Maria (wildly). Nay-nay--but tell me! [A pause-then presses her forehead. Ah! 'tis lost again! This dead confused pain! [A pause-she gazes at ALBERT. Mysterious man! Methinks, I cannot fear thee-for thine eye Doth swim with pity-I will lean on thee, [Exeunt ALBERT and MARIA. Re-enter VELEZ and OSORIO. Velez (sportively). You shall not see the picture, till you own it.1 Osorio. This mirth and raillery, sir! beseem your age. I am content to be more serious.2 150 Velez. Do you think I did not scent it from the first? An excellent scheme, and excellently managed. 'Twill blow away her doubts, and now she'll wed you. I'faith, the likeness is most admirable. I saw the trick-yet these old eyes grew dimmer With very foolish tears, it look'd so like him! Osorio. Where should I get her portrait ? Velez. Get her portrait ? Portrait? You mean the picture! At the painter's No difficulty then-but that you lit upon A fellow that could play the sorcerer, 160 With such a grace and terrible majesty, It was most rare good fortune. And how deeply He seem'd to suffer when Maria swoon'd, And half made love to her! I suppose you'll ask me Why did he so? Osorio (with deep tones of suppressed A mighty man, and gentle as he is mighty. 170 In this, your merry mood! you see it all! Veles. Why, no !—not all. I have not yet discover'd, At least, not wholly, what his speeches meant. Pride and hypocrisy, and guilt and cunning Then when he fix'd his obstinate eye on Osorio (with a frantic eagerness). Assassins! what assassins! Velez. Well-acted, on my life! Your curiosity 1 In MS. II. Coleridge has written opposite this:-'Velez supposes the picture is an innocent contrivance of Osorio's to remove Maria's scruples: Osorio, that it is the portrait of Maria which he had himself given the supposed Wizard.' I dare not stand in it's way. -ED. 2 The transcriber of MS. I. had here written 'superstitious,' which is marked through with ink, and 'serious' is substituted, in Coleridge's own hand. In MS. II. superstitious' is left undisturbed.--ED. Runs open-mouth'd, ravenous as winter wolf. Osorio. [He shows OSORIO the picture Dup'd-dup'd-dup'd That villain Ferdinand! (aside). Velez. He caught his garment up and hid his face. It seem'd as he were struggling to suppress 190 Osorio. A laugh! a laugh! O hell! he laughs at me! Velez. It heaved his chest more like a violent sob. Osorio. A choking laugh! [A pause then very wildly. I am most glad of this! Thro' darkness without light-dark-dark -dark And every inch of this my flesh did feel As if a cold toad touch'd it! Now 'tis sunshine, And the blood dances freely thro' its channels ! 199 [He turns off-then (to himself) mimicking FERDINAND'S manner.1 'A common trick of gratitude, my lord! Old gratitude! a dagger would dissect His own full heart,' 'twere good to see its colour! Velez (looking intently at the picture). Calm, yet commanding! how he bares his breast, Yet still they stand with dim uncertain looks, As penitence had run before their crime. With what a difficult toil he drags his soul O this was delicate flattery To poor Maria, and I love thee for it! Osorio (in a slow voice with a reasoning laugh). Love-love-and then we hate-and what? and wherefore? Hatred and love. Strange things! both strange alike! 212 What if one reptile sting another reptile, 1 In MS. II. Coleridge has written opposite this:-'Osorio immediately supposes that this wizard whom Ferdinand had recommended to him, was in truth, an accomplice of Ferdinand, to whom the whole secret had been betrayed.'ED. 1 Opposite the passage in MS. II. the following is written in the transcriber's hand : Ce malheur, dites-vous, est le bien d'un autre être De mon corps tout sanglant, mille insectes vont naître. Quand la mort met le comble aux maux que j'ai souffert, Le beau soulagement d'être mangé de vers! Scene changes to the space before the castle. FRANCESCO and a Spy. Francesco. Yes! yes! I have the key of all their lives. If a man fears me, he is forced to love me. And if I can, and do not ruin him, He is fast bound to serve