 | The Daughter |  |
SCENE II.
—Robert's Cottage.Enter Robert.
Rob.
Better I had died! My child has given her life
439
I see her wasting!—and what aggravates
The pang to watch her fall a prey to death
So fast, is the sweet uncomplaining patience
With which she bears the tooth that's gnawing her,
Working its way into the quick! She looks
On me the cause of the inextricable,
Unsufferable strait she has fallen into,
As one to pity rather than to blame!
This is her wedding day!—far better call'd
Her funeral day! I have left no means untried
To tempt him to forego his claim—he cries
“I've paid the price, and what I've bought I'll take!”
While prayers awaken wrath, and not remorse,
And his eye lowers till I think I see
His heart laid bare, with evil at the core.
The hour!—I must awaken her. Her eyes
Were closed when last I look'd!—before the time
I would not have them open on the day
They'll see at last too soon!—she has waked of herself!
Is up, and dress'd, and smiling with a cheek
More kin to death than life!—My Marian!
Mari.
[Having entered.]
My father!—what's the matter that you turn
Your eyes away? You falter when you speak!
Father! be cheerful—happy—look upon me!
Rob.
My girl, don't smile!
Mari.
What my face does, my father,
My heart does!—It is calm!—Yea, cheerful!—not
That it lacks cause for grief—but has more cause
For gladness! I have done what Heaven approves—
My duty!—sacrificed a little thing—
Much in itself, but in comparison
Little—to gain a great thing—to preserve
My father's life!—I should smile!—Let me smile,
And smile along with me!
Rob.
My child—my child—
That talk'd to me like an angel!—clung to me!
Knelt to me to persuade me to forbear!
And, like a fiend, I would not heed, but did
The evil thing, whence all this ruin grew!
My child, who loving me, as she truly said,
And since has proved, beyond her life—preserved
Her reverence for Heaven, when, lacking that,
She might have saved me!—My poor child, that I
For doing so her duty, as she ought,
Thrust from me—used with violence—yea, suffer'd
To trail along the street, hanging to me!—
Whom I was nigh to curse!—I did not, Marian!
Indeed I did not curse thee!—A child so used!—
To blast her happiness—life—everything,
For me—and do it with a smile!
440
My father!
No more of this, beseech thee—These are thoughts
That cannot profit us! and they awaken
Others, 'twere better for our peace we suffer'd
To sleep!—for they may madden!—Give me thy hand!
Don't speak!—My brain reel'd round just now!—
'Tis over!—Father, go to the door and see
If he be coming.
Rob.
Who?
Mari.
The bridegroom, father.
Since we're to marry, as well marry now
As any other time—O save me!—Hide me!—
[Rushing to her father, hides her face in his breast.
Enter Edward.
Edw.
My Marian!—My girl!—My love!—My bride!
And is thy joy to see me back so great
It overcomes thee?—Marian, from the hour
We hoisted sail to bring me back to thee,
The wind has never veer'd nor flagg'd.—We've had
A merry run of good twelve knots an hour!—
Nothing—sheet, halyard—but the helm to 'tend to,
As though the vessel with my heart were racing,
That kept before it still!—O turn to me!—
Look at me!—Speak to me!—The face and voice,
I have heard and seen a thousand miles away—
Now that I'm near thee—within reach of thee—
Touching thee, Marian!—let me see and hear!
Has she not power to speak or move?
Rob.
My boy,—
The sight of thee, so sudden, overcomes her.
Edw.
And does she love me better?—Marian!—
Sweet—constant—fond—could I believe so fond?—
'Twas never thus with thee before at meeting!
Unloose the hands that clasp thy father's neck—
Or let me do it for thee—till I fold thee
To my fond, faithful—my adoring heart,
That yearns to feel thee near it!—Marian!
Know'st thou not Edward's hand?—Does she resist me?
Is it not joy that works upon her so?
Does my return give pain?—Is it a thing
Unwelcome?—Am I loved no longer by her?
Am I forgotten?—
Mari.
Edward—no!—no!—no!
Thou'rt not forgotten.
Edw.
No?—nor loved no longer?
Mari.
Nor loved no longer?—loved more dear than ever!—
Than ever, Edward!
Edw.
Marian! My love!
My life!—the ship is on her course again!
Steady! There's nought ahead!—Fool that I was
To fancy breakers!—Come, my faithful girl!
441
Since we have talk'd together, Marian!
