University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

The King's closet at the Louvre. A suite of rooms in perspective at one side.
Baradas—Orleans.
BARADAS.
All smiles! the Cardinal's swoon of yesterday
Heralds his death to-day;—could he survive,
It would not be as minister—so great
The king's resentment at the priest's defiance!
All smiles!—and yet, should this accurs'd De Mauprat
Have given our packet to another—'Sdeath!
I dare not think of it!

ORLEANS.
You've sent to search him?

BARADAS.
Sent, Sir, to search?—that hireling hands may find
Upon him, naked, with its broken seal,
That scroll, whose every word is death! No—no—
These hands alone must clutch that awful secret.
I dare not leave the palace, night or day,
While Richelieu lives—his minions—creatures—spies—
Not one must reach the king!

ORLEANS.
What hast thou done?

BARADAS.
Summon'd De Mauprat hither?

ORLEANS.
Could this Huguet,
Who pray'd thy presence with so fierce a fervour,
Have thieved the scroll?

BARADAS.
Huguet was housed with us,
The very moment we dismiss'd the courier.
It cannot be! a stale trick for reprieve.
But, to make sure, I've sent our trustiest friend
To see and sift him.—Hist! here comes the King—
How fare you, Sire?

Enter Louis.
LOUIS.
In the same mind I have
Decided! yes, he would forbid your presence,
My brother,—your's, my friend,—then Julie, too;
Thwarts—braves—defies— (suddenly turning to Baradas)
We make you minister.
Gaston, for you—the baton of our armies.
You love me, do you not?

ORLEANS.
Oh, love you, Sire?
(aside.)
—Never so much as now.

BARADAS.
May I deserve
Your trust (aside)
—until you sign your abdication!
My liege, but one way left to daunt De Mauprat,
And Julie to divorce.—We must prepare
The death-writ; what, tho' sign'd and seal'd? we can
Withhold the enforcement.

LOUIS.
Ah, you may prepare it;
We need not urge it to effect.

BARADAS.
Exactly!
No haste, my liege (looking at his watch, and aside)
. He may live one hour longer.

(Enter Courtier).
COURTIER.
The Lady Julie, Sire, implores an audience.

LOUIS.
Aha! repentant of her folly!—Well,
Admit her.

BARADAS.
Sire, she comes for Mauprat's pardon,
And the conditions—

LOUIS.
You are minister,
We leave to you our answer.

(As Julie enters,—the Captain of the Archers, by another door,—and whispers Baradas).
CAPTAIN.
The Chevalier
De Mauprat waits below.

BARADAS
(aside).
Now the despatch!

[Exit with Officer.
Enter Julie.
JULIE.
My liege, you sent for me. I come where Grief
Should come when guiltless, while the name of King
Is holy on the earth!—Here, at the feet
Of Power, I kneel for mercy.

LOUIS.
Mercy, Julie,
Is an affair of state. The Cardinal should
In this be your interpreter.

JULIE.
Alas!
I know not if that mighty spirit now
Stoop to the things of earth. Nay, while I speak,
Perchance he hears the orphan by the throne
Where Kings themselves need pardon; O my liege,
Be father to the fatherless; in you
Dwells my last hope!

Enter Baradas.
BARADAS
(aside).
He has not the despatch;
Smiled, while we search'd, and braves me.—Oh!

LOUIS
(gently).
What would'st thou?

JULIE.
A single life.—You reign o'er millions.—What
Is one man's life to you?—and yet to me
'Tis France—'tis earth—'tis everything!—a life—
A human life—my husband's.

LOUIS
(aside).
Speak to her,
I am not marble,—give her hope—or—

BARADAS.
Madam,
Vex not your King, whose heart, too soft for justice,
Leaves to his ministers that solemn charge.

[Louis walks up the stage.]
JULIE.
You were his friend.

BARADAS.
I was before I loved thee.

JULIE.
Loved me!

BARADAS.
Hush, Julie: could'st thou misinterpret
My acts, thoughts, motives, nay, my very words,
Here—in this palace?

JULIE.
Now I know I'm mad;
Even that memory fail'd me.

BARADAS.
I am young,
Well-born and brave as Mauprat:—for thy sake
I peril what he has not—fortune—power;
All to great souls most dazzling. I alone
Can save thee from you tyrant, now my puppet!
Be mine; annul the mockery of this marriage,
And on the day I clasp thee to my breast
De Mauprat shall be free.

JULIE.
Thou durst not speak
Thus in his ear (pointing to Louis).
Thou double traitor!—tremble.
I will unmask thee.

BARADAS.
I will say thou ravest.
And see this scroll! its letters shall be blood!
Go to the King, count with me word for word;
And while you pray the life—I write the sentence!

