SCENE VII.
CARLOS and COUNT LERMA.
LERMA.
Save yourself, prince! The king"s enraged against you.
Your liberty, if not your life"s in danger!
Ask me no further--I have stolen away To give you warning--fly this very instant!
CARLOS.
Heaven will protect me!
LERMA.
As the queen observed To me, this moment, you must leave Madrid This very day, and fly to Brussels, prince.
Postpone it not, I pray you. The commotion Favors your flight. The queen, with this design, Has raised it. No one will presume so far As to lay hand on you. Swift steeds await you At the Carthusian convent, and behold, Here are your weapons, should you be attacked.
[LERMA gives him a dagger and pistols.
CARLOS.
Thanks, thanks, Count Lerma!
LERMA.
This day"s sad event Has moved my inmost soul! No faithful friend Will ever love like him. No patriot breathes But weeps for you. More now I dare not say.
CARLOS.
Count Lerma! he who"s gone considered you A man of honor.
LERMA.
Farewell, prince, again!
Success attend you! Happier times will come-- But I shall be no more. Receive my homage!
[Falls on one knee.
CARLOS (endeavors to prevent him, with much emotion).
Not so--not so, count! I am too much moved-- I would not be unmanned!
LERMA (kissing his hand with feeling).
My children"s king!
To die for you will be their privilege!
It is not mine, alas! But in those children Remember me! Return in peace to Spain.
May you on Philip"s throne feel as a man, For you have learned to suffer! Undertake No b.l.o.o.d.y deed against your father, prince!
Philip compelled his father to yield up The throne to him; and this same Philip now Trembles at his own son. Think, prince, of that And may Heaven prosper and direct your path!
[Exit quickly. CARLOS about to hasten away by another side, but turns rapidly round, and throws himself down before the copse, which he again folds in his arms. He then hurries from the room.
SCENE VIII.
The KING"s Antechamber.
DUKE ALVA and DUKE FERIA enter in conversation.
ALVA.
The town is quieted. How is the king?
FERIA.
In the most fearful state. Within his chamber He is shut up, and whatso"er may happen He will admit no person to his presence.
The treason of the marquis has at once Changed his whole nature. We no longer know him.
ALVA.
I must go to him, nor respect his feelings.
A great discovery which I have made----
FERIA.
A new discovery!
ALVA.
A Carthusian monk My guards observed, with stealthy footsteps, creep Into the prince"s chamber, and inquire With anxious curiosity, about The Marquis Posa"s death. They seized him straight, And questioned him. Urged by the fear of death, He made confession that he bore about him Papers of high importance, which the marquis Enjoined him to deliver to the prince, If, before sunset, he should not return.
FERIA.
Well, and what further?
ALVA.
These same letters state That Carlos from Madrid must fly before The morning dawn.
FERIA.
Indeed!
ALVA.
And that a ship at Cadiz lies Ready for sea, to carry him to Flushing.
And that the Netherlands but wait his presence, To shake the Spanish fetters from their arms.
FERIA.
Can this be true?
ALVA.
And other letters say A fleet of Soliman"s will sail for Rhodes, According to the treaty, to attack The Spanish squadron in the Midland seas.
FERIA.
Impossible.
ALVA.
And hence I understand The object of the journeys, which of late The marquis made through Europe. "Twas no less Than to rouse all the northern powers to arms In aid of Flanders" freedom.
FERIA.
Was it so?