Dost thou hold off? I have been so long away,
You are ashamed to sit upon my knee.
Well! There! What you like I like? Though you've sat
Often upon my knee. Well! I have made
My luckiest voyage!—our pence have grown to pounds!
Mari.
We heard that you were shipwreck'd!
Edw.
Ay!
Mari.
Were drown'd!
Edw.
You took me for my ghost!—no wonder, girl,
You ran away from me! O now I see!
We've not touch'd ground we did not wish to touch!—
Nor shipp'd a sea since first we hoisted sail!
And now we marry, Marian!—What's the matter?
How ill you look?—What's this?—You shrink from me!
Has she been ailing, father?—Where are her eyes?—
I left her with a rose upon her cheek,
Where is it?—That is not the form I clasp'd
A month ago!—What's fallen? Something! Ay!
Something! What is it?—Both are silent!—Then
Something I know has fallen! To look at you
Is enough—enough!—'twill drive me mad!—I am mad!
Tell me the truth!—Nay then I'll seek for it
Where I'm more like to find it.
Mari.
Stop! Come back!—
No!—Stay!—Forgive me, Edward!
[Falling on her knees.
Edw.
Marian!
Forgive thee!—Why? For what?
Mari.
Don't ask!—To sea!
On shipboard, and set sail, whate'er the wind,—
Anything, Edward, but the shore!—To sea!—
Rocks, breakers, sands, are nothing!—all the perils
Of leaks, dismasting, canvas blown to threads,
Are nothing!—Foundering!—The dismall'st plight,
That ever barque was in, are nothing!—Yea
Drowning, with thoughts of going deeper down
Than ever plummet sounded, or of graves
Made of the throats of sea-monsters, that dog
The fated vessel!—Leap into them sooner
Than trust thy feet on land!—To sea!—to sea!
Edw.
What mean you?
Mari.
I will tell while I can!
Edw.
Rise up then, and don't kneel to me!
Mari.
Forgive me!
Edw.
For what?
Mari.
Ay, that's the thing, you can't forgive me
Until you know for what, and when you know it,
Will you forgive me then?—You will not! Yet,
Were it my last breath that I speak with to thee,
I love thee dear as ever!—dearer!—dearer!
I love thee dearer than I ever did!—
442
Then where's the harm?
Mari.
Where?—everywhere!—The sun
Has turn'd to ice!—There is a haze in the sky,
Chilly and thick, that ne'er will clear away!
The earth is wither'd grass, leaves, flowers, and all!
Women and men are changed, all cheer and comfort
Departed from their faces and their tongues,
To me!—for thou that madest all these to me
Art lost!—
Edw.
Am I not faithful to thee still?
Mari.
Thou art, and I am faithful still to thee!
But!—
Edw.
What?
Mari.
Oh, father!
Rob.
Well thou mayst reproach me!
Mari.
No!—no! I don't reproach thee; tell it him—
Stop! he will know it soon enough—He's here!
Enter Norris and others, dressed as for a Wedding.
Nor.
Marian!—What! Edward living!—Edward here!
Edw.
It dawns upon me! Dawns?—'Tis open day!—
A stormy one, the sky all black, the sea
All foam, all things portending shipwreck! shipwreck
Already come! binnacle wash'd away!
Rudder unshipp'd! not a mast standing! nothing
But the hull! the lonesome, melancholy hull!
With mountains breaking over it!—She's changed!
She's false! she's lost! I live, and she is lost!
Nor.
Come!
Edw.
Will she go to him before my face?
She will!—She does!—Will she go forth with him?
Go forth with him to church, and leave me here?
She's gone!—Come death! Well! I'm ashore again—
That which I long'd for every hour in the day!
Every minute!—Pray'd for! dreamt upon! lived upon!—
More than on food or drink, with hope to get it,
I have got at last!—I am on shore again!
Better be at the bottom of the sea!
What's to be done?—Can anything be done?—
My destiny 's too hard to bear, and yet
I must bear it!—To be mad! O to be mad!—
How can my senses stand it?—What are they made of?
Why don't they go to pieces?—Not one plank
Holding by another! All toss'd here and there
In splinters!—Splinters!—Come, there's comfort in
The knowledge of the cause that wreck'd the ship.
That I will force from her, and then I'll leave her—
Leave everything!—Leave her, leave everything!
[Goes out.
| The Daughter | |