ACT · V
SCENE · 1
The same. PALICIO as before.
PALICIO.
2380
Three hours have fully passed since first I marked
Yon grated hole grow rosy, and exchange
Moonlight for dawn. Now soon will Margaret come:
And I must go forth to the world disgraced,
To fly my country or hide: ay, at the cue
Of the chief justiciary, led by a woman.
Hast thou the heart, Giovann Palicio,
To call this freedom. Nay, since thy right hand
Was raised ’gainst wrong in vain, and thou thyself
Art charged with wrong, and must admit the wrong,
Were’t not now best to end, and shroud thy fortune
In veils of death? Thou that hast led the people,
Hast thou a knee for favours? Will thy tongue
Confess I wronged thee, Manuel, I come forth
To be thy prisoner: and I wronged thee, Margaret:
I will come forth to be thy pensioner?
Shame: rather would I die.
Enter Margaret.
MARGARET.
’Tis I, Giovanni: all is well: thou’rt safe,
Manuel has told me all. Thou dost repent.
All is prepared. Ask not my pardon: give me
One kiss—I have forgiven thee. Be not sad.
’Twas like thee as I love thee, nobly done:
And being so cruel to thyself ’twas easy
Thou shouldst forget what I too now forget,
Recovering thee. I saw thee ride away,
And guessed before the letter. O, Giovanni,
Thank God, thou’rt safe. Look, I have brought the money
To serve thee on thy journey till the day
We meet again; and more. Thy ship will sail
But to Messina: there thou wilt disbark.
Nay, take the money; thou wilt need it, love,
’Tis Manuel’s gift, not mine.
Pal. (taking). I have no heart,
Margaret, for what is done on my behalf.
I thank him, but ...
Mar.Alas, alas! Giovanni:
I looked to find thee glad of heart and happy.
Our troubles all are over. Manuel lives,
Whom we thought drowned: Constance, who lay in death,
Hath risen from her bed: and even our marriage
Is furthered by my brother. How can it be
Thou art so dismal, and thy kiss as cold
As is this prison?
2420
Pal.I would not leave this prison.
Mar. Thou wouldst not leave it?
Pal.No: dankness and darkness
Are now my friends. I have failed. How can I wish
To step in the light of heaven?
Mar.O, then I see
This death-delivering dungeon hath o’ercome thee.
——There’s news. This morn the ships arrived from Spain.
They must bring tidings of the king’s accession.
We shall learn all to-day. When he’s proclaimed,
There’s nought that thou couldst do if thou wert free.
What thou hast done may have determined much.
Pal. When shall I hear of it?
2430
Mar.Love, thou must sail
Quickly and secretly: and canst not hear
Until thou come to land. But then if I
Should meet thee there with Manuel, oh, what joy,
Could I be first to tell thee.
Pal.Dost thou think
That Manuel hath forgiven me for the wrong
I did him, stealing from his house by night?
Mar. That was my theft, Giovanni; and he forgives:
Cry not thou forfeit.—See, I bring thy dagger.
Pal. But, Margaret, I wronged thee too. I fled
From thee; canst thou forgive me?
2440
Mar.Ask not me
If I have forgiven. Hearken, I will tell thee,—
This dagger is the dagger which the woman,
Whose name thou didst not know, brought thee in prison:
By help of this thou madest thy first escape.
’Tis I that bring it now. These two days past,
These days of misery, I have held and worn it
But for one purpose; that if thou shouldst die,
I might have something which had once been thine
To end my life with.
Pal.Thou!
Mar.Ay. I had promised
This caseless blade my empty heart for sheath.
Pal. Margaret!
Mar.Now take it. I have better hope.
[Palicio takes dagger, and puts it in his breast.
Thou shouldst be armed.
Pal.And thou hast thought of death?
Mar. Only if thou hadst died.
Pal.O, Margaret,
Margaret, I am not worthy of thy love.
