 | The Secret in Words |  |
262
SCENE IV.
—THE GARDEN NEAR THE BRIDGE— NIGHT.LAURA.
Oh! thou cold, fatal shadow of the night,
The cradle and the sepulchre of light;
If all the crimes of love, from age to age,
Were written on thy dark and mourning page,
Then would as many tales be read on high,
As there are sapphire planets in the sky.
There, too, perchance, my destiny is drawn,
To fade and vanish in the coming dawn.
There in thy shining annals may be read
The fate of one like me, who thus doth tread
Blindly the jealous shadows of despair.
But thy impartial pages would declare
The cause, and thus to every eye discover
A tyrant father, and a hated lover;
A jealous mistress too. But oh, dread fear!
My love, my life, my lord, my Frederick dear,
Why dost thou now delay? why make this wild unrest?
Alas! how fear afflicts the expectant breast!—
What can have happened to him? Ah! my woes,
How soon a fatal reason you suppose—
That he has changed (O pitying Heavens above!)
Because Flerida has declared her love:—
Were it not better that you should suggest
No fault like this could stain so pure a breast—
And that some accident must interfere
To hold him back, and keep me waiting here?—
But not with ease, the mind its fear resigns,
To trust the good and doubt the evil signs:—
How does it happen, let me ask, that joy
Lives in our hearts less honoured than annoy?
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That joy alone can answer love with lies;
While grief's foreboding ever seemeth true,
We know not why they do so, but they do.
Enter FLERIDA, without perceiving Laura.
FLERIDA.
Fabio told me that his master
Bade him in the park await him;
Which doth clearly prove his mistress
Dwelleth somewhere in the palace.
Laura went to rest so early,
That I had not time to order
Her attendance in the garden;
And as I could trust none other,
I have been compelled to venture
Here alone, for fear Arnesto
May have failed in what I ordered.
Ah! if I may trust the lustre,
Shining through the trembling branches,
From the azure planets yonder,
I can recognise some person.
Who is there?
LAURA,
aside.
It is Flerida!
Now my subtle wit assist me:—
Tell me who is that that's waiting?
[Aloud.
For her highness has commanded
I should learn who is the person
That, protected by the darkness,
In the precincts of her palace,
Treats her with so much dishonour.
FLERIDA.
Laura, do not speak so loudly.
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Who are you?
FLERIDA.
I am Flerida.
LAURA.
You, Señora? how does't happen
That at such an hour I see you?
FLERIDA.
Having all the day forgotten
To request you—
LAURA,
aside.
How I tremble!
FLERIDA.
To come hither, I considered
It were best to come myself here.
LAURA.
Oh! you wrong me, dear Señora:
Is it not enough to tell me
Once the object of your wishes,
Without giving me each moment
Special orders for my guidance?
Furthermore, I had this evening
Other reasons for my coming.
FLERIDA.
What were these?
LAURA.
Beneath my window,
Which upon the park doth open,
I could hear the tramp of horses;
And the novelty induced me
To descend and search the garden.
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What you tell me is in keeping
With my private information;
For your zeal I'm very grateful.
Did you in the park discover
Anything that seemed peculiar?
LAURA.
I saw nothing whatsoever
Of the person that I looked for.
But you can retire, Señora,
Now that I am here; believe me
Nothing shall escape my searching.
FLERIDA.
Be it so, but you remain here.
LAURA.
Certainly.
[Some one knocks.
FLERIDA.
What means this knocking?
LAURA.
Many times the wind deceives one.
[Knocking repeated.
FLERIDA.
This is surely no deception:
Open and reply.
LAURA.
Señora?
FLERIDA.
Open; and to give you courage,
I myself shall stand beside you.
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And the name of her he seeketh,
If he should but chance to name her.
LAURA.
But my voice is too familiar.
FLERIDA.
You can slightly change your accent—
Come, I say.
LAURA,
aside.
Oh! never, never,
Was there such a cruel precept!
How shall I support the double
Part assigned me in this drama,
When the night forbids my using
Our ingenious secret cipher?
FLERIDA.
Why thus tremble?
LAURA.
Lest they know me
When I speak.
FLERIDA.
What groundless terror!
Come, I say—
LAURA.
Who's there?
[Opens the window of the trellis.
FREDERICK, within.
FREDERICK.
A wretched,
Dying man, divinest Laura!
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Did I not declare, Señora,
That I would be known the moment
That I spoke—you see't has happened
At the first word that I uttered.
FLERIDA.
Yes, and that is little wonder;
I too would have known you, Laura.
LAURA.
Cavalier, since you do know me,
You do also know for certain
That I'm not the wished-for lady,
Whom your hopes are here expecting—
Go away, and thank your fortune
That my much-offended honour
Takes no deeper mode of vengeance
Than to close the window on you.
[Closes the window.
