University of Virginia Library

Scene III.

—Queen's Apartment.
Enter Queen (with a book) and the Duchess of Durazzo.
Queen.
Have I no leisure? I would read, to teach
My soul some patience.

Duchess.
Hear me, royal sister!
Giulio pleads with such passion, and the old man
With tears and such entreaty claims admission,
That, as the sister of your heart, no less
Than love, I pray you, let the young man take
Your signet to forbid the horrid question,
And to Salvator grant immediate audience.

Queen.
Here, take it— [Giving signet,]
and send in the reverend suitor.
[Exit Duchess.
(Sits.)
What was't I read just now? I'll read't again.
When throne and life have been at stake, there is not
In history an example of a Monarch,
With whom the lives of subjects innocent,
Or even meritorious, ever seemed
Of weight enough to counterpoise the peril.
A churlish saying, even if it be true.
Enter Salvator.
He comes. Salvator! doubtless, thou hast learned
I have anticipated your request.

Salvator.
I thank thee for the part that thou hast granted.

Queen.
Have I not granted all?

Salvator
(anxiously).
Are they then free?

Queen.
Free! not content with less?

Salvator
(emphatically).
They are innocent—

Queen
(rising).
Who made thee Judge? And wert thou such by office,
Affection in thee, and predominant will,
With jealous humour, would confuse and trouble
State, order, ceremony, reverence,
Devotion, equity—nay, understanding.
I know not whether thou hast strength of soul,
To act the part of Brutus with his children;
But this I know, that thou hast cause for thanks,
That, with the station, thou art spared the trial!

Salvator.
What trial spared? Am I not, then, a man,
Because a poor one? O! if they were guilty,
Each man would be their judge, and I, as one,
As well as he who doomed them; but, if guiltless,
I suffer more than any, be they punished.

Queen.
Then you, without authority, are equal
In all things, to those with, except in suffering!
And there—you are superior?

Salvator.
For we lack
The authority, that can remit the suffering—

Queen.
Yet doth impose it?—Ha!

Salvator.
I speak not now
Of such, but one who had authority
A little while ago. For one who well
Has served you, during many years of life;
For her I plead; and not for such as I am.
Yet scorn not thou the advocate! Even I
Once did a good thing for you. Should worse earthquake
Than that which then rocked Naples—and I read such
In the times' aspects—threat her civil peace,
Not in her soil, but in the popular soul,
And I be living then, I shall be ready
To dare again the gulf, and save my country!
[The Queen becomes abstracted, listening to low rumbling sounds.
Thou'rt stonied!

Queen.
Hear'st thou nothing?

Salvator.
Nothing, lady,
But my own voice pleading to thee!

Queen.
Not the sounds,
(Alas! in Naples too familiar!)
Prelude the shocks, such as that awful night—
Sure! 'twill not come again! Is't phantasy?
Salvator!

Salvator.
Phantasy? 'Tis Truth's own thunder!
Though prisoned 'neath the ground, it will be heard!
It comes again! Heaven sends it to remind you!

Queen.
Have mercy, Heaven!

[Prostrating herself.
Salvator.
And mercy teach to thee!
The floor reels like a ship's deck in a storm,
As on that fearful night that galley's did,
And made men frantic, whom, through me, yet Heaven
Wrought to a calm again!—
O, Queen of Naples!
Even as I said to them, I say to thee—
“Be calm, and fear not; God has heard my prayer,
And spares the sacrifice for the will's sake,
And lets not peril enter where I tread!”
—All's mute again, and still. 'Twas but to mind thee!

Queen.
And thou—what art thou? I do fear thee now,
More than the elements! Have ye wizard power,
Thou, and thy daughter?

Salvator
(raising her up).
Be not superstitious!
This is Heaven's work, not ours! Soft! footsteps!

Enter Balzo (hurriedly).
Queen.
Balzo!
Shook Earth, without these walls?

Balzo.
Most fearfully!—

Queen.
Then 'tis no sorcery! O, 'tis Heaven's own threatning!

Balzo.
The populace throng abroad in dread and wonder,
Shouting “Salvator!” and the “wronged Montoni!”
Therefore let not the old man quit these walls,
Until the tumult end; then be convoyed
Safe out of Naples, or imprisoned close!