Thou seest I am not. Look how poor a heart
I bring to take thee: ’tis too base. I thought
I loved thee overmuch. Now, fool, I see
I love too little.
Mar.’Tis this hateful prison
Hath chilled thy spirits. When again thou’rt free
Thou’lt be Giovanni.
2460
Pal.Canst thou love me so?
Mar. O, what hath come to thee? Did I not love
The hour I bound thy wound: the day I brought
Rosso to heal thee, and led thee by the hand,
Threading the blindest midnight silently,
To set thee free? Dost thou forget?
Pal.But then,
Then I was brave, a leader of the people
Against their tyrant: thou didst hold of me
As of a hero: now I have failed, I am shamed.
Mar. O no, Giovanni; thou mistakest sadly
My love for thee.
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Pal.I am no more myself.
Mar. Then dare I prove to thee how much I love thee,
How little thy renown. Remember, thou didst scheme
To burn the palace.
Pal.Ay.
Mar.Didst thou not promise
Me, trembling for thy life, that if that failed,
Thou wouldst to Rome with me?
Pal.My scheme miscarried:
I broke my promise.
Mar.The cause of that miscarriage
Was the betrayal?
Pal.How should I forget?
Mar. Now wilt thou say I love but thy success?
’Twas I betrayed thy men.
Pal.Ha! thou was’t! was’t thou?
(Leaping up from Margaret, who staggers against the wall.)
2480
From me, sorceress, thou viper, go from me!
Traitress, was’t thou? Thou wast my secret curse!
Sent by the devil, wast thou, to destroy me,
To kill my soul? And bringest now thy money
[Strews it about.
To buy thy happiness: and of thy love
Pratest, and sayst, Come forth with me! With thee?
Rather all deaths, a thousand deaths of shame,—
The axe, the gallows. O, my faithful men,
My brave men! and for them!—Ah! I will love
My executioner more than thee. Love thee!
There is not any tyrant or crowned fiend
Whom I will hate like thee.
Mar.Then kill me, Giovanni.
[Swoons falling.
Pal. (taking out dagger). This dagger in my heart, and I am avenged.
Nay, nay, O God, I am adding wrong to wrong.
[Putting dagger back.
And Manuel. Alas! what have I done?
[Runs to Margaret.
I spake too roughly, Margaret; I was angry:
I knew not what I said. Margaret, I am sorry.
Forgive me, Margaret. Nay, I meant it not.
I am not angry with thee now. I think
I can forgive thee. Hear me! She doth not hear me.
She doth not breathe. Her eyes are fixed and sightless.
Her hands are cold.
My God, oh, if I have killed her! Margaret, Margaret!
Dost thou not hear?—I have killed her.—Margaret!
I do forgive thee. I forgive thee all.
O God, she is dead, she is dead.—Now if I kiss her,
If she can feel (kissing). She stirs. O, Margaret,
Hear me. I do forgive thee all.
Mar.Giovanni:
I did it for thy love.
Pal.Thank God, thank God.
Now thou dost breathe and speak. O, I was cruel;
I was too angry.—Margaret, forgive me.
Kiss me, forgive. [Noise at door.
Mar.Hark, at the door they come;
’Tis now thy time to fly.
Pal.How can I leave thee?
I cannot thus.
Enter Blasco with sword drawn, Livio and two soldiers.
Mar.Go for thy life, Giovanni:
Fly, fly: think not of me!
BLASCO.
Stay, not so fast,
You pretty pair of loving turtle-doves,
Cooing your sweet farewells in such a cote;
We shall not separate you yet so far.
Mar. Ah me!
Pal.What means this insult?
Bl.Forward, fellows.
Take ye the lady to the cell I shewed,
And bind her arms.
Pal.Who dares?
2520
Bl.Fool, stand aside!
Seest thou my sword?
