 | Gycia |  |
Scene II.
—Room in Lamachus's palace.Lysimachus, Megacles, Courtiers; afterwards Asander.
Lys.
Well, good Megacles, I hope
you are prepared to carry out your
function. It will be a busy and anxious
day to-morrow, no doubt, and most of
us will be glad when midnight strikes.
Meg.
My Lord Lysimachus, I hope
so. I have not closed an eye for the
last two nights. As to the Procession,
I flatter myself that no better-arranged
pomp has ever defiled before Cæsar's
Palace. It will be long, it will be
splendid, it will be properly marshalled.
There is no other man in the Empire
who knows the distinctions of rank or
the mysteries of marshalling better than
I do. Look at the books I have studied.
There is the treatise of the Learned and
Respectable Symmachus on Processions.
That is one. There is the late divine
Emperor Theodosius on Dignities and
Titles of Honour. That is two. There
is our Learned and Illustrious
Chamberlain Procopius's treatise on the
office and duties of a Count of the
Palace. That, as no doubt you know,
is in six large volumes. That is three,
or, nay, eight volumes. Oh, my poor
head! And I have said nothing of the
authorities on Costume—a library, I
assure you, in themselves. Yes, it has
been an anxious time, but a very happy
one. I wish our young friends here
would devote a little more time to such
serious topics, and less to such frivolities
as fighting and making love. The
latter is a fine art, no doubt, and, when
done according to rule, is well enough;
but as for fighting, getting oneself
grimed with dust and sweat, and very
likely some vulgar churl's common
blood to boot—pah! it is intolerable
to think of it.
1st Court.
Ah! good Megacles, I
am afraid that the world cannot spare
its soldiers yet for many years to come.
So long as there is evil in the world,
and lust of power and savagery and
barbarism, so long, depend upon it,
there is room and need for the soldier.
Meg.
Certainly, my lord, certainly;
and besides, they are very highly
decorative too. Nothing looks better
to my mind at a banquet than bright
gay faces and lithe young figures set in
a shining framework of mail. By the
way, my Lord Lysimachus, it was kind
of you to provide our procession with a
strong detachment of fine young soldiers
from Bosphorus. I have secured a
prominent place for them, and the
effect will be perfect. I trust the Lady
Melissa will like it.
Lys.
My lord, you are mistaken;
there are no soldiers from Bosphorus
here.
Meg.
But I was with the Prince last
night, and saw them.
Lys.
I tell you you are mistaken.
There are none here. Do you
understand me? There are none here.
2nd Court.
Nay, indeed, my Lord
Megacles. We were trying, with a
view to the pageant, how a number of
young men of Cherson would look in
the array of Bosphorus; but we gave
it up, since we feared that they would
bear them so clumsily that they would
mar the whole effect.
Meg.
Ah, that explains it; quite right,
quite right. Well, I see I was mistaken.
But I wish I could have had soldiers
from Bosphorus. They are the one
thing wanting to make to-morrow a
perfect success, as the Lady Melissa said.
Lys.
They are indeed, as you say.
But, my Lord Megacles, pray do not
whisper abroad what you have said
here; these people are so jealous.
They would grow sullen, and spoil the
pageant altogether.
Meg.
Ah, my lord, you have a good
head. I will not breathe a word of it
till the day is done.
Lys.
Thanks, my lord, and as I
know you will be weary with the long
day's work and your great anxieties,
I am going to lay a little friendly
compulsion upon you. You must leave the
banquet to-morrow and go to rest by
eleven o'clock at latest.
Meg.
Well, my lord, I am not so
young as I was, and if I have your
permission to leave before all is over, well
and good. No one knows what an
anxious day is before me, and I have no
doubt I shall have earned my night's
rest by then. But I have much yet to
do, so with your permission I will wish
you good night.
[Exit Megacles, bowing low to each with exaggerated gestures.
Lys.
Poor soul, poor soul! If any
fight comes, it would be as cruel to let
him take his part with men as it would
be if he were a woman or a child.
Welcome, my Lord Asander. Hast
thou seen our men, and are they ready
for to-morrow?
Asan.
I have just come from them, and they are ready,
But I am not. I pray you, let this be;
Send back these men to-night. I am oppressed
By such o'ermastering presages of ill
As baffle all resolve.
Lys.
My Lord Asander,
It is too late. Wouldst thou, then, break thy oath?
Wouldst thou live here a prisoner, nor behold
Thy father, though he die? Wouldst thou thy country
Should spurn thee as the traitor whose malignance
Blighted her hard-won gains? It is too late!
It is too late!
Asan.
I am grown infirm of will
As any dotard. I will go on now
So that thou dost no murder.
Lys.
Why was it
We came in such o'erwhelming force, but that
We sought to shed no blood?
Asan.
I will be ready,
Though with a heavy heart. To-morrow night
At stroke of twelve, when all the feast is done,
And all asleep, we issue from the palace,
Seize the guards at their posts, and open wide
The gates to the strong force which from the ships
At the same hour shall land. The citizens,
Heavy with wine, will wake to find their city
Our own beyond recall.
Lys.
Ay, that's the scheme,
And nought can mar it now. Good night, my lord.
Sleep well; there is much to do.
Asan.
Good night, my lords!
[Exit Asander.
Lys.
No bloodshed! Why, what fools love makes of men!
I have seen this very lad dash through the ranks
Of hostile spearmen, cut and hack and thrust
As in sheer sport. There will be blood shed, surely,
Unless these dogs have lost their knack of war
As he has; but we have them unprepared,
And shall prevail, and thou shalt be avenged,
My father slain, and thou, my murdered brother,
Shalt be avenged! My lords, you know what work
Is given each to do. Be not too chary
Of your men's swords; let them strike sudden terror.
Slay all who do resist, or if they do not,
Yet slay them still. My lords, give you good night.
To-morrow at midnight, at the stroke of twelve—
At the stroke of twelve!
[Exeunt omnes.
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