Delphi Complete Works of Oscar Wilde (Illustrated) (18 page)

LORD JUSTICE
For that reason, Madam,
Being the fountain-head of life and death
Whence, like a mighty river, justice flows,
Without thy presence justice is dried up
And fails of purpose: thou must tarry here.

DUCHESS
What, wilt thou keep me here against my will?

LORD JUSTICE
We pray thy will be not against the law.

DUCHESS
What if I force my way out of the court?

LORD JUSTICE
Thou canst not force the Court to give thee way.

DUCHESS
I will not tarry. 
[Rises from her seat.]

LORD JUSTICE
Is the usher here?
Let him stand forth. 
[Usher comes forward.]
Thou knowest thy business, sir.
[The Usher closes the doors of the court, which are L., and when the DUCHESS and her retinue approach, kneels down.]

USHER
In all humility I beseech your Grace
Turn not my duty to discourtesy,
Nor make my unwelcome office an offence.

DUCHESS
Is there no gentleman amongst you all
To prick this prating fellow from our way?

MAFFIO
[drawing his sword]
Ay! that will I.

LORD JUSTICE
Count Maffio, have a care,
And you, sir. 
[To JEPPO.]
The first man who draws his sword
Upon the meanest officer of this Court,
Dies before nightfall.

DUCHESS
Sirs, put up your swords:
It is most meet that I should hear this man.
[Goes back to throne.]

MORANZONE
Now hast thou got thy enemy in thy hand.

LORD JUSTICE
[taking the time-glass up]
Guido Ferranti, while the crumbling sand
Falls through this time-glass, thou hast leave to speak.
This and no more.

GUIDO
It is enough, my lord.

LORD JUSTICE
Thou standest on the extreme verge of death;
See that thou speakest nothing but the truth,
Naught else will serve thee.

GUIDO
If I speak it not,
Then give my body to the headsman there.

LORD JUSTICE
[turns the time-glass]
Let there be silence while the prisoner speaks.

TIPSTAFF
Silence in the Court there.

GUIDO
My Lords Justices,
And reverent judges of this worthy court,
I hardly know where to begin my tale,
So strangely dreadful is this history.
First, let me tell you of what birth I am.
I am the son of that good Duke Lorenzo
Who was with damned treachery done to death
By a most wicked villain, lately Duke
Of this good town of Padua.

LORD JUSTICE
Have a care,
It will avail thee nought to mock this prince
Who now lies in his coffin.

MAFFIO
By Saint James,
This is the Duke of Parma’s rightful heir.

JEPPO
I always thought him noble.

GUIDO
I confess
That with the purport of a just revenge,
A most just vengeance on a man of blood,
I entered the Duke’s household, served his will,
Sat at his board, drank of his wine, and was
His intimate: so much I will confess,
And this too, that I waited till he grew
To give the fondest secrets of his life
Into my keeping, till he fawned on me,
And trusted me in every private matter
Even as my noble father trusted him;
That for this thing I waited.
[To the Headsman.]
  Thou man of blood!
Turn not thine axe on me before the time:
Who knows if it be time for me to die?
Is there no other neck in court but mine?

LORD JUSTICE
The sand within the time-glass flows apace.
Come quickly to the murder of the Duke.

GUIDO
I will be brief: Last night at twelve o’ the clock,
By a strong rope I scaled the palace wall,
With purport to revenge my father’s murder -
Ay! with that purport I confess, my lord.
This much I will acknowledge, and this also,
That as with stealthy feet I climbed the stair
Which led unto the chamber of the Duke,
And reached my hand out for the scarlet cloth
Which shook and shivered in the gusty door,
Lo! the white moon that sailed in the great heaven
Flooded with silver light the darkened room,
Night lit her candles for me, and I saw
The man I hated, cursing in his sleep;
And thinking of a most dear father murdered,
Sold to the scaffold, bartered to the block,
I smote the treacherous villain to the heart
With this same dagger, which by chance I found
Within the chamber.