Pal. Ho! villain, die! |  | Palicio springs on Blascosuddenly, and stabs him with dagger in his left. Seizing Blasco’s sword inhis right, which he has disengaged from the sling, he kills another with that;and when the rest fly is left standing with a bloody weapon in each hand. |
Bl.God! I am slain. [Falls. | ||
Pal.And thou,Thinking to find me here unarmed, go thou! | ||
Soldier. Ah! | ||
[Dies ... the rest fly. | ||
Pal.Two are escaped. |
Mar. And one was Livio.
Pal. What means this damnable design?
Mar.Giovanni,
I see, I know. Fly now—take thou the sword.
Give me the dagger. Follow. I know the way.
There will be none to stay thee. If there be,
Serve them as Blasco. Come, come; follow quickly. [Exit.
Pal. (following). Margaret, Margaret. [Exit.
SCENE · 2
Room in the Palace. MANUEL, disguised as priest, meeting ROSSO.
ROSSO.
In good time, Manuel: welcome. All is well.
MANUEL.
Thank God. And doth she know?
Ros.Ay, thou shalt hear.
’Twas Margaret’s doing: all night long she sat
By Constance’ bed, and there with gentlest presence
And soft accustomed voice most gradually
She soothed and won the wandering spirit back.
But, oh, the sweetest skill!—she, as she saw
Constance take note of her, made no discovery,
But spoke of thee and all things else, as if
There never had been change: and that so well,
That Constance, who lay gazing on the wall,
And questioning of her error, whence it grew,
Soon laid it on herself, and by and by
Told Margaret of her dream, and asked how long
She had lain so sick in bed; nor ever learned
How real had her woe been, till she knew
That all was over.
Man.I thank God,—and thee,
Rosso, thee too. Margaret has had some cause
To blame herself,—to have helped in the repair
Will ease her heart of much. May I see Constance?
2551
Ros. At once. But come prepared to find her weak.
Enter Philip.
PHILIP.
Father, a word.
Man.I pray you excuse me now.
Ph. ’Tis that I know thy errand that I ask.
I would speak through thee to the lady Constance.
Man. What would you say?
Ph.Let me be private with thee.
Man. (to Ros.) Doctor, I’ll follow. (Aside.) Now to act my best.
[Exit Rosso.
Ph. Thou seest in me the man who wrought this ill.
I’d have thee use thine office with the lady,
To win her grace, that I may make confession
Of that which burdens me.
2560
Man.How! what is this?
What should I say?
Ph.I’ll tell thee: and thou must know
First, that I once was Manuel’s friend and pupil,—
My pride, alas! self-wrested to my shame—
And in those early days loved her, whom he
Should at this time have married. Five years spent
In graceless life meanwhile had far removed
My heart from my first love, nor had my thought
Once ventured back to think or wish her mine:
But, as it happened,—and being at the time
Stung by the sharp remorse of idle hours,—
Chance sent me hither, and her presence soon
Awaked those memories that I had thought were dead.
Then vainly felt I worthier than I was,
Seeing my better part desired to win
What I too surely had deserved to lose.
Constance denied me:—but now hear my crime.
I won her father’s ear; and then, being lodged
In Manuel’s house, I lit on a discovery
Of some suspicion, and contrived thereby—
Betraying him who was my friend and host—
His absence and disgrace: whence by ill fate
His death and all this lady’s trouble sprung.
Man. ’Tis a sad tale you tell.
Ph.I was misled
To think he loved the lady less than I.
Yet urge I no excuse, nor look for pardon:
But if ’twould not add sorrow to her sorrow,
I would discharge this burden from my soul.
Man. Do so: for you shall find pity and pardon.
Ph. Nay, nay: that could not be.
Man.Though hard it seem,
Ay, and may force awhile some generous tears;
She cannot yet fail in the foremost duty
Of all that sin. I shall prepare her well.
Ph. I thank thee, father. [Exit Manuel.
There is in these men
A quiet strength, which shames our self-esteem.
Enter Ferdinand and Hugo with despatches.
HUGO.
Philip, we have the news. Frederick is crowned.
