No More Learning

And I your highness.

CARLOS.
For heaven's sake is it true?

LERMA.
What do you mean?

CARLOS.
That the king drew his dagger, and that she
Was borne, all bathed in blood, from the apartment?
Now answer me, by all that's sacred; say,
What am I to believe? What truth is in it?

LERMA.
She fainted, and so grazed her skin in falling
That is the whole.

CARLOS.
Is there no further danger?
Count, answer on your honor.

LERMA.
For the queen
No further danger; for yourself, there's much!

CARLOS.
None for my mother. Then, kind Heaven, I thank thee.
A dreadful rumor reached me that the king
Raved against child and mother, and that some
Dire secret was discovered.

LERMA.
And the last
May possibly be true.

CARLOS.
Be true! What mean you?

LERMA.
One warning have I given you, prince, already,
And that to-day, but you despised it; now
Perhaps you'll profit better by a second.

CARLOS.
Explain yourself.

LERMA.
If I mistake not, prince,
A few days since I noticed in your hands
An azure-blue portfolio, worked in velvet
And chased with gold.

CARLOS (with anxiety).
Yes, I had such a one.

LERMA.
And on the cover, if I recollect, a portrait
Set in pearls?

CARLOS.
'Tis right; go on.

LERMA.
I entered the king's chamber on a sudden,
And in his hands I marked that same portfolio,
The Marquis Posa standing by his side.

CARLOS (after a short silence of astonishment, hastily).
'Tis false!

LERMA (warmly).
Then I'm a traitor!

CARLOS (looking steadfastly at him).
That you are!

LERMA.
Well, I forgive you.

CARLOS (paces the apartment in extreme agitation, at length
stands still before him).
Has he injured thee?
What have our guiltless ties of friendship done,
That with a demon's zeal thou triest to rend them?

LERMA.
Prince, I respect the grief which renders you
So far unjust.

CARLOS.
Heaven shield me from suspicion!

LERMA.
And I remember, too, the king's own words.
Just as I entered he addressed the marquis:
"How many thanks I owe you for this news. "

CARLOS.
Oh, say no more!

LERMA.
Duke Alva is disgraced!
The great seal taken from the Prince Ruy Gomez,
And given to the marquis.

CARLOS (lost in deep thought).
And from me
Has he concealed all this? And why from me?

LERMA.
As minister all-powerful, the court
Looks on him now--as favorite unrivalled!

CARLOS.
He loved me--loved me greatly: I was dear
As his own soul is to him. That I know--
Of that I've had a thousand proofs. But should
The happiness of millions yield to one?
Must not his country dearer to him prove
Than Carlos? One friend only is too few
For his capacious heart. And not enough
Is Carlos' happiness to engross his love.
He offers me a sacrifice to virtue;
And shall I murmur at him? Now 'tis certain
I have forever lost him.

[He steps aside and covers his face.

LERMA.
Dearest prince!
How can I serve you?

CARLOS (without looking at him).
Get you to the king;
Go and betray me. I have naught to give.

LERMA.
Will you then stay and brave the ill that follows?

CARLOS (leans on a balustrade and looks forward with a vacant gaze).
I've lost him now, and I am destitute!

LERMA (approaching him with sympathizing emotion).
And will you not consult your safety, prince?

CARLOS.
My safety! Generous man!

LERMA:
And is there, then,
No other person you should tremble for?

CARLOS (starts up).
Heavens! you remind me now. Alas! My mother!
The letter that I gave him--first refused--
Then after, gave him!

[He paces backwards and forwards with agitation,
wringing his hands.

Has she then deserved
This blow from him? He should have spared her, Lerma.

[In a hasty, determined tone.

But I must see her--warn her of her danger--
I must prepare her, Lerma, dearest Lerma!
Whom shall I send? Have I no friend remaining?
Yes! Heaven be praised! I still have one; and now
The worst is over.
[Exit quickly.

LEEMA (follows, and calls after him).
Whither, whither, prince?



SCENE XIV.

The QUEEN, ALVA, DOMINGO.

ALVA.
If we may be permitted, gracious queen----

QUEEN.
What are your wishes?

DOMINGO.
A most true regard
For your high majesty forbids us now
To watch in careless silence an event
Pregnant with danger to your royal safety.

ALVA.
We hasten, by a kind and timely warning,
To counteract a plot that's laid against you.

DOMINGO.
And our warm zeal, and our best services,
To lay before your feet, most gracious queen!

QUEEN (looking at them with astonishment).
Most reverend sir, and you, my noble duke,
You much surprise me. Such sincere attachment,
In truth, I had not hoped for from Domingo,
Nor from Duke Alva. Much I value it.
A plot you mention, menacing my safety--
Dare I inquire by whom----

ALVA.
You will beware a certain Marquis Posa
He has of late been secretly employed
In the king's service.