Queen.
Touch not a hair of his head!

Salvator.
Bring the axe,
Let it drop altogether, save but them!
Save! not for my sake only, but your own!
You hear the People's voice! Time is, when that
Is God's. 'Tis such a time even now—this instant,
And here; and here and elsewhere, this same age
In which we live. At Naples and at Rome,
Freedom or murmurs deep or calls aloud;
Witness, Rienzi made the judge of princes!
There's that is slumbering in this hour's abyss,
Which threatens worse than earthquake! Men's wrath ere now
Has silenced storms—nay, earthquakes! Moral shocks
The antique foundations of all present Order
Do underlie, and wait to bury it!
Let me serve you in this, converting you
To my persuasion! After which, beyond
These palace walls, my words I'll pour, as oil
On billows turbulent, into the minds
Of the distracted vulgar, and make peace!

Balzo.
Danger wears not one visor now, but many.

Queen.
What other face now shows it?

Balzo.
Louis—

Queen.
Well!

Balzo.
Of Hungary, great lady, close on Naples
Advances now, and takes us by surprise.

Queen.
Treachery on his part, then! Our trial waits,
As now Salvator said, Rienzi's sentence.

Balzo
(sarcastically).
Sorry am I to dash Salvator's hopes—
Rienzi's upstart power is at an end,
The people have betrayed him to the Barons,
And he a fugitive beneath the ban
Of papal censure.

Queen.
Excommunicate?

Salvator.
Is 't so? O popular breath! O fickle wind!
All points of the compass boxing! All rehearsed,
Not one omitted!—Where thou listest, blow!
My soul is sick to death!

Queen.
Come—you, Salvator!
Are of the spirit that infects this age?

Salvator.
Your Majesty—

Queen.
Start not! I am not offended,
It may be, pleased—

Salvator.
I am too old, my liege,
To be an actor in unpractised scenes—

Queen.
But not a thinker on them. You have heard:
Now, for your counsel—

Salvator.
Will you take it?

Queen.
I had
Made up my mind to do so, ere I asked you—
You've won upon my faith, and exercise
Strange influence, I cannot now resist—
Speak!—

Salvator.
Sudden—

Queen.
Sudden inspirations are
Ofttimes the best!

Salvator.
Thus, then:—The Pope, we know,
Smiled on Rienzi, and he dwelt in sunshine;
That smile withdrawn—night cometh!

Queen.
True—what follows?

Salvator.
Go to the source of light, denied to him,
And to your cause in him; and seeking it,
The light may shine on you, and on your cause.

Queen.
Mean you, that I should plead my cause before
The Pope?

Salvator.
I mean so—in your proper person.

Queen.
Leave Naples?

Salvator.
Yes, for Rome—

Queen.
My Oracle!
I'll do thy bidding! Wilt trust thy daughter's cause,
To the same judge?—You hesitate!

Salvator
(after a mental struggle).
Be it so—
Though here I grope my way, in darkness—

Enter Giulio (hurriedly).
Giulio.
Pardon,
Let plead my news!

Queen.
Speak, Giulio!

Giulio.
Blood is shed
I' the streets—

Salvator.
Whose?

Giulio.
The Monks', Roberto's and his brother's!

Salvator.
I thought it would be so, if Heaven were just,
Which he who doubts, himself's no doubt unjust!
Impede me not! My peril 'mongst the people
Shall be your safety!

[Exit.
Queen.
Gone—thus—and in silence?
I'm awed as by a mystery! Listen, Balzo!
There's noise and struggling—
Enter Talano (hurriedly).
What's the matter?

Talano.
Madam!
Armed men, from out the crowd, into the palace
Have broken way, and seized upon the Duchess.

Queen.
My sister?

Talano.
And have borne her off—

Queen.
Ha!—
Enter Bruno.
What else?

Bruno.
They, who bare off the princess, came athwart
Salvator at the gates—

Queen.
What then?

Bruno.
On him
They likewise seized, and bare him too away!

Queen.
Enough! Be gone!
[Exeunt Talano and Bruno.
To council! This is more
Than common peril! I must be myself!
I will to Rome forthwith, myself alone!

[Exeunt.