See, here’s for thee. (Gives a despatch.) It bears the new king’s seal.
Ph. Well, ’twill help nought. (Opens.)
Hu.I pray there may be nothing
That meddles with my place.
Ph.Read here, your excellence. [Reads.
By reason of advices late received,
The kings commands are that the sealed despatch2600
Writ for emergency be now held valid,
And put in force by you.
Hu.There’s the despatch?
FERDINAND.
’Tis in my keeping.
Hu. (to Philip). Know’st thou its contents?
Ph. Nay, sir; not I.
Hu.Pray let us see it, straight.
Ph. Adjourn we to my secretary’s chamber:
A moment will discover it. [Exeunt.
SCENE · 3
Reception-room at the Palace. As first scene of first act. CONSTANCE, ROSSO, and MANUEL disguised.
CONSTANCE.
Nay, I can walk. I am very well. See, Manuel,
There’s no one here: thou mayst be Manuel
Yet awhile. Is not this, love, a recovery
To make the memories of sickness glad?
The days seem years since I stood here. But now
Must I see Philip?
MANUEL.
Be kind to him, Constance.
The self-condemned need more than full forgiveness
Ere they forgive themselves.
Con.I am too happy
To be unkind. And where is Margaret?
I long to rally her about her lover.
Sweet Margaret caught: Margaret who mocked us all.
Hath she not chosen a madcap brother for us?
Man. Well, I had wished for Rosso, love; but women
Favour strange fellows.
ROSSO.
2620
She was difficult
To win, and now at least she has met her match.
Man. I pray all may go well. Indeed I have hope
That Hugo is by this possessed of orders
Which will resolve all trouble.
Con.Hush, father Thomas;
See, here they come.
Enter Hugo, Philip, Livio, and Ferdinand.
HUGO.
My dearest daughter, ’tis a happy day.
Thy health and safety—Ay, I am glad to see
Thy face of happiness, and I can add
Now to thy joy. King Frederick is crowned,
And I shall rule in Sicily.
2630
Man. (aside). How is this?
Con. Then for this happy news grant me, dear father,
One favour. Philip here will join in asking.
PHILIP.
Ere it be asked, I wish before all here
To say some words. Good father, hast thou won
The lady’s ear for me?
Man.I have, your grace.
Ph. May I speak, Constance?
Con.Philip, you may speak.
Ph. Once I asked this, and thou didst bid me then
Speak and end all. Hear while I speak my last.
I have wronged thee, Constance.
Con.That is now forgiven.
Hu. O, well done, Constance.
2640
Ph.And I wronged Manuel.
I violated friendship, and the bond
Of hospitality.
Con.All that I know,
And all forgive.
Hu.Forgive him, and forget it.
So should it be.
Ph.Yet if thou sayest that,
Thou dost not know that ’twas my treachery
Procured his exile, whence ensued his death.
Con. All this I know, and I forgive it all.
Hu. (aside). This is too soft. Doth her mind wander still?
Ph. Thou understandest? Knowest thou that did he live
To-day he were the ruler of his country?
Con. Nay; now, sir, this is new. How came you by it?
Ph. In a despatch I hold, his full appointment
Is writ and sealed.
Con.He will be very glad
To hear of this.
Ph.What sayst thou, then?
Hu. (aside). O misery!
Con. I know you call him dead; but still to me
He makes his visitations. I have seen him
This morning in my chamber. Nay, I say,
I see him now.
Hu.What saith she? (To Livio.) Alas, alas!
Thy sister’s mind is gone. This was the reason
Of her strange cheerfulness.
2660
Ph.May God forgive us
Our fatal mischief.
Con.Give me the despatch:
I’ll shew it him, sirs, else he might not believe me:
But if I take it ...
Ph. (to Hu.). What, sir, shall I do?
Ros. Humour her fancy, I will lead her out.
Hu. Ferdinand, give it to her. Alas, alas!
Con. (taking). I thank thee, sir. (To Man.) Now, father, here’s a matter
To make us laugh within.
