The Life And Death of Leo The Armenian. (Emperor of Rome.) A Tragedy In Five Acts |
 | 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
 | 5. | ACT V. |
| 1. |
 | The Life And Death of Leo The Armenian. (Emperor of Rome.) |  |
ACT V.
SCENE I.
—The Ante-chapel of the Imperial Chapel.Citizens.
Distant thunder and lightning.
1st Cit.
A Merry Christmas to you,
friends. A Merry Christmas. But I
do wish that 'twas a fairer morning. It
does freeze beyond doubt—as my fingers
tell me, and strange to say at this season
there is a great storm coming. Do you
hear the thunder?
2nd Cit.
If I were not a good son
of the Church, nothing would have
made me turn out at this hour, and this
a holiday, too, when one might have
lain warm for hours. But 'tis Christmas-day,
and the Emperor is sure to be
here presently, and there will be largess
when he comes forth, no doubt.
3rd Cit.
Well, perhaps it is just as
well that it is so cold and dark, else
there would have been more of us to
share it.
1st Cit.
Ay, and there will be some
fine music, I promise you. The
Emperor himself will sing in the choir.
He has a wonderful deep voice, and is
as devout as a Priest.
2nd Cit.
A good deal more so,
Citizen—believe me! But here are
more, ready robed for the choir, and
muffled up to the eyes.
3rd Cit.
Ay; don't you see; they
Leo has paid handsomely, as he did last
year. Well, it is easy to be devout if
you have unbounded wealth to draw
upon as he has.
1st Cit.
They say he has made great
preparations this year to have the
Christmas service sung more splendidly
than ever, because he has been now
seven years Emperor, and thinks every
year may be his last.
2nd Cit.
Well, so it may be, very
likely. Some one is sure to want his
throne soon. We don't keep our
Cæsars too long as a rule.
3rd Cit.
Well, it won't be Michael
the Amorian, in any case. That excellent
Patrician is in the cells safe
enough.
1st Cit.
Yes, and will be served up
with oil presently. I must go and see
that function when the Mass is done.
Well, let us go outside and walk about
to keep warm. It cannot be colder
than it is here.
Enter two Conspirators disguised as Choristers.
1st Cons.
We are in time—they
have not arrived yet. We had better
pass in at once. Remember, if 'tis too
dark to distinguish faces, we may know
him, as Lord Michael wrote, easily.
We must wait for a fine deep voice—
chanting alone.
2nd Cons.
And then?
1st Cons.
Then stab him to the heart!
2nd Cons.
Agreed! But there must
be no hesitation, or half and half work,
or our lives and our employers' are not
worth an hour's purchase.
1st Cons.
I am ready if thou art.
Pass on. Where is the holy water? I
must make the sign of the cross for
luck before I go in!
[Exeunt into Chapel.
Enter Leo.
Leo.
The Priests are not yet come, but the hours creep
Too slow for sleepless eyes. Here once again,
It may be for the last time, I am spared
To keep this solemn Christmas. I thank God
My hands are free from bloodshed and my soul,
For musing, since I left him, on our lives
And how we grew together, till some spell
Bewitched his honour, I have ta'en resolve
To pardon him, who one time was my friend.
And therefore 'tis that, with a grateful heart
Tuned to high praise, I come this Christmas morn
To let my joy and thankfulness to Heaven
Rise like a surging fountain. When the Mass
Is done, then will I to his cell, and there
Unlock his fetters, and will bid him go
And plot no more, but turn him to the right,
Remembering who was born to-day and came
Upon the earth to save.
Lord Patriarch,
I give you a good Christmas. I am ready,
My heart is full of praise.
[Exit into Chapel.
[Procession passes into Choir. Chanting begins. Conspirators concealed behind pillar, listen eagerly. Kyrie Eleison. At length Leo sings alone. When he has finished, they rush forward and attempt to stab him. Confusion. Leo defends himself with cross, snatched up. Struggle.
Leo.
Villains, would you pollute
The sanctuary with blood? See, with the Cross
I do confront you. Have you no mercy, wretches?
1st Cons.
