Samuel Coleridge - The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Here where we play’d together in our childhood?

Here where we plighted vows? Where her cold cheek 365

Received my last kiss, when with suppress’d feelings

She had fainted in my arms? It cannot be!

‘Tis not in nature! I will die, believing

That I shall meet her where no evil is,

No treachery, no cup dash’d from the lips! 370

I’ll haunt this scene no more — live she in peace!

Her husband — ay, her husband! May this Angel

New-mould his canker’d heart! Assist me, Heaven!

That I may pray for my poor guilty brother!

END OF ACT THE FIRST.

ALHADRA (aside).

I must reserve all knowledge of this Table

Till I can pierce the mystery of the slander —

Form, Look, Features, — the scar below the Temple

All, all are Isidore’s — and the whole Picture — (then to ALVAR.)

On matter of concerning Import . .

… I would discourse with you:

Thou hast ta’en up thy sojourn in the Dell,

Where Zagri liv’d — who dar’d avow the Prophet,

And died like one of the Faithful — there expect me.

Addition on margin of MS. III.

Table of Contents

SCENE THE FIRST. — A wild and mountainous country. OSORIO and FERDINAND

are discovered at a little distance from a house, which stands under the

brow of a slate rock, the rock covered with vines.

FERDINAND and OSORIO.

Ferdinand. Thrice you have sav’d my life. Once in the battle

You gave it me, next rescued me from suicide,

When for my follies I was made to wander

With mouths to feed, and not a morsel for them.

Now, but for you, a dungeon’s slimy stones 5

Had pillow’d my snapt joints.

Osorio. Good Ferdinand!

Why this to me? It is enough you know it.

Ferdinand. A common trick of gratitude, my lord!

Seeking to ease her own full heart.

Osorio. Enough.

A debt repay’d ceases to be a debt. 10

You have it in your power to serve me greatly.

Ferdinand. As how, my lord? I pray you name the thing!

I would climb up an ice-glaz’d precipice

To pluck a weed you fancied.

Osorio (with embarrassment and hesitation). Why — that — lady —

Ferdinand. ‘Tis now three years, my lord! since last I saw you. 15

Have you a son, my lord?

Osorio. O miserable! [Aside.

Ferdinand! you are a man, and know this world.

I told you what I wish’d — now for the truth!

She lov’d the man you kill’d!

Ferdinand (looking as suddenly alarmed). You jest, my lord?

Osorio. And till his death is proved, she will not wed me. 20

Ferdinand. You sport with me, my lord?

Osorio. Come, come, this foolery

Lives only in thy looks — thy heart disowns it.

Ferdinand. I can bear this, and anything more grievous

From you, my lord! — but how can I serve you here?

Osorio. Why, you can mouth set speeches solemnly, 25

Wear a quaint garment, make mysterious antics.

[Ferdinand. I am dull, my lord! I do not comprehend you.

Osorio. In blunt terms] you can play the sorcerer.

She has no faith in Holy Church, ‘tis true.

Her lover school’d her in some newer nonsense: 30

Yet still a tale of spirits works on her.

She is a lone enthusiast, sensitive,

Shivers, and cannot keep the tears in her eye.

Such ones do love the marvellous too well

Not to believe it. We will wind her up 35

With a strange music, that she knows not of,

With fumes of frankincense, and mummery —

Then leave, as one sure token of his death,

That portrait, which from off the dead man’s neck

I bade thee take, the trophy of thy conquest. 40

Ferdinand (with hesitation). Just now I should have cursed the

man who told me

You could ask aught, my lord! and I refuse.

But this I cannot do.

Osorio. Where lies your scruple?

Ferdinand. That shark Francesco.

Osorio. O! an o’ersiz’d gudgeon!

I baited, sir, my hook with a painted mitre, 45

And now I play with him at the end of the line.

Well — and what next?

Ferdinand (stammering). Next, next — my lord!

You know you told me that the lady loved you,

Had loved you with incautious tenderness.

That if the young man, her betrothéd husband, 50

Return’d, yourself, and she, and an unborn babe,

Must perish. Now, my lord! to be a man!

Osorio (aloud, though to express his contempt he speaks in the

third person). This fellow is a man! he kill’d for hire

One whom he knew not — yet has tender scruples.

[Then turning to FERDINAND.

Thy hums and ha’s, thy whine and stammering. 55

Pish — fool! thou blunder’st through the devil’s book,

Spelling thy villany!

Ferdinand. My lord — my lord!

I can bear much, yes, very much from you.

But there’s a point where sufferance is meanness!

I am no villain, never kill’d for hire. 60

My gratitude ——

Osorio. O! aye, your gratitude!

‘Twas a well-sounding word — what have you done with it?

Ferdinand. Who proffers his past favours for my virtue

Tries to o’erreach me, is a very sharper,

And should not speak of gratitude, my lord! 65

I knew not ‘twas your brother!

Osorio (evidently alarmed). And who told you?

Ferdinand. He himself told me.

Osorio. Ha! you talk’d with him?

And those, the two Morescoes, that went with you?

Ferdinand. Both fell in a night-brawl at Malaga.

Osorio (in a low voice). My brother!

Ferdinand. Yes, my lord! I could not

tell you: 70

I thrust away the thought, it drove me wild.

But listen to me now. I pray you, listen!

Osorio. Villain! no more! I’ll hear no more of it.

Ferdinand. My lord! it much imports your future safety

That you should hear it.

Osorio (turning off from Ferdinand). Am I not a man? 75

‘Tis as it should be! Tut — the deed itself

Was idle — and these after-pangs still idler!

Ferdinand. We met him in the very place you mention’d,

Hard by a grove of firs.

Osorio. Enough! enough!

Ferdinand. He fought us valiantly, and wounded all; 80

In fine, compell’d a parley!

Osorio (sighing as if lost in thought). Albert! Brother!

Ferdinand. He offer’d me his purse.

Osorio. Yes?

Ferdinand. Yes! I spurn’d it.

He promis’d us I know not what — in vain!

Then with a look and voice which overaw’d me,

He said — What mean you, friends? My life is dear. 85

I have a brother and a promised wife

Who make life dear to me, and if I fall

That brother will roam earth and hell for vengeance.

There was a likeness in his face to yours.

I ask’d his brother’s name; he said, Osorio, 90

Son of Lord Velez! I had well-nigh fainted!

At length I said (if that indeed I said it,

And that no spirit made my tongue his organ),

That woman is now pregnant by that brother,

And he the man who sent us to destroy you, 95

He drove a thrust at me in rage. I told him,

He wore her portrait round his neck — he look’d

As he had been made of the rock that propp’d him back;

Ay, just as you look now — only less ghastly!

At last recovering from his trance, he threw 100

His sword away, and bade us take his life —

It was not worth his keeping.

Osorio. And you kill’d him?

O bloodhounds! may eternal wrath flame round you!

He was the image of the Deity. [A pause.

It seizes me — by Hell! I will go on! 105

What? would’st thou stop, man? thy pale looks won’t save thee!

[Then suddenly pressing his forehead.

Oh! cold, cold, cold — shot thro’ with icy cold!