The Duchess of Padua

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—

Duchess. Alas!

GUIDO [_falling at her feet_]

You are my lady, and you are my love! O hair of gold, O crimson lips, O face Made for the luring and the love of man! Incarnate image of pure loveliness! Worshipping thee I do forget the past, Worshipping thee my soul comes close to thine, Worshipping thee I seem to be a god, And though they give my body to the block, Yet is my love eternal!

[DUCHESS _puts her hands over her face_: GUIDO _draws them down_.]

Sweet, lift up The trailing curtains that overhang your eyes That I may look into those eyes, and tell you I love you, never more than now when Death Thrusts his cold lips between us: Beatrice, I love you: have you no word left to say? Oh, I can bear the executioner, But not this silence: will you not say you love me? Speak but that word and Death shall lose his sting, But speak it not, and fifty thousand deaths Are, in comparison, mercy. Oh, you are cruel, And do not love me.

Duchess. Alas! I have no right For I have stained the innocent hands of love With spilt-out blood: there is blood on the ground; I set it there.

Guido. Sweet, it was not yourself, It was some devil tempted you.

DUCHESS [_rising suddenly_]

No, no, We are each our own devil, and we make This world our hell.

Guido. Then let high Paradise Fall into Tartarus! for I shall make This world my heaven for a little space. The sin was mine, if any sin there was. ’Twas I who nurtured murder in my heart, Sweetened my meats, seasoned my wine with it, And in my fancy slew the accursed Duke A hundred times a day. Why, had this man Died half so often as I wished him to, Death had been stalking ever through the house, And murder had not slept. But you, fond heart, Whose little eyes grew tender over a whipt hound, You whom the little children laughed to see Because you brought the sunlight where you passed, You the white angel of God’s purity, This which men call your sin, what was it?

Duchess. Ay! What was it? There are times it seems a dream, An evil dream sent by an evil god, And then I see the dead face in the coffin And know it is no dream, but that my hand Is red with blood, and that my desperate soul Striving to find some haven for its love From the wild tempest of this raging world, Has wrecked its bark upon the rocks of sin. What was it, said you?—murder merely? Nothing But murder, horrible murder.

Guido. Nay, nay, nay, ’Twas but the passion-flower of your love That in one moment leapt to terrible life, And in one moment bare this gory fruit, Which I had plucked in thought a thousand times. My soul was murderous, but my hand refused; Your hand wrought murder, but your soul was pure. And so I love you, Beatrice, and let him Who has no mercy for your stricken head, Lack mercy up in heaven! Kiss me, sweet.

[_Tries to kiss her_.]

Duchess. No, no, your lips are pure, and mine are soiled, For Guilt has been my paramour, and Sin Lain in my bed: O Guido, if you love me Get hence, for every moment is a worm Which gnaws your life away: nay, sweet, get hence, And if in after time you think of me, Think of me as of one who loved you more Than anything on earth; think of me, Guido, As of a woman merely, one who tried To make her life a sacrifice to love, And slew love in the trial: Oh, what is that? The bell has stopped from ringing, and I hear The feet of armed men upon the stair.

GUIDO [_aside_]

That is the signal for the guard to come.

Duchess. Why has the bell stopped ringing?

Guido. If you must know, That stops my life on this side of the grave, But on the other we shall meet again.

Duchess. No, no, ’tis not too late: you must get hence; The horse is by the bridge, there is still time. Away, away, you must not tarry here!

[_Noise of Soldiers in the passage_.]

A VOICE OUTSIDE

Room for the Lord Justice of Padua!

[_The_ LORD JUSTICE _is seen through the grated window passing down the corridor preceded by men bearing torches_.]

Duchess. It is too late.

A VOICE OUTSIDE

Room for the headsman.

DUCHESS [_sinks down_]

Oh!

[_The Headsman with his axe on his shoulder is seen passing the corridor_, _followed by Monks bearing candles_.]

Guido. Farewell, dear love, for I must drink this poison. I do not fear the headsman, but I would die Not on the lonely scaffold. But here, Here in thine arms, kissing thy mouth: farewell!

[_Goes to the table and takes the goblet up_.]

What, art thou empty?

[_Throws it to the ground_.]

O thou churlish gaoler, Even of poisons niggard!

DUCHESS [_faintly_]

Blame him not.

Guido. O God! you have not drunk it, Beatrice? Tell me you have not?

Duchess. Were I to deny it, There is a fire eating at my heart Which would find utterance.

Guido. O treacherous love, Why have you not left a drop for me?

Duchess. No, no, it held but death enough for one.

Guido. Is there no poison still upon your lips, That I may draw it from them?

Duchess. Why should you die? You have not spilt blood, and so need not die: I have spilt blood, and therefore I must die. Was it not said blood should be spilt for blood? Who said that? I forget.

Guido. Tarry for me, Our souls will go together.

Duchess. Nay, you must live. There are many other women in the world Who will love you, and not murder for your sake.

