Chapter 26

_Enter_ ALPHONSO _and_ PEDRO.

_Alph._ When saw you my Lorenzo?

_Ped._ I had a glimpse of him; but he shot by me, Like a young hound upon a burning scent; He's gone a harlot-hunting.

_Alph._ His foreign breeding might have taught him better.

_Ped._ 'Tis that has taught him this. What learn our youth abroad, but to refine The homely vices of their native land? Give me an honest home-spun country clown Of our own growth; his dulness is but plain, But theirs embroidered; they are sent out fools, But come back fops.

_Alph._ You know what reasons urged me; But now, I have accomplished my designs, I should be glad he knew them. His wild riots Disturb my soul; but they would sit more close, Did not the threatened downfal of our house, In Torrismond, o'erwhelm my private ills.

_Enter_ BERTRAN, _attended, and whispering with a Courtier, aside._

_Bert._ I would not have her think, he dared to love her; If he presume to own it, she's so proud, He tempts his certain ruin.

_Alph._ [_To_ PED.] Mark how disdainfully he throws his eyes on us. Our old imprisoned king wore no such looks.

_Ped._ O! would the general shake off his dotage to the usurping queen, And re-enthrone good venerable Sancho, I'll undertake, should Bertran sound his trumpets, And Torrismond but whistle through his fingers, He draws his army off.

_Alph._ I told him so; But had an answer louder than a storm.

_Ped._ Now, plague and pox on his smock-loyalty! I hate to see a brave bold fellow sotted, Made sour and senseless, turned to whey by love; A drivelling hero, fit for a romance.-- O, here he comes! what will their greetings be?

_Enter_ TORRISMOND, _attended;_ BERTRAN _and he meet and jostle._

_Bert._ Make way, my lords, and let the pageant pass.

_Tor._ I make my way, where'er I see my foe; But you, my lord, are good at a retreat. I have no Moors behind me.

_Bert._ Death and hell! Dare to speak thus when you come out again.

_Tor._ Dare to provoke me thus, insulting man!

_Enter_ TERESA.

_Ter._ My lords, you are too loud so near the queen; You, Torrismond, have much offended her. 'Tis her command you instantly appear, To answer your demeanour to the prince. [_Exit_ TERESA; BERTRAN, _with his company, follow her._

_Tor._ O, Pedro, O, Alphonso, pity me! A grove of pikes, Whose polished steel from far severely shines, Are not so dreadful as this beauteous queen.

_Alph._ Call up your courage timely to your aid, And, like a lion, pressed upon the toils, Leap on your hunters. Speak your actions boldly; There is a time when modest virtue is Allowed to praise itself.

_Ped._ Heart! you were hot enough, too hot, but now; Your fury then boiled upward to a foam; But since this message came, you sink and settle, As if cold water had been poured upon you.

_Tor._ Alas! thou know'st not what it is to love! When we behold an angel, not to fear, Is to be impudent: No, I am resolved, Like a led victim, to my death I'll go, And, dying, bless the hand, that gave the blow. [_Exeunt._

_The_ SCENE _draws, and shews the Queen sitting in state;_ BERTRAN _standing next to her; then_ TERESA, _&c. She rises, and comes to the front._

_Leonora._ [_To_ BERT.] I blame not you, my lord; my father's will, Your own deserts, and all my people's voice, Have placed you in the view of sovereign power. But I would learn the cause, why Torrismond, Within my palace-walls, within my hearing, Almost within my sight,--affronts a prince, Who shortly shall command him.

_Bert._ He thinks you owe him more than you can pay; And looks as he were lord of human kind.

_Enter_ TORRISMOND, ALPHONSO, PEDRO. TORRISMOND _bows low, then looks earnestly on the Queen, and keeps at Distance._

_Teresa._ Madam, the general.--

_Leo._ Let me view him well. My father sent him early to the frontiers; I have not often seen him; if I did, He passed unmarked by my unheeding eyes:-- But where's the fierceness, the disdainful pride, The haughty port, the fiery arrogance?-- By all these marks, this is not, sure, the man.

_Bert._ Yet this is he, who filled your court with tumult, Whose fierce demeanour, and whose insolence, The patience of a god could not support.

_Leo._ Name his offence, my lord, and he shall have Immediate punishment.

_Bert._ 'Tis of so high a nature, should I speak it, That my presumption then would equal his.

_Leo._ Some one among you speak.

_Ped._ Now my tongue itches. [_Aside._

_Leo._ All dumb! On your allegiance, Torrismond, By all your hopes, I do command you, speak.

_Tor._ [_Kneeling._] O seek not to convince me of a crime, Which I can ne'er repent, nor can you pardon; Or, if you needs will know it, think, oh think, That he who, thus commanded, dares to speak, Unless commanded, would have died in silence. But you adjured me, madam, by my hopes! Hopes I have none, for I am all despair; Friends I have none, for friendship follows favour; Desert I've none, for what I did was duty:-- Oh that it were!--that it were duty all!

_Leo._ Why do you pause? proceed.

_Tor._ As one, condemned to leap a precipice, Who sees before his eyes the depth below, Stops short, and looks about for some kind shrub To break his dreadful fall.--so I-- But whither am I going? If to death, He looks so lovely sweet in beauty's pomp, He draws me to his dart.--I dare no more.

