The Palace of Dreaming in Infantlonia. King Hector tosses restlessly in his bed and mutters to himself: “Grey dawn is coming, bringing in its hand Death for the three who saved my son from death, And I have signed the warrant for their deaths— I, the lone King of poor Saxscoberland. Oh! Isola, had you been by my side, Had you been reigning jointly with me now As you declared you had the right to reign, Such foul injustice never had been done. Isola, noble Isola, divorced, Driven from Hector’s side by unjust law, Come to me, drive away the imp Remorse Which grinning sits before me, mocking me.”
Enter Prince Bernis (in his nightdress, peeping in): “Papa, mamma is calling. I heard her. Who is Isola? Is it mamma, papa?”
Hector (springing up): “What brings you here, my child? Bernis, what is’t? By all the Gods! What is it, Bernis boy?”
Prince Bernis. “Mamma called me to come here. I have come. Where is mamma? Is mamma Isola? Nurse calls her Lady Isola, papa; But, yesterday, I heard His Gaysiousness Say ‘Isola was Fortunatus.’ Who? Papa say, who is Fortunatus, and How can he be my dear mamma, Isola?”
Hector (seizing the boy and staring at him): “He said that Fortunatus was Isola? Speak, Bernis, did His Graciousness say that?”
Prince Bernis. “Oh! yes, papa. Conception said it, too. I heard the Ardrigh and Conception say it. Tell me, papa, where is mamma and why Is she called Fortunatus by them both, And nurse calls her the Lady Isola?”
King Hector (dressing hastily): “Oh! God Almighty, I shall be too late. ’Tis twenty-nine miles to the prison gates. They die at eight. ’Tis now far after six. Almighty God! How reach Holdfast in time? Oh! for the pow’r to flash the word ‘Reprieved’ Into the hands of Holdfast’s Governor. Surely the Universe holds property Able to send forth silent messages.” (To the child) “Run back to bed, my darling, run, Bernis; Papa is going to try to save Mamma. No. I can’t take you, run to bed, Bernis. Almighty God! can I get there in time?”
[He rushes from his room.
End of Act V.
