Chapter 19

_Don Rodrigo._ Well then, without giving you the trouble of pursuing me, secure for yourself the honor of preventing me from living.

_Chimène._ Elvira, where are we, and what do I see? Rodrigo in my house! Rodrigo before me!

_Don Rodrigo._ Spare not my blood; enjoy [_lit._ taste], without resistance, the pleasure of my destruction and of your vengeance.

_Chimène._ Alas!

_Don Rodrigo._ Listen to me.

_Chimène._ I am dying.

_Don Rodrigo._ One moment.

_Chimène._ Go, let me die!

_Don Rodrigo._ Four words only; afterwards reply to me only with this sword!

_Chimène._ What! still imbrued with the blood of my father!

_Don Rodrigo._ My Chimène.

_Chimène._ Remove from my sight this hateful object, which brings as a reproach before mine eyes thy crime and thy existence.

_Don Rodrigo._ Look on it rather to excite thy hatred, to increase thy wrath and to hasten my doom.

_Chimène._ It is dyed with my [father's] blood!

_Don Rodrigo._ Plunge it in mine, and cause it thus to lose the death-stain of thine own.

_Chimène._ Ah! what cruelty, which all in one day slays the father by the sword [itself], and the daughter by the sight of it! Remove this object, I cannot endure it; thou wished me to listen to thee, and thou causest me to die!

_Don Rodrigo._ I do what thou wishest, but without abandoning the desire of ending by thy hands my lamentable life; for, in fine, do not expect [even] from my affection a dastardly repentance of a justifiable [_lit._ good] action. The irreparable effect of a too hasty excitement dishonored my father and covered me with shame. Thou knowest how a blow affects a man of courage. I shared in the insult, I sought out its author, I saw him, I avenged my honor and my father; I would do it again if I had it to do. Not that, indeed, my passion did not long struggle for thee against my father and myself; judge of its power--under such an insult, I was able to deliberate whether I should take vengeance for it! Compelled to displease thee or to endure an affront, I thought that in its turn my arm was too prompt [to strike]; I accused myself of too much impetuosity, and thy loveliness, without doubt, would have turned the scale [_or_, prevailed overall] had I not opposed to thy strongest attractions the [thought] that a man without honor would not merit thee; that, in spite of this share which I had in thy affections, she who loved me noble would hate me shamed; that to listen to thy love, to obey its voice, would be to render myself unworthy of it and to condemn thy choice. I tell thee still, and although I sigh at it, even to my last sigh I will assuredly repeat it, I have committed an offence against thee, and I was driven to [_or_, bound to commit] it to efface my shame and to merit thee; but discharged [from my duty] as regards honor, and discharged [from duty] towards my father, it is now to thee that I come to give satisfaction--it is to offer to thee my blood that thou seest me in this place. I did my duty [_lit._ that which I ought to have done] then, I still do it now. I know that a slain [_lit._ dead] father arms thee against my offence; I have not wished to rob thee of thy victim; sacrifice with courage to the blood he has lost he who constitutes his glory in having shed it.

_Chimène._ Ah, Rodrigo, it is true, although thine enemy, I cannot blame thee for having shunned disgrace; and in whatever manner my griefs burst forth I do not accuse [thee], I [only] lament my misfortunes. I know what honor after such an insult demanded with ardor of a generous courage; thou hast only done the duty of a man of honor, but also in doing that [duty] thou hast taught me mine. Thy fatal valor has instructed me by thy victory--it has avenged thy father and maintained thy glory. The same care concerns me, and I have to add to my infliction [_lit._ to afflict me] my fame to sustain and my father to avenge. Alas! thy fate [_or_, your share] in this drives me to despair! If any other misfortune had taken from me my father, my soul would have found in the happiness of seeing thee the only relief which it could have received, and in opposition to my grief I should have felt a fond delight [_lit._ charm or a magic soothing] when a hand so dear would have wiped away my tears. But I must lose thee after having lost him. This struggle over my passion is due to my honor, and this terrible duty, whose [imperious] command is slaying me, compels me to exert myself [_lit._ labor or work] for thy destruction. For, in fine, do not expect from my affection any morbid [_lit._ cowardly] feelings as to thy punishment. However strongly my love may plead in thy favor, my steadfast courage must respond to thine. Even in offending me, thou hast proved thyself worthy of me; I must, by thy death, prove myself worthy of thee.