Nay, 'tis no time for
mercy, but for vengeance. Tyrant, take
that!
[Stabs him.
Leo.
Oh, I am sped! I am sped!
How wonderful Thy judgments are, my God!
[Leo falls. Conspirators fly.
Enter Empress, Helena veiled, and Children, who throw themselves on their father's breast.
Empress.
My love, what ails thee? Some presentiment
Of evil brought me.
Leo.
Kiss me, ere I die.
I have loved thee long and always.
For my sins,
I think they are forgiven.
Spare their lives
Who slew me, they are guilty, but they were
Vile instruments at worst.
Set Michael free!
Let him not die!
[Dies.
Enter Michael in chains.
Michael.
Michael will free himself!
What! Is he dead? Quick! Take from him the key
Which locks these gyves.
[Unlocking chains, which fall with a clang.
See! I am prisoner
No longer, but your Emperor. Remove
That dead man's body and give it burial
Befitting Cæsar dead. See you, that woman
Goes with her brood to exile!
Emp.
Thou vile wretch!
Thou murderer of the noblest life that flowered
From a decaying realm. Listen! I loathe you,
I do defy your malice. I, your Sovereign,
Despise you. I, whose senseless woman's tongue
Snatched you from merited doom, I do denounce you
Traitor and perjurer!
Mich.
Away with them!
Their weakness doth protect them.
(To Patriarch.)
You, my lord,
Be sure I will maintain your holy Church
And this our State.
[A loud clap of thunder and blinding flash of lightning. Confusion.
Heaven doth approve the strong nor lightly strikes
Your Emperor. To-morrow you shall crown me
In St. Sophia's.
Re-enter Helena, bursting from her Guards, with Citizens.
Citizens.
Long live our new Cæsar,
Michael the Amorian!
Helena.
Nay, not long, poor dupes,
Nor ever Cæsar, but a villain doomed
By Heaven's own voice. Listen, thou hypocrite
And murderer! The woman thou didst wrong
Long since and hast forgotten (unveils), though she spared
Her base betrayer long, yet will not spare
The murderer of her lord, who banishes
Her mistress and their orphans. Dost thou think
Thy legions, or thy Priests can save thee now?
Nay, nay, they shall not, nor the powers of hell.
Thy day is done, Traitor and Murderer!
Take that, and that, and that!
[Stabs him.
Michael falls dead by the side of Leo.
Patriarch.
Just and unjust! Behold the hand of Heaven!
To-morrow we will lay them side by side
In St. Sophia's.
Curtain.
A LAST VISION.
Oh, ecstasy! that fills the purgèd sight
With beams of golden light.
And is this then the old familiar Earth,
Or a new sphere gained by a second birth?
As waking from my cloistered slumbers deep,
I spurn the caves of sleep.
A hundred suns for one, with constant light,
Awake the ethereal air and banish Night;
Sleep shrinks abashed, and Sleep's half-sister Death,
Nor Time disturbs, nor Age, nor failing breath,
While high ineffable rhythms roll around
Harmonious waves of sound.
For lo! the troubles and the toils are past,
Done are the chequered years of Earth at last,
The wandering footsteps on the unlighted way;
Here the new Dawn ushers unfailing Day.
Oh, calm effulgence from a cloudless sky!
Spirit! is this to die?
For see once more the lost are here again,
Unchanged in aught, yet purged of earthly stain;
And lo! the saints, the sages, a white throng
Chanting with accents clear the Eternal song,
Martyrs of Truth who braved in every age
The World's despite and rage.
Here there is work for all! dutiful, blest,
Sweeter and higher far than idle rest,
Work that exalts the man above the brute;
Laborious days that never fail of fruit;
Forces that faint not; brains that never tire;
Souls that aspire! aspire!
Lo! 'tis the self-same world, tho' seeming strange,
By some ineffable change,
And such transforming radiance grown divine
As never on the sad old Earth might shine.
And hark, the long-hushed tones of homely love,
And lo! the clear calm eyes which looked above.
Yea, here or leagues beyond the farthest sun
Nor life, nor love are done!
| The Life And Death of Leo The Armenian. (Emperor of Rome.) | |