Guido. I love you only.

Duchess. You need not die for that.

Guido. Ah, if we die together, love, why then Can we not lie together in one grave?

Duchess. A grave is but a narrow wedding-bed.

Guido. It is enough for us

Duchess. And they will strew it With a stark winding-sheet, and bitter herbs: I think there are no roses in the grave, Or if there are, they all are withered now Since my Lord went there.

Guido. Ah! dear Beatrice, Your lips are roses that death cannot wither.

Duchess. Nay, if we lie together, will not my lips Fall into dust, and your enamoured eyes Shrivel to sightless sockets, and the worms, Which are our groomsmen, eat away your heart?

Guido. I do not care: Death has no power on love. And so by Love’s immortal sovereignty I will die with you.

Duchess. But the grave is black, And the pit black, so I must go before To light the candles for your coming hither. No, no, I will not die, I will not die. Love, you are strong, and young, and very brave; Stand between me and the angel of death, And wrestle with him for me.

[_Thrusts_ GUIDO _in front of her with his back to the audience_.]

I will kiss you, When you have thrown him. Oh, have you no cordial, To stay the workings of this poison in me? Are there no rivers left in Italy That you will not fetch me one cup of water To quench this fire?

Guido. O God!

Duchess. You did not tell me There was a drought in Italy, and no water: Nothing but fire.

Guido. O Love!

Duchess. Send for a leech, Not him who stanched my husband, but another We have no time: send for a leech, I say: There is an antidote against each poison, And he will sell it if we give him money. Tell him that I will give him Padua, For one short hour of life: I will not die. Oh, I am sick to death; no, do not touch me, This poison gnaws my heart: I did not know It was such pain to die: I thought that life Had taken all the agonies to itself; It seems it is not so.

Guido. O damnéd stars Quench your vile cresset-lights in tears, and bid The moon, your mistress, shine no more to-night.

Duchess. Guido, why are we here? I think this room Is poorly furnished for a marriage chamber. Let us get hence at once. Where are the horses? We should be on our way to Venice now. How cold the night is! We must ride faster.

[_The Monks begin to chant outside_.]

Music! It should be merrier; but grief Is of the fashion now—I know not why. You must not weep: do we not love each other?— That is enough. Death, what do you here? You were not bidden to this table, sir; Away, we have no need of you: I tell you It was in wine I pledged you, not in poison. They lied who told you that I drank your poison. It was spilt upon the ground, like my Lord’s blood; You came too late.

Guido. Sweet, there is nothing there: These things are only unreal shadows.

Duchess. Death, Why do you tarry, get to the upper chamber; The cold meats of my husband’s funeral feast Are set for you; this is a wedding feast. You are out of place, sir; and, besides, ’tis summer. We do not need these heavy fires now, You scorch us. Oh, I am burned up, Can you do nothing? Water, give me water, Or else more poison. No: I feel no pain— Is it not curious I should feel no pain?— And Death has gone away, I am glad of that. I thought he meant to part us. Tell me, Guido, Are you not sorry that you ever saw me?

Guido. I swear I would not have lived otherwise. Why, in this dull and common world of ours Men have died looking for such moments as this And have not found them.

Duchess. Then you are not sorry? How strange that seems.

Guido. What, Beatrice, have I not Stood face to face with beauty? That is enough For one man’s life. Why, love, I could be merry; I have been often sadder at a feast, But who were sad at such a feast as this When Love and Death are both our cup-bearers? We love and die together.

Duchess. Oh, I have been Guilty beyond all women, and indeed Beyond all women punished. Do you think— No, that could not be—Oh, do you think that love Can wipe the bloody stain from off my hands, Pour balm into my wounds, heal up my hurts, And wash my scarlet sins as white as snow?— For I have sinned.

Guido. They do not sin at all Who sin for love.

Duchess. No, I have sinned, and yet Perchance my sin will be forgiven me. I have loved much

[_They kiss each other now for the first time in this Act_, _when suddenly the_ DUCHESS _leaps up in the dreadful spasm of death_, _tears in agony at her dress_, _and finally_, _with face twisted and distorted with pain_, _falls back dead in a chair_. GUIDO _seizing her dagger from her belt_, _kills himself_; _and_, _as he falls across her knees_, _clutches at the cloak which is on the back of the chair_, _and throws it entirely over her_. _There is a little pause_. _Then down the passage comes the tramp of Soldiers_; _the door is opened_, _and the_ LORD JUSTICE, _the Headsman_, _and the Guard enter and see this figure shrouded in black_, _and_ GUIDO _lying dead across her_. _The_ LORD JUSTICE _rushes forward and drags the cloak off the_ DUCHESS, _whose face is now the marble image of peace_, _the sign of God’s forgiveness_.]

_Tableau_

CURTAIN

* * * * *

Printed by T. and A. CONSTABLE, Printers to His Majesty at the Edinburgh University Press

* * * * *