Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

unfaithful profile of one,* who still lives, nobilitate felix, arte clarior, vitâ colendissimus.

ZULIMEZ (speaking of Alvar in the third person).
Such was the noble Spaniard's own relation.
He told me, too, how in his early youth,
And his first travels, 't was his choice or chance
To make long sojourn in sea-wedded Venice;
There won the love of that divine old man,
Courted by mightiest kings, the famous Titian!
Who, like a second and more lovely Nature,
By the sweet mystery of lines and colors,
Changed the blank canvas to a magic mirror,
That made the Absent present; and to Shadows
Gave light, depth, substance, bloom, yea, thought and
motion.

He loved the old man, and revered his art:
And though of noblest birth and ample fortune,
The young enthusiast thought it no scorn
But this inalienable ornament,

To be his pupil, and with filial zeal

By practice to appropriate the sage lessons,
Which the gay, smiling old man gladly gave.
The Art, he honor'd thus, requited him:
And in the following and calamitous years
Beguiled the hours of his captivity.

[blocks in formation]

SELMA.

My husband's father told it me,

Poor old Sesina-angels rest his soul!
He was a woodman, and could fell and saw
With lusty arm. You know that huge round beam
Which props the hanging wall of the old Chapel ?
Beneath that tree, while yet it was a tree,

He found a baby wrapt in mosses, lined
With thistle-beards, and such small locks of wool
As hang on brambles. Well, he brought him home,
And reared him at the then Lord Valdez' cost.
And so the babe grew up a pretty boy,

A pretty boy, but most unteachable-
He never learnt a prayer, nor told a bead,

But knew the names of birds, and mock'd their notes,
And whistled, as he were a bird himself:
And all the autumn 't was his only play

To gather seeds of wild flowers, and to plant them
With earth and water on the stumps of trees.

A Friar, who gather'd simples in the wood,

A gray-hair'd man, he loved this little boy:

The boy loved him, and, when the friar taught him,
He soon could write with the pen; and from that time
Lived chiefly at the Convent or the Castle.

So he became a rare and learned youth:

But O poor wretch! he read, and read, and read,
Till his brain turn'd; and ere his twentieth year
He had unlawful thoughts of many things:
And though he pray'd, he never loved to pray
With holy men, nor in a holy place.
But yet his speech, it was so soft and sweet,
The late Lord Valdez ne'er was wearied with him.
And once, as by the north side of the chapel
They stood together; chain'd in deep discourse,
The earth heaved under them with such a groan,
That the wall totter'd, and had well-nigh fallen
Right on their heads. My Lord was sorely frighten'd;
A fever seized him, and he made confession
Of all the heretical and lawless talk
Which brought this judgment: so the youth was seized,
And cast into that hole. My husband's father
Sobb'd like a child-it almost broke his heart:
And once as he was working near this dungeon,
He heard a voice distinctly; 't was the youth's,
Who sung a doleful song about green fields,
How sweet it were on lake or wide savanna
To hunt for food, and be a naked man,
And wander up and down at liberty.
He always doted on the youth, and now
His love grew desperate; and defying death,
He made that cunning entrance I described,
And the young man escaped.

TERESA.

"Tis a sweet tale: Such as would lull a listening child to sleep, His rosy face besoil'd with unwiped tears. And what became of him?

SELMA.

He went on shipboard With those bold voyagers who made discovery Of golden lands. Sesina's younger brother Went likewise, and when he return'd to Spain, He told Sesina, that the poor mad youth, Soon after they arrived in that new world, In spite of his dissuasion, seized a boat, And all alone set sail by silent moonlight Up a great river, great as any sea,

And ne'er was heard of more: but 'tis supposed, He lived and died among the savage men.

Zapolya;

A CHRISTMAS TALE.

IN TWO PARTS.

Πὰρ πυρὶ χρὴ τοιαῦτα λέγειν χειμῶνος ἐν ὥρᾳ.

Apud ATHENÆUM.

ADVERTISEMENT.

But Raab Kiuprili moves with such a gait?
Lo! e'en this eager and unwonted haste
But agitates, not quells, its majesty.
My patron! my commander! yes, 't is he!
Call out the guards. The Lord Kiuprili comes.
Drums beat, etc. the Guard turns out. Enter RAAB
KIUPRILI.

