PRINCESS (hiding her face in the cushion).
Oh, G.o.d! What have I said?
CARLOS (kneeling before her).
I am not guilty.
My pa.s.sion--an unfortunate mistake-- By heaven, I am not guilty----
PRINCESS (pushing him from her).
Out of my sight, For heaven"s sake!
CARLOS.
No, I will not leave thee thus.
In this dread anguish leave thee----
PRINCESS (pushing him forcibly away).
Oh, in pity-- For mercy"s sake, away--out of my sight!
Wouldst thou destroy me? How I hate thy presence!
[CARLOS going.
Give, give me back the letter and the key.
Where is the other letter?
CARLOS.
The other letter?
PRINCESS.
That from the king, to me----
CARLOS (terrified).
From whom?
PRINCESS.
The one I just now gave you.
CARLOS.
From the king!
To you!
PRINCESS.
Oh, heavens, how dreadfully have I Involved myself! The letter, sir! I must Have it again.
CARLOS.
The letter from the king!
To you!
PRINCESS.
The letter! give it, I implore you By all that"s sacred! give it.
CARLOS.
What, the letter That will unmask the saint! Is this the letter?
PRINCESS.
Now I"m undone! Quick, give it me----
CARLOS.
The letter----
PRINCESS (wringing her hands in despair).
What have I done? O dreadful, dire imprudence!
CARLOS.
This letter comes, then, from the king! Princess, That changes all indeed, and quickly, too.
This letter is beyond all value--priceless!
All Philip"s crowns are worthless, and too poor To win it from my hands. I"ll keep this letter.
PRINCESS (throwing herself prostrate before him as he is going).
Almighty Heaven! then I am lost forever.
[Exit CARLOS.
SCENE IX.
The PRINCESS alone.
She seems overcome with surprise, and is confounded.
After CARLOS" departure she hastens to call him back.
PRINCESS.
Prince, but one word! Prince, hear me. He is gone.
And this, too, I am doomed to bear--his scorn!
And I am left in lonely wretchedness, Rejected and despised!
[Sinks down upon a chair. After a pause And yet not so; I"m but displaced--supplanted by some wanton.
He loves! of that no longer doubt is left; He has himself confessed it--but my rival-- Who can she be? Happy, thrice happy one!
This much stands clear: he loves where he should not.
He dreads discovery, and from the king He hides his guilty pa.s.sion! Why from him Who would so gladly hail it? Or, is it not The father that he dreads so in the parent?
When the king"s wanton purpose was disclosed, His features glowed with triumph, boundless joy Flashed in his eyes, his rigid virtue fled; Why was it mute in such a cause as this?
Why should he triumph? What hath he to gain If Philip to his queen----
[She stops suddenly, as if struck by a thought, then drawing hastily from her bosom the ribbon which she had taken from CARLOS, she seems to recognize it.
Fool that I am!
At length "tis plain. Where have my senses been?
My eyes are opened now. They loved each other Long before Philip wooed her, and the prince Ne"er saw me but with her! She, she alone Was in his thoughts when I believed myself The object of his true and boundless love.
O matchless error! and have I betrayed My weakness to her?
[Pauses.
Should his love prove hopeless?
Who can believe it? Would a hopeless love Persist in such a struggle? Called to revel In joys for which a monarch sighs in vain!