_Don Rodrigo._ Defer, then, no longer that which honor commands. It demands my head [_or_, life], and I yield it to thee; make a sacrifice of it to this noble duty; the [death] stroke will be welcome [_lit._ sweet], as well as the doom. To await, after my crime, a tardy justice, is to defer thine honor as well as my punishment. I should die too happy in dying by so delightful a [death] blow!

_Chimène._ Go [i.e. no]; I am thy prosecutor, and not thy executioner. If thou offerest me thine head, is it for me to take it; I ought to attack it, but thou oughtest to defend it. It is from another than thee that I must obtain it, and it is my duty [_lit._ I ought] to pursue thee, but not to punish thee.

_Don Rodrigo._ However in my favor our love may plead, thy steadfast courage ought to correspond to mine; and to borrow other arms to avenge a father is, believe me, my Chimène, not the [method of] responding to it. My hand alone was fit [_lit._ has understood how] to avenge the insult offered to _my_ father; thy hand alone ought to take vengeance for thine.

_Chimène._ O cruel! for what reason shouldst thou persevere on this point? Thou hast avenged thyself without aid, and dost thou wish to give me thine [aid]? I shall follow thy example; and I have too much courage to endure that my glory shall be divided with thee. My father and mine honor shall owe nothing to the dictates of thy love and of thy despair.

_Don Rodrigo._ O cruel resolution [_lit._ point of honor]! Alas! whatever I may do, can I by no means obtain this concession [_or_, favor]? In the name of a slain [_lit._ dead] father, or of our friendship, punish me through revenge, or at least through compassion. Thy unhappy lover will have far less pain in dying by thy hand than in living with thy hatred.

_Chimène._ Go; I do not hate thee.

_Don Rodrigo._ Thou oughtest to do so.

_Chimène._ I cannot.

_Don Rodrigo._ Dost thou so little fear calumny, and so little [fear] false reports? When people shall know my crime, and that thy passion [for me] still continues, what will not envy and deception spread abroad? Compel them to silence, and, without debating more, save thy fair fame by causing me to die.

_Chimène._ That [fair fame] shines far more gloriously [_lit._ better] by leaving thee life; and I wish that the voice of the blackest slander should raise to heaven my honor, and lament my griefs, knowing that I worship thee, and that [still] I pursue thee [as a criminal]. Go, then; present no more to my unbounded grief that which I [must] lose, although I love it [him]! In the shades of night carefully conceal thy departure; if they see thee going forth, my honor runs a risk. The only opportunity which slander can have is to know that I have tolerated thy presence here. Give it no opportunity to assail my honor.

_Don Rodrigo._ Let me die.

_Chimène._ Nay, leave me.

_Don Rodrigo._ On what art thou resolved?

_Chimène._ In spite of the glorious love-fires which impede [_lit._ trouble] my wrath, I will do my utmost to avenge my father; but, in spite of the sternness of such a cruel duty, my sole desire is to be able to accomplish nothing [against thee].

_Don Rodrigo._ O wondrous love [_lit._ miracle of love]!

_Chimène._ O accumulation of sorrows!

_Don Rodrigo._ What misfortunes and tears will our fathers cost us!

_Chimène._ Rodrigo, who would have believed----?

_Don Rodrigo._ Chimène, who would have said----?

_Chimène._ That our happiness was so near, and would so soon be ruined?

_Don Rodrigo._ And that so near the haven, contrary to all appearances [_or_, expectation], a storm so sudden should shatter our hopes?

_Chimène._ O deadly griefs!

_Don Rodrigo._ O vain regrets!

_Chimène._ Go, then, again [I beseech thee]; I can listen to thee no more.

_Don Rodrigo._ Adieu! I go to drag along a lingering life, until it be torn from me by thy pursuit.

_Chimène._ If I obtain my purpose, I pledge to thee my faith to exist not a moment after thee. Adieu! Go hence, and, above all, take good care that you are not observed. [_Exit Don Rodrigo._]

_Elvira._ Dear lady, whatever sorrows heaven sends us----

_Chimène._ Trouble me no more; let me sigh. I seek for silence and the night in order to weep.