 | Rosamunda |  |
ACT THE SECOND.
SCENE THE FIRST.
Almachilde, Ildovaldo.Al.
Come, Ildovaldo, to my arms; embrace me;
Thou of my glory art the chief support.
Subdued, I must confess, by thy deserts,
I have no recompense that equals them:
But yet, if I am able ...
Il.
Good, my lord,
Ascribe it not to merit in myself
If near the royal standard I have fought
Against the banners of the faithless Clefi;
From my first unripe years, my ancestors
Have in my breast instill'd such principles,
That still the cause, whate'er the cause might be,
Of him who reign'd, seem'd sacred in my eyes.
Al.
Thy modest speech gives of a loyal heart
A pledge most unequivocal: I know it;
A man of prowess, ready to do more,
Esteems what he has done already nothing.
13
Thou hast completely routed, or destroy'd,
Those my perfidious foes, whom cowardice
Imp'd with such rapid and fugacious wings.
Breathless myself I left them in thy hands:
I knew that thy sword, where it was at work,
My sword would supersede.
Il.
Fortune resolved
To smile on my endeavours. In thy power,
Clefi comes manacled before thee; smitten,
But with no mortal wound. If at his fall
Some sparks of valour glimmer'd in the hearts
Of his adherents, soon were they extinguish'd;
And with their leader all their spirit fell.
Al.
My heart, oh Ildovaldo, put to proof.
Is there, in all the world, a favourite object
To which thy wishes tend? Ah! speak; I dare not
Offer thee any thing; but yet (who can
Except thyself?) say what were that reward
Which least would wound thy virtue.
Il.
Prince, I will not,
Since such to thee I am not, in thy presence
Assume the semblance of a passionate friend.
The throne, rather than thou, I sought to-day
To rescue by my arm; the throne, whose safety
To-day in thy existence was involved.
Some one in future perhaps may fill that throne
For whom I should account I yielded little,
In yielding life itself: hence, in its cause
Was I a hardy combatant. Thou seest
That to serve thee was not my chiefest thought.
Hence thou art not my debtor; and already
From the importunate load of gratitude
14
Al.
The more I hear,
The more do I admire thee. Yet by thee,
In this high contest, I will not be conquer'd.
Myself thou lovest not, and this to me
Have others said; yet hence to trust to thee
A portion of the fight, nay, e'en the posts
Of greatest confidence, I never doubted.
I blame thee not; since thou wert rather urged
By the attainted honour of the throne,
Than by my peril, valiantly to fight.
I know that to a hero like thyself,
The means by which I sit upon the throne
Cannot seem worthy: I myself am first
Those means to execrate: but thou dost know,
My generous enemy, what horrible
And stern necessity to them impell'd me.
E'en me, another's subject, e'en myself
Once as thy equal thou didst see: nor then
(I dare to challenge thee to this) seem'd I
Unworthy thy esteem. Alas! my fame
Is now no longer spotless: learn thou now,
That I, in heart, far far more infamous,
E'en than I'm deem'd by others, deem myself.
But on the bloody throne in indolence
I do not sleep; and hope to clear myself,
In part, of the intolerable blot,
(Never, oh never, to be quite effaced!)
Th'excruciating epithet of traitor.
Il.
I thought assuredly thy heart had been
Far more corrupted by the name of king:
But yet it is not sound. To feel remorse,
And yet retain ...
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And wish I to retain?
Ah! long ere now ...
Il.
But yet this throne; thou know'st ...
Al.
I know that to another it belongs;
And that it is not mine ...
Il.
Then ...
Al.
Listen to me.
'Tis in my power to make myself to-day
Far less unworthy of the throne I fill.
Hear me; and afterwards, if thou canst do it,
Refuse to countenance my purposes ...
But whither does my blind desire impel me?
I have not yet a recompense discover'd
For thy past services, and yet presume
New ones to seek of thee?
Il.
Ah! yes: speak on.
Deeming me one that for magnanimous deeds
Expects no recompense, thou dost alone,
By this conviction, recompense me amply.
Speak; wherein can I serve thee?
Al.
Do not hope
That I shall tell it thee on other terms,
Except thou first, if in the world there be
Aught wherein I can serve thee, at my hands
Challenge that benefit. If of the realm
Thou wishest a great part (by merit all
Is thine,) or if some less ambitious thought,
Some gentler impulse, agitate thy heart,
From me conceal it not: I know full well
All blessings are not centred in a throne:
I know that there are other things, which gain'd,
Would far more constitute my happiness.
I know that much is wanting to my peace.
