SCENE II.
On the scaffold. An immense crowd is assembled outside the prison of Holdfast. The three prisoners have been pinioned, and have reached the spot of execution.
Fortunatus (to the hangman): “I claim the privilege of dying first, Being the youngest of us three condemned, So man, make me your first experiment, And take your time, don’t hurry, be composed. Tut man, don’t tremble! What is there to fear? Learn from young Fortunatus how to die. Adjust the rope. There! Steady. Hark! I hear. [Listens. ’Tis the far echo of a horse’s feet, Surely, yes surely, both will now be saved, I feel it, bless thee Hector, Vic——”
A tremendous roar is heard outside. The words “Reprieve, Reprieve, the King himself! The King!” suddenly penetrate to the scaffold. A minute later and the King hurries thereon.
King Hector. “Reprieved! Governor hear! They are reprieved!” [Staring at the group. “Two only here? Where is young Fortunatus?”
The Hangman. “Dead, Sire! The word ‘reprieve’ reached me too late, The sound arrived just as I pulled the bolt. His last words were ‘Bless thee Hector, Victory!’ I heard them uttered as he fell below, His death was speedy, instantaneous.”
Hector, laying both hands on Vulnar’s shoulder and bowing his head on them, sobs out: “Isola! Isola! too late! too late! Oh! Isola forgive. I rode my best. I rode not as a King, but as a man Whose heart was bursting to reach you in time. I rode the horse you used to love so well. The chestnut Saladin. He cleft the air, He seemed to fly like arrow from the bow. He did his utmost. I did mine. Alas! Fate was against us. Fate inexorable.”
The Governor of Holdfast prison exclaiming to himself: “Isola! Fortunatus, Isola? By all the gods! This is a pretty pass. [To a Warder. Haste man! Cut down young Fortunatus. See. Quick! bear the body to my private rooms. Explain the situation to my wife. Tell her to lay Isola on the bed. Apprise her that the King is here. The King! A pretty pass! A tragedy indeed!”
Vulnar (to the hangman): “Unpinion me and Scrutus. Do it sharp, man.” [A pause. Turning to the King and taking his hand: “Oh! sire, grieve not, you did your very best. Would I had died first, and saved Isola. I never dreamed of a reprieve. Brave heart! She died to give me life. She died for Truth. Sire, see to it she did not die in vain. Her last words, ‘Bless thee Hector. Victory!’ Shall ring into your soul and make you just, Oh! yes, they shall. Her name will gain the day, Isola dead, shall win bright Victory.”
King Hector (still sobbing): “Take me to Isola. Isola! I tried to save thee, but I came too late. I strove with human might to be in time, The human heart was beating in my breast. All royal mummery had left my side, It was the man and not the King that strove, Though Kings can feel, they are just human beings, Albeit barbaric customs make them dolls. And I, I loved thee Isola. I did. Who could help loving one so kind, so true?” (To Vulnar) “Vulnar, where is she? Take me to her side, I tried to save her, but I came too late.”
[Sobs.
Vulnar (linking the King’s arm in his and signing to the Governor, standing close by, to lead forward): “Come, sire, I’ll take your Majesty to her. Take comfort thinking how she blest you, sire; Mourn not for her, she died as she had lived, With valiant heart beating for others’ woes. Death had no terrors for her, sire, indeed, It cannot claim the soul of Isola, Her deathless Thought, that which made her a pow’r, Lives on and will live on eternally. Doubtless ’tis roving with Escanior’s, She loved him, loved no other all her life, I, his old Comrade, testify to this, I who e’er worshipped where her feet have trod. And yet she’ll hover round you sire again, And influence your heart to make the Cause, For which she died, triumphant everywhere. She claimed to reign with you, see to it Sire That her loved voice shall wake this world again.”
They follow the Governor to his private apartments, and this latter and Vulnar silently stand aside as the King enters the one in which Isola has been laid.
King Hector (solus): “Yes, she is dead. Isola, thou art gone, That which o’ertakes all men has come to thee. Vulnar spoke rightly, when he said that thou, Dead should ne’erless obtain the Victory. Yes, thou hast won it. Here, I swear to thee, All thou did’st die for shall be realised, Right shall prevail, and Men shall own their own, There shall be no more disinherited. Saxscober’s Constitution shall become The constitution of a people free, And I will be their real, not dummy King, Their brother worker, their companion. While Life is left to me to work, I’ll work, I’ll make Saxscoberland a dreamland scene, It shall reflect thy dream dear Isola, Its face shall be the mirror of thy soul. Vergli shall aid me. My first act shall be To do him justice and proclaim him heir; Our little Bernis shall not act the thief, He shall be what thou sought’st to keep the child, A human being, not a puppet slave. He shall be his brave mother’s substitute, In him already shines thy deathless soul. Isola, thou hast won, I swear it, Love. Thy death has won Saxscober’s Liberty,”
He bends over and kisses her forehead. Then leaves the room. Meeting Vulnar outside, he says: “Vulnar, I leave her body in your care. Treat her as you would treat a reigning Queen. She shall reign over fair Saxscoberland In deed, in fact, in true reality. Unto the other nations of our Erth Her message shall be borne and shall prevail, The bright example of Saxscoberland Shall move the smaller fry to imitate, A bright example has its magnetism, And draws men to solicit its embrace. Hector is clasping Isola’s. No force Shall ever tear it from his grasp. No fear! I leave you, Vulnar. Do your part. I go. My share in Evolution has begun. With Vergli I will lead its sacred cause, With him will realize Isola’s dream.”
[He wrings Vulnar’s hand, and calling the Governor to him walks away by his side.
Vulnar. “Is it a dream or Truth’s reality? Can it be fact or is it only fancy? Isola dead, I living, Scrutus free, Vergli no longer outlawed, but our Prince? It seems a dream, and yet ’tis not a dream, ’Tis true, and Isola has triumphed. Sure! My love! my love! Who died to save Vulnar, Who died for noble Truth, which he upheld, And dying, won Saxscober’s liberty. Yes, it is won. Though Opposition strong Will struggle to retain the law of Might, Right shall prevail, and noble Truth prevail, That Right and Truth for which Isola died.”
[He beckons Scrutus, who is standing near, to follow him, and goes out. In the streets around the prison loud cheers can be heard. They are given to King Hector, who is driving away in the Governor’s carriage. So far, the death of Fortunatus and the fact that Fortunatus is Isola, has not transpired. Vulnar interviews the Governor, and makes every preparation for the removal of Isola’s body to the residence of her brother, The Prince of Bernia.