DUCHESS
[rising from her seat]
Oh!

GUIDO
[hurriedly]
I killed the Duke.
Now, my Lord Justice, if I may crave a boon,
Suffer me not to see another sun
Light up the misery of this loathsome world.

LORD JUSTICE
Thy boon is granted, thou shalt die to-night.
Lead him away.  Come, Madam
[GUIDO is led off; as he goes the DUCHESS stretches out her arms and rushes down the stage.]

DUCHESS
Guido!  Guido!
[Faints.]

Tableau

END OF ACT IV.

ACT
V

SCENE
A dungeon in the public prison of Padua; Guido lies asleep on a pallet (L.C.); a table with a goblet on it is set (L.C.); five soldiers are drinking and playing dice in the corner on a stone table; one of them has a lantern hung to his halbert; a torch is set in the wall over Guido’s head.  Two grated windows behind, one on each side of the door which is (C.), look out into the passage; the stage is rather dark.

FIRST SOLDIER
[throws dice]
Sixes again! good Pietro.

SECOND SOLDIER
I’ faith, lieutenant, I will play with thee no more.  I will lose everything.

THIRD SOLDIER
Except thy wits; thou art safe there!

SECOND SOLDIER
Ay, ay, he cannot take them from me.

THIRD SOLDIER
No; for thou hast no wits to give him.

THE SOLDIERS
[loudly]
Ha! ha! ha!

FIRST SOLDIER
Silence!  You will wake the prisoner; he is asleep.

SECOND SOLDIER
What matter?  He will get sleep enough when he is buried.  I warrant he’d be glad if we could wake him when he’s in the grave.

THIRD SOLDIER
Nay! for when he wakes there it will be judgment day.

SECOND SOLDIER
Ay, and he has done a grievous thing; for, look you, to murder one of us who are but flesh and blood is a sin, and to kill a Duke goes being near against the law.

FIRST SOLDIER
Well, well, he was a wicked Duke.

SECOND SOLDIER
And so he should not have touched him; if one meddles with wicked people, one is like to be tainted with their wickedness.

THIRD SOLDIER
Ay, that is true.  How old is the prisoner?

SECOND SOLDIER
Old enough to do wrong, and not old enough to be wise.

FIRST SOLDIER
Why, then, he might be any age.

SECOND SOLDIER
They say the Duchess wanted to pardon him.

FIRST SOLDIER
Is that so?

SECOND SOLDIER
Ay, and did much entreat the Lord Justice, but he would not.

FIRST SOLDIER
I had thought, Pietro, that the Duchess was omnipotent.

SECOND SOLDIER
True, she is well-favoured; I know none so comely.

THE SOLDIERS
Ha! ha! ha!

FIRST SOLDIER
I meant I had thought our Duchess could do anything.

SECOND SOLDIER
Nay, for he is now given over to the Justices, and they will see that justice be done; they and stout Hugh the headsman; but when his head is off, why then the Duchess can pardon him if she likes; there is no law against that.

FIRST SOLDIER
I do not think that stout Hugh, as you call him, will do the business for him after all.  This Guido is of gentle birth, and so by the law can drink poison first, if it so be his pleasure.

THIRD SOLDIER
And if he does not drink it?

FIRST SOLDIER
Why, then, they will kill him.
[Knocking comes at the door.]

FIRST SOLDIER
See who that is.
[Third Soldier goes over and looks through the wicket.]

THIRD SOLDIER
It is a woman, sir.

FIRST SOLDIER
Is she pretty?

THIRD SOLDIER
I can’t tell.  She is masked, lieutenant.

FIRST SOLDIER
It is only very ugly or very beautiful women who ever hide their faces.  Let her in.
[Soldier opens the door, and the DUCHESS masked and cloaked enters.]

DUCHESS
[to Third Soldier]
Are you the officer on guard?

FIRST SOLDIER
[coming forward]
I am, madam.

