Charles Di Tocca Part 10

I care not!--I care not! We must have mirth!

Have mirth! though it be laughter at d.a.m.ned souls.

HaeMON: And I must wake it? I with laugh and lay, Doting upon dishonor?

CHARLES: What means he?

HaeMON: Give me again my sister from these walls, Since might is yours, strip from me wealth and life And more, and all--but let her not, no, no, Meet here the touch and leprosy of shame!

CHARLES (_laughing_): Said I not, said I, friends, we should have mirth?

You shall laugh with me laughter bright as wine.

ANTONIO: But, sir, this is not good for laughter! Sir!

HaeMON (_to ANTONIO_): Ah, put the lamb on--bleat mock sympathy!

CHARLES (_still laughing_): Fulvia, O, he foots it in the tracks Of your own fear! and wanders to delusion!

HaeMON: Will you laugh at me, fiend!

CHARLES: Boy!

HaeMON: Had I but Omnipotence a moment and could dash Annihilation on you and your race!

(_Throws his glove in ANTONIO'S face._)

HELENA: Haemon!

FULVIA (_restraining her_): No, Helena.

CHARLES: Omnipotence?

And could Omnipotence make such a fool?

There must be two G.o.ds in the world to do it.

HaeMON: She shall not----!

(_Attempts to kill HELENA._)

ANTONIO (_preventing_): Fury!--Ah! what would you do?

CHARLES: Such things can be? A sister, yet he strikes?

(_HaeMON is seized._)

HELENA: O let me speak with him, sir, let me speak!

CHARLES: Not now, girl, no, not now--lest in his breath Be venom for thee! (_To soldiers._) Shut him from our gates Till he repent this fever.

(_HaeMON goes quietly out._) (_To guests who are suspicious and undetermined._) If you stare so Will the skies stop! Have I not arm in arm Friended this youth and meant him honor still?

Leave me. I had a thing to tell; but it Must wait more seasonable festivity.

(_To PAULA._) See to thy mistress, child. Antonio, stay.

(_All go but ANTONIO and CHARLES, who leaves his chair slowly and with dejection._)

ANTONIO: Father----

CHARLES (_unheeding_): Did I not humble me?

ANTONIO: Father----?

CHARLES: Or ask more than a brevity of joy To bud on my life's withering close?

ANTONIO: But, sir----!

CHARLES: If it bud not----!

ANTONIO: What thought impels and wrings These angers from your eyes?

CHARLES (_slowly, gazing at him_): You're like your mother.

ANTONIO: In trouble for your peace, more than in feature.

CHARLES: Peace--peace? Antonio, a dream has come: To stir--to wake--to learn it is a dream-- I must not, will not look on such abyss.

You love me, boy?

ANTONIO: Sir, well: you cannot doubt it.

CHARLES: There has been darkness in me--and it seems Such night as would put out a heaven of hope, Quench an eternity of flaming joy!

I have sunk down under the world and hit On nethermost despair: flown blind across An infinite unrest!

ANTONIO: Forget it, now.

CHARLES: Had I drunk Lethe's all 'twould not have stilled The crying of my desolation's want.

Within me tenderness to iron turned, Gladness to worm and gloom.--But 'tis o'erpast.

A rift, a smile, a breath has come--blown me From torture to an ecstasy.

ANTONIO: To----?

CHARLES: Ecstasy!

Such as surrounds Hyperion on his sun, Or Pleiads sweeping seven-fold the night.

ANTONIO: And you--this breath----?

CHARLES: Is--you are pale!

And press your lips from trembling!

ANTONIO: No--yes--well-- This ecstasy?

CHARLES: Is love! is love that-- How?

You feign! distress and groaning tear in you!

ANTONIO: No. She you love----

CHARLES: O, Eve new-burst on Eden, All pure with the prime beauty of G.o.d's breath, Was not so!