 | Gemma of The Isles |  |
Scene I.
—The Ducal Palace. A room overlooking the sea. Zilia and Lorenzo. Courtiers assembled.Lor.
The crowd waits eagerly below to see her.
Will she not come?
Zil.
Still, in her robing room,
Impatiently submits she to the hands
Of her attendant maidens. Whither go you?
Lor.
I will withdraw me to the outer room,
And, lost amid th' assemblage, watch the scene.
I choose not yet to meet her eye in public.
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My fortunate son, I will not leave this isle,
Till I have placed your beauty's hand in yours,
And seen you happy in the latest triumph
Of your ambitious youth. Full hard to please,
My son indeed must be, if not at last
Content with fate.
Lor.
Content is not the word—
I know not if th' uneasy charm which holds me
Have more of joy or trouble, hope or fear.
Zil.
I think you are in love with her bright eyes
Almost as much as her bright diadem.
Is it not so?
Lor.
I love her—yes! and yet
Against my will—so often have I vowed
To love no more.
Zil.
Behold, she comes at last!
[Lorenzo withdraws.
Enter Gemma and Attendants.
Fair Princess, know you that your subjects wait
Eager to see you?
Gem.
Glorious, glorious sea!
Oh, world of wonders! and oh, greatest wonder,
That you should not be always wondering
As I do!
Zil.
Now your long, long dream is over,
'T is time that you no more should look and move
The wild barbaric fairy of the north,
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That humbly worships you, nor must you waste
The hours in raptures o'er the sun and flowers
Of your new realm. Wake, be no more a child!
Gem.
But I am ever, ever in a dream,
And ever, ever happy......
Zil.
Hark!
Nax.
(singing)
Vainly, oh, beautiful mystery, to thee
We crowd with our songs and our lifted up eyes,
Not one golden spark from our star, can we see
Start from behind the blank blueness of skies.
We crowd with our songs and our lifted up eyes,
Not one golden spark from our star, can we see
Start from behind the blank blueness of skies.
Blown light from the sea as a fancy in dreams,
In the dark of the night she stole on our shore;
We saw not, but know it was she, for she seems
To spread a light round us, we felt not before.
In the dark of the night she stole on our shore;
We saw not, but know it was she, for she seems
To spread a light round us, we felt not before.
We saw not, nor see her! we dream pictures of her,
Our hearts round the gates of her palace keep guard,
We gaze with an envying awe on her lover
For whom we behold those great portals unbarred.
Our hearts round the gates of her palace keep guard,
We gaze with an envying awe on her lover
For whom we behold those great portals unbarred.
Zil.
Now let me lead you to the window—come!
Be not afraid! let all the people see you!
Nax.
(singing)
Was it thou, living dream? oh, that rapture of smiles,
That hurry of blushes, that brown gold of hair!
Our own darling orphan, the child of our isles,
Our beauty, our Gemma, was 't thou who stood'st there?
That hurry of blushes, that brown gold of hair!
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Our beauty, our Gemma, was 't thou who stood'st there?
There, in that window! we scarce can believe it,
The frame looks so blank now the picture is gone!
Oh, how we wished that she never might leave it,
But, smiling and blushing, still smile and blush on.
The frame looks so blank now the picture is gone!
Oh, how we wished that she never might leave it,
But, smiling and blushing, still smile and blush on.
Zil.
Where go you, wild one? stay, my Princess, stay!
[Exit Gemma.
Where has she flown? as well call back the blossom
The wind blew from the bough! Fresh from the mermaids,
Be not surprised your pretty little Duchess
Has not yet learnt the civilized code of custom
Which gives the law to life. Hark, there's her voice!
I hear it from that grove of rhododendrons.
| Gemma of The Isles | |