The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume II Part 21

_Osorio._ You pierce through mysteries with a lynx's eye, 170 In this, your merry mood! you see it all!

_Velez._ Why, no!--not all. I have not yet discover'd, At least, not wholly, what his speeches meant.

Pride and hypocrisy, and guilt and cunning-- Then when he fix'd his obstinate eye on you, 175 And you pretended to look strange and tremble.

Why--why--what ails you now?

_Osorio (with a stupid stare)._ Me? why? what ails me?

A p.r.i.c.king of the blood--it might have happen'd At any other time. Why scan you me?

_Velez (clapping him on the shoulder)._ 'Twon't do--'twon't do--I have lived too long in the world. 180 His speech about the corse and stabs and murderers, Had reference to the a.s.sa.s.sins in the picture: That I made out.

_Osorio (with a frantic eagerness)._ a.s.sa.s.sins! what a.s.sa.s.sins!

_Velez._ Well-acted, on my life! Your curiosity Runs open-mouth'd, ravenous as winter wolf. 185 I dare not stand in its way. [_He shows OSORIO the picture._

_Osorio._ Dup'd--dup'd--dup'd!

That villain Ferdinand! (_aside_).

_Velez._ Dup'd--dup'd--not I.

As he swept by me----

_Osorio._ Ha! _what_ did he say?

_Velez._ He caught his garment up and hid his face.

It seem'd as he were struggling to suppress---- 190

_Osorio._ A laugh! a laugh! O h.e.l.l! he laughs at me!

_Velez._ It heaved his chest more like a violent sob.

_Osorio._ A choking laugh! [_A pause--then very wildly._ I tell thee, my dear father!

I am most glad of this!

_Velez._ Glad!--aye--to be sure.

_Osorio._ I was benumb'd, and stagger'd up and down 195 Thro' darkness without light--dark--dark--dark-- And every inch of this my flesh did feel As if a cold toad touch'd it! Now 'tis sunshine, And the blood dances freely thro' its channels!

[_He turns off--then (to himself) mimicking FERDINAND'S manner._[558:1]

'A common trick of grat.i.tude, my lord! 200 Old Grat.i.tude! a dagger would dissect His own full heart,' 'twere good to see its colour!

_Velez (looking intently at the picture)._ Calm, yet commanding!

how he bares his breast, Yet still they stand with dim uncertain looks, As penitence had run before their crime. 205 A crime too black for aught to follow it Save blasphemous despair! See _this_ man's face-- With what a difficult toil he drags his soul To do the deed. [_Then to OSORIO._ O this was delicate flattery To poor Maria, and I love thee for it! 210

_Osorio (in a slow voice with a reasoning laugh)._ Love--love--and then we hate--and what? and wherefore?

Hatred and love. Strange things! both strange alike!

What if one reptile sting another reptile, Where is the crime? The goodly face of Nature Hath one trail less of slimy filth upon it. 215 Are we not all predestined rottenness And cold dishonor? Grant it that this hand Had given a morsel to the hungry worms Somewhat too early. Where's the guilt of this?

That this must needs bring on the idiotcy 220 Of moist-eyed penitence--'tis like a dream!

_Velez._ Wild talk, my child! but thy excess of feeling

[_Turns off from OSORIO._

Sometimes, I fear, it will unhinge his brain!

_Osorio._ I kill a man and lay him in the sun, And in a month there swarm from his dead body 225 A thousand--nay, ten thousand sentient beings In place of that one man whom I had kill'd.

Now who shall tell me, that each one and all, Of these ten thousand lives, is not as happy As that one life, which being shov'd aside 230 Made room for these ten thousand?[559:1]

_Velez._ Wild as madness!

_Osorio._ Come, father! you have taught me to be merry, And merrily we'll pore upon this picture.

_Velez (holding the picture before Osorio)._ That Moor, who points his sword at Albert's breast----

_Osorio (abruptly)._ A tender-hearted, scrupulous, grateful villain, 235 Whom I will strangle!

_Velez._ And these other two----

_Osorio._ Dead--dead already!--what care I for the dead?

_Velez._ The heat of brain and your too strong affection For Albert, fighting with your other pa.s.sion, Unsettle you, and give reality 240 To these your own contrivings.

_Osorio._ Is it so?

You see through all things with _your_ penetration.

Now I am calm. How fares it with Maria?

My heart doth ache to see her.

_Velez._ Nay--defer it!

Defer it, dear Osorio! I will go. [_Exit VELEZ._ 245

_Osorio._ A rim of the sun lies yet upon the sea-- And now 'tis gone! all may be done this night!

_Enter a_ Servant.

_Osorio._ There is a man, once a Moresco chieftain, One Ferdinand.

_Servant._ He lives in the Alpuxarras, Beneath a slate rock.

_Osorio._ Slate rock?

_Servant._ Yes, my lord! 250 If you had seen it, you must have remember'd The flight of steps his children had worn up it With often clambering.

_Osorio._ Well, it may be so.

_Servant._ Why, now I think on't, at this time of the year 'Tis hid by vines.

_Osorio (in a muttering voice)._ The cavern--aye--the cavern.

He cannot fail to find it. [_To the_ Servant. 255 Where art going?

You must deliver to this Ferdinand A letter. Stay till I have written it. [_Exit the_ Servant.