Chapter 7

Count Charles, book in hand.

Char. Ah, books must be put by for swords, I wot, When this wild journey to the West begins. 'Tis change enough! O shifting, shuffling life! Come, Shakespeare, magic mason, build me worlds That never shake however winds may blow, Founded on dream imperishable! (Sits and reads. Enter Lady Maria)

Mar. Charles! Not reading! Dost know what day it is?

Char. Ay, sister! A day to make a scholar tremble, and hug His books in fever of farewell.

Mar. Didst see The splendid carriages glittering up the drive? And O, so many!

Char. They have arrived?

Mar. Arrived! Why, all the Mexican deputies, arrayed Like their own sunsets,--the ambassadors From Austria, Belgium, France,--the princesses, And countesses, now in the guest-room wait The stroke of twelve to enter! 'Tis nearly time, And you sit here! Put by your Englishman! Come, put him by, I say! He's dead; we live. He's had his due and passed.

Char. Nay, his account Is writ forever current. His book of praise Time closes not, but waits some language new To enter it, and at his monument Fame yet stands carving.

Mar. (Taking book and closing it) So! She's time enough! We've other work. (Gently) Is not the princess sad?

Char. I pray her heavy tears, weighing like stones, Will hold her back from sea!

Mar. Hush, Charles! She comes!

(Enter Carlotta, richly dressed)

Car. Ah, cousins, trimming now your smiles to greet The deputies?

Char. Nay, calling up our tears To grace farewell to Miramar!

Car. No tears! We'll think but of an empire and a crown, Not Miramar!

(Enter Maximilian, dressed in the uniform of Vice-Admiral of the Austrian navy)

Max. An empire and a crown? At last I am out-rivalled in your heart!

Car. Nay, nay, thou know'st, my lord, thou art my empire! Grant me so much as now I look upon And I'm as rich as Jove with Saturn's sceptre New-swinging o'er the world!

Char. Then you risk much For an unstable throne.

Car. Not risk!

Char. The men Who've governed Mexico, for the most part, Have paid their heads for it.

Mar. O, Charles!

Char. 'Tis true.

Car. Our safety is in the Emperor of France. He's the strong angel in this noble scheme!

Char. Safety in him? Nay, madam, by my soul, The lightest smile that breaks upon his lips, As though a breeze but touched there, hides a plot May hang our hearts with lead!

Car. How you misjudge him! In Paris when he pledged his faith to us His eyes more than his words assured his heart Unto our cause. I trust him, yea, I trust him!

Char. There is a woman on the throne of France! She is the Eve to this slow-blooded Adam, Dutch-born Napoleon, and holdeth up The globe as 't were an apple for his hand. She builds mock images of dreams that died On Helena's lone rock, and teaches him They are not ghosts of dream but dream indeed! Mexico, burning with gold and sunset's fire, Pouring the crimson of internal strife, To her is but a jewel in crude bed She'd have you pick and polish for her crown!

Car. Had you but heard her sweet devoted voice Pleading with us for sake of the true Church To finish now this great emprise begun, You would believe her holy.

Char. If she is holy, And if Napoleon be true in this, Then is he God's perfection of a man, And she earth's sole and sainted paragon! But wait--O wait and see ere you risk life And honor!

Car. You're wrong--so wrong--but this is strange. O why are we not happy? (Turning to window and gazing out)

Char. (Following her) Because, my cousin, This is not Miramar as we have known it. The scholar's home, the soldier's fair retreat, The noble heart's sweet fane and altar spot, But Miramar with great ambition's storm Rolling its thunders 'gainst her peaceful walls!

Max. But to live idly is never to be born. Shall we sit here at ease when God has found The work for us? He with his pontiff finger Points to the sea--

Car. (Turning) Sweet Miramar! If God points to the sea, why gave he this? This heaven-spot, this nesting place of love, Hung like a garland 'tween the sea and rocks! Ah, dear my lord, some curse will follow us Who can desert this peace-embalméd place To seek a glory fairer but in name! I dare not do it!

Max. (Taking her hands) 'Tis you shall say, my wife. If to stay here's your wish, that wish is mine, Maybe I've dreamed too much of deeds of good, And visionary feats in that far land; Then let it be your yea or nay, my love.

Car. O leave it not to me, for in a yea My vanity will speak, and in a nay My fear!

Max. A slander on these lips? A kiss Were better! (Kisses her. Enter Marquis Corio)

Cor. The noble guests approach. Will 't please Your Highnesses assume your places?

Max. Yea, Or nay, Carlotta?

Mar. O, they come! they come!

Char. (Hastily and earnestly) Nay, if you love your lord! That is a land Of murder, treason, carnage and revolt! The very air cries out 'go not! go not!' E'en yon cloud-turbanned peak, that never moves Whate'er the circling stars propound to vex His silent wisdom, warns with forbidding nod! O noblest cousin--

Car. (In agitation) An empire! Miramar!

(Maximilian takes place centre. A table in front of him covered with maps and papers. Carlotta by him, Count Charles and Lady Maria in their rear. Enter Archduke of Austria, and nobles, who take position at some distance from Maximilian on his right. Enter Belgian Minister, Abbot of Lacroma, Princess of Metternich, Princess Zichy, Countess Kollonitz, and others. They stand at distance to left of Maximilian. Enter the Imperial delegate, Senor Hurbet, and General Frassart, Napoleon's Adjutant of the Field. The former takes place immediately at Maximilian's right, the latter at left of Carlotta. Marquis Corio at door. Enter the Mexican deputies, Estrada, Berzabal, Negrete, Ruiz, and a dozen others. Estrada, as president of the deputation, makes low salute)

Max. Welcome, my lords, to Miramar!

