---

Скачать книгу

---

a morsel to the hungry worms

       Somewhat too early — Where’s the crime of this?

       That this must needs bring on the idiotcy

       Of moist-eyed penitence—’tis like a dream!

      Valdez. Wild talk, my son! But thy excess of feeling —— 105

       Almost I fear it hath unhinged his brain.

      Ordonio (Teresa reappears and advances slowly). Say, I had laid

       a body in the sun!

       Well! in a month there swarm forth from the corse

       A thousand, nay, ten thousand sentient beings

       In place of that one man. — Say, I had kill’d him! 110

      [TERESA stops listening.

      Yet who shall tell me, that each one and all

       Of these ten thousand lives is not as happy,

       As that one life, which being push’d aside,

       Made room for these unnumbered ——

      Valdez. O mere madness!

      [TERESA moves hastily forwards, and places herself

       directly before ORDONIO.

      Ordonio. Teresa? or the phantom of Teresa? 115

      Teresa. Alas! the phantom only, if in truth

       The substance of her being, her life’s life,

       Have ta’en its flight through Alvar’s death-wound —

      [A pause.

      Where —

       (Even coward murder grants the dead a grave)

       O tell me, Valdez! — answer me, Ordonio! 120

       Where lies the corse of my betrothéd husband?

      Ordonio. There, where Ordonio likewise would fain lie!

       In the sleep-compelling earth, in unpierc’d darkness!

       For while we live —

       An inward day that never, never sets, 125

       Glares round the soul, and mocks the closing eyelids!

      Over his rocky grave the fir-grove sighs

       A lulling ceaseless dirge! ‘Tis well with him.

      [Strides off towards the altar, but returns as VALDEZ

       is speaking.

      Teresa. The rock! the fir-grove! [To VALDEZ.

       Did’st thou hear him say it?

       Hush! I will ask him!

      Valdez. Urge him not — not now! 130

       This we beheld. Nor he nor I know more,

       Than what the magic imagery revealed.

       The assassin, who pressed foremost of the three ——

      Ordonio. A tender-hearted, scrupulous, grateful villain,

       Whom I will strangle!

      Valdez. While his two companions —— 135

      Ordonio. Dead! dead already! what care we for the dead?

      Valdez (to Teresa). Pity him! soothe him! disenchant his spirit!

       These supernatural shews, this strange disclosure,

       And this too fond affection, which still broods

       O’er Alvar’s fate, and still burns to avenge it — 140

       These, struggling with his hopeless love for you,

       Distemper him, and give reality

       To the creatures of his fancy.

      Ordonio. Is it so?

       Yes! yes! even like a child, that too abruptly

       Roused by a glare of light from deepest sleep 145

       Starts up bewildered and talks idly.

       Father!

       What if the Moors that made my brother’s grave,

       Even now were digging ours? What if the bolt,

       Though aim’d, I doubt not, at the son of Valdez,

       Yet miss’d its true aim when it fell on Alvar? 150

      Valdez. Alvar ne’er fought against the Moors, — say rather,

       He was their advocate; but you had march’d

       With fire and desolation through their villages. —

       Yet he by chance was captured.

      Ordonio. Unknown, perhaps,

       Captured, yet as the son of Valdez, murdered. 155

       Leave all to me. Nay, whither, gentle lady?

      Valdez. What seek you now?

      Teresa. A better, surer light

       To guide me ——

      Both Valdez and Ordonio. Whither?

      Teresa. To the only place

       Where life yet dwells for me, and ease of heart.

       These walls seem threatening to fall in upon me! 160

       Detain me not! a dim power drives me hence,

       And that will be my guide.

      Valdez. To find a lover!

       Suits that a high-born maiden’s modesty?

       O folly and shame! Tempt not my rage, Teresa!

      Teresa. Hopeless, I fear no human being’s rage. 165

       And am I hastening to the arms —— O Heaven!

       I haste but to the grave of my belov’d!

      [Exit, VALDEZ following after her.

      Ordonio. This, then, is my reward! and I must love her?

       Scorn’d! shudder’d at! yet love her still? yes! yes!

       By the deep feelings of revenge and hate 170

       I will still love her — woo her — win her too! [A pause.

       Isidore safe and silent, and the portrait

       Found on the wizard — he, belike, self-poison’d

       To escape the crueller flames —— My soul shouts triumph!

       The mine is undermined! blood! blood! blood! 175

       They thirst for thy blood! thy blood, Ordonio! [A pause.

       The hunt is up! and in the midnight wood

       With lights to dazzle and with nets they seek

       A timid prey: and lo! the tiger’s eye

       Glares in the red flame of his hunter’s torch! 180

      To Isidore I will dispatch a message,

       And lure him to the cavern! aye, that cavern!

       He cannot fail to find it. Thither I’ll lure him,

       Whence he shall never, never more return!

      [Looks through the side window.

      A rim of the sun lies yet upon the sea, 185

       And now ‘tis gone! All shall be done to-night. [Exit.

      SCENE II] SCENE III. Interior of a Chapel. Edition 1.

      countenance). Editions 1, 2, 3, 1829.

      Was Alvar lost to thee — [Turning off, aloud, but yet as to

       himself.

      Editions 1, 2, 3, 1829.

       Editions 1, 2, 3, 1829.

       3, 1829.

---

Скачать книгу