Virginia, A Tragedy Part 9

Thou a heart hast, strong and true, Think upon the maiden lonely.

Without thee it now would seem Love were nothing but a dream.

[_Cornelia suddenly appears from out the gloom behind and puts her arms about Virginia's neck._

_Cor._ Love but a dream? Ah, no! The G.o.ds forfend!

_Virginia._ Ah! Thou! [_Turns and embraces her._

_Cor._ No other than this broken heart; Yet is my soul untouched by human woe, As thine shall be untouched by human sin.

_Virginia._ I see the face, with pa.s.sion fiery, The full voluptuous lips and greedy eyes, I see and shudder.

_Cor._ Marcus Claudius?

_Virginia._ Nay, but the other.

_Cor._ I am mystified.

_Virginia._ None saw as I saw! He alone I fear, Who on the morrow will decide, dear G.o.d!-- For Marcus--yet not Marcus--but himself; Allot _me_ as his own. (_Wildly._) I saw his look, And felt his power! Marcus is the paw Wherewith great Appius will seize his prey.

(_Laughs._) Virginia, his prey! He leered on me, And in the whitening of his clenched hand I marked the clash and clangor of his soul.

Dear G.o.ds! The feet of Night are leaden shod, And yet the precious moments speed too fast.

Oh, Death! had I the courage that thou dost Demand, I'd summon thee. Methinks I hear E'en now the distant rustle of thy wings.

And yet--thou tarriest--thou tarriest.

_Cor._ Would Death might choose me out as willing prey!

_Virginia._ Dear one, thy voice is weary like the world, Which is so old and heavy with its years; And yet thine eyes are bright, undimmed by tears.

_Cor._ Bright with the pain that kills by slow degrees.

Ah! for Apollo's pestilential dart, Or but to see the shears of Atropos Flash in Diana's beams.

_Virginia_ (_softly_). We loved her light, Thou--thou and I, when love was all in life, And those, our own, the twain, Icilius And brave Sicinius--"Ah, G.o.d! Ah, G.o.d!"

Thus cried he, my beloved, as he sank p.r.o.ne at my feet, a tyrant's prisoner.

[_Breaks from Cornelia's grasp and glides in anguish to the curtained doorway on the right._

Icilius! Icilius! Come to me!

[_Enter a lictor--she shrinks back terrified._

_Lictor._ Lady, I must exhort thee to be prudent; Such cries will but confine thee e'en more strait Than thou art now confined. Silence is best.

So ordered Appius, our gracious lord. [_Exit lictor._

_Virginia_ (_sobbing softly_). I will be still! But I am so afraid, I, innocent, know nothing of the world.

Life-bondage? Nay, methinks I am but mad.

Severed from _him_! Ah! lay me in my grave, Rather than have my heart torn from my breast.

[_Music is distantly heard._

Oh! If to pa.s.s in moonbeams from this life Mid the pure notes of music stealing on Into my brain and sinking in my breast, Enveloping my soul; or to the sound Of rus.h.i.+ng wind--that music of the G.o.ds Swept by Apollo's hand, or harking to The distant murmur of the restless sea, Striking its pearly harp of mystic sounds, Echoed within the caves where maidens dwell, Nereides and Oceanides, With faces like the sheen of moonbeams, forms Like the white foam their sire, Neptune, makes When angered, with his trident! If to sleep, Sleeping, to dream, and dreaming, live again The years that now lie white upon their bier.

[_The moon vanishes behind a cloud._

Ah, me! I am so utterly alone!

The moon hath veiled herself, the silence drear Knocks on my heart, unhidden enters in, Where once love and sweet innocence, in peace Dwelt, all unscarred by a despoiler's hand.

It is grown cold! What was that sound I heard?

I am so sunk in solitude, so wrapped In vacant s.p.a.ce, so chilled, I gasp for breath, Like drowning mariner; but for a hand Warm, loving, to uplift me from this death Among the living, life among the dead!

_Cor._ Virginia! Weep or pray, but do not so!

Alas, Virginia, art thou turned to stone?

[_Virginia, all unhearing, turns once more toward the columns where the moon again s.h.i.+nes through._

_Virginia_ (_singing_).

"In the deep dream-light thy bark thou art guiding, s.h.i.+fting thy garments, the clouds, as a sail.

Rocked o'er celestial waves thou art riding, Hiding thy features behind a light veil.

Dian, the spell of thy muteness cast o'er me.

Calm the wild tumult which wars in my brain, E'er through my life may thine image, before me.

s.h.i.+ning and constant as ever remain."

[_A silence falls. Virginia steals up to Cornelia, who stands weeping alone._

My comfort hath not been denied me--see, The moonbeams bear the message from the sky.

I hear a song which issues from the stars, A song of love and hope for a reunion; Re-born, we, who have loved and lost, shall live Afar from sin amid the Blessed Isles, And walk together, soul with soul, and heart With heart; no drop of pa.s.sionate blood shall be Lost in our death, but we shall throb with love, And laugh amid the light of suns to be.

[_A pause. Softly a dim gray light steals through the columns; the moon is sinking slowly. Cornelia turns in sudden terror._

Farewell, immortal friend, go to thy rest; Thy kindly watch is o'er.

_Cor._ Virginia, see!

Now dawns the cruel day when thou--when thou-- Ye G.o.ds have mercy on us twain this day!

[_Sobs wildly._

_Virginia_ (_pointing to the east_). It steals with faltering steps and blus.h.i.+ng cheeks.

Call it not cruel; it has wept for me.

The dew is heavy.

(_Voice of lictor without._) See, it is the dawn.

Look, comrades!

_Virginia_ (_starting as from out a dream_).

Ah, Cornelia! Sure, I sleep.

Is this my father's house? This four-walled cell, This prison, and am I Virginia?

Could it have been but yesterday I woke Within this chamber from a happy dream.

I dreamed of _him_, my love, Icilius, And woke still with his kiss upon my lips.

I can recall the flood of morning light, A billowed sea of light upon the wall.

I watched the changing pools and s.h.i.+fting waves, And smiled; the music of the fount without, In rising cadence, played within mine ears, And presently the stirring of the maids And hum of spinning reached me and I rose, Glad, with the day. And now--Cornelia, touch My cheek lest I be vanis.h.i.+ng to air; Feel if my heart yet beats. Methinks I'm dead; Even this moment but a roving ghost.