The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume II Part 208

The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume II Part 208

(This way, Don Sandoval) of boyish anger----

(_Walks with SANDOVAL to the back of the Stage._)

_Don Curio (to himself)._ Freaks! freaks! But what if they have sav'd from bursting The swelling heart of one, whose Cup of Hope Was savagely dash'd down--even from his lips?-- 245 Permitted just to see the face of War, Then like a truant boy, scourgd home again One Field my whole Campaign! One glorious Battle To madden one with Hope!--Did he not pause Twice in the fight, and press me to his breastplate, 250 And cry, that all might hear him, Well done, brother!

No blessed Soul, just naturalized in Heaven, Pac'd ever by the side of an Immortal More proudly, Henry! than I fought by thine-- Shame on these tears!--this, too, is boyish anger! [_Exit._ 255

_EARL HENRY and SANDOVAL return to the front of the stage._

_Earl Henry._ I spake more harshly to him, than need was.

_Sandoval._ Observ'd you how he pull'd his beaver down-- Doubtless to hide the tears, he could not check.

_Earl Henry._ Go, sooth [_sic_] him, Friend!--And having reach'd the Castle Gain Oropeza's private ear, and tell her 260 Where you have left me.

(_As SANDOVAL is going_)

Nay, stay awhile with me.

I am too full of dreams to meet her now.

_Sandoval._ You lov'd the daughter of Don Manrique?

_Earl Henry._ Loved?

_Sandoval._ Did you not say, you woo'd her?

_Earl Henry._ Once I lov'd Her whom I dar'd not woo!----

_Sandoval._ And woo'd perchance 265 One whom you lov'd not!

_Earl Henry._ O I were most base Not loving Oropeza. True, I woo'd her Hoping to heal a deeper wound: but she Met my advances with an empa.s.sion'd Pride That kindled Love with Love. And when her Sire 270 Who in his dream of Hope already grasp'd The golden circlet in his hand, rejected My suit, with Insult, and in memory Of ancient Feuds, pour'd Curses on my head, Her Blessings overtook and baffled them. 275 But thou art stern, and with unkindling Countenance Art inly reasoning whilst thou listenest to me.

_Sandoval._ Anxiously, Henry! reasoning anxiously.

But Oropeza--

_Earl Henry._ Blessings gather round her!

Within this wood there winds a secret pa.s.sage, 280 Beneath the walls, which open out at length Into the gloomiest covert of the Garden.-- The night ere my departure to the Army, She, nothing trembling, led me through that gloom, And to the covert by a silent stream, 285 Which, with one star reflected near its marge, Was the sole object visible around me.

The night so dark, so close, the umbrage o'er us!

No leaflet stirr'd;--yet pleasure hung upon us, The gloom and stillness of the balmy night-air. 290 A little further on an arbor stood, Fragrant with flowering Trees--I well remember What an uncertain glimmer in the Darkness Their snow-white Blossoms made--thither she led me, To that sweet bower! Then Oropeza trembled-- 295 I heard her heart beat--if 'twere not my own.

_Sandoval._ A rude and searing note, my friend!

_Earl Henry._ Oh! no!

I have small memory of aught but pleasure.

The inquietudes of fear, like lesser Streams Still flowing, still were lost in those of Love: 300 So Love grew mightier from the Pear, and Nature, Fleeing from Pain, shelter'd herself in Joy.

The stars above our heads were dim and steady, Like eyes suffus'd with rapture. Life was in us: We were all life, each atom of our Frames 305 A living soul--I vow'd to die for her: With the faint voice of one who, having spoken, Relapses into blessedness, I vow'd it: That solemn Vow, a whisper scarcely heard, A murmur breath'd against a lady's Cheek. 310 Oh! there is Joy above the name of Pleasure, Deep self-possession, an intense Repose.

No other than as Eastern Sages feign, The G.o.d, who floats upon a Lotos Leaf, Dreams for a thousand ages; then awaking, 315 Creates a world, and smiling at the bubble, Relapses into bliss. Ah! was that bliss Fear'd as an alien, and too vast for man?