DUCHESS
I must see the prisoner alone.

FIRST SOLDIER
I am afraid that is impossible. 
[The DUCHESS hands him a ring, he looks at and returns it to her with a bow and makes a sign to the Soldiers.]
  Stand without there. 
[Exeunt the Soldiers.]

DUCHESS
Officer, your men are somewhat rough.

FIRST SOLDIER
They mean no harm.

DUCHESS
I shall be going back in a few minutes.  As I pass through the corridor do not let them try and lift my mask.

FIRST SOLDIER
You need not be afraid, madam.

DUCHESS
I have a particular reason for wishing my face not to be seen.

FIRST SOLDIER
Madam, with this ring you can go in and out as you please; it is the Duchess’s own ring.

DUCHESS
Leave us. 
[The Soldier turns to go out.]
  A moment, sir.  For what hour is . . .

FIRST SOLDIER
At twelve o’clock, madam, we have orders to lead him out; but I dare say he won’t wait for us; he’s more like to take a drink out of that poison yonder.  Men are afraid of the headsman.

DUCHESS
Is that poison?

FIRST SOLDIER
Ay, madam, and very sure poison too.

DUCHESS
You may go, sir.

FIRST SOLDIER
By Saint James, a pretty hand!  I wonder who she is.  Some woman who loved him, perhaps. 
[Exit.]

DUCHESS
[taking her mark off]
  At last!
He can escape now in this cloak and vizard,
We are of a height almost: they will not know him;
As for myself what matter?
So that he does not curse me as he goes,
I care but little: I wonder will he curse me.
He has the right.  It is eleven now;
They will not come till twelve.
[Goes over to the table.]
So this is poison.
Is it not strange that in this liquor here
There lies the key to all philosophies?
[Takes the cup up.]
It smells of poppies.  I remember well
That, when I was a child in Sicily,
I took the scarlet poppies from the corn,
And made a little wreath, and my grave uncle,
Don John of Naples, laughed: I did not know
That they had power to stay the springs of life,
To make the pulse cease beating, and to chill
The blood in its own vessels, till men come
And with a hook hale the poor body out,
And throw it in a ditch: the body, ay, -
What of the soul? that goes to heaven or hell.
Where will mine go?
[Takes the torch from the wall, and goes over to the bed.]
How peacefully here he sleeps,
Like a young schoolboy tired out with play:
I would that I could sleep so peacefully,
But I have dreams. 
[Bending over him.]
Poor boy: what if I kissed him?
No, no, my lips would burn him like a fire.
He has had enough of Love.  Still that white neck
Will ‘scape the headsman: I have seen to that:
He will get hence from Padua to-night,
And that is well.  You are very wise, Lord Justices,
And yet you are not half so wise as I am,
And that is well.
O God! how I have loved you,
And what a bloody flower did Love bear!
[Comes back to the table.]
What if I drank these juices, and so ceased?
Were it not better than to wait till Death
Come to my bed with all his serving men,
Remorse, disease, old age, and misery?
I wonder does one suffer much: I think
That I am very young to die like this,
But so it must be.  Why, why should I die?
He will escape to-night, and so his blood
Will not be on my head.  No, I must die;
I have been guilty, therefore I must die;
He loves me not, and therefore I must die:
I would die happier if he would kiss me,
But he will not do that.  I did not know him.
I thought he meant to sell me to the Judge;
That is not strange; we women never know
Our lovers till they leave us.
[Bell begins to toll]
Thou vile bell,
That like a bloodhound from thy brazen throat
Call’st for this man’s life, cease! thou shalt not get it.
He stirs - I must be quick: 
[Takes up cup.]
O Love, Love, Love,
I did not think that I would pledge thee thus!
[Drinks poison, and sets the cup down on the table behind her: the noise wakens GUIDO, who starts up, and does not see what she has done.  There is silence for a minute, each looking at the other.]
I do not come to ask your pardon now,
Seeing I know I stand beyond all pardon;
Enough of that: I have already, sir,
Confessed my sin to the Lords Justices;
They would not listen to me: and some said
I did invent a tale to save your life;
You have trafficked with me; others said
That women played with pity as with men;
Others that grief for my slain Lord and husband
Had robbed me of my wits: they would not hear me,
And, when I sware it on the holy book,
They bade the doctor cure me.  They are ten,
Ten against one, and they possess your life.
They call me Duchess here in Padua.
I do not know, sir; if I be the Duchess,
I wrote your pardon, and they would not take it;
They call it treason, say I taught them that;
Maybe I did.  Within an hour, Guido,
They will be here, and drag you from the cell,
And bind your hands behind your back, and bid you
Kneel at the block: I am before them there;
Here is the signet ring of Padua,
‘Twill bring you safely through the men on guard;
There is my cloak and vizard; they have orders
Not to be curious: when you pass the gate
Turn to the left, and at the second bridge
You will find horses waiting: by to-morrow
You will be at Venice, safe. 
[A pause.]
Do you not speak?
Will you not even curse me ere you go? -
You have the right. 
[A pause.]
You do not understand
There lies between you and the headsman’s axe
Hardly so much sand in the hour-glass
As a child’s palm could carry: here is the ring:
I have washed my hand: there is no blood upon it:
You need not fear.  Will you not take the ring?