FREDERICK.
My life, my soul, my dearest Laura,
My love, indeed, I am not guilty—
My tardiness was forced upon me—
Listen, lady, though you kill me,
Or I will myself destroy me!
LAURA,
to Flerida.
Why do you compel my speaking?
When just now I told you—
FLERIDA.
Silence!
LAURA.
If my father, or Lisardo
Could have known.
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Speak not so loudly.
LAURA,
aside.
Who e'er felt so strange a torture?
FREDERICK.
Hear me, though you kill me after—
Once again, my beauteous Laura.
[Flerida opens the window.
FLERIDA.
What then would you wish to tell me?
FREDERICK.
That Flerida's jealous anger
Sent to me your sire, Arnesto,
Who, by force of arms, detained me
All the evening in my chamber,
So that till this moment, dearest,
I could not come here.—Why linger?
In the park our horses tarry.
From the duke I carry letters,
Which will gain us full protection
In his royal court of Mantua.
Come with me—what, though the morning
Glimmers o'er the eastern mountains—
Once with thee upon the journey,
I shall fear no interruption.
LAURA,
aside.
If a word he could have added,
He would not have stopped! I perish!
FLERIDA.
Frederick, it is too near morning
Now to think of going with you;
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Once again your prison chamber,
And, perhaps a kinder fortune
May befriend us on to-morrow.
FREDERICK.
Thou, my life, my soul, for ever
Shall I study to obey thee;
But thou art not angry with me?
FLERIDA.
Not with thee, but with my planet!
Now adieu!
[Closes the grating.
FREDERICK.
Adieu!
[Exit.
FLERIDA.
So, Laura ......
LAURA.
Lady!
FLERIDA.
Tell me naught,
For of nothing do I ask you:—
Jealousy will strike me dead!
[Aside.
LAURA.
But consider ......
FLERIDA.
Lead the way;
Here we can remain no longer.
LAURA,
aside.
How I tremble at her vengeance!
FLERIDA.
I shall show the world, I am
Who I am:—now let us enter.
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aside.
Ah! unhappy:—since to-day
Every hope of mine hath perished!
The garden-gate is opened, and ARNESTO, FABIO, and the guard enter. Day begins to dawn.
FLERIDA.
But who opes the garden-gate
At this early hour of morning?
LAURA.
If the light, which yet doth tremble
Doubtfully, doth not deceive,
One among them is my father.
FLERIDA.
Yes, 'tis he; let us remain,—
To find out with what intention
Thus he comes so early.
LAURA,
aside.
Heaven!
Guard my life, my fame, my honour.
[They retire.
ARNESTO.
Fabio, you have now to tell me
With what purpose you were waiting
With two horses in the park.
FABIO.
First your lordship will take notice
That I never in my lifetime
Ever did a thing on purpose—
Being a very different person
From a man of purpose.
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What
Kept you waiting there, I ask you?
FABIO.
Why, as I would, some time longer,
Sit at table with my master,
I must do as he commands.
ARNESTO.
Say, with whom did Frederick quarrel
Yesterday?
FABIO.
It must have been
With his lady, since the period
Of her meeting him is past.
ARNESTO.
I will make you tell me truly
All you know. Do not imagine
That you can escape me.
FABIO.
So
Said a doctor once, when hunting,
To a man who came to say,
Look! Sir, there a hare is lying
In its bed.—Your worship lend
Me your arquebuse to shoot her,
E'er she rises from her form:—
In a loud voice thus he answer'd,—
Have no fear that she will rise,
Since she's lying in her bed,
And the doctor called to see her—
Think you she will e'er get up?
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Fabio, I am glad to find you
In so light and gay a mood.
FABIO.
'Tis my nature.
ARNESTO,
perceiving the Duchess.
Ah! Señora,
Art thou here?
FLERIDA.
My griefs have drawn me
To the garden: what is this?
ARNESTO.
Anxious to obey your orders,
Frederick, I, this night confined,
Since I could by no manœuvre
Keep him quietly at home.
Having left him safely guarded
In his house, without the danger
Of his making his escape ......
FLERIDA.
Ay! 'tis evident how strictly
He was guarded.
ARNESTO.
I went seeking
Through the park, to meet the man
Who was waiting for his coming,
And the only one I found,
Was his servant, Fabio, standing
With two horses; wishing then
That the news of his confinement
Would not be divulged by him,
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To my quarters, through this gate
(Since a master-key I carry),
And secure him there.
FABIO.
What crime
Is it to be found, your worship,
Holding horses?
ARNESTO.
What must I
Do with him and with his servant?
FLERIDA.
You must here bring Frederick,
Since my only motive was
To prevent a great misfortune;
And as I, or more, or less
Know enough of its occasion,
I can bear to see him now:
And you may set free the servant.
FABIO.
