[_She laughs._]
JANE.
Not Fabiano?
THE QUEEN.
No!
JANE.
Then who is it?
THE QUEEN.
The other!
JANE.
What other?
THE QUEEN.
You know well enough! You know him--that workman--that man. Besides, what does it matter?
JANE (_trembling with terror_).
Gilbert?
THE QUEEN.
Yes, Gilbert! That is the name.
JANE.
Madame! Oh, no, madame! Don"t say that, madame! Gilbert--it would be too horrible! He has escaped!
THE QUEEN.
He was escaping when they seized him. They put him under the black veil in Fabiano"s place. It is night. The people won"t know. Rest easy.
JANE (_with a frightful cry_).
Ah, madame! But the man I love--it is Gilbert!
THE QUEEN.
What? What do you say? Are you going crazy? Did you deceive me, too?
Ah, it is Gilbert whom you love! Well, what does that matter to me?
JANE (_at The Queen"s feet, broken-hearted, sobbing, dragging herself on her knees, her hands clasped: the great bell tolls through all this scene_).
Madame--just for pity! Madame, in the name of Heaven! Madame, by your crown, by your mother, by the angels! Gilbert, Gilbert--it will make me mad! Madame, save Gilbert! That man, he is my life; that man, he is my husband; that man-- I have told you that he did everything for me, that he brought me up, that he adopted me, that beside my cradle he took the place of my father, who died for your father. Madame, you see that I am a poor, wretched creature, and it isn"t right to be too hard on me. What you said to me just now struck such a terrible blow that I don"t truly see how it is I have strength to speak to you. I am just saying what I can, you see. But you must stop the execution--right away! Stop the execution! Put it off until to-morrow. Just time to have things understood, that is all. The people can wait until to-morrow, I know. We will see what we can do.
No! don"t shake your head! There is no danger for your Fabiano. You can put me in his place--under the black veil--at night. Who will know? But you must save Gilbert. What difference does it make whether it be he or I? And since--since I want to die! Oh, my G.o.d, that bell, that frightful bell! Every knell of that bell is a step toward the scaffold. Every knell of that bell strikes me full in the heart. Do it, madame. Be merciful! No danger for your Fabiano! Let me kiss your hands. I love you, madame. I never said it before--but I love you dearly. You are a great queen. See, how I kiss your beautiful hands!
Give an order to stop the execution. There is time yet. I am sure we can do it. They go so slowly. It is a long way from the Tower to the old Market-Place. The man on the balcony said they would pa.s.s through Charing Cross. There is a quicker way. A man on horseback could get there. In Heaven"s name, madame, be merciful! Try to put yourself in my place. Imagine that I am Queen and you the poor young woman; and you would weep as I do, and I would pardon. Pardon! Pardon! Oh, that is what I was afraid of, that my tears would hinder me from speaking!
Oh, right away!--stop the execution! There won"t be any trouble, madame; no danger for Fabiano, I swear it to you. Don"t you really think you ought to do what I say, madame?
THE QUEEN (_touched and lifting her up_).
I wish I could, poor girl. Ah, yes, you are weeping as I wept; what you feel I have just felt myself, and my anguish makes me understand yours. Look! I am weeping too. It is very sad, my poor child. It seems to me, too, they might have taken somebody else--Tyrconnel, for instance. But he is too well known: they had to have some obscure man. He was the only one they could get hold of. I explain all this so that you can understand, don"t you see? My G.o.d, there are fatalities like that: we get caught. We can"t do anything.
JANE.
I am listening to you, madame. I am like you. I have got many things to say. But I would like to have the order to suspend the execution signed, and the man sent off. You see it would be finished then. We could talk better afterward. Oh, that bell! forever, that bell!
THE QUEEN.
What you want is impossible, Lady Jane.
JANE.
Oh, no, it is possible!--a man on horseback. There is a very short way--by the wharf. I can go--I-- It is quite possible! It is easy! You see I talk very quietly.
THE QUEEN.
But the people won"t have it. They will come back here and ma.s.sacre everybody in the Tower. And Fabiano is here yet. Can"t you understand? You are trembling, poor child. I am like you--I tremble also. In your turn, put yourself in my place. I might easily not take the trouble to explain all this to you. You see I do what I can.
Don"t think about this Gilbert any more. Jane, it is over-- Resign yourself.
JANE.
Over! No, it is not over! No--as long as that horrible bell tolls, it is not over! Resign myself to Gilbert"s death? Do you think I am going to let Gilbert die like that? No, madame! Ah, I am wasting my time! Ah, you won"t listen to me! Very well, if the Queen won"t hear me, the people will. They are good, the people--if you but knew it!
They are in the court yet. You can do what you like with me afterward. I am going to tell them they are cheated; and that it is not Fabiani, it"s a poor workman, named Gilbert--a workman like themselves!
THE QUEEN.
Stop, you wretched child!
[_She seizes her arm and looks at her fixedly and resentfully._
This is the way you thank me, is it? I am patient and gentle with you, I weep with you--and all at once, you get wild and furious!
Well, my love is just as great as yours, and my hand is more powerful! You shall not stir! Your lover!--what do I care for your lover? Are all the girls in England coming to ask me about their lovers, now? By my soul, I save my own as well as I can, and at the cost of everything which stands in his way. You must look after yours.
JANE.
Let me go! Oh, I curse you, you wretched, wicked woman!
THE QUEEN.
Hush!