THE form of the following dramatic poem is in hum-
ble imitation of the Winter's Tale of Shakspeare,
except that I have called the first part a Prelude in-
stead of a first Act, as a somewhat nearer resem-
blance to the plan of the ancients, of which one
specimen is left us in the Eschylian Trilogy of the
Agamemnon, the Orestes, and the Eumenides. Though
a matter of form merely, yet two plays, on different
periods of the same tale, might seem less bold, than
an interval of twenty years between the first and
second act. This is, however, in mere obedience to
custom. The effect does not, in reality, at all de-
pend on the Time of the interval; but on a very dif-
ferent principle. There are cases in which an inter-
val of twenty hours between the acts would have a Thus sudden from the camp, and unattended!
worse effect (i. e. render the imagination less disposed What may these wonders prophesy ?
to take the position required) than twenty years in

RAAB KIUPRILI (making a signal to stop the drums, etc.)
Silence! enough! This is no time, young friend!
For ceremonious dues. This summoning drum,
Th' air-shattering trumpet, and the horseman's clatter,
Are insults to a dying sovereign's ear.
Soldiers, 't is well! Retire! your general greets you,
His loyal fellow-warriors.
[Guards retire.

other cases.

For the rest, I shall be well content if

CHEF RAGOZZI.

Pardon my surprise.

RAAB KIUPRILI.

Tell me first,

my readers will take it up, read and judge it, as a How fares the king? His majesty still lives? Christmas tale.

CHARACTERS.

MEN.

EMERICK, usurping King of Illyria.
RAAB KIUPRILI, an Illyrian Chieftain.
CASIMIR, Son of Kiuprili.

CHEF RAGOZZI, a Military Commander
WOMAN.

ZAPOLYA, Queen of Illyria.

ZAPOLYA.

PART I.

THE PRELUDE, ENTITLED, "THE USURP-
ER'S FORTUNE."

SCENE I.

Front of the Palace with a magnificent Colonnade. On one side a military Guard-House. Sentries pacing backward and forward before the Palace. CHEF RAGOZZI, at the door of the Guard-House, as looking forwards at some object in the distance.

CHEF RAGOZZI.

My eyes deceive me not, it must be he!

Who but our chief, my more than father, who

CHEF RAGOZZI.

We know no otherwise; but Emerick's friends
(And none but they approach him) scoff at hope.

RAAB KIUPRILI.

Ragozzi! I have rear'd thee from a child,

And as a child I have rear'd thee. Whence this air
Of mystery? That face was wont to open

Clear as the morning to me, showing all things.
Hide nothing from me.

CHEF RAGOZZI.

O most loved, most honor'd,

The mystery that struggles in my looks,
Betray'd my whole tale to thee, if it told thee

That I am ignorant; but fear the worst.
And mystery is contagious. All things here
Are full of motion: and yet all is silent:

And bad men's hopes infect the good with fears.
RAAB KIUPRILI (his hand to his heart).

I have trembling proof within, how true thou speakest.

CHEF RAGOZZI.

That the prince Emerick feasts the soldiery,
Gives splendid arms, pays the commanders' debts,
And (it is whisper'd) by sworn promises
Makes himself debtor-hearing this, thou hast heard
All-
(Then in a subdued and saddened voice.)
But what my Lord will learn too soon himself.

RAAB KIUPRILI.

Ha-Well then, let it come! Worse scarce can

come.

This letter, written by the trembling hand
Of royal Andreas, calls me from the camp

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

CHEF RAGOZZI.

Thou!

This life of mine, O take it, Lord Kiuprili!
I give it as a weapon to thy hands,

Mine own no longer. Guardian of Illyria,
Useless to thee, 'tis worthless to myself.
Thou art the framer of my nobler being:
Nor does there live one virtue in my soul,
One honorable hope, but calls thee father.
Yet ere thou dost resolve, know that yon palace
Is guarded from within, that each access

Is throng'd by arm'd conspirators, watch'd by ruffians
Pamper'd with gifts, and hot upon the spoil
Which that false promiser still trails before them.
I ask but this one boon-reserve my life
Till I can lose it for the realm and thee!
RAAB KIUPRILI.

My heart is rent asunder. O my country,
O fallen Illyria! stand I here spell-bound?

Did my King love me? Did I earn his love?
Have we embraced as brothers would embrace?
Was I his arm, his thunder-bolt? And now
Must I, hag-ridden, pant as in a dream?
Or, like an eagle, whose strong wings press up
Against a coiling serpent's folds, can I
Strike but for mockery, and with restless beak
Gore my own breast ?-Ragozzi, thou art faithful?

CHEF RAGOZZI.

