_Soldiers_. Mercy! mercy!
_Arn._ Then learn to grant it. Have I taught you _who_ Led you o"er Rome"s eternal battlements?
_Soldiers_. We saw it, and we know it; yet forgive A moment"s error in the heat of conquest-- The conquest which you led to.
_Arn._ Get you hence!
Hence to your quarters! you will find them fixed In the Colonna palace.
_Olimp._ (_aside_). In my father"s 100 House!
_Arn._ (_to the Soldiers_). Leave your arms; ye have no further need Of such: the city"s rendered. And mark well You keep your hands clean, or I"ll find out a stream As red as Tiber now runs, for your baptism.
_Soldiers_ (_deposing their arms and departing_). We obey!
_Arn._ (_to_ OLIMPIA). Lady, you are safe.
_Olimp._ I should be so, Had I a knife even; but it matters not-- Death hath a thousand gates; and on the marble, Even at the altar foot, whence I look down Upon destruction, shall my head be dashed, Ere thou ascend it. G.o.d forgive thee, man! 110
_Arn._ I wish to merit his forgiveness, and Thine own, although I have not injured thee.
_Olimp._ No! Thou hast only sacked my native land,-- No injury!--and made my father"s house A den of thieves! No injury!--this temple-- Slippery with Roman and with holy gore!
No injury! And now thou wouldst preserve me, To be----but that shall never be!
[_She raises her eyes to Heaven, folds her robe round her, and prepares to dash herself down on the side of the Altar opposite to that where_ ARNOLD _stands_.
_Arn._ Hold! hold!
I swear.
_Olimp._ Spare thine already forfeit soul A perjury for which even h.e.l.l would loathe thee. 120 I know thee.
_Arn._ No, thou know"st me not; I am not Of these men, though----
_Olimp._ I judge thee by thy mates; It is for G.o.d to judge thee as thou art.
I see thee purple with the blood of Rome; Take mine, "tis all thou e"er shalt have of me, And here, upon the marble of this temple, Where the baptismal font baptized me G.o.d"s, I offer him a blood less holy But not less pure (pure as it left me then, A redeemed infant) than the holy water 130 The saints have sanctified!
[OLIMPIA _waves her hand to_ ARNOLD _with disdain, and dashes herself on the pavement from the Altar_.
_Arn._ Eternal G.o.d!
I feel thee now! Help! help! she"s gone.
_Caes._ (_approaches_). I am here.
_Arn._ Thou! but oh, save her!
_Caes._ (_a.s.sisting him to raise_ OLIMPIA). She hath done it well!
The leap was serious.
_Arn._ Oh! she is lifeless!
_Caes._ If She be so, I have nought to do with that: The resurrection is beyond me.
_Arn._ Slave!
_Caes._ Aye, slave or master, "tis all one: methinks Good words, however, are as well at times.
_Arn._ Words!--Canst thou aid her?
_Caes._ I will try. A sprinkling Of that same holy water may be useful. 140 [_He brings some in his helmet from the font_.
_Arn._ "Tis mixed with blood.
_Caes._ There is no cleaner now In Rome.
_Arn._ How pale! how beautiful! how lifeless!
Alive or dead, thou Essence of all Beauty, I love but thee!
_Caes._ Even so Achilles loved Penthesilea;[249] with his form it seems You have his heart, and yet it was no soft one.
_Arn._ She breathes! But no, "twas nothing, or the last Faint flutter Life disputes with Death.
_Caes._ She breathes.
_Arn._ _Thou_ say"st it? Then "tis truth.
_Caes._ You do me right-- The Devil speaks truth much oftener than he"s deemed: 150 He hath an ignorant audience.
_Arn._ (_without attending to him_). Yes! her heart beats.
Alas! that the first beat of the only heart I ever wished to beat with mine should vibrate To an a.s.sa.s.sin"s pulse.
_Caes._ A sage reflection, But somewhat late i" the day. Where shall we bear her?
I say she lives.
_Arn._ And will she live?
_Cas._ As much As dust can.
_Arn._ Then she is dead!
_Caes._ Bah! bah! You are so, And do not know it. She will come to life-- Such as you think so, such as you now are; But we must work by human means.
_Arn._ We will 160 Convey her unto the Colonna palace, Where I have pitched my banner.
_Caes._ Come then! raise her up!
_Arn._ Softly!
_Caes._ As softly as they bear the dead, Perhaps because they cannot feel the jolting.