QUEEN.
With delight I hear
The king has made so excellent a choice.
Report, long since, has spoken of the marquis
As a deserving, great, and virtuous man--
The royal grace was ne'er so well bestowed!

DOMINGO.
So well bestowed! We think far otherwise.

ALVA.
It is no secret now, for what designs
This man has been employed.

QUEEN.
How! What designs?
You put my expectation on the rack.

DOMINGO.
How long is it since last your majesty
Opened your casket?

QUEEN.
Why do you inquire?

DOMINGO.
Did you not miss some articles of value?

QUEEN.
Why these suspicions? What I missed was then
Known to the court! But what of Marquis Posa?
Say, what connection has all this with him?

ALVA.
The closest, please your majesty--the prince
Has lost some papers of importance;
And they were seen this morning with the king
After the marquis had an audience of him.

QUEEN (after some consideration).
This news is strange indeed--inexplicable
To find a foe where I could ne'er have dreamed it,
And two warm friends I knew not I possessed!

[Fixing her eyes steadfastly upon them.

And, to speak truth, I had well nigh imputed
To you the wicked turn my husband served me.

ALVA.
To us!

QUEEN.
To you yourselves!

DOMINGO.
To me! Duke Alva!

QUEEN (her eyes still fastened on them).
I am glad to be so timely made aware
Of my rash judgment--else had I resolved
This very day to beg his majesty
Would bring me face to face with my accusers.
But I'm contented now. I can appeal
To the Duke Alva for his testimony.

ALVA.
For mine? You would not sure do that!

QUEEN.
Why not?

ALVA.
'Twould counteract the services we might
Render in secret to you.

QUEEN.
How! in secret?
[With stern dignity.
I fain would know what secret projects, duke,
Your sovereign's spouse can have to form with you,
Or, priest! with you--her husband should not know?
Think you that I am innocent or guilty?

DOMINGO.
Strange question!

ALVA.
Should the monarch prove unjust--
And at this time----

QUEEN.
Then I must wait for justice
Until it come--and they are happiest far
Whose consciences may calmly wait their right.

[Bows to them and exit. DOMINGO and ALVA exeunt
on the opposite side.



SCENE XV.

Chamber Of PRINCESS EBOLI.
PRINCESS EBOLI. CARLOS immediately after.

EBOLI.
Is it then true--the strange intelligence,
That fills the court with wonder?

CARLOS (enters).
Do not fear
Princess! I shall be gentle as a child.

EBOLI.
Prince, this intrusion!

CARLOS.
Are you angry still?
Offended still with me----

EBOLI.
Prince!

CARLOS (earnestly).
Are you angry?
I pray you answer me.

EBOLI.
What can this mean?
You seem, prince, to forget--what would you with me?

CARLOS (seizing her hand with warmth).
Dear maiden! Can you hate eternally?
Can injured love ne'er pardon?

EBOLI (disengaging herself).
Prince! of what
Would you remind me?

CARLOS.
Of your kindness, dearest!
And of my deep ingratitude. Alas,
Too well I know it! deeply have I wronged thee--
Wounded thy tender heart, and from thine eyes,
Thine angel eyes, wrung precious tears, sweet maid!
But ah! 'tis not repentance leads me hither.

EBOLI.
Prince! leave me--I----

CARLOS.
I come to thee, because
Thou art a maid of gentle soul--because
I trust thy heart--thy kind and tender heart.
Think, dearest maiden! think, I have no friend,
No friend but thee, in all this wretched world--
Thou who wert once so kind wilt not forever
Hate me, nor will thy anger prove eternal.

EBOLI (turning away her face).
O cease! No more! for heaven's sake! leave me, prince.

CARLOS.
Let me remind thee of those golden hours--
Let me remind thee of thy love, sweet maid--
That love which I so basely have offended!
Oh, let me now appear to thee again
As once I was--and as thy heart portrayed me.
Yet once again, once only, place my image,
As in days past, before thy tender soul,
And to that idol make a sacrifice
Thou canst not make to me.

EBOLI.
Oh, Carlos, cease!
Too cruelly thou sportest with my feelings!

CARLOS.
Be nobler than thy sex! Forgive an insult!
Do what no woman e'er has done before thee,
And what no woman, after thee, can equal.
I ask of thee an unexampled favor.
Grant me--upon my knees I ask of thee
Grant me two moments with the queen, my mother!

[He casts himself at her feet.



SCENE XVI.

The former. MARQUIS POSA rushes in; behind him two
Officers of the Queen's Guard.

MARQUIS (breathless and agitated, rushing between CARLOS and
the PRINCESS).
Say, what has he confessed? Believe him not!

CARLOS (still on his knees, with loud voice).
By all that's holy----

MARQUIS (interrupting him with vehemence).
He is mad! He raves!
Oh, listen to him not!

