[ALVA withdraws. He is still seen for some time lingering in the court and giving orders to the guards.
SCENE III.
CARLOS and MARQUIS POSA.
CARLOS (after the departure of the DUKE, full of expectation and astonishment, to the MARQUIS).
What means all this? Inform me, Roderigo-- Art thou not, then, the minister?
MARQUIS.
I was, As thou canst well perceive---- [Going to him with great emotion.
O Carlos! Now
I have succeeded--yes--it is accomplished-- "Tis over now--Omnipotence be praised, To whom I owe success.
CARLOS.
Success! What mean you?
Thy words perplex me.
MARQUIS (takes his hand).
Carlos! thou art saved-- Art free--but I---- [He stops short.
CARLOS.
But thou----
MARQUIS.
Thus to my breast I press thee now, with friendship"s fullest right, A right I"ve bought with all I hold most dear.
How great, how lovely, Carlos, is this moment Of self-approving joy?
CARLOS.
What sudden change I mark upon thy features! Proudly now Thy bosom heaves, thine eyes dart vivid fire!
MARQUIS.
We must say farewell, Carlos! Tremble "not, But be a man! And what thou more shalt hear, Promise me, not by unavailing sorrow, Unworthy of great souls, to aggravate The pangs of parting. I am lost to thee, Carlos, for many years--fools say forever.
[CARLOS withdraws his hand, but makes no reply.
Be thou a man: I"ve reckoned much on thee-- I have not even shunned to pa.s.s with thee This awful hour--which men, in words of fear, Have termed the final one. I own it, Carlos, I joy to pa.s.s it thus. Come let us sit-- I feel myself grown weary and exhausted.
[He approaches CARLOS, who is in a lifeless stupor, and allows himself to be involuntarily drawn down by him.
Where art thou? No reply! I must be brief.
Upon the day that followed our last meeting At the Carthusian monastery the king Called me before him. What ensued thou knowest, And all Madrid. Thou hast not heard, however, Thy secret even then had reached his ears-- That letters in the queen"s possession found Had testified against thee. This I learned From his own lips--I was his confidant.
[He pauses for CARLOS" answer, but he still remains silent.
Yes, Carlos, with my lips I broke my faith-- Guided the plot myself that worked thy ruin.
Thy deed spoke trumpet-tongued; to clear thee fully "Twas now too late: to frustrate his revenge Was all that now remained for me; and so I made myself thy enemy to-serve thee With fuller power--dost thou not hear me, Carlos,
CARLOS.
Go on! go on! I hear thee.
MARQUIS.
To this point I"m guiltless. But the unaccustomed beams Of royal favor dazzled me. The rumor, As I had well foreseen, soon reached thine ears But by mistaken delicacy led, And blinded by my vain desire to end My enterprise alone, I kept concealed From friendship"s ear my hazardous design.
This was my fatal error! Here I failed!
I know it. My self-confidence was madness.
Pardon that confidence--"twas founded, Carlos, Upon our friendship"s everlasting base.
[He pauses. CARLOS pa.s.ses from torpid silence to violent agitation.
That which I feared befell. Unreal dangers Alarmed your mind. The bleeding queen--the tumult Within the palace--Lerma"s interference-- And, last of all, my own mysterious silence, Conspired to overwhelm thy heart with wonder.
Thou wavered"st, thought"st me lost; but far too n.o.ble To doubt thy friend"s integrity, thy soul Clothed his defection with a robe of honor, Nor judged him faithless till it found a motive To screen and justify his breach of faith.
Forsaken by thy only friend--"twas then Thou sought"st the arms of Princess Eboli-- A demon"s arms! "Twas she betrayed thee, Carlos!
I saw thee fly to her--a dire foreboding Struck on my heart--I followed thee too late!
Already wert thou prostrate at her feet, The dread avowal had escaped thy lips-- No way was left to save thee.
CARLOS.
No! her heart Was moved, thou dost mistake, her heart was moved.
MARQUIS.
Night overspread my mind. No remedy, No refuge, no retreat was left to me In nature"s boundless compa.s.s. Blind despair Transformed me to a fury--to a tiger-- I raised my dagger to a woman"s breast.
But in that moment--in that dreadful moment-- A radiant sunbeam fell upon my soul.
"Could I mislead the king! Could I succeed In making him think me the criminal!
However improbable, the very guilt Will be enough to win the king"s belief.
I"ll dare the task--a sudden thunderbolt May make the tyrant start--what want I further?
He stops to think, and Carlos thus gains time To fly to Brussels."
CARLOS.
And hast thou done this?
MARQUIS.
I have despatched a letter to Prince William, Saying I loved the queen, and had escaped The king"s mistrust in the unjust suspicion Which falsely fell on thee--that I had found Means, through the monarch"s favor, to obtain Free access to the queen. I added, further, That I was fearful of discovery-- That thou hadst learned my secret, and hadst sped To Princess Eboli, with hopes through her To warn the queen--that I had made thee prisoner-- And now that all seemed lost, I had resolved To fly to Brussels. This same letter I----
CARLOS (interrupts him, terrified).
Hast surely not intrusted to the post!
Thou knowest that letters to Brabant and Flanders----
MARQUIS.
Are given to the king; and as things go Taxis would seem to have discharged his duty.
CARLOS.
Heavens! then I"m lost.
MARQUIS.
How lost? What meanest thou?
CARLOS.