[Exeunt Rosso, Constance, and Manuel.
Hu. Philip, she is mad.
Ph.I see it, and I the cause.
Hu. A laughing idiot. O, cruel heavens,
Ye had no stroke more fearful. Would to God
That Manuel yet were living, tho’ I hate him,
Rather than this.
[Shouting without of “Palicio,” etc.]
What noise is that?
LIVIO.
The rebels, sir, again.
Enter an Officer.
OFFICER.
The city, sire, is risen; and the people,
With John Palicio at their head, demand
The king’s despatches.
Hu.John Palicio!
Is he escaped again? Send Blasco hither.
Livio, where is he?
Liv.Sir, I do not know.
Hu. ’Tis this accursed rebellion hath done all:
I have been too merciful. I tell thee, Philip,
That was the cause of all, of Constance’s madness,
Of Manuel’s death. By heaven, the sword shall fall.
I will have blood for blood, and wail for wail.
None of these villains whom I hold in prison
Shall see the sunset. Send me Blasco hither.
Call out the troops.
Ph.Pray you remember, sire,
Pardon to all is urged in the despatch.
Hu. Send pardon to the devil. Oppose me not!
I’ll teach these rebels I am master now.
[Cries heard without.
Enter Manuel (as himself, with paper in hand) and Constance. Margaret, Lucia, and Rosso following.
Manuel! why, Manuel!
Ph.O, Manuel,
My friend, I am saved.
2690
Con.My father,
Let me present to you my ghostly father;
And at your will my loving living husband.
Hu. Why, what! How’s this? Is’t thou? Is this a trick?
Man. Ay: but a trick of fortune. Let my escape,
Which makes you wonder, be explained hereafter.
But now, since here I hold my title, sire,
I’ll fill my place at once. Philip, I pray thee
Go to the window, and make known to all
These latest tidings. Send the people home.
[Philip goes to window.
Meanwhile, sir; if before thou hadst some warrant
For anger shewn against me, now I ask
Thy pardon; and for wrongs against me done
Assure thee, that if freely thou make over
Thy daughter for my wife, there is in my love
Means for full reconcilement. May I say
Constance is mine?
Hu.I see that she is thine.
Man. I pray thou never shalt regret this day.
Ph. (returning from window). There is John Palicio, with half the town
At their old cries. I can make nothing of him.
2710
Man. Bid him surrender as my prisoner.
I will receive him here.
Hu.Thou must not think
He comes at asking thus.
Man.He will obey.
But I will shew myself. [Goes to window.
Hu. How comes he out of prison?
MARGARET.
That I can tell.
Your secretary Blasco promised me,
Who desired nothing more than the release
Of John Palicio, that he would contrive
To free him, if on my part I returned
A certain letter to his hands, wherein, [Shewing.
As you may read, he had betrayed your person
To John Palicio for a price. Then I,
As holder of this written ransom, came
To see my kinsman freed; when in the dungeon
False Blasco, with two villains and another,
Who was your son, appeared before us armed:
And thinking there to find Palicio
Defenceless, would have slain him, and forced me
To give them back this writing: but Palicio
Sprang up, slew Blasco, and escaped.
Ph.His death
Was due from me.
2730
Hu.Give me the letter, pray.
Say, Livio, is this true?
Liv.I never knew
Of this betrayal, sir; I trusted Blasco.
Mar. He counts for nothing, since he ran away.
Enter Palicio.
Hu. Is this the man?
Man.Thou art my prisoner.
PALICIO.
I make submission to your excellence.
[Offering (Blasco’s) sword.
Man. Dost thou surrender of thy own free-will
To me, as legal viceroy of this island,
Under King Frederick, and now abjuring
Thy late rebellion, wilt thou trust henceforth
The people’s welfare to my lawful hands?
Pal. I do, and all will trust thee as do I.
