---

Скачать книгу

---

sword!

       What boots a weapon in a wither’d arm?

       I fix mine eye upon thee, and thou tremblest!

       I speak — and fear and wonder crush thy rage, 185

       And turn it to a motionless distraction!

       Thou blind self-worshipper! thy pride, thy cunning,

       Thy faith in universal villainy,

       Thy shallow sophisms, thy pretended scorn

       For all thy human brethren — out upon them! 190

       What have they done for thee? Have they given thee peace?

       Cured thee of starting in thy sleep? or made

       The darkness pleasant, when thou wakest at midnight?

       Art happy when alone? can’st walk by thyself

       With even step, and quiet cheerfulness? 195

       Yet, yet thou mayst be saved.

      Osorio (stupidly reiterating the word). Saved? saved?

      Albert. One pang —

       Could I call up one pang of true remorse!

      Osorio. He told me of the babe, that prattled to him,

       His fatherless little ones! Remorse! remorse!

       Where gott’st thou that fool’s word? Curse on remorse! 200

       Can it give up the dead, or recompact

       A mangled body — mangled, dash’d to atoms!

       Not all the blessings of an host of angels

       Can blow away a desolate widow’s curse;

       And tho’ thou spill thy heart’s blood for atonement, 205

       It will not weigh against an orphan’s tear.

      Albert (almost overcome by his feelings). But Albert ——

      Osorio. Ha! it

       chokes thee in the throat,

       Even thee! and yet, I pray thee, speak it out.

       Still Albert! Albert! Howl it in mine ear!

       Heap it, like coals of fire, upon my heart! 210

       And shoot it hissing through my brain!

      Albert. Alas —

       That day, when thou didst leap from off the rock

       Into the waves, and grasp’d thy sinking brother,

       And bore him to the strand, then, son of Velez!

       How sweet and musical the name of Albert! 215

       Then, then, Osorio! he was dear to thee,

       And thou wert dear to him. Heaven only knows

       How very dear thou wert! Why didst thou hate him?

       O Heaven! how he would fall upon thy neck,

       And weep forgiveness!

      Osorio. Spirit of the dead! 220

       Methinks I know thee! Ha! — my brain turns wild

       At its own dreams — off — off, fantastic shadow!

      Albert (seizing his hand). I fain would tell thee what I am,

       but dare not!

      Osorio (retiring from him). Cheat, villain, traitor! whatsoe’er

       thou be

       I fear thee, man!

      [He starts, and stands in the attitude of listening.

      And is this too my madness? 225

      Albert. It is the step of one that treads in fear

       Seeking to cheat the echo.

      Osorio. It approaches —

       This nook shall hide me.

      [MARIA enters from a plank which slips to and fro.

      Maria. I have put aside

       The customs and the terrors of a woman,

       To work out thy escape. Stranger! begone, 230

       And only tell me what thou know’st of Albert.

      [ALBERT takes her portrait from his neck, and gives it

       her with unutterable tenderness.

      Albert. Maria! my Maria!

      Maria. Do not mock me.

       This is my face — and thou — ha! who art thou?

       Nay, I will call thee Albert!

      [She falls upon his neck. OSORIO leaps out from the

       nook with frantic wildness, and rushes towards

       ALBERT with his sword. MARIA gapes at him, as

       one helpless with terror, then leaves ALBERT,

       and flings herself upon OSORIO, arresting his

       arm.

      Maria. Madman, stop!

      Albert (with majesty and tenderness). Does then this thin

       disguise impenetrably 235

       Hide Albert from thee? Toil and painful wounds,

       And long imprisonment in unwholesome dungeons,

       Have marr’d perhaps all trace and lineament

       Of what I was! But chiefly, chiefly, brother!

       My anguish for thy guilt. Spotless Maria, 240

       I thought thee guilty too! Osorio, brother!

       Nay, nay, thou shalt embrace me!

      Osorio (drawing back and gazing at Albert with a countenance

       expressive at once of awe and terror). Touch me not!

       Touch not pollution, Albert! — I will die!

      [He attempts to fall on his sword. ALBERT and MARIA

       struggle with him.

      Albert. We will invent some tale to save your honour.

       Live, live, Osorio!

      Maria. You may yet be happy. 245

      Osorio (looking at Maria). O horror! Not a thousand years in

       heaven

       Could recompose this miserable heart,

       Or make it capable of one brief joy.

       Live! live! — why yes! ‘Twere well to live with you —

       For is it fit a villain should be proud? 250

       My brother! I will kneel to you, my brother!

      [Throws himself at ALBERT’S feet.

      Forgive me, Albert! — Curse me with forgiveness!

      Albert. Call back thy soul, my brother! and look round thee.

       Now is the time for greatness. Think that Heaven ——

      Maria. O mark his eye! he hears not what you say. 255

      Osorio (pointing at vacancy). Yes, mark his eye! there’s

       fascination in it.

       Thou said’st thou didst not know him. That is he!

       He comes upon me!

      Albert (lifting his eye to heaven). Heal, O heal him, Heaven!

      Osorio. Nearer and nearer! And I cannot stir!

       Will no one hear these stifled groans, and wake me? 260

       He would have died to save me, and I kill’d him —

       A husband and a father!

      Maria. Some secret poison

      

---

Скачать книгу