CARLOS (louder and more urgent).
It is a question
Of life and death; conduct me to her straight.

MARQUIS (dragging the PRINCESS from him by force).
You die, if you but listen.
[To one of the officers, showing an order.
Count of Cordova!
In the king's name, Prince Carlos is your prisoner.

[CARLOS stands bewildered. The PRINCESS utters a cry of
horror, and tries to escape. The officers are astounded.
A long and deep pause ensues. The MARQUIS trembles violently,
and with difficulty preserves his composure.
[To the PRINCE.

I beg your sword--The Princess Eboli
Remains----
[To the officers.
And you, on peril of your lives,
Let no one with his highness speak--no person--
Not e'en yourselves.
[He whispers a few words to one officer, then turns to the other.
I hasten, instantly,
To cast myself before our monarch's feet,
And justify this step----
[To the PRINCE.
And prince! for you--
Expect me in an hour.

[CARLOS permits himself to be led away without any signs
of consciousness, except that in passing he casts a languid,
dying look on the MARQUIS. The PRINCESS endeavors again to
escape; the MARQUIS pulls her back by the arm.



SCENE XVII.

PRINCESS EBOLI, MARQUIS POSA.

EBOLI.
For Heaven's sake let me leave this place----

MARQUIS (leads her forward with dreadful earnestness).
Thou wretch!
What has he said to thee?

EBOLI.
Oh, leave me! Nothing.

MARQUIS (with earnestness; holding her back by force).
How much has he imparted to thee? Here
No way is left thee to escape. To none
In this world shalt thou ever tell it.

EBOLI (looking at him with terror).
Heavens! What would you do? Would you then murder me?

MARQUIS (drawing a dagger).
Yes, that is my resolve. Be speedy!

EBOLI.
Mercy!
What have I then committed?

MARQUIS (looking towards heaven, points the dagger to her breast).
Still there's time--
The poison has not issued from these lips.
Dash but the bowl to atoms, all remains
Still as before! The destinies of Spain
Against a woman's life!

[Remains doubtingly in this position.

EBOLI (having sunk down beside him, looks in his face).
Do not delay--
Why do you hesitate? I beg no mercy--
I have deserved to die, and I am ready.

MARQUIS (letting his hand drop slowly--after some reflection).
It were as cowardly as barbarous.
No! God be praised! another way is left.

[He lets the dagger fall and hurries out. The PRINCESS
hastens out through another door.



SCENE XVIII.

A Chamber of the QUEEN.
The QUEEN to the COUNTESS FUENTES.

What means this noisy tumult in the palace?
Each breath to-day alarms me! Countess! see
What it portends, and hasten back with speed.

[Exit COUNTESS FUENTES--the PRINCESS EBOLI rushes in.



SCENE XIX.

The QUEEN, PRINCESS EBOLI.

EBOLI (breathless, pale, and wild, falls before the QUEEN).
Help! Help! O Queen! he's seized!

QUEEN.
Who?

EBOLI.
He's arrested
By the king's orders given to Marquis Posa.

QUEEN.
Who is arrested? Who?

EBOLI.
The prince!

QUEEN.
Thou ravest

EBOLI.
This moment they are leading him away.

QUEEN.
And who arrested him?

EBOLI.
The Marquis Posa.

QUEEN.
Then heaven be praised! it was the marquis seized him!

EBOLI.
Can you speak thus, and with such tranquil mien?
Oh, heavens! you do not know--you cannot think----

QUEEN.
The cause of his arrest! some trifling error,
Doubtless arising from his headlong youth!

EBOLI.
No! no! I know far better. No, my queen!
Remorseless treachery! There's no help for him.
He dies!

QUEEN.
He dies!

EBOLI.
And I'm his murderer!

QUEEN.
What! Dies? Thou ravest! Think what thou art saying?

EBOLI.
And wherefore--wherefore dies he? Had I known
That it would come to this!

QUEEN (takes her affectionately by the hand).
Oh, dearest princess,
Your senses are distracted, but collect
Your wandering spirits, and relate to me
More calmly, not in images of horror
That fright my inmost soul, whate'er you know!
Say, what has happened?

EBOLI.
Oh, display not, queen,
Such heavenly condescension! Like hot flames
This kindness sears my conscience. I'm not worthy
To view thy purity with eyes profane.
Oh, crush the wretch, who, agonized by shame,
Remorse, and self-reproach writhes at thy feet!

QUEEN.
Unhappy woman! Say, what is thy guilt?

EBOLI.
Angel of light! Sweet saint! thou little knowest
The demon who has won thy loving smiles.
Know her to-day; I was the wretched thief
Who plundered thee.

QUEEN.
What! Thou?

EBOLI.
And gave thy letters
Up to the king?