 | The Physician of his own Honour |  |
SCENE I.
The open country. A public road at one side, and near it a château. The sound of a hunt is heard from within. The Infante DON ENRIQUE enters tottering, and falls upon the stage. A little after, DON ARIAS and DON DIEGO enter; and last of all, the King DON PEDRO, with his attendants.ENRIQUE.
Good Heavens! my brain whirls round and round!
[Falls.
ARÍAS.
May Heaven protect your grace!
KING.
How now?
ARÍAS.
His steed has fallen, I know not how,
And thrown the prince upon the ground.
KING.
If in this manner he doth kneel,
Saluting Seville's ancient towers,
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Had still detained him in Castile.
Enrique! Brother!
DIEGO.
Lord! and chief!
KING.
Does he not move?
ARÍAS.
Alas! like stone
He lies; his pulse and colour gone.
What sad mischance!
DIEGO.
What bitter grief!
KING.
To yonder pretty country-seat
Beside the public way, advance,
Good Don Arías; there, perchance,
The quiet of the calm retreat
May soon the prince's health restore.
Here you can all remain, and see
The end; but bring a horse to me,
For I have yet to travel more:
This accident has made me wait
Too long already. I must try,
Before the light of day doth die,
To reach as far as Seville's gate—
There you can bring the news to me.
[Exit.
ARÍAS.
This single act that now we know,
More than a thousand proofs will show
How stern and hard his heart must be,
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Leaving him without sense or breath,
And struggling in the arms of death?
By heaven!—
DIEGO.
Be silent. Recollect,
That if at times stone walls may hear,
Trees, Don Arías, sometimes see;
Besides, 'tis naught to you or me,
And might, perchance, soon cost us dear.
ARÍAS.
Thou, Don Diego, quickly go
To yonder villa; bring them word
How that the prince, our gracious lord,
Is thrown from off his horse. But no;
Better that in his present state,
We bear the Infante in.
DIEGO.
You give
Good counsel.
ARÍAS.
Let Enrique live,
I ask no other boon of fate!
Exeunt, the attendants bearing the Infante.
| The Physician of his own Honour | |