Chapter 7

other, and a gallery above-- a grated door in the back._

_Lod._ (_with an iron bar in one hand and lamp in the other, comes feebly from the concealed door_) My efforts are unavailing! wretched, wretched Lodovico, the hopes of escape, which thou hast so long indulged, must at length be abandoned forever! in vain has the labour of twenty years forced me a passage from my own cell into this adjoining dungeon: in vain has my persevering vigilance at length succeeded in discovering yonder private door, whose artful concealment during whole years eluded my inquiries-- the upper portal-- its massive bars-- its inflexible locks: increasing age-- increasing weakness. Farewell, hope! I will make the attempt no more, (_he throws down the iron bar_) Oh, faint-- faint! my efforts have quite exhausted me-- now, even were the means of flight mine, weakness would forbid-- I will regain my own cell, sink on my couch of straw, pardon my enemies, and expire! let me see! yes! twas about this spot that I made the opening, and these stones removed--

_Pri._ (_above_) For a few moments wait above: you, Jeronymo, precede me with the torch.

_Lod._ Heavens! tis the prior! twenty years have elapsed since I heard it; but too well do I remember that dreadful voice, which pronounced on me the sentence of separation from the world forever. What business-- perhaps, my death-- alas, alas! I fear it! wretched as my existence is, frail as is the fibre by which I am attached to life, still the moment is awful, which must sever it for ever; whither shall I turn-- how avoid-- I dare not regain my prison-- this cell too will doubtless be searched-- (_a light flashes across the gallery_) he comes! tis to this very dungeon that his steps are addrest-- where then, oh, where shall I drag my fainting limbs-- ha! perhaps, that secret passage may be unknown even to the prior-- perhaps it may awhile conceal-- it must be tried-- see, see! he is here! away, away!

[Exit, and closes the door after him.

Enter the _prior_ and _Jeronymo_, with torches.

_Pri._ I tell you this dungeon is impenetrable: in vain will our enemies seek its entrance.

_Jer._ But still the viceroy’s suspicions aided by his authority. Besides, is not father Michael fled?

_Pri._ Father Michael! absurd! and how then, is it in his power to betray us? we reposed in him no confidence; he has never been initiated into our mysteries, and can have no possible reason for suspecting even the existence of this dungeon.

_Jer._ Yet still I cannot but fear--

_Pri._ Your fears are groundless-- I am aware that Venoni will be inquired after; but how plausible will be the answer? “he has escaped from us in the night, and whither delirium may have led the wanderer, we are ignorant.” Say that the viceroy insists that Venoni is still within these walls! we have no objection to his searching through the whole monastery, perfectly secure that his search must be of no avail. Tis already midnight. Place the lamp upon yonder tomb; place too that dagger near it, the only mercy which my hatred can allow him;-- then when despair shall reach its height, when he feels that hope is lost to him, and that existence is a curse, then if he has courage let him grasp that weapon, and thank the clemency of Cœlestino. Come! all is prepared!

Enter _Anastasio_ and _Nicolo_, with _Venoni_, whom they throw upon the floor.

_Pri._ Object of everlasting hate! object of never to be sated vengeance, lie thou there! live to feel the pangs of dying with every moment of the day, that day whose light thou never shalt behold again. Follow me!

[Exeunt prior, &c.

_Lodovico_ appears at the private door.

_Lod._ They are gone; their victim remains-- oh, let but his escape be effected through my aid, and then how soon this old weak frame ceases to feel, I care not! (_he descends_)

_Venoni._ Where am I? have they left me? the mist which obscures my sight allows me to distinguish nothing; the objects which surround me seem all confused; a thousand wild distorted images distract my brain-- I must give way.

_Lod._ Alas, poor youth! on the ground? I’ll hasten to pour upon his wounded heart the balm of consolation-- yet hold! may they not return! yet a few moments--

_Venoni._ (_rising_) The clouds disperse. I am alone-- they are gone-- doubtless are gone for ever! what? and shall then the barbarian triumph? shall then Josepha die unavenged? she must, she must! then farewell, liberty; farewell hope! despair, despair! ha, what glitters-- a dagger? a tomb? doubtless designed for me-- tis there that all sorrows terminate! tis there, that I shall dread no more the treachery and crimes of man, his perfidious friendship, his dissembled spite, his infernal thirst for vengeance! ha, and if all this indeed be so-- why not this instant seize a blessing within my grasp? why not at once defeat the malice of my jailors? it shall be so, and thus-- (_going to stab himself, when Lodovico arrests his arm_)

_Lod._ Hold, hold! ungrateful!