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Which is the master-spring of my existence;
And more it burns in me, the more it meets
With obstacles. Ah! do thou then to me
Thyself unbosom, that I somewhat may
Benefit thee, now that thou canst so much,
Though others rights thou hold inviolate,
At once my cause assist.
Il.
I will speak out,
Since thou wilt have it so.—I wish not power;
Ah no! ill couldst thou this confer; and gifts,
These always are of penitence and blood.
But since thou hast promised to unfold to me
Thy inmost thoughts, I will not of my own
Be niggardly. That which alone I wish
From thee would nothing take, and to myself
Were life.
Al.
Name it; 'tis thine.
Il.
For a long time
In love I've lived. Rosmunda can alone
Prevent the accomplishment of my desires,
And thou alone persuade her to relent.
Al.
And she that has inflamed thee?
Il.
Is Romilda ...
Al.
What do I hear? ... Lov'st thou Romilda? ...
Il.
Yes ...
But whence in thee such wonder?
Al.
To myself
Thy love was utterly unknown.
Il.
But why,
Now that I tell it thee, art thou thus troubled?
Why thus dost hesitate? ...
Al.
I? ... pardon me ...
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Thus for a long time loved her?
Il.
What means this?
Perchance my love displeases thee? Perchance
That love doth not become me? Though she be
Of royal origin, I am not vile.
Rosmunda is the daughter of a king,
And she disdain'd not to bestow her hand
On thee, my equal.
Al.
Is there any rank
For thee too lofty? ... But thou know'st ... Rosmunda
Disposes of Romilda; ... and that I ...
Il.
Canst thou, perchance, gain nothing from Rosmunda,
And yet from thee she can obtain so much?
Enough.—I am already satisfied:
Thou hast already royally rewarded
All my much-vaunted merits by ... a promise.
Al.
Ah no! ... believe it not ... I will ... But speak ...
Romilda ... and doth she return thy love?
Il.
Romilda ... See, she comes.
SCENE THE SECOND.
Almachilde, Romilda, Ildovaldo.Rom.
Oh, Heaven! with whom
Do I behold him?—Oh, my baffled wishes!
Hast thou, at last, entwined thy spurious crown
With laurel wreaths? Does treachery to-day
The palm of conquest gain? And be it so.
But thou, oh warrior, of a noble soul,
18
Thy lofty efforts in a cause like his?
Should so much virtue stoop to make itself
A shield to so much infamy?
Al.
Towards me,
Lady, eternally implacable,
Is there no length of time, then, and no mode
Of assiduity, that may avail,
E'en in the least degree, to calm, or sooth,
Thy just disdain? How in the camp I sought
That death, from which himself delivered me,
Can Ildovaldo tell thee. Ah! thy pity
Towards me was ill directed: I should there
Have died, since her my victory offends.
But Heaven, who knows the innocence of my heart,
(Ah, were my hand as pure,) Heaven, perhaps, today
Gave me not vainly conquest and renown,
There where I sought for death.
Il.
Accuse me not,
Romilda, that I fought. Clefi with arms
Came not to yonder camp to avenge thy father;
Himself the exterminator of the throne
He haughtily proclaim'd; and for that throne
I combated.
Rom.
To this oppressed race,
Clefi, as he profess'd, once more design'd
To restore freedom, or himself to reign.
And he adopted, to obtain his purpose,
Means far less infamous than those employed
By thee his predecessor. In the camp,
In the broad light of day, he boldly challenged
Man to meet man with soldier-like defiance:
19
Should fill my empty patrimonial throne,
Let it, at least, belong to the most valiant.
Al.
Breathes there the man who dares to call me coward?
In their invasions of the throne, have others
More bravery shewn than I in its defence?
Dost thou eternally resent? The error
That I committed with unwilling mind,
(This all well know) I only can repair;
Yes, I alone. To yield thee good for ill
To me will be delightful: with my blood
I have meanwhile the empty throne defended;
Thine is that throne, I know; I swear to thee,
Thy rights I ne'er forget. Long, long ere now,
Had I obtain'd my wish, thou had'st possest it.
But now Rosmunda fills it, and it is ...
Rom.
Polluted throne, thou meed of treachery,
Without regret to others I resign thee;
Be by Rosmunda fill'd; she, with thyself,
Of such a heritage is well deserving.
But if thy penitence be not dissembled;
If to magnanimous words the practices
Of a degraded soul could e'er accord;
Obtain for me, I pray thee, not the throne
Of my unnatural mother, but obtain
For me alone the empire o'er myself.