Est. Hail, Prince, And fairest princess! The grace and hope of morning Be ever on your lives!

Car. Must noble senors, We give you thanks and greeting.

Max. Your presence here, My lords, would move our hearts although you brought No crown to guerdon welcome.

Est. O, gracious prince, Our tongues but feebly bear the mighty love The land of Montezuma bade us lay Low at your feet. Your starry virtues draw Her prayers and hopes and holiest desires Across the sea in humblest supplication. We make no weary tale of our misfortunes; They are so great the world is heavy with them, And Mexico means but calamity To every ear.

Max. My dear and honored lords, The heart is granite and the veins are ice That will not stir at your deep miseries.

Est. Ah, sir, this crown is heavy, but you will bear The golden weight as 't were the aureole That seals the saint to God!

Max. But not without Consent of every subject should I wear it. Does Mexico send all her hearts with you?

Ruiz. (Spreading paper on table) Read here the proclamation now in force In all our provinces.

Max. And this has been By each assembly ratified?

Berzabal. Ay, prince! It is a nation, not these dozen men, That with a million voices prays to you!

Max. From childhood up I've sought to obey my God, But never dreamed that he would bless my life With such high sanction as I read herein. (Lifting paper) Forgive a tear, my lords.... But we must ask That crownéd Europe give a sacred oath To guarantee our empire's permanence.

Archduke. Brother, I bring the word of Austria, Whose prayers, whose arms, whose subjects' blood are yours, While she has blood or arms to give!

Belgian Minister. For Belgium I speak--the princess' true and royal father, Whose little kingdom measures not his heart!

Senor Hurbet. And I, my lord, have here the signéd oath Of Mightiest France, whose fifty-thousand men Now guard the cradle of the new born peace In Mexico! Read here what he will do.

Max. (Reads) Enough.... My lords, should I accept this crown, 'T would be with holiest expectation To reign in love and peace, but your past struggles Point to a term of danger and much risk Ere our star shines above all factious spite. Stood I alone I should not hesitate, But here is one more dear than my own life, Whom I must cherish more than my own life, Within whose heart I must find out my answer; And God be thanked her wisdom beams so true Above the hesitations of my mind That I can love her yea or nay as 't were By Heaven spoke!

Est. Then to your mercy, princess, We now commit our hope.

Car. Most worthy lords, I am so proud that I would wear a crown, So pitying I would weep my heart away For your sad country, and so vain I think The lord that married me might lead you from Rebellion's night to civil-kissing hours; But yet a woman bonded unto love, Not my own mistress. The life bound up with mine Is dearer than the peace of any state, And looking deep into your country's heart I read some cruel marks of history That teach me fear for any precious thing Consigned unto its love.

Est. If ever souls Lay bare to human eyes, read now in ours The loyalty which you will find in every subject!

Ruiz. Be merciful! Earth aches through her rock-ribs With our old woes, and it is you may heal them!

Ber. Pity will teach thee soon to love our land!

Car. My lords, already I love Mexico, And would forego the peace of Miramar,-- All happy days that from the future lean To meet my smiles, as trifles whose light thought Shames this great hour; but when in dream I see My lord beset by foes in foreign land, The help he needs beyond a three-months' sea, My princess pride flags to a peasant fear For one dear life!

Est. Wrong not yourself, your lord, And Mexico, O gentlest lady--

Car. Nay--

Est. Say yea, and our expectant land will feel The thrill of that affirmative across The glad Atlantic! Yea--and France, whose name Is in our hearts as God's, will bless thy tongue! Say yea, and noble England, watchful Spain, Who with great France began the holy work Of blessed liberation will applaud With happy echoes to the guardian skies! Say yea, and the white spirit of the Church Will take 'neath her soft wings our blood-drenched land, That waits but for that word to hail thy lord Regenerator, king!

Car. My lords, my lords, We are but human! Mayhap we will not keep The love that we have won!

Senor Hur. Fear not, O princess! Behind your throne, with unretreating sword, Will stand the first great power of all the world! Thus speak I for the emperor of France!

Princess Metternich. (Advancing) I for the empress! Eugenie bade me speak Her heart out here, and hail thee sister empress! To ask when your young empire blooms above The lily of old France, and lures the East To pour her golden heart into your port, And ocean blossoms with your argosies, You'll still remember that she loved you when You were but princess and no farther ruled Then stretch the gardens of small Miramar!

Car. O generous Eugenie! But the fear--

Abbot of Lacroma. To speak of fear in this is to doubt God! He does not bless in vain a noble prince With such rare qualities as crown the mind Of Maximilian! 'Tis for some purpose rare He rounds such excellence with highest birth And puts a sword of power in his hand! From over seas unto your very feet A nation comes to choose from all the world One made by Heaven to be its sovereign lord, Cool hearts of passion in his amity, Make bitter eyes forget their ancient hate, And proudest knees bow with old enemies In worship of his star beneficent! There pale and crushéd Peace Shall take the color of the living rose, Hearing the voice of his protecting love That comes to lift her beauty from the dust And on that ground volcanic nobly build Her temple indestructible! There shall his kingly mind find outward means To write sublimity upon the world, And like old Egypt speak in pyramids To nations unbegot in dream of Time! And can you shock the hour with hesitation? Ask all the waiting world,--ay, even God, To pause and count the heart-beats of a woman?

Car. (Devoutly, with uplifted hands and eyes) Forgive me, Heaven, that I doubted thee!

(Takes Maximilian's hands, turns with great dignity to the deputies, and speaks solemnly)

Senors, we'll wear the crown of Mexico.

(Silence. The abbot of Lacroma advances; Carlotta and Maximilian drop to their knees as he extends his arms above them in blessing)