I a thousand kisses tender
To your feet.
ARNESTO.
I bring him here.
[Exit, with guard.
LAURA.
Lady! what is thy intention?
Oh! be kind to my good name!—
FLERIDA.
Let me, Laura ......
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HENRY.
If a stranger
May presume to ask a boon
Of your kind consideration,—
Frederick's pardon let it be,
And his freedom too.
FLERIDA.
'Tis nothing
That you ask me, since in all things
He is free as thought could wish:—
But, of this inform me, Henry,
Have you had to-day a letter
From the duke?
HENRY.
Señora, no.
FLERIDA.
Then, I have.
HENRY,
aside.
A strange invention!
FLERIDA.
And in it the duke has written,
That your quarrel is arranged,
And all difficulties settled;—
So that you, to-morrow morning,
May from Parma go, since naught
Needs your longer stay in Parma.
HENRY.
Though, Señora, from the duke,
I, indeed, received no letter,
I have had one from a friend,
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To go hence, for still my dearest
Hopes are all unrealized.
FLERIDA.
That is what your friend has written,
This again is what I say—
That you go to-morrow morning
Forth from Parma; nothing needs
Here your stay, and there you're needed.
HENRY,
aside.
What a courteous style, O Heavens!
Doth Flerida use in driving
Me from all my hope and her!
Enter LISARDO.
LISARDO.
Let me kiss your hand, O sovereign
Goddess of this verdant sphere!—
Let me kiss the hand of Laura,
As the earnest of my joy—
Since the hoped-for dispensation,
Which for ages hath my love
Long awaited, in these letters
Has arrived!
FLERIDA,
aside.
Most opportunely
Has it come ......
LAURA,
aside.
O final sorrow!
FLERIDA.
Since to-day I have ......
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ARNESTO.
Señora,
Here is Frederick.
FREDERICK.
I wait
Your commands, your highness.
FLERIDA.
Give
Here a husband's hand to Laura,
For I conquer now myself;
And the world may know the reason.
ARNESTO and LISARDO.
What say you?
FLERIDA.
I am who I am.
ARNESTO.
But Señora, thou forgettest
That my honour thou dost wrong?
LISARDO.
Do you not reflect, Señora,
That you wrong my fondest love?
FLERIDA.
This, Lisardo, this, Arnesto,
Both of them require.
ARNESTO.
And this—
Did my honour need new reasons—
Why I never could consent—
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Never shall the voice of rumour
Dare to whisper, dare to utter,
That for any secret reason
Did my Laura, Frederick wed.
FREDERICK.
Be it public, be it secret,
Have you aught against me?
ARNESTO.
No:—
'Tis enough that I dislike it.
FREDERICK.
It may be enough for grief,
Not enough though to offend you:—
You besides have made a promise
Laura's hand to give me now.
ARNESTO.
I?
FREDERICK.
'Tis true.
FLERIDA.
And when?
FREDERICK.
Last evening
In my chamber, when you said,
That you would induce the person
Who had written unto me,
And who then was waiting for me,
To present me with her hand:—
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That for thee is quite enough.
LISARDO.
Yes, for him, but not for me!—
For my life shall not be backward
To defend its dearest rights.
[Puts his hand to his sword.
FLERIDA.
How's this?
FREDERICK.
And mine too, to sustain them.
ARNESTO.
I am at thy side, Lisardo.
HENRY,
to Frederick.
And I at thine.
FLERIDA,
aside.
O bitter pain!
But if love has learned to cause it,
Honour be the remedy:—
If—because it is my pleasure—
[Aloud.
My command is not enough,
Let it be enough to tell thee,
That at Frederick's side doth stand
The duke of Mantua.
ARNESTO.
Who, Señora?
HENRY.
I, who serving fair Flerida,
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I, who Frederick and Laura
Thus am happy to defend.
FLERIDA.
And I also, that the world
May behold my moderation,
Even my passion doth exceed.
ARNESTO.
Since, Lisardo, duke and duchess
Thus protect them, thus defend them,
Nothing more my honour needeth,—
I must favour them likewise.
LISARDO.
Though the loss to me is mighty,
Equal is the consolation,
That I see her heart's affections
Ever were to Frederick given.
HENRY
to Flerida.
And I, too, thus humbly kneeling
At thy feet, implore thee, lady,
To reward my love, my pains.
FLERIDA.
Take my hand: for I am anxious,
Once, of who I was, forgetful,
Now to think of who I am.
LAURA.
Heaven my dearest hope fulfilleth!
FREDERICK.
Now my bliss, completeth heaven!
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Oh! how many times! how often
Was I on the point of saying
That the mistress of my master
Was the lovely lady, Laura:
But the Secret now is uttered
Out in words—as is the title
Of our play, whose faults to pardon
Humbly at thy feet we pray.
| The Secret in Words | |