A hopeless love makes no such sacrifice.
What fire was in his kiss! How tenderly He pressed my bosom to his beating heart!
Well nigh the trial had proved dangerous To his romantic, unrequited pa.s.sion!
With joy he seized the key he fondly thought The queen had sent:--in this gigantic stride Of love he puts full credence--and he comes-- In very truth comes here--and so imputes To Philip"s wife a deed so madly rash.
And would he so, had love not made him bold?
"Tis clear as day--his suit is heard--she loves!
By heaven, this saintly creature burns with pa.s.sion; How subtle, too, she is! With fear I trembled Before this lofty paragon of virtue!
She towered beside me, an exalted being, And in her beams I felt myself eclipsed; I envied her the lovely, cloudless calm, That kept her soul from earthly tumults free.
And was this soft serenity but show?
Would she at both feasts revel, holding up Her virtue"s G.o.dlike splendor to our gaze, And riot in the secret joys of vice?
And shall the false dissembler cozen thus, And win a safe immunity from this That no avenger comes? By heavens she shall not!
I once adored her,--that demands revenge:-- The king shall know her treachery--the king!
[After a pause.
"Tis the sure way to win the monarch"s ear!
[Exit.
SCENE X.
A chamber in the royal palace.
DUKE OF ALVA, FATHER DOMINGO.
DOMINGO.
Something to tell me!
ALVA.
Ay! a thing of moment, Of which I made discovery to-day, And I would have your judgment on it.
DOMINGO.
How!
Discovery! To what do you allude?
ALVA.
Prince Carlos and myself this morning met In the queen"s antechamber. I received An insult from him--we were both in heat-- The strife grew loud--and we had drawn our swords.
Alarmed, from her apartments rushed the queen.
She stepped between us,--with commanding eye Of conscious power, she looked upon the prince.
"Twas but a single glance,--but his arm dropped, He fell upon my bosom--gave me then A warm embrace, and vanished.
DOMINGO (after a pause).
This seems strange.
It brings a something to my mind, my lord!
And thoughts like these I own have often sprung Within my breast; but I avoid such fancies-- To no one have I e"er confided them.
There are such things as double-edged swords And untrue friends,--I fear them both.
"Tis hard to judge among mankind, but still more hard To know them thoroughly. Words slipped at random Are confidants offended--therefore I Buried my secret in my breast, till time Should drag it forth to light. "Tis dangerous To render certain services to kings.
They are the bolts, which if they miss the mark, Recoil upon the archer! I could swear Upon the sacrament to what I saw.
Yet one eye-witness--one word overheard-- A sc.r.a.p of paper--would weigh heavier far Than my most strong conviction! Cursed fate That we are here in Spain!
ALVA.
And why in Spain?
DOMINGO.
There is a chance in every court but this For pa.s.sion to forget itself, and fall.
Here it is warned by ever-wakeful laws.
Our Spanish queens would find it hard to sin-- And only there do they meet obstacles, Where best "twould serve our purpose to surprise them.
ALVA.
But listen further: Carlos had to-day An audience of the king; the interview Lasted an hour, and earnestly he sought The government of Flanders for himself.
Loudly he begged, and fervently. I heard him In the adjoining cabinet. His eyes Were red with tears when I encountered him.
At noon he wore a look of lofty triumph, And vowed his joy at the king"s choice of me.
He thanked the king. "Matters are changed," he said, "And things go better now." He"s no dissembler: How shall I reconcile such contradictions?
The prince exults to see himself rejected, And I receive a favor from the king With marks of anger! What must I believe?
In truth this new-born dignity doth sound Much more like banishment than royal favor!
DOMINGO.
And is it come to this at last? to this?
And has one moment crumbled into dust What cost us years to build? And you so calm, So perfectly at ease! Know you this youth?
Do you foresee the fate we may expect Should he attain to power? The prince! No foe Am I of his. Far other cares than these Gnaw at my rest--cares for the throne--for G.o.d, And for his holy church! The royal prince-- (I know him, I can penetrate his soul), Has formed a horrible design, Toledo!
The wild design--to make himself the regent, And set aside our pure and sacred faith.
His bosom glows with some new-fangled virtue, Which, proud and self-sufficient, scorns to rest For strength on any creed. He dares to think!
His brain is all on fire with wild chimeras; He reverences the people! And is this A man to be our king?
ALVA.
Fantastic dreams!
No more. A boy"s ambition, too, perchance To play some lofty part! What can he less?
These thoughts will vanish when he"s called to rule.
DOMINGO.
I doubt it! Of his freedom he is proud, And scorns those strict restraints all men must bear Who hope to govern others. Would he suit Our throne? His bold gigantic mind Would burst the barriers of our policy.
In vain I sought to enervate his soul In the loose joys of this voluptuous age.
He stood the trial. Fearful is the spirit That rules this youth; and Philip soon will see His sixtieth year.
ALVA.
Your vision stretches far!
DOMINGO.
He and the queen are both alike in this.
Already works, concealed in either breast, The poisonous wish for change and innovation.
Give it but way, "twill quickly reach the throne.
I know this Valois! We may tremble for The secret vengeance of this quiet foe If Philip"s weakness hearken to her voice!
Fortune so far hath smiled upon us. Now We must antic.i.p.ate the foe, and both Shall fall together in one fatal snare.
Let but a hint of such a thing be dropped Before the king, proved or unproved, it reeks not!
Our point is gained if he but waver. We Ourselves have not a doubt; and once convinced, "Tis easy to convince another"s mind.
Be sure we shall discover more if we Start with the faith that more remains concealed.
ALVA.
But soft! A vital question! Who is he Will undertake the task to tell the king?