The Dynasts: An Epic-Drama of the War with Napoleon Part 27

[MALMESBURY accompanies him to the door, and PITT walks away disquietedly towards Whitehall, the other two regarding him as he goes.]

MULGRAVE

Too swiftly he declines to feebleness, And these things well might shake a stouter frame!

MALMESBURY

Of late the burden of all Europe's cares, Of hiring and maintaining half her troops, His single pair of shoulders has upborne, Thanks to the obstinacy of the King.-- His thin, strained face, his ready irritation, Are ominous signs. He may not be for long.

MULGRAVE

He alters fast, indeed,--as do events.

MALMESBURY

His labour's lost; and all our money gone!

It looks as if this doughty coalition On which we have lavished so much pay and pains Would end in wreck.

MULGRAVE

All is not over yet; The gathering Russian forces are unbroke.

MALMESBURY

Well; we shall see. Should Boney vanquish these, And silence all resistance on that side, His move will then be backward to Boulogne, And so upon us.

MULGRAVE

Nelson to our defence!

MALMESBURY

Ay; where is Nelson? Faith, by this time He may be sodden; churned in Biscay swirls; Or blown to polar bears by boreal gales; Or sleeping amorously in some calm cave On the Canaries' or Atlantis' sh.o.r.e Upon the bosom of his Dido dear, For all that we know! Never a sound of him Since pa.s.sing Portland one September day-- To make for Cadiz; so 'twas then believed.

MULGRAVE

He's staunch. He's watching, or I am much deceived.

[MULGRAVE departs. MALMESBURY goes within. The scene shuts.]

ACT FIFTH

SCENE I

OFF CAPE TRAFALGAR

[A bird's eye view of the sea discloses itself. It is daybreak, and the broad face of the ocean is fringed on its eastern edge by the Cape and the Spanish sh.o.r.e. On the rolling surface immediately beneath the eye, ranged more or less in two parallel lines running north and south, one group from the twain standing off somewhat, are the vessels of the combined French and Spanish navies, whose canvases, as the sun edges upward, shine in its rays like satin.

On the western horizon two columns of ships appear in full sail, small as moths to the aerial vision. They are bearing down towards the combined squadrons.]

RECORDING ANGEL I [intoning from his book]

At last Villeneuve accepts the sea and fate, Despite the Cadiz council called of late, Whereat his stoutest captains--men the first To do all mortals durst-- Willing to sail, and bleed, and bear the worst, Short of cold suicide, did yet opine That plunging mid those teeth of treble line In jaws of oaken wood Held open by the English navarchy With suasive breadth and artful modesty, Would smack of purposeless foolhardihood.

RECORDING ANGEL II

But word came, writ in mandatory mood, To put from Cadiz, gain Toulon, and straight At a said sign on Italy operate.

Moreover that Villeneuve, arrived as planned, Would find Rosily in supreme command.-- Gloomy Villeneuve grows rash, and, darkly brave, Leaps to meet war, storm, Nelson--even the grave.

SEMICHORUS I OF THE YEARS [aerial music]

Ere the concussion hurtle, draw abreast Of the sea.

SEMICHORUS II

Where Nelson's hulls are rising from the west, Silently.

SEMICHORUS I

Each linen wing outspread, each man and lad Sworn to be

SEMICHORUS II

Amid the vanmost, or for Death, or glad Victory!

[The point of sight descends till it is near the deck of the "Bucentaure," the flag-ship of VILLENEUVE. Present thereupon are the ADMIRAL, his FLAG-CAPTAIN MAGENDIE, LIEUTENANT DAUDIGNON, other naval officers and seamen.]