The Complete Works of John Keats: Poems, Plays & Personal Letters. John Keats
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To be so tam’d, so
Gersa. Do me the courtesy
Gentlemen to pass on.
Courtier.
We are your servants.
[Exeunt Courtiers.
Ludolph.
It seems then, Sir, you have found out the man
You would confer with; me?
Gersa.
If I break not
Too much upon your thoughtful mood, I will
Claim a brief while your patience.
Ludolph.
For what cause
Soe’er I shall be honour ‘d.
Gersa.
I not less.
Ludolph. What may it be? No trifle can take place
Of such deliberate prologue, serious ‘haviour.
But be it what it may I cannot fail
To listen with no common interest
For though so new your presence is to me,
I have a soldier’s friendship for your fame
Please you explain.
Gersa.
As thus for, pardon me,
I cannot in plain terms grossly assault
A noble nature ; and would faintly sketch
What your quick apprehension will fill up
So finely I esteem you.
Ludolph.
I attend
Gersa. Your generous Father, most illustrious Otho,
Sits in the Banquet room among his chiefs
His wine is bitter, for you are not there
His eyes are fix’d still on the open doors,
And every passer in he frowns upon
Seeing no Ludolph comes.
Ludolph.
I do neglect
Gersa. And for your absence, may I guess the cause?
Ludolph.
Stay there! no guess? more princely you must be
Than to make guesses at me. ’Tis enough,
I’m sorry I can hear no more.
Gersa.
And I
As griev’d to force it on you so abrupt;
Yet one day you must know a grief whose sting
Will sharpen more the longer ’tis concealed.
Ludolph.
Say it at once, sir, dead, dead, is she dead?
Gersa.
Mine is a cruel task : she is not dead
And would for your sake she were innocent
Ludolph. Thou liest! thou amazest me beyond
All scope of thought; convulsest my heart’s blood
To deadly churning Gersa you are young
As I am ; let me observe you face to face ;
Not grey-brow’d like the poisonous Ethelbert,
No rheumed eyes, no furrowing of age,
No wrinkles where all vices nestle in
Like crannied vermin no, but fresh and young
And hopeful featured. Ha! by heaven you weep
Tears, human tears Do you repent you then
Of a curs’d torturer’s office! Why shouldst join
Tell me, the league of Devils? Confess confess
The Lie.
Gersa.
Lie!- but begone all ceremonious points
Of honour battailous. I could not turn
My wrath against thee for the orbed world.
Ludolph.
Your wrath, weak boy? Tremble at mine unless
Retraction follow close upon the heels
Of that late stounding insult: why has my sword
Not done already a sheer judgment on thee?
Despair, or eat thy words. Why, thou wast nigh
Whimpering away my reason: hark ye, Sir,
It is no secret; that Erminia,
Erminia, Sir, was hidden in your tent;
O bless ‘d asylum! comfortable home!
Begone, I pity thee, thou art a Gull
Erminia’s last new puppet
Gersa. Furious fire!
Thou mak’st me boil as hot as thou canst flame!
And in thy teeth I give thee back the lie!
Thou liest! Thou, Auranthe’s fool, a wittol
Ludolph. Look! look at this bright sword;
There is no part of it to the very hilt
But shall indulge itself about thine heart
Draw but remember thou must cower thy plumes,
As yesterday the Arab made thee stoop
Gersa. Patience! not here, I would not spill thy blood
Here underneath this roof where Otho breathes,
Thy father almost mine
Ludolph. O faltering coward
Re-enter PAGE.
Stay, stay, here is one I have half a word with
Well What ails thee child?
Page.
My lord,
Ludolph. Good fellow
Page. They are fled!
Ludolph.
They who?
Page.
When anxiously
I hasten ‘d back, your grieving messenger,
I found the stairs all dark, the lamps extinct,
And not a foot or whisper to be heard.
I thought her dead, and on the lowest step
Sat listening; when presently came by
Two muffled up, one sighing heavily,
The other cursing low, whose voice I knew
For the Duke Conrad’s. Close I follow’d them
Thro’ the dark ways they chose to the open air;
And, as I follow’d, heard my lady speak.
Ludolph.
Thy life answers the truth!
Page.
The chamber’s empty!
Ludolph.
As I will be of mercy! So, at last,
This nail is in my temples!
Gersa.
Be calm in this.
Ludolph. I am.
Gersa.
And Albert too has disappeared;
Ere I met you, I sought him everywhere ;