Man. That is thy pardon. (Takes sword.) For the king’s good will
Is grace to all. Yet there will be for thee
Question in Blasco’s death. But now I need
Elsewhere thy presence. (Returning sword.) Go forth to the people,
And make it known that I am their governour:
And that for all disorder ere this day
There will be pardon, but from this day none.
Bid them disperse.
Pal.Those hundred men of mine,
Who lie in prison: is their pardon granted?
Mar. ’Tis I should plead for them. ’Twas I betrayed them.
Hu. Thou didst betray them?
Mar.Ay, sir.
Hu.’Tis nought but wonder.
Man. (to Pal.). This is a day of grace. None will resent
Our stretching mercy. I shall grant their pardon,
But not without some cautions; for among them—
Hear me, Palicio, thou who so dost cry
Against the taxes—many among thy men
Are a most burdensome and fruitless tax.
They go free but to work, and with such measures
As will ensure it. [Palicio is going.
Now, sir, ere thou goest,
Is there none here to whom a word is due?
Pal. O, Manuel, I dare not, nay,—I pray thee,
Be not too generous towards me: since my heart
Has fallen so far, let me have trial yet
That I may win what I but falsely stole,
And now would leave in thy security,
Till I may bring some right to claim it. Yet
I lack the worth to ask. But there’s one thing
Which I will ask (goes to Margaret), forgiveness; and for that
I kneel.
2770
Mar. I will not hide it from thee, sir,
That in the mutual interchange of pardons,
Which is our friendly game, I have had some pain
Standing out in the cold, merely for lack
Of such a suit as thine. I have looked and longed
To find a debtor; and I will take thee.
Rise, sir. I must present thee to a kinsman.
[Leads Palicio to Hugo.
(To Hugo.) Do you remember, sir, a cruel saying
Spoken to me against this gentleman?
Since that I have been his friend, ay, and yours too,
For I betrayed his people to your hands,
When they were setting forth to burn the palace;
And so prevented Blasco’s treachery;
From which him too I saved, and for that deed
He takes me now in marriage.
Hu.All thou sayst
Margaret, with much of what hath happed to-day
Needs explanation. I must see so far
That Livio by his conduct is cut off:
But if you tell me now that you will marry
This man ...
Man.Palicio is of noble blood,
My lord. Yourself have given him oft such praise
As by an enemy must be well deserved
Ere it be spoken. The king’s pardon proves
Justification: he is quit of treason.
We shall restore his rank, the loss of which,
Due to his grandsire in the civil wars,
Brings him no stain: nay, we shall further make him
Chief secretary, where his ancient zeal
For all the commons’ rights may still be shewn.
Con. Margaret, we may be married the same day.
2800
Hu.I see indeed this is a day of grace,
Of wondrous grace: and where I take so much
I should be churlish did I not rejoice
That I may rank behind no one of you
In the free dispensation of my favour.
And there’s one act would set the balance even,
Lay it even lower against me: it is this,
For I will do it: John Palicio,
I do forgive thee ...
Mar.Now I thank thee, sire.
Pal. And I, my lord, who never thought to do it,
Will forgive thee. DO YOU FORGIVE US ALL..
THE RETURN
OF
ULYSSES
A DRAMA IN FIVE ACTS
IN A MIXED MANNER
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ
| ATHENA. | ||
| ULYSSES. | ||
| PENELOPE. | ||
| TELEMACHUS. | ||
| EUMÆUS | swineherd to Ulysses. | |
| EURTMACHUS |  | wooers of Penelope. |
| AMPHINOMUS | ||
| ANTINOUS | ||
| CTESIPPUS | ||
| PHEMIUS | a bard. | |
| LEIODES | a soothsayer. | |
| CHORUS of WOOERS. | ||
Neatherd and other servants to Telemachus and
Eumæus.
Retainers of Wooers; and Maids of Penelope.
The scene is laid in Ithaca. The first Act on the
sea-shore. The second at Eumæus’ hut.
The last three in the hall of Ulysses’ house.
ULYSSES