For suddenly, intolerant of its silence, Did Oropeza, starting, grasp my forehead. 320 I caught her arms; the veins were swelling on them.

Thro' the dark Bower she sent a hollow voice;-- 'Oh! what if all betray me? what if thou?'

I swore, and with an inward thought that seemed The unity and substance of my Being, 325 I swore to her, that were she red with guilt, I would exchange my unblench'd state with hers.-- Friend! by that winding pa.s.sage, to the Bower I now will go--all objects there will teach me Unwavering Love, and singleness of Heart. 330 Go, Sandoval! I am prepar'd to meet her-- Say nothing of me--I myself will seek her-- Nay, leave me, friend! I cannot bear the torment And Inquisition of that scanning eye.--

[_Earl Henry retires into the wood._

_Sandoval (alone)._ O Henry! always striv'st thou to be great 335 By thine own act--yet art thou never great But by the Inspiration of great Pa.s.sion.

The Whirl-blast comes, the desert-sands rise up And shape themselves; from Heaven to Earth they stand, As though they were the Pillars of a Temple, 340 Built by Omnipotence in its own honour!

But the Blast pauses, and their shaping spirit Is fled: the mighty Columns were but sand, And lazy Snakes trail o'er the level ruins!

I know, he loves the Queen. I know she is 345 His Soul's first love, and this is ever his nature-- To his first purpose, his soul toiling back Like the poor storm-wreck'd [sailor] to his Boat, Still swept away, still struggling to regain it. [_Exit._

_Herreras._ He dies, that stirs! Follow me this instant. 350

(First Conspirator _takes his arrow, snaps it, and throws it on the ground. The two others do the same._)

_Herreras._ Accursed cowards! I'll go myself, and make sure work (_drawing his Dagger_).

(HERRERAS _strides towards the arbor, before he reaches it, stops and listens and then returns hastily to the front of the stage, as he turns his Back to the Arbor_, EARL HENRY _appears, watching the_ Conspirators, _and enters the Arbor unseen_.)

_First Conspirator._ Has she _seen_ us think you?

_The Mask._ No! she has not _seen_ us; but she heard us distinctly.

_Herreras._ There was a rustling in the wood--go, all of 355 you, stand on the watch--towards the pa.s.sage.

_A Voice from the Arbor._ Mercy! Mercy! Tell me, why you murder me.

_Herreras._ I'll do it first. (_Strides towards the Arbor, EARL HENRY rushes out of it._) 360

_The Mask._ Jesu Maria. (_They all three fly, EARL HENRY attempts to seize HERRERAS, who defending himself retreats into the Covert follow'd by the EARL. THE QUEEN comes from out the arbor, veiled--stands listening a moment, then lifts up her veil, with folded hands a.s.sumes the att.i.tude of Prayer, and after a momentary silence breaks into audible soliloquy._)

_The Queen._ I pray'd to thee, All-wonderful! And thou Didst make my very Prayer the Instrument, By which thy Providence sav'd me. Th' armed Murderer Who with suspended breath stood listening to me, Groan'd as I spake thy name. In that same moment, 365 O G.o.d! thy Mercy shot the swift Remorse That pierc'd his Heart. And like an Elephant Gor'd as he rushes to the first a.s.sault, He turn'd at once and trampled his Employers.

But hark! (_drops her veil_)--O G.o.d in Heaven! they come again. 370

(_EARL HENRY returns with the Dagger in his hand._)

_Earl Henry (as he is entering)._ The violent pull with which I seiz'd his Dagger Unpois'd me and I fell.

[END OF THE FRAGMENT.]

LINENOTES:

[After 88] in which all her wrongs will appear twofold--(or) in a mist of which her Wrongs will wander, magnified into giant shapes. MS.

erased.

[110] After General! And yet I have not stirred from his side. That is to say-- MS. erased.

[Before 211]

Fortune! Plague take her for a blind old Baggage!