GUIDO
[takes ring and kisses it]
Ay! gladly, Madam.

DUCHESS
And leave Padua.

GUIDO
Leave Padua.

DUCHESS
But it must be to-night.

GUIDO
To-night it shall be.

DUCHESS
Oh, thank God for that!

GUIDO
So I can live; life never seemed so sweet
As at this moment.

DUCHESS
Do not tarry, Guido,
There is my cloak: the horse is at the bridge,
The second bridge below the ferry house:
Why do you tarry?  Can your ears not hear
This dreadful bell, whose every ringing stroke
Robs one brief minute from your boyish life.
Go quickly.

GUIDO
Ay! he will come soon enough.

DUCHESS
Who?

GUIDO
[calmly]
Why, the headsman.

DUCHESS
No, no.

GUIDO
Only he
Can bring me out of Padua.

DUCHESS
You dare not!
You dare not burden my o’erburdened soul
With two dead men!  I think one is enough.
For when I stand before God, face to face,
I would not have you, with a scarlet thread
Around your white throat, coming up behind
To say I did it.

GUIDO
Madam, I wait.

DUCHESS
No, no, you cannot: you do not understand,
I have less power in Padua to-night
Than any common woman; they will kill you.
I saw the scaffold as I crossed the square,
Already the low rabble throng about it
With fearful jests, and horrid merriment,
As though it were a morris-dancer’s platform,
And not Death’s sable throne.  O Guido, Guido,
You must escape!

GUIDO
Madam, I tarry here.

DUCHESS
Guido, you shall not: it would be a thing
So terrible that the amazed stars
Would fall from heaven, and the palsied moon
Be in her sphere eclipsed, and the great sun
Refuse to shine upon the unjust earth
Which saw thee die.

GUIDO
Be sure I shall not stir.

DUCHESS
[wringing her hands]
Is one sin not enough, but must it breed
A second sin more horrible again
Than was the one that bare it?  O God, God,
Seal up sin’s teeming womb, and make it barren,
I will not have more blood upon my hand
Than I have now.

GUIDO
[seizing her hand]
What! am I fallen so low
That I may not have leave to die for you?

DUCHESS
[tearing her hand away]
Die for me? - no, my life is a vile thing,
Thrown to the miry highways of this world;
You shall not die for me, you shall not, Guido;
I am a guilty woman.

GUIDO
Guilty? - let those
Who know what a thing temptation is,
Let those who have not walked as we have done,
In the red fire of passion, those whose lives
Are dull and colourless, in a word let those,
If any such there be, who have not loved,
Cast stones against you.  As for me -