Here before Heaven I dedicate my faith
To the royal line of Andreas.

RAAB KIUPRILI.

Hark, Ragozzi!

Guilt is a timorous thing ere perpetration :
Despair alone makes wicked men be bold.

Come thou with me! They have heard my voice in
flight,

Have faced round, terror-struck, and fear'd no longer
The whistling javelins of their fell pursuers.
Ha! what is this?

[Black Flag displayed from the Tower of the Pal-
ace: a death-bell tolls, etc.

Vengeance of Heaven! He is dead.

CHEF RAGOZZI.

At length then 'tis announced. Alas! I fear,
That these black death-flags are but treason's signals.
RAAB KIUPRILI (looking forwards anxiously).

A prophecy too soon fulfill'd! See yonder!

O rank and ravenous wolves! the death-bell echoes
Still in the doleful air-and see! they come.

CHEF RAGOZZI.

Precise and faithful in their villany,

Even to the moment, that the master traitor
Had preordain'd them.

RAAB KIUPRILI.

Was it over-haste,

Or is it scorn, that in this race of treason
Their guilt thus drops its mask, and blazons forth
Their infamous plot even to an idiot's sense.

CHEF RAGOZZI.

Doubtless they deem Heaven too usurp'd! Heaven's justice

Bought like themselves!

[During this conversation music is heard, at first
solemn and funereal, and then changing to
spirited and triumphal.

Being equal all in crime,
Do you press on, ye spotted parricides !
For the one sole pre-eminence yet doubtful,
The prize of foremost impudence in guilt?

RAAB KIUPRILI.

The bad man's cunning still prepares the way
For its own outwitting. I applaud, Ragozzi!
[Musing to himself—then-
Ragozzi! I applaud,

In thee, the virtuous hope that dares look onward
And keeps the life-spark warm of future action
Beneath the cloak of patient sufferance.
Act and appear as time and prudence prompt thee;
I shall not misconceive the part thou playest.
Mine is an easier part-to brave the Usurper.

[Enter a procession of EMERICK's Adherents,
Nobles, Chieftains, and Soldiers, with Music.
They advance toward the front of the Stage,
KIUPRILI makes the signal for them to stop.―
The Music ceases.

107

LEADER OF THE PROCESSION.

The Lord Kiuprili!-Welcome from the camp.

RAAB KIUPRILI.

Grave magistrates and chieftains of Illyria!
In good time come ye hither, if ye come
As loyal men with honorable purpose

To mourn what can alone be mourn'd; but chiefly
To enforce the last commands of royal Andreas,
And shield the queen, Zapolya: haply making
The mother's joy light up the widow's tears.

LEADER.

Our purpose demands speed. Grace our procession; A warrior best will greet a warlike king.

RAAB KIUPRILI.

This patent, written by your lawful king
(Lo! his own seal and signature attesting)
Appoints as guardians of his realm and offspring,
The Queen, and the Prince Emerick, and myself.
[Voices of Live King Emerick! an Emerick! an
Emerick!

What means this clamor? Are these madmen's voices?
Or is some knot of riotous slanderers leagued
To infamize the name of the king's brother
With a lie black as Hell? unmanly cruelty,
Ingratitude, and most unnatural treason! [Murmurs.
What mean these murmurs? Dare then any here
Proclaim Prince Emerick a spotted traitor?
One that has taken from you your sworn faith,
And given you in return a Judas' bribe,
Infamy now, oppression in reversion,
And Heaven's inevitable curse hereafter?

[Loud murmurs, followed by cries-Emerick! No
Baby Prince! No Changelings!

Yet bear with me awhile! Have I for this
Bled for your safety, conquer'd for your honor!
Was it for this, Illyrians! that I forded

Your thaw-swoln torrents, when the shouldering ice
Fought with the foe, and stain'd its jagged points
With gore from wounds, I felt not? Did the blast
Beat on this body, frost-and-famine-numb'd,
Till my hard flesh distinguish'd not itself
From the insensate mail, its fellow-warrior?
And have I brought home with me Victory,
And with her, hand in hand, firm-footed Peace,
Her countenance twice lighted up with glory,
As if I had charm'd a goddess down from Heaven?

But these will flee abhorrent from the throne
Of usurpation!