I ask a free life; or I ask for death.
As if already in my murder'd father
She had not fully satisfied her rage,
The impious Rosmunda, to inflict
Torments more exquisite, protracts my life,
And sends me as a spouse to Alaric.
20
What do I hear?
Al.
Listen, oh Ildovaldo!
Thou now canst judge thyself, if without cause
I answered thee with doubts ...
Il.
Of barbarous Alaric?
Al.
Ah! no ...
Rom.
To Alaric hath she betroth'd me;
And of assistance never sent am I
The recompense: and she, who of my throne,
And of my father, robb'd me, hath to this
Plighted her faith: and (who would e'er believe it?)
Rosmunda will, on no condition, now
Betray her promise. By to-morrow's dawn,
I to these nuptial rites am doom'd to go:
But that to-morrow's dawn is not yet come.
Ah! if than she thou canst be less atrocious;
If 'tis indeed my fate, that I to-day
Must be a suitor to my father's murderer;
Ah! try at least to wean her from this purpose ...
Al.
Shall I try this? to thee I freely swear
That thou shalt never go.
Il.
And, by this sword,
I swear the same. Rosmunda, thou shalt hear me.
Rom.
Behold; she comes in rage.
SCENE THE THIRD.
Rosmunda, Almachilde, Romilda, Ildovaldo.Ros.
Dost thou thus here
Loiter with her? thou, also, dost thou lend
An ear to her seditious words? This is
A day of joy; what boots it then, my champions,
To tarry 'mid the everlasting groans
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Sigh'st thou, poor girl? and wherefore dost thou sigh?
Ragauso, with a royal retinue,
Prepared to obey my orders, waits already
There to conduct thee, where auspicious nuptials,
And where another more illustrious throne,
Court thy acceptance.
Al.
But of Alaric? ...
Ros.
What, does not such a king deserve her hand?
Al.
So cruel ...
Ros.
Cruel e'en as Alboino?
She from a blood doth spring, in whom the sight
Of cruelty, whatever shape it wear,
Can ne'er excite surprise.
Il.
Such marriage rites ...
Al.
To all disastrous ...
Ros.
Dost thou disapprove them?
Al.
She her consent refuses.
Ros.
And dost thou
Refuse it? I consent.
Rom.
Does it annoy thee
That he is less inflexible than thou?
Ros.
And dost thou think that he for thee feels pity?
Pity for thee? What darest thou to say?
For thee he feels no pity: woefully
Thou art deceived ...
Al.
As far as human breast
Can, in its fullest force, I feel it all;
And I avow it; and, if thou compel me,
I also will display it. Who can see,
Nor feel compassion for her, who can do it,
Such insults heap'd upon a royal virgin? ...
22
All men may pity her, save Almachilde.
Il.
If yet thou bear'st in mind the plenteous laurels
Which, for thyself, my sword has reap'd to-day,
My councils thou wilt hear. Much loss to thee,
If thou dost wrong Romilda, may accrue.
Al.
Yes, fatal loss.
Il.
Thou wilt, if wise, abstain.
Ros.
Wise is Romilda; and she will obey me.
Keep thou for others thy advice. Dost thou
Already magnify thy services?
What hast thou done? thy duty. Thou, my husband,
Dissentest thou from me? and dar'st thou say it?
And must I lofty arguments of state
Discuss with thee before these witnesses?
Let us depart; ah come: for a short time
Leave her to penitence and wiser thoughts:
Her fears will give her, when she is alone,
Suggestions more judicious. Leave her now.—
Romilda, heard'st thou? Or by dawn of day
Go willingly from hence, and thou shalt have
An honourable escort by thy side,
Led by Ragauso; or refuse to go,
And he shall be enjoined to drag thee hence.
SCENE THE FOURTH.
Ildovaldo, Romilda.Il.
Drag her? ... what do I hear! Ah, kill me first ...
Oh Heaven! Romilda ... must I lose thee then? ...
Rom.
Ah! since the moment that my father died,
And I beheld myself within the power
Of such a step-dame, in my breast I cherish
23
Il.
But, while I breathe ...
Rom.
Believe me, there remains
Nought else for me. I am prepared to die,
More than perhaps thou thinkest: in my heart
I wished to see thee yet once more, and give thee
The last farewell of love ...
Il.
Ah, hold thy peace!
Loving thou'rt loved, and speak'st to me of death
While I breathe vital air, and wield this sword?
My soul, indeed, with sorrow is oppress'd,
Yet I despair not.
Rom.
Say, from what quarter then
Can I expect relief?
