The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume II Part 32

The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume II Part 32

[After 353] [Stage-direction] _Alhadra (to Naomi, who advances from the circle)._ Remorse.

[359] house] sons MS. III. Wet with the life-blood of the son of Valdez Remorse.

[After 359] _Enter_ Warville. MS. III.

[_A pause._

Ordonio was your chieftain's murderer

Remorse.

[360-70] Erased MS. III.

[360-75] om. Remorse.

[373-80] Erased MS. III.

[375] Stage-direction _All (kneeling)._ Remorse.

[After 375] _Alhadra._ This night your chieftain armed himself Remorse.

[Affixed to 375] (not in S. T. C.'s handwriting) and erased:

_Naomi._ Proceed, proceed, Alhadra.

_Alhadra._ Yestermorning He stood before our house, startful and gloomy, And stirr'd up fierce dispute with Ferdinand, I saw him when the vehement Gripe of Conscience Had wrenched his features to a visible agony.

When he was gone Ferdinand sighed out 'Villain'

And spake no other word.

_Warville (mournfully)._ The brother of Albert.

MS. III erased.

[_Note._--Warville was a character introduced into the deleted pa.s.sage 360-70, the name being always altered by S. T. C. to 'Maurice'.]

[376-84] om. Remorse.

[384] its] their Corr. in MS. III.

[386] _there_] there Remorse.

[388] a pause] a while Remorse.

[397] Stage-direction om. Remorse.

[399] A brief while] A little while Corr. in MS. III erased.

[402] G.o.d] Heaven Remorse.

[404] _light_] light Remorse.

[405] _hideous_] hideous Remorse.

[407] while] whilst Remorse.

[409] Erased MS. III. _Naomi._ Comfort her, Alla! Remorse.

[414] go] onward Remorse.

[421] his] the MS. III.

[After 425

_All._ Away! away! [_She rushes off, all following her._

Remorse.

ACT THE FIFTH

SCENE THE FIRST.--_The Sea Sh.o.r.e._

_NAOMI and a_ Moresco.

_Moresco._ This was no time for freaks of useless vengeance.

_Naomi._ True! but Francesco, the Inquisitor, Thou know'st the bloodhound--'twas a strong temptation.

And when they pa.s.s'd within a mile of his house, We could not curb them in. They swore by Mahomet, 5 It were a deed of treachery to their brethren To sail from Spain and leave that man alive.

_Moresco._ Where is Alhadra?

_Naomi._ She moved steadily on Unswerving from the path of her resolve.

Yet each strange object fix'd her eye: for grief 10 Doth love to dally with fantastic shapes, And smiling, like a sickly moralist, Gives some resemblance of her own concerns To the straws of chance, and things inanimate.

I seek her here; stand thou upon the watch. 15

[_Exit_ Moresco.

_Naomi (looking wistfully to the distance)._ Stretch'd on the rock!

It must be she--Alhadra!

[_ALHADRA rises from the rock, and advances slowly, as if musing._

_Naomi._ Once more, well met! what ponder'st thou so deeply?

_Alhadra._ I scarce can tell thee! For my many thoughts Troubled me, till with blank and naked mind I only listen'd to the dashing billows. 20 It seems to me, I could have closed my eyes And wak'd without a dream of what has pa.s.s'd; So well it counterfeited quietness, This wearied heart of mine!