and honor me! [ALBERT enters from the castle, and is crossing the stage. Spy. There-there- your Reverence! That is the sorcerer. [FRANCESCO runs up and rudely catches hold of ALBERT. ALBERT dashes him to the earth. FRANCESCO and the Spy make an uproar, and the servants rush from out the castle. Francesco. Seize, seize and gag him! or the Church curses you! [The servants seize and gag ALBERT. Enter VELEZ and OSORIO. Osorio (aside). This is most lucky! Francesco (inarticulate with rage). See you this, Lord Velez? Good evidence have I of most foul sorcery, And in the name of Holy Church command you 271 To give me up the keys-the keys, my lord! Of that same dungeon-hole beneath your castle. This imp of hell--but we delay enquiry Till to Granada we have convoy'd him. Osorio (to the Servants). Why haste you not? Go, fly and dungeon him! Then bring the keys and give them to his Reverence. [The Servants hurry off Albert. OSORIO goes up to FRANCESCO, and pointing at ALBERT. Osorio (with a laugh). He that can bring the dead to life again.' Francesco. What? did you hear it? Osorio. Yes, and plann'd this scheme To bring conviction on him. Ho! a wizard, Thought I-but where's the proof! plann'd this scheme. 280 I The scheme has answer'd-we have proof enough. Francesco. My lord, your pious policy astounds me. I trust my honest zeal [FERDINAND alone, an extinguished torch in his hand. Ferdinand. Drip! drip! drip! drip!in such a place as this It has nothing else to do but drip drip! drip! I wish it had not dripp'd upon my torch.1 Faith 'twas a moving letter-very moving! His life in danger-no place safe but this. 'Twas his turn now to talk of gratitude! And yet but no! there can't be such a villain. It cannot be ! Thanks to that little cranny Which lets the moonlight in! I'll go and sit by it. 9 To peep at a tree, or see a he-goat's beard, Or hear a cow or two breathe loud in their sleep, "Twere better than this dreary noise of water-drops! [He goes out of sight, opposite to the patch of moonlight, returns after a minute's elapse in an ecstacy of fear. A hellish pit! O God-'tis like my nightmair! I was just in!-and those damn'd fingers of ice Which clutch'd my hair up! Ha! what's that? it moved! [FERDINAND stands staring at another recess in the cavern. In the meantime OSORIO enters with a torch and hollows to him. Ferdinand. I swear, I saw a something moving there! The moonshine came and went, like a flash of lightning. I swear, I saw it move! [OSORIO goes into the recess, then returns, and with great scorn. Osorio, A jutting clay-stone Drips on the long lank weed that grows It was not that which frighten'd me, my lord! Osorio. What frighten'd you? Ferdinand. You see that little cranny? But first permit me, [Lights his torch at OSORIO's, and while lighting it. [A lighted torch in the hand Is no unpleasant object here one's breath Floats round the flame, and makes as many colours As the thin clouds that travel near the moon. You see that cranny there?]1 and rattle But my eyes do not see it now more clearly Than in my dream I saw that very chasm. [OSORIO stands in a deep studythen, after a pause. Osorio. There is no reason why it should be so. And yet it is. 1 Against this passage Coleridge has written in MS. II. :-'This will be held by many for a mere Tragedy-dream-by many who have never given themselves the trouble to ask themselves from what grounds dreams pleased in Tragedy, and wherefore they have become so common. I believe, however, that in the present case, the whole is here psychologically true and accurate. Pro Against its horrid sides; and hung my head able by that law of the mind in which where dim ideas are connected with vivid feelings, Perception and Imagination insinuate themselves and mix with the forms of Recollection, till the Present appears to exactly correspond with the Past. Whatever is partially like, the Imagination will gradually represent as wholly like-a law of our nature which, when it is perfectly understood, woe to the great city Babylon-to all the superstitions of Men !'-ED. |
