FullReads

Nay, friends, this moment
My Duchy her dear hand restores to me
To me’s a dream. More buoyant would I tread
Dumb street, deserted square, climb ruin’d wall,
Where in a heap beneath a broken flag
Lay Adria.–
So that amid the ruins stood my love
And stretched her hands so faintly–stretched her hands
So faintly. See! She’s mine! She lifts them–

REGENT
(totters and falls into his arms with a tired, happy
laugh, which ends in a cry as his arms enfold her).

Ah!

[She faints.]

DUKE
(after a moment, releasing her a little).

What’s here? Ottilia!

LUCETTA.
My mistress swoons!

A COURTIER.
‘Tis happiness–

DUKE.
Fetch water!

LUCIO.
Nay this blood–
Came of no scratch!

LUCETTA.
Loosen her bodice–

DUKE.
Blood?
Why blood? Where’s blood?

(Stares as the mantle is imclasped and falls open).

Ah, my God!

LUCETTA.
Murder! murder!
The Countess Fulvia–

CESARIO.
Speak!

LUCETTA.
There–while she knelt–
Stabbed her, and fled.

CESARIO.
Which way?

[Lucetta points to the stairs. He dashes off in pursuit.]

DUKE.
All-seeing God!
Where were thine eyes, or else thy justice? Dead?
O, never dead!

LUCIO.
Ay, Duke, push God aside,
As I push thee. I have the better right:
I killed her–I. O never pass, sweet soul,
Till thou hast drunk a shudder of this wretch,
Thy brother, playmate, murderer!

DUKE.
Wine! bring wine–

REGENT
(as the wine is brought and revives her).
Flower, he will crush thee–but the bliss, the bliss!
I swim in bliss. What … Lucio? Where’s my lord?
Dear, bring him: he was here awhile and held me.
Say he must hold, or the light air will lift
And bear me quite away.

[Re-enter Cesario. In one hand he carries his
sword, in the other a dagger.]

LUCIO.
Cesario!
What! Is that devil escaped? To think–to think
I drank her kisses!–What? Where is she?

CESARIO.
Dead.
I raised the cry: the people pointed after;
Ran with me, ravening. Just this side the bridge
She heard our howl and turned–drew back the dagger
Red with our lady’s blood, then drove it home
Clean to her own black heart.

REGENT.
God pardon her!
I would what blood of mine clung to the blade
Might mix with hers and sweeten it for mercy.

LUCIO.
Will you forgive her? Then forgive not me!

REGENT.
Dear Lucio!–You’ll not pluck away your hand
This time? Hush! Where’s Cesario?… Friend, farewell.
Where lies the body?

CESARIO.
Sooth, madonna, I flung it
To the river’s will, to roll it down to sea
Or cast on muddy bar, for dogs to gnaw.

REGENT.
The river? Ah! How strong the river rolls!
Hold me, my lord–

DUKE.
Love, love, I hold you

REGENT.
–Ay!
The child, too–You will hold the child?…
This roar
Deafens but will not drown us.

[Within the Chapel the choir is chanting a dirge.
Gamba goes and closes the door on the sound:
then creeps to the foot of the couch. The
dying woman gently motions aside the cross
a priest is holding to her, and looks up at her
husband.]

[Below the terrace a voice is heard singing the
Rondinello song.]

Look! beyond
Be waters where no galley moves with oar,
So wide, so waveless,–and, between the woods,
Meadows–O land me there!… Hark, my lord’s voice
Singing in Vallescura! Soft my, love,
I am so tired–so tired! Love, let me play!

[Dies.]

[The Courtiers lift the body in silence and bear it
to the Chapel, the Duke and his train following.
The doors close on them. On the stage are
left only Cesario, standing by the balustrade;
and Gamba, who has seated himself with his
viol and touches it, as still the voice sings
below–]

Addio, Addio! ed un’altra volt’addio!
La lundananza tua, ‘l desiderio mio!

[On the last note a string of the viol cracks, and with
a cry the Fool flings himself, heart-broken, on
the empty couch. Cesario steps forward and
stands over him, touching his shoulder gently.]

[CURTAIN.]