Classic Poem

FRAGMENT OF A DRAMA CALLED " THE CARDINAL PLAY "

...
— ANGELO . You're paler than your wont, my Lord. I pray
Your sorrows for the church —
— CARDINAL . I've other thoughts
To-day, my son. You'll listen. Are we heard?
— ANG. Alone.
— CARD. The jeweller Veri had in's care —
Pray listen, for I'm tired — a pretty girl,
Clean of our dirty age and marvellous
In beauty, body, soul and maidenhood.
To-day's a week, he quit his workshop, came
To bring me an ordered figure silver-carved
I'd need of. 'T was some hour, I'd say two hours
After the sunset. And, waiting to hear
My approval of the long-belaboured work,
He stayed awhile. But wandering home he found
A window burst, and apprehending some
Great loss of metals and I know not what,
He rushed within — all safe — except — except
Calling Lucia — that's the girl's name — she
Made not a sound of answer. Breaking in
He finds her — gone — robbed — O my son — I say
She'd flown — and lay the bitter question — where?
— ANG. I fear, my Lord —
— CARD. I've more to say. He came,
Two long days passed, to acquaint me. Me he sought
For being professed protector of his work
And knowing the noblemen who play such tricks
Upon the — on peasant women — or I'd say
On those below them. You, my son, are young
And pass your youth among them. Here's my word:
You'll find what villain — casually you'll search
And ask, as speaking of indifferent things —
You'll find me out this man, avenge me —
— ANG. Venge you, my Lord?
— CARD. Me, yes, as shielding Veri.
— ANG. My wits are dull, your pardon. Truth to say,
I had not thought to pay a jeweller's bills,
And hold all Roman maidenheads in trust.
Upon my word.
— CARD. My son, it suits you ill
To refuse me.
— ANG. Your Grace be kind! Howe'er
You'll grant it's odd for Roman gentlemen
To fight a tradesman's duels.
— CARD. I've said my wish.
Be pleased, consider all your life is mine,
Your state and rank, your fortune —
— ANG. Sir, enough!
The story's this: one happy day you found
A woman — noble, fair, we'll say, who liked —
I speak with reverence — you and all you were.
So things begin. The season comes, the day, —
Your youth is happy and she divinely dower'd
With all one loves one great rich single time.
I'm brief: the lady was my mother, you
My father, and God's obscured will was done.
We grow, we beings of your happiness,
Goaded to life, and clothed and dressed and wrapped
In the disease of long mortality.
We breathe and grow: the cruel frequency
Of year and hour is on us, and we learn
Our birth was precious — but, well, casual.
Yet we live on, and on necessity's
Stern heart lay our ununderstanding heads.
And we live on. Then comes a day, you've thought
At such time such a thing should so be done, —
If not, you hound us out. Now, hear me God,
It's passing strange. A slave is fairly bought
And cudgelled if the bargain's bad, — so far
So good. But I, not bought, but wholly made
Out of your pleasure, fact and monument
Of your caprice, a thing you hazarded
On the big gaming table of the world,
And now, — why after all, say you, it's mine,
And let it work to please me. — My respect,
Your Eminence, dies poisoned by the truth.
For this, despoil me as you will, my sword
Is mine, my honour's mine, and mine my life.
I'll fight no jeweller's fight, that's flat, nor earn
A busy quarrel-monger's name. I've said.
— CARD. You press me hard, for one who long was kind,
And made your livelihood as best
Fortune and fame would warrant — yet of that
Enough.
[ Coldly .] I came to order and I sue:
Your sword is my defence. Hear me again,
My son, for I had interest in —
— ANG. Interest?
— CARD. I say, the girl —
— ANG. You loved the girl?
— CARD. She was my —
— ANG. What?
— CARD. My — ward.
— ANG. Ward, loved your ward!
Christ and the Saints, how hideous!
[ He laughs fiercely and long and sinks into a chair .]
I had thought
A scarlet Cardinal with silver hair
Had made his peace with lust —
— CARD. Villain, be still
Or I'll tear out thy tongue. She was — Ah God —
She was my daughter.
[ A long pause . ANGELO passes his hand over his forehead and seems stupefied and shakes his head .]
— ANG. Wait — no — I cannot — what you said —
You spoke —
— CARD. Well, sir, —
— ANG. [ frantic ]. No, no, I'll not believe't.
No, God Almighty's curse, no, no. I swear it's false.
I say, no. It's to spur me finely on,
To move my stubborn temper. But the lie 's
Too thick, too simple.
— CARD. [ calling ]. Luigi!
— ANG. Why, it's plain
The thing could never be, — the beasts abhor —
Oh, loathsome ghost, away!
[ LUIGI and FRASCATI enter . ANGELO still mumbles away .]
— CARD. [ trembling with suppressed anger ].
The tender fool
Will not believe she is my daughter —
[ FRASCATI shudders .]
— UIGI. Good sir, be calm; as I am old and sad
She is your sister.
— ANG. [ cries wildly ]. Ah! Ah! Aches of the damned,
Flames of the ugly place, tremendous pain
And everlasting anguish, take my soul.
Old man, thou art a fool — she is my heart,
My life. I robbed her, kissed her, loved her, I —
And planned eternal peace upon her breast,
And wove her garments of mine ecstasies
And made her girdle of mine arms. I say
We drank one only cup, and eat together, —
We made a world — and — and — Ah, both you lie,
And came to cheat my single happiness,
[ LUCIA comes in .]
My only years in all this dreary light —
Where youth was not youth, life not life — till now
When like a broken bird within her hand
I lay, she giving me back melody,
And turning nightingale she too with me
Rose thro' the violet night singing, singing,
Over the moon-beloved and perfumed fields.
[ He turns to LUIGI , with a broken voice .]
You are too old to stab me with a lie —
[ With terrible anxiety .] Tell me, kind old Luigi — tell me, now;
You see, I'm wretched as a worm half crushed —
Be true — For God's sake, speak the truth . . .
[ LUIGI turns away in tears .]
Well then, it is!
Angel of Destiny, I felt thy feathers pass
Upon my brow and heard thy clapping wing
Longer ago than memory or life.
Take me away. [ He stabs himself .]
Lucia, where art thou? [ He dies .]