_Venoni._ Ha! a stranger?

_Lod._ Short-sighted mortal! blush to have attempted that impious act! you despaired of succour; you doubted the goodness of Providence; and at that very moment heaven had commissioned me to comfort and preserve you.

_Venoni._ What are you? what mean you? speak, oh, speak!

_Lod._ Like yourself, I am the object of Cœlestino’s hatred; like yourself was I condemned to descend alive into the tomb. Mark me, young man. I knew well, that between these vaults and those belonging to the adjoining convent there existed various private communications-- the faint hope of discovering one of them formed the only amusement of my solitary hours: I sought it-- I persevered-- youth, I have found it--

_Venoni._ Have found it? go on, for heaven’s sake.

_Lod._ Have found it here; found it, where its existence is probably unknown even to the prior, since he selected this dungeon for your confinement-- observe this private door-- (_opening it_) this passage leads to a closed portal; its fastnings are massy-- I endeavoured but in vain to force them; that bar, which I wrenched from my dungeon door--

_Venoni._ That bar? tis mine! I have it! come father, come! to the portal!

_Lod._ Alas, my son! the ponderous fastenings-- the bolts-- the bars will resist!

_Venoni._ Oh, talk not to me of resistance! what force can oppose the efforts of a lover, a frantic desperate lover! father, there was a maiden-- how fair she was, nothing but thought can imagine-- how I adored her, nothing but this heart can feel! father, this maiden-- they tore her from me, they murdered her-- murdered her barbarously-- tis for her sake that I wish for liberty! tis to avenge her murder that I go to labour; and can you doubt my success? no, no! that thought will turn my blood into consuming fire, will harden every nerve into iron, will endow every limb, every joint, every muscle with vigour and strength and powers herculean-- come, father, come.

_Lod._ Oh! that I could! but age-- but infirmity-- go, go, my son, I will remain, and pray for you.

_Venoni._ What? go, and leave you still in the power of your foe! never, never!

_Lod._ Dear generous youth, you must! I should but impede your flight; I should but mar your exertions. Away then! effect your own escape-- then return, and rescue me, if possible-- but should you find me dead, oh! believe, that it will have sweetened the bitter hour to think, that my existence lasted long enough to preserve yours.

_Venoni._ Thou good old man--

_Lod._ Yet one word! should you force the portal, and reach the interior of the Ursuline convent in safety, shape your course towards the garden: the wall is low-- to scale it is easy and--

_Venoni._ Enough! and now-- (_going_)

_Lod._ And when you are free-- when smiling, friends surround you-- when all for you is liberty, and peace and happiness, do not-- oh! do not quite forget, that a poor captive, languishing in his solitary cell--

_Venoni._ Forget you? never! by that life which you now give me, never; I swear it! once at liberty, my first care shall be to effect your rescue, my second to secure your happiness. Oh! surely if aught in life is sweet it is when the heart overflows with gratitude, and the hand has the power to perform what that grateful heart dictates and desires: oh! surely if there is aught which gives mortals a foretaste of the bliss of angels, it is when affection brings a smile upon the furrowed cheeks of those to whom we are indebted for our existence. Tis to you that I owe that gift; and while I have life, never will I forget that it is to you I owe it. Now then away! one embrace: one blessing: then pray for me, father, pray for me, and farewell!

[Exit with the lamp.

_Lod._ (_alone_) Spirits who favour virtue oh! strengthen his arms! aid him! support him! hark he is at the door! I hear him! again, and again! repeat the blow! hark, hark, it breaks, it shivers! and see--

_Venoni_, appearing above with the lamp.

_Venoni._ Freedom, freedom, freedom, friend, farewell! I speed to rescue you.

[Exit.

_Lod._ Fly, fly! you bear with you my blessing! (_kneeling_) Heaven, I adore and thank you! I have preserved a fellow creature’s life.

[The scene closes.