The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume II Part 206

_Enter EARL HENRY and SANDOVAL, both armed._

_Sandoval._ A delightful plain this, and doubly pleasant after so long and wearisome a descent from the Pyranees [_sic_]. Did you not observe how our poor over wearied horses mended their pace as soon as they reached it?

_Earl Henry._ I must entreat your forgiveness, gallant 5 Castilian! I ought ere this to have bade you welcome to my native Navarre.

_Sandoval._ Cheerily, General! Navarre has indeed but ill repaid your services, in thus recalling you from the head of an army which you yourself had collected and disciplined. 10 But the wrongs and insults which you have suffered----

_Earl Henry._ Deserve my thanks, Friend! In the suns.h.i.+ne of Court-favor I could only _believe_ that I loved my Queen and my Country: now I _know_ it. But why name I my Country or my Sovereign? I owe all my Wrongs to the private enmity of 15 the Chancellor.

_Sandoval._ Heaven be praised, you have atchieved [_sic_]

a delicious revenge upon him!--that the same Courier who brought the orders for your recall carried back with him the first tidings of your Victory--it was exquisite good fortune! 20

_Earl Henry._ Sandoval! my gallant Friend! Let me not deceive you. To you I have vowed an undisguised openness.

The gloom which overcast me, was occasioned by causes of less public import.

_Sandoval._ Connected, I presume, with that Mansion, the 25 s.p.a.cious pleasure grounds of which we noticed as we were descending from the mountain. Lawn and Grove, River and Hillock--it looked within these high walls, like a World of itself.

_Earl Henry._ This Wood scarcely conceals these high walls 30 from us. Alas! I know the place too well. . . . Nay, why too well?--But wherefore spake you, Sandoval, of this Mansion?

What know you?

_Sandoval._ Nothing. Therefore I spake of it. On our descent from the mountain I pointed it out to you and asked to whom 35 it belonged--you became suddenly absent, and answered me only by looks of Disturbance and Anxiety.

_Earl Henry._ That Mansion once belonged to Manric [_sic_], Lord of Valdez.

_Sandoval._ Alas, poor Man! the same, who had dangerous 40 claims to the Throne of Navarre.

_Earl Henry._ Claims?--Say rather, pretensions--plausible only to the unreasoning Mult.i.tude.

_Sandoval._ Pretensions then (_with bitterness_).

_Earl Henry._ Bad as these were, the means he employed to 45 give effect to them were still worse. He trafficked with France against the independence of his Country. He was a traitor, my Friend! and died a traitor's death. His two sons suffered with him, and many, (I fear, too many) of his adherents.

_Sandoval._ Earl Henry! (_a pause_) If the sentence were just, 50 why was not the execution of it public. . . . It is reported, that they were--but no! I will not believe it--the honest soul of my friend would not justify so foul a deed.

_Earl Henry._ Speak plainly--what is reported?

_Sandoval._ That they were all a.s.sa.s.sinated by order of the 55 new Queen.

_Earl Henry._ Accursed be the hearts that framed and the tongues that scattered the Calumny!--The Queen was scarcely seated on her throne; the Chancellor, who had been her Guardian, exerted a pernicious influence over her 60 judgement--she was taught to fear dangerous commotions in the Capital, she was intreated to prevent the bloodshed of the deluded citizens, and thus overawed she reluctantly consented to permit the reinforcement of an obsolete law, and----

_Sandoval._ They were not a.s.sa.s.sinated then?---- 65

_Earl Henry._ Why these bitter tones to me, Sandoval? Can a law a.s.sa.s.sinate? Don Manrique [_sic_] and his accomplices drank the sleepy poison adjudged by that law in the State Prison at Pampilona. At that time I was with the army on the frontiers of France. 70

_Sandoval._ Had you been in the Capital----

_Earl Henry._ I would have pledged my life on the safety of a public Trial and a public Punishment.

_Sandoval._ Poisoned! The Father and his Sons!--And this, Earl Henry, was the first act of that Queen, whom you idolize! 75

_Earl Henry._ No, Sandoval, No! This was not _her_ act. She roused herself from the stupor of alarm, she suspended _in opposition to the advice of her council_, all proceedings against the inferior partisans of the Conspiracy; she facilitated the escape of Don Manrique's brother, and to Donna Oropeza, his 80 daughter and only surviving child, she restored all her father's possessions, nay became herself her Protectress and Friend.

These were the acts, these the first acts of my royal Mistress.

_Sandoval._ And how did Donna Oropeza receive these favors?

_Earl Henry._ Why ask you that? Did they not fall on her, 85 like heavenly dews?

_Sandoval._ And will they not rise again, like an earthly mist?

What is Grat.i.tude opposed to Ambition, filial revenge, and Woman's rivalry--what is it but a cruel Curb in the mouth of a fiery Horse, maddening the fierce animal whom it cannot 90 restrain? Forgive me, Earl Henry! I meant not to move you so deeply.

_Earl Henry._ Sandoval, you have uttered that in a waking hour which having once dreamt, I feared the return of sleep lest I should dream it over again. My Friend (_his Voice 95 trembling_) I woo'd the daughter of Don Manrique, _but_ we are interrupted.

_Sandoval._ It is Fernandez.

_Earl Henry (struggling with his emotions)._ A true-hearted old fellow---- 100

_Sandoval._ As splenetic as he is brave.

_Enter_ FERNANDEZ.

_Earl Henry._ Well, my ancient! how did you like our tour through the mountains. (_EARL HENRY sits down on the seat by the woodside._)

_Fernandez._ But little, General! and my faithful charger 105 Liked it still less.

The field of battle in the level plain By Fontarabia was more to our taste.

_Earl Henry._ Where is my brother, Don Curio! Have you Seen him of late?

_Fernandez._ Scarcely, dear General! 110 For by my troth I have been laughing at him Even till the merry tears so filled my eyes That I lost sight of him.

_Sandoval._ But wherefore, Captain.

_Fernandez._ He hath been studying speeches with fierce gestures; Speeches brimfull of wrath and indignation, 115 The which he hopes to vent in open council: And, in the heat and fury of this fancy He grasp'd your groom of the Chamber by the throat Who squeaking piteously, Ey! quoth your brother, I cry you Mercy, Fool! Hadst been indeed 120 The Chancellor, I should have strangled thee.

_Sandoval._ Ha, ha! poor Barnard!

_Fernandez._ What you know my Gentleman, My Groom of the Chamber, my Sieur Barnard, hey?

_Sandoval._ I know him for a barren-pated c.o.xcomb.

_Fernandez._ But very weedy, Sir! in worthless phrases, 125 A sedulous eschewer of the popular And the colloquial--one who seeketh dignity I' th' paths of circ.u.mlocution! It would have Surpris'd you tho', to hear how nat'rally He squeak'd when Curio had him by the throat. 130

_Sandoval._ I know him too for an habitual scorner Of Truth.

_Fernandez._ And one that lies more dully than Old Women dream, without pretence of fancy, Humour or mirth, a most disinterested, Gratuitous Liar.

_Earl Henry._ Ho! enough, enough! 135 Spare him, I pray you, were't but from respect To the presence of his Lord.

_Sandoval._ I stand reprov'd.