let no man bethink
Ill of this deed,—it was not idly done;
But for to try thee in thy womanhood,
And guerdon thee and me!
GRISELDA.
God thank it you! God thank it you, sweet lord!
That you have saved me so my children dear!
I reck not to be dead now these are here,
And I stand in your love! My tender ones,
Your woeful mother weened that cruel hounds
Had eaten you! But God, of his good will,
And your good father's love, hath kept you well!
Kiss me! cling both to me!
(She swoons again, and they separate her children from her arms with difficulty.)
MARQUIS.
Bring here the crown.—
So: let it sit again upon its place!
Robe her, as she was robed!
Peace all, she moves!
Speak to her, children!
PRINCE.
Mother!
PRINCESS.
Mother dear!
GRISELDA
(faintly).
Oh me! as if clear angel-voices called
My soul back out of death, and bade it live,
Sound those two tongues. Where am I? who are these?
MARQUIS.
Knowest thou not? ah, thou knowest! comfort thee;
Sit there! Now, trumpets, tell the story out;
A noble wife doth win her own again!
Patience is crowned!
(A flourish of trumpets, the people shout, and the Scene closes.)
| Griselda : A Tragedy : And other poems | |