_Bert._ He's mad, beyond the cure of hellebore. Whips, darkness, dungeons, for this insolence.

_Tor._ Mad as I am, yet I know when to bear.

_Leo._ You're both too bold.--You, Torrismond, withdraw, I'll teach you all what's owing to your queen.-- For you, my lord,-- The priest to-morrow was to join our hands; I'll try if I can live a day without you.-- So both of you depart, and live in peace.

_Alph._ Who knows which way she points? Doubling and turning like an hunted hare;-- Find out the meaning of her mind who can.

_Pedr._ Who ever found a woman's? backward and forward, The whole sex in every word. In my conscience, when she was getting, her mother was thinking of a riddle. [_Exeunt all but the Queen and_ TERESA.

_Leo._ Haste, my Teresa, haste, and call him back.

_Ter._ Whom, madam?

_Leo._ Him.

_Ter._ Prince Bertran?

_Leo._ Torrismond; There is no other he.

_Ter._ [_Aside._] A rising sun, Or I am much deceived. [_Exit_ TERESA.

_Leo._ A change so swift what heart did ever feel! It rushed upon me like a mighty stream, And bore me, in a moment, far from shore. I loved away myself; in one short hour Already am I gone an age of passion. Was it his youth, his valour, or success? These might, perhaps, be found in other men: 'Twas that respect, that awful homage, paid me; That fearful love, which trembled in his eyes, And with a silent earthquake shook his soul. But, when he spoke, what tender words he said! So softly, that, like flakes of feathered snow, They melted as they fell.--

_Enter_ TERESA _with_ TORRISMOND.

_Ter._ He waits your pleasure.

_Leo._ 'Tis well; retire.--Oh heavens, that I must speak So distant from my heart!-- [_Aside._ [_To_ TOR.] How now! What boldness brings you back again?

_Tor._ I heard 'twas your command.

_Leo._ A fond mistake, To credit so unlikely a command; And you return, full of the same presumption, To affront me with your love!

_Tor._ If 'tis presumption, for a wretch condemned, To throw himself beneath his judge's feet: A boldness more than this I never knew; Or, if I did, 'twas only to your foes.

_Leo._ You would insinuate your past services, And those, I grant, were great; but you confess A fault committed since, that cancels all.

_Tor._ And who could dare to disavow his crime, When that, for which he is accused and seized, He bears about him still! My eyes confess it; My every action speaks my heart aloud: But, oh, the madness of my high attempt Speaks louder yet! and all together cry,-- I love and I despair.

_Leo._ Have you not heard, My father, with his dying voice, bequeathed My crown and me to Bertran? And dare you, A private man, presume to love a queen?

_Tor._ That, that's the wound! I see you set so high, As no desert or services can reach.-- Good heavens, why gave you me a monarch's soul, And crusted it with base plebeian clay? Why gave you me desires of such extent, And such a span to grasp them? Sure, my lot By some o'er-hasty angel was misplaced In fate's eternal volume!--But I rave, And, like a giddy bird in dead of night, Fly round the fire that scorches me to death.

_Leo._ Yet, Torrismond, you've not so ill deserved, But I may give you counsel for your cure.

_Tor._ I cannot, nay, I wish not to be cured.

_Leo._ [_Aside._] Nor I, heaven knows!

_Tor._ There is a pleasure, sure, In being mad, which none but madmen know! Let me indulge it; let me gaze for ever! And, since you are too great to be beloved, Be greater, greater yet, and be adored.

_Leo._ These are the words which I must only hear From Bertran's mouth; they should displease from you: I say they should; but women are so vain, To like the love, though they despise the lover. Yet, that I may not send you from my sight In absolute despair,--I pity you.

_Tor._ Am I then pitied! I have lived enough!-- Death, take me in this moment of my joy; But, when my soul is plunged in long oblivion, Spare this one thought! let me remember pity, And, so deceived, think all my life was blessed.

_Leo._ What if I add a little to my alms? If that would help, I could cast in a tear To your misfortunes.

_Tor._ A tear! You have o'erbid all my past sufferings, And all my future too!

_Leo._ Were I no queen-- Or you of royal blood--

_Tor._ What have I lost by my forefathers' fault! Why was not I the twentieth by descent From a long restive race of droning kings? Love! what a poor omnipotence hast thou, When gold and titles buy thee?

_Leo._ [_Sighs._] Oh, my torture!--

_Tor._ Might I presume,--but, oh, I dare not hope That sigh was added to your alms for me!

_Leo._ I give you leave to guess, and not forbid you To make the best construction for your love: Be secret and discreet; these fairy favours Are lost, when not concealed[1].--provoke not Bertran.-- Retire: I must no more but this,--Hope, Torrismond. [_Exit._

_Tor._ She bids me hope; oh heavens, she pities me! And pity still foreruns approaching love, As lightning does the thunder! Tune your harps, Ye angels, to that sound; and thou, my heart, Make room to entertain thy flowing joy. Hence, all my griefs and every anxious care; One word, and one kind glance, can cure despair. [_Exit._