The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Volume Vi Part 46

Good? Ha, good?

'Tis a false lie! For know, thou old, gray man, She will betray thee, _hath_ betrayed thee, thee, Ay, and herself! But thou didst curse her sore "Know thou shalt be thrust forth Like a beast of the wilderness," thou saidst; "Friendless and homeless, with no place To lay thy head! And he, for whom Thou hast betrayed me, he will be First to take vengeance on thee, first To leave thee, thrust thee forth, and first To slay thee!" See, thy words were true!

For here I stand, thrust forth indeed, By all men like a monster shunned, Deserted by the wretch for whom I gave thee up, and with no place To lay me down; alas! not dead; Black thoughts of murder in my heart!-- Dost thou rejoice at thy revenge?

Com'st closer?--Children! O my babes!

[_She rushes across to where the children lie sleeping, and shakes them violently._]

My children, did ye hear? Awake!

BOY (_waking_).

What wouldst thou?

MEDEA (_pressing them fiercely to her_).

Clasp your arms about me close!

BOY. I slept so soundly.

MEDEA. Slept? How could ye sleep?

Thought ye, because your mother watched you here, That ye were safe? Ye ne'er were in the hands Of any foe more dangerous! Sleep? With me, Your mother, near? How could ye?--Go within, And there ye shall find rest, indeed!

[_The children sleepily mount the steps and disappear down the colonnade into the palace._]

They're gone, And all is well again!--Yet, now they're gone, How am I bettered? Must I aught the less Flee forth, today, and leave them in the hands Of these my bitter foes? Is Jason less A traitor? Will the bride make aught the less Of feasting on her bridal day, forsooth?

Tomorrow, when the sun shall rise, Then shall I be alone, The world a desert waste for me, My babes, my husband--gone!

A wand'rer I, with weary feet All torn and bleeding sore, And bound for exile!--Whither, then I know no more!

My foes stay here and make a joyous feast, And laugh to think me gone; My babes cling tightly to a stranger's breast, Estranged from me forever, far away From where I needs must come!

And wilt thou suffer that?

Is it not even now too late, Too late to grant forgiveness?

Hath not Creusa even now the robes, Ay, and the chalice, that fierce-flaming cup?

Hark! Nay, not yet!--But soon enough Will come the shriek of agony Ringing through all the palace halls!

Then they will come and slay me, Nor spare the babes!

Hark! What a cry was that! Ha! Tongues of flame Leap curling from the palace! It is done!

No more may I retreat, repent!

Let come what must! Set forward!

[GORA _bursts out of the palace in a frenzy._]

GORA. Oh, horror, horror!

MEDEA (_hurrying to her_).

So the deed is done!

GORA. Woe, woe! Creusa dead, the palace red With mounting flames!

MEDEA. So, art thou gone at last, Thou snow-white, spotless bride? Or seek'st thou still To charm my children from me? Wouldst thou? Wouldst thou?

Wouldst take them whither thou art gone?

Nay, to the G.o.ds I give them now, And not to thee, nay, not to thee!

GORA. What hast thou done?--Look, look, they come!

MEDEA. They come? Too late! Too late!

[_She vanishes down the colonnade._]

GORA. Alas that I, so old and gray, should aid, Unknowing, such dark deeds! I counseled her To take revenge: but such revenge--oh, G.o.ds!

Where are the babes? 'Twas here I left them late.

Where art thou, O Medea? And thy babes-- Ah, where are they?

[_She, too, disappears down the colonnade. Through the windows of the palace in the background the rapidly mounting flames now burst forth._]

JASON'S VOICE.

Creusa! O Creusa!

KING'S VOICE (_from within_).

O my daughter!

[GORA _bursts out of the palace and falls upon her knees in the middle of the stage, covering her face with her hands._]

GORA. What have I seen?--Oh, horror!

[MEDEA _appears at the entrance to the colonnade; in her left hand she brandishes a dagger; she raises her right hand to command silence._]

[_The curtain falls._]

ACT V

_The outer court of_ CREON'S _palace, as in the preceding act; the royal apartments in the background lie in blackened ruins whence smoke is still curling up; the court-yard is filled with various palace attendants busied in various ways. The dawn is just breaking.

The_ KING _appears, dragging_ GORA _out of the palace; a train of_ CREUSA'S _slave-women follows him._

KING. Away with thee! It was thy wicked hand That to my daughter brought those b.l.o.o.d.y gifts Which were her doom! My daughter! Oh, Creusa!

My child, my child!

[_He turns to the slave-women._]

'Twas she?

GORA. Yea, it was I!

I knew not that my hands bore doom of death Within thy dwelling.