[Murmurs increase-and cries of Onward! onward! Have you then thrown off shame,

And shall not a dear friend, a loyal subject,
Throw off all fear? I tell ye, the fair trophies
Valiantly wrested from a valiant foe,
Love's natural offerings to a rightful king,
Will hang as ill on this usurping traitor,
This brother-blight, this Emerick, as robes
Of gold pluck'd from the images of gods
Upon a sacrilegious robber's back.

[During the last four lines, enter LORD CASIMIR,
with expressions of anger and alarm.

CASIMIR.

Who is this factious insolent, that dares brand The elected King, our chosen Emerick?

[blocks in formation]

RAAB KIUPRILI. Hear me,

Assembled lords and warriors of Illyria,
Hear, and avenge me! Twice ten years have I
Stood in your presence, honor'd by the king,
Beloved and trusted. Is there one among you,
Accuses Raab Kiuprili of a bribe?

Or one false whisper in his sovereign's ear?
Who here dare charge me with an orphan's rights
Outfaced, or widow's plea left undefended?
And shall I now be branded by a traitor,

A bought bribed wretch, who, being called my son,
Doth libel a chaste matron's name, and plant
Hensbane and aconite on a mother's grave?
The underling accomplice of a robber,
That from a widow and a widow's offspring
Would steal their heritage? To God a rebel,
And to the common father of his country
A recreant ingrate!

CASIMIR.

Sire! your words grow dangerous. High-flown romantic fancies ill-beseem

[Starts-then approaching with timid respect. Your age and wisdom. "Tis a statesman's virtue, To guard his country's safety by what means

My father!

[blocks in formation]

Kiuprili? Ha-With lowered voice, at the same Sire! speak the whole truth! Say, her frauds detected! time with one hand making signs to the guard to retire.

Pass on, friends! to the palace. [Music recommences.-The Procession passes into the Palace.-During which time EMERICK and KIUPRILI regard each other stedfastly.

[blocks in formation]

This is my thanks, then, that I have commenced
A reign to which the free voice of the nobles
Hath call'd me, and the people, by regards
Of love and grace to Raab Kiuprili's house?

EMERICK.

Of her physician
According to the sworn attests in council

RAAB KIUPRILI (aside).

Yes! the Jew, Barzoni!

EMERICK.

Under the imminent risk of death she lies,
Or irrecoverable loss of reason,

If known friend's face or voice renew the frenzy.
CASIMIR (to KIUPRILI).

Trust me, my Lord! a woman's trick has duped you—
Us too but most of all, the sainted Andreas.
Even for his own fair fame, his grace prays hourly
For her recovery that (the States convened)
She may take counsel of her friends.

EMERICK.

Right, Casimir! Receive my pledge, Lord General. It shall stand What right hadst thou, Prince Emerick, to bestow In her own will to appear and voice her claims;

them?

RAAB KIUPRILI.

[blocks in formation]

RAAB KIUPRILI.

A fugitive, who, with victory for his comrade,
Ran, open-eyed, upon the face of death!
A fugitive, with no other fear, than bodements
To be belated in a loyal purpose—
At the command, Prince! of my king and thine,
Hither I came; and now again require
Audience of Queen Zapolya; and (the States
Forthwith convened) that thou dost show at large,
On what ground of defect thou'st dared annul
This thy King's last and solemn act-hast dared
Ascend the throne, of which the law had named,
And conscience should have made thee, a protector.

Or (which in truth I hold the wiser course)
With all the past pass'd by, as family quarrels,
Let the Queen-Dowager, with unblench'd honors,
Resume her state, our first Illyrian matron.

RAAB KIUPRILI.

Prince Emerick! you speak fairly, and your pledge too Is such, as well would suit an honest meaning.

CASIMIR.

My Lord! you scarce know half his grace's goodness.
The wealthy heiress, high-born fair Sarolta,
Bred in the convent of our noble ladies,
Her relative, the venerable abbess,
Hath, at his grace's urgence, woo'd and won for me.

EMERICK.

Long may the race, and long may that name flourish, Which your heroic deeds, brave chief, have render'd Dear and illustrious to all true Illyrians!

RAAB KIUPRILI (sternly).

The longest line, that ever tracing herald
Or found or feign'd, placed by a beggar's soul,
Hath but a mushroom's date in the comparison:
And with the soul, the conscience is coeval,
Yea, the soul's essence.

EMERICK.

Conscience, good my Lord,
Is but the pulse of reason. Is it conscience,
That a free nation should be handed down,
Like the dull clods beneath our feet, by chance
And the blind law of lineage? That whether infant,
Or man matured, a wise man or an idiot,

« ForrigeFortsæt »