Il.
From hands like these,
And cannot I avail to rescue thee?
Rom.
Yes, thou may'st do it; but what will ensue?
They have a throne; and, in abundance, hence
The instruments of persecution: fierce,
Yet at once subtle, is Rosmunda's wrath.
Can that be baffled? ... And should I once more
Fall in her power? ... Now flatter not thyself:
My faith I cannot keep, except by death,
Inviolate to thee: thy sword, thy valour,
Thy life, do thou preserve, blows to inflict,
By which my father's shade may be appeased,
And my shade also. Live; I leave to thee
T'avenge a father and a king betray'd,
And thy most faithful mistress.
Il.
What do I hear?
Oh, Heaven! my heart thou rendest. Ah! ... if thou
Shouldst ever leave me ... certainly for vengeance,
And nothing else, I live. But yet I hope
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The vengeance of my king and of thy father.
'Tis true, that kingly power I do not boast:
But much the terror of my name can do.
I in the bosoms of the valiant reign;
The abject I despise. Beneath the banners
Of Alboino I have fought already.
I, in the camp, have many partizans
In arms accoutred; in the ranks of war
Oft have the Lombards witness'd my exploits.
Each living man the venerated name
Of Alboino with a sigh pronounces;
And thou'rt that Alboino's only child.
And, as respects the multitude, if all
That I now say were not; speak, if thou canst,
Whether, 'mid those who shew thee violence,
One man can be adduced, who, in his heart,
So as to bear comparison with me,
Burns with an elevated flame like mine.
Rosmunda, much as step-dame can, indeed,
Hates thee; but I love more than she abhors,
I, who at thy least nod would rush to death,
To give it or receive it.
Rom.
Oh sublime,
Incomparable lover! ... Yet though great,
Thy fondness hath no strength to countervail
Her frantic and inexorable hate.
Il.
Think not preposterous hope doth make me blind:
I am sustain'd by valid arguments,
Add too, that Almachilde, as thou heardest,
Dares to oppose the execrable rite.
Rom.
From him what canst thou hope?
25
Were I constrain'd
To stoop for thy deliverance to deceit,
I on his aid should ground no trifling hope.
I see already that his guilty consort
Is become irksome to him. To remorse
He yet appears to me accessible;
The fear of her alone, in which he lives,
Renders him timid and irresolute.
That which he feebly counteracts in words,
I can induce him more effectively
To counteract in deeds. I do not doubt
My skill to fortify his half-resolves
With my entire resolves.
Rom.
Thou little knowest
Rosmunda. Dost thou dream that force can be
A hindrance to her will? Prayers I address'd
To Almachilde, (and I now repent it,)
That he would intercede for me. Vain hope!
Shall that man, who to a flagitious wife
Has sold his reputation and himself,
That man who owes whatever he possesses,
Nor to another owes it, to his blind,
No less than infamous subserviency,
Shall he, I say, assist, against the wife
Who holds him thus in thrall, her hated rival?
Il.
Ere it be night, let prayers, or menaces,
Or blows take place, let fate determine which,
So that I lose thee not: still of this day
Enough remains my purpose to mature.
Quickly shall I discover if in others
Or in myself alone I must confide.
Hither shall I return to thee ere long:
If then our only remedy is death,
26
The last farewell which thou would'st yield me now;
But thou no sooner shalt to me have given it,
Than, drunk with love, and anger, and revenge,
I swear to open with my own right hand
A horrid path of blood ... At least the death
Of many victims shall precede my own.
But can it be that others can exult
In our extinction? No one do I see
Betwixt the throne and thee, except Rosmunda.
Rom.
And Almachilde? ...
Il.
Almachilde, sayst thou?
To-day this sword of mine his life preserved:
And should he be ungrateful, this my sword
May also give his death wound. Time and chance
Shall shape my independent purposes.
Meanwhile, a swift return, eternal faith,
A lofty vengeance for thy murdered father,
I swear to thee.
Rom.
I would not rob thy heart
Of all its hope; but in myself one hope
Alone still lingers, once more to behold thee;
And on that hope I live. That I should now,
If thine I am not, drag on life, in vain
Wouldst thou desire. And that I should be thine
What expectation can I now retain? ...
But in returning here to me be not
Tardy, I do conjure of thee.
Il.
I tremble
When I behold how desolate thou art.
No not to live, I ask of thee alone
Delay, till death be indispensable:
This swear to me.
27
I swear it.
Il.
I believe thee.
To give my last instructions I fly hence;
And here I speedily return to thee.
| Rosamunda | |