Samuel Coleridge - The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Albert. Alas —

That day, when thou didst leap from off the rock

Into the waves, and grasp’d thy sinking brother,

And bore him to the strand, then, son of Velez!

How sweet and musical the name of Albert! 215

Then, then, Osorio! he was dear to thee,

And thou wert dear to him. Heaven only knows

How very dear thou wert! Why didst thou hate him?

O Heaven! how he would fall upon thy neck,

And weep forgiveness!

Osorio. Spirit of the dead! 220

Methinks I know thee! Ha! — my brain turns wild

At its own dreams — off — off, fantastic shadow!

Albert (seizing his hand). I fain would tell thee what I am,

but dare not!

Osorio (retiring from him). Cheat, villain, traitor! whatsoe’er

thou be

I fear thee, man!

[He starts, and stands in the attitude of listening.

And is this too my madness? 225

Albert. It is the step of one that treads in fear

Seeking to cheat the echo.

Osorio. It approaches —

This nook shall hide me.

[MARIA enters from a plank which slips to and fro.

Maria. I have put aside

The customs and the terrors of a woman,

To work out thy escape. Stranger! begone, 230

And only tell me what thou know’st of Albert.

[ALBERT takes her portrait from his neck, and gives it

her with unutterable tenderness.

Albert. Maria! my Maria!

Maria. Do not mock me.

This is my face — and thou — ha! who art thou?

Nay, I will call thee Albert!

[She falls upon his neck. OSORIO leaps out from the

nook with frantic wildness, and rushes towards

ALBERT with his sword. MARIA gapes at him, as

one helpless with terror, then leaves ALBERT,

and flings herself upon OSORIO, arresting his

arm.

Maria. Madman, stop!

Albert (with majesty and tenderness). Does then this thin

disguise impenetrably 235

Hide Albert from thee? Toil and painful wounds,

And long imprisonment in unwholesome dungeons,

Have marr’d perhaps all trace and lineament

Of what I was! But chiefly, chiefly, brother!

My anguish for thy guilt. Spotless Maria, 240

I thought thee guilty too! Osorio, brother!

Nay, nay, thou shalt embrace me!

Osorio (drawing back and gazing at Albert with a countenance

expressive at once of awe and terror). Touch me not!

Touch not pollution, Albert! — I will die!

[He attempts to fall on his sword. ALBERT and MARIA

struggle with him.

Albert. We will invent some tale to save your honour.

Live, live, Osorio!

Maria. You may yet be happy. 245

Osorio (looking at Maria). O horror! Not a thousand years in

heaven

Could recompose this miserable heart,

Or make it capable of one brief joy.

Live! live! — why yes! ‘Twere well to live with you —

For is it fit a villain should be proud? 250

My brother! I will kneel to you, my brother!

[Throws himself at ALBERT’S feet.

Forgive me, Albert! — Curse me with forgiveness!

Albert. Call back thy soul, my brother! and look round thee.

Now is the time for greatness. Think that Heaven ——

Maria. O mark his eye! he hears not what you say. 255

Osorio (pointing at vacancy). Yes, mark his eye! there’s

fascination in it.

Thou said’st thou didst not know him. That is he!

He comes upon me!

Albert (lifting his eye to heaven). Heal, O heal him, Heaven!

Osorio. Nearer and nearer! And I cannot stir!

Will no one hear these stifled groans, and wake me? 260

He would have died to save me, and I kill’d him —

A husband and a father!

Maria. Some secret poison

Drinks up his spirit!

Osorio (fiercely recollecting himself). Let the eternal Justice

Prepare my punishment in the obscure world.

I will not bear to live — to live! O agony! 265

And be myself alone, my own sore torment!

[The doors of the dungeon are burst open with a crash.

ALHADRA, MAURICE, and the band of Morescoes

enter.

Alhadra (pointing at Osorio). Seize first that man!

[The Moors press round.

Albert (rushing in among them). Draw thy sword, Maurice, and

defend my brother.

[A scuffle, during which they disarm MAURICE.

Osorio. Off, ruffians! I have flung away my sword.

Woman, my life is thine! to thee I give it. 270

Off! he that touches me with his hand of flesh,

I’ll rend his limbs asunder! I have strength

With this bare arm to scatter you like ashes!

Alhadra. My husband ——

Osorio. Yes! I murder’d him most foully.

Albert (throws himself on the earth). O horrible!

Alhadra. Why didst thou

leave his children? 275

Demon! thou shouldst have sent thy dogs of hell

To lap their blood. Then, then, I might have harden’d

My soul in misery, and have had comfort.

I would have stood far off, quiet tho’ dark,

And bade the race of men raise up a mourning 280

For the deep horror of a desolation

Too great to be one soul’s particular lot!

Brother of Zagri! let me lean upon thee.

[Struggling to suppress her anguish.

The time is not yet come for woman’s anguish —

I have not seen his blood. Within an hour 285

Those little ones will crowd around and ask me,

Where is our father? [Looks at OSORIO.

I shall curse thee then!

Wert thou in heaven, my curse would pluck thee thence!

Maria. See — see! he doth repent. I kneel to thee.

Be merciful!

[MARIA kneels to her. ALHADRA regards her face wistfully.

Alhadra. Thou art young and innocent; 290

‘Twere merciful to kill thee! Yet I will not.

And for thy sake none of this house shall perish,

Save only he.

Maria. That aged man, his father!

Alhadra (sternly). Why had he such a son?

[The Moors press on.

Maria (still kneeling, and wild with affright). Yet spare his

life!

They must not murder him!

Alhadra. And is it then 295

An enviable lot to waste away

With inward wounds, and like the spirit of chaos

To wander on disquietly thro’ the earth,

Cursing all lovely things? to let him live —

It were a deep revenge!

All the band cry out — No mercy! no mercy! 300

[NAOMI advances with the sword towards OSORIO.

Alhadra. Nay, bear him forth! Why should this innocent maid

Behold the ugliness of death?

Osorio (with great majesty). O woman!

I have stood silent like a slave before thee,

That I might taste the wormwood and the gall,

And satiate this self-accusing spirit 305

With bitterer agonies than death can give.

[The Moors gather round him in a crowd, and pass off

the stage.

Alhadra. I thank thee, Heaven! thou hast ordain’d it wisely,

That still extremes bring their own cure. That point

In misery which makes the oppressed man

Regardless of his own life, makes him too 310

Lord of the oppressor’s! Knew I an hundred men

Despairing, but not palsied by despair,

This arm should shake the kingdoms of this world;

The deep foundations of iniquity

Should sink away, earth groaning from beneath them; 315

The strong holds of the cruel men should fall,

Their temples and their mountainous towers should fall;

Till desolation seem’d a beautiful thing,

And all that were and had the spirit of life

Sang a new song to him who had gone forth 320

Conquering and still to conquer!

THE END

Table of Contents

PREFACE

PROLOGUE

EPILOGUE

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

ACT I

SCENE I

SCENE II

ACT II

SCENE I

SCENE II

ACT III

SCENE I