JULIE.
Stay, stay (rushing to the King).
You have a kind and princely heart,
Tho' sometimes it is silent: you were born
To power—it has not flush'd you into madness,
As it doth meaner men. Banish my husband—
Dissolve our marriage—cast me to that grave
Of human ties, where hearts congeal to ice,
In the dark convent's everlasting winter—
(Surely eno' for justice—hate—revenge)—
But spare this life, thus lonely, scathed, and bloomless;
And when thou stand'st for judgment on thine own,
The deed shall shine beside thee as an angel.

LOUIS
(much affected).
Go, go, to Baradas: annul thy marriage,
And—

JULIE
(anxiously, and watching his countenance).
Be his bride!

LOUIS.
A form, a mere decorum,
Thou know'st I love thee.

JULIE.
O thou sea of shame,
And not one star.

(The King goes up the stage, and passes through the suite of rooms at the side in evident emotion.)
BARADAS.
Well, thy election, Julie;
This hand—his grave!

JULIE.
His grave! and I—

BARADAS.
Can save him.—
Swear to be mine.

JULIE.
That were a bitterer death!
Avaunt, thou tempter! I did ask his life
A boon, and not the barter of dishonour.
The heart can break, and scorn you: wreak your malice;
Adrien and I will leave you this sad earth,
And pass together hand in hand to Heaven!

BARADAS.
You have decided.
[Withdraws to the side scene for a moment, and returns.]
Listen to me, Lady;
I am no base intriguer. I adored thee
From the first glance of those inspiring eyes;
With thee entwined ambition, hope, the future.
I will not lose thee! I can place thee nearest—
Ay, to the throne—nay, on the throne, perchance;
My star is at its zenith. Look upon me;
Hast thou decided?

JULIE.
No, no; you can see
How weak I am: be human, Sir—one moment.

BARADAS
(stamping his foot, De Mauprat appears at the side of the stage, guarded).
Behold thy husband!—Shall he pass to death,
And know thou could'st have saved him?

JULIE.
Adrien, speak!
But say you wish to live!—if not your wife,
Your slave,—do with me as you will?

DE MAUPRAT.
Once more!—
Why this is mercy, Count! Oh, think, my Julie,
Life, at the best, is short,—but love immortal!

BARADAS
(taking Julie's hand).
Ah, loveliest—

JULIE.
Go, that touch has made me iron.
We have decided—death!

BARADAS
(to De Mauprat).
Now, say to whom
Thou gavest the packet, and thou yet shalt live.

DE MAUPRAT.
I'll tell thee nothing!

BARADAS.
Hark,—the rack!

DE MAUPRAT.
Thy penance
For ever, wretch!—What rack is like the conscience?

JULIE.
I shall be with thee soon.

BARADAS
(giving the writ to the Officer).
Hence, to the headsman.

The doors are thrown open. The Huissier announces “His Eminence the Cardinal Duke de Richelieu.”

Enter Richelieu, attended by Gentlemen, Pages, &c., pale, feeble, and leaning on Joseph, followed by three Secretaries of State, attended by Sub-secretaries with papers, &c.

JULIE
(rushing to Richelieu).
You live—you live—and Adrien shall not die!

RICHELIEU.
Not if an old man's prayers, himself near death,
Can aught avail thee, daughter! Count, you now
Hold what I held on earth:—one boon, my Lord,
This soldier's life.

BARADAS.
The stake,—my head!—you said it.
I cannot lose one trick.—Remove your prisoner.

JULIE.
No!—No!—

Enter Louis from the rooms beyond.
RICHELIEU
(to Officer).
Stay, Sir, one moment. My good liege,
Your worn-out servant, willing, Sire, to spare you
Some pain of conscience, would forestall your wishes.
I do resign my office.

DE MAUPRAT.
You!

JULIE.
All's over!

RICHELIEU.
My end draws near. These sad ones, Sire, I love them,
I do not ask his life; but suffer justice
To halt, until I can dismiss his soul,
Charged with an old man's blessing.

LOUIS.
Surely!

BARADAS.
Sire—

LOUIS.
Silence—small favour to a dying servant.

RICHELIEU.
You would consign your armies to the baton
Of your most honour'd brother. Sire, so be it!
Your minister, the Count de Baradas;
A most sagacious choice!—Your Secretaries
Of State attend me, Sire, to render up
The ledgers of a realm.—I do beseech you,
Suffer these noble gentlemen to learn
The nature of the glorious task that waits them,
Here, in my presence.

LOUIS.
You say well, my Lord.
(To Secretaries, as he seats himself.)
Approach, Sirs.

RICHELIEU.
I—I—faint!—air—air—
(Joseph and a gentleman assist him to a sofa, placed beneath a window.)
I thank you—
Draw near, my children.

BARADAS.
He's too weak to question,
Nay, scarce to speak; all's safe.