The Mortal Gods and Other Plays Part 26

_Sen._ I'll leave you then.

_Cha._ [_Seizing her hands_] Nothing to Hernda!

_Sen._ Nothing. You and she For what may come. [_Goes in_]

_Cha._ You, Masio? From Famette?

_Mas._ No, from the camp.

_Cha._ The camp! But she is there?

_Mas._ That's guessing, sir. There's fernseed on her wings.

She flits invisible, then bat your eyes You see her.

_Cha._ I've her word she'd meet me here.

_Mas._ Queer place. You come from Quito?

_Cha._ Yes. 'Twas there I had her letter making this strange tryst.

I've travelled from that hour. Famette has left Her name upon the air, and all the way I heard it.

_Mas._ She's the bird of courage, dares Go far as our LeVal himself. But here's What brought me, sir. [_Gives Chartrien a letter_]

'Tis from LeVal.

_Cha._ His hand!

His living hand! [_Reads, pales, and stands silent_]

_Mas._ Bad, sir?

_Cha._ No, good. 'Tis good.

_Mas._ Then I'll be off. My head's no show variety, But I'd not trust it long in th' grove of Peace.

We'll see you soon in camp?

_Cha._ To-night, I hope.

Famette holds key to that.

_Mas._ The first star bring you! [_Exit_]

_Cha._ [_Reads letter_] _When you see the princess Hernda, kiss for me the hand that gave me freedom. It was she unlocked my dungeon and nursed my bones to life. What I am is hers, and therefore yours._ _Le Val._

Hast grown so spent, O Fortune, that one stroke Must deal both death and life?--with hand that parts The night, show too my rainbow loss?.... All, all My future sold to the gray usurer Grief, Who gathers up as sapped and withered leaves Time's unimagined buds! No eve, no dawn With Hernda! No brief night that makes The sun unwelcome as he golds desire, The warm mist-flower where we lie its heart!

Unbrace thee here, my courage! Valiancy, First G.o.d and last in man, unbuckle here!

... How meet Famette? Smile on her smiles? Deceive Her love? She'll lay her head upon my heart And hear it crying "Hernda!".... Hernda lost!

I must not dream here open to the risk Of her unanswered eyes. Their lure would make Dishonor, that on wreck feeds rampant, spring Unshamed in me. I would forsake Famette.

[_Goes right, upper path. Hernda comes from house and crosses rapidly to him_]

_Her._ Chartrien! Come! [_He turns slowly and meets her_]

You take my hand, here where You wished me dead?

_Cha._ That you have offered it Proves me forgiven.

_Her._ _You_ forgiven? Ah, Has my atonement swollen above my fault Till I may nod a pardon where I thought To kneel for one?

_Cha._ LeVal has written me. [_Kisses her hand_]

This kiss is his salute, and that 'tis his, Not mine, makes my lips bold to leave it here.

_Her._ Forgiven! Dawn is on my sky, that hung Unutterably black! Yes, it is true I saved LeVal. From Fate's own arms I s.n.a.t.c.hed My treachery's sequence, though his meantime pain Is ever writ against me. Yet I too Knew misery that might be mate of his.

And for that other wrong--here where we stand----

_Cha._ My wrong to you! Nay, don't forgive me that.

Leave me a wound to keep me ever paying The debt of pain that solely eases guilt.

_Her._ I had to choose,--Oh, agony of choice!-- Between your death as certain as the night And your surrender to Megario, That seemed but death postponed, yet held a hope Worth any hazard. That you live is proof My choice was G.o.d's. My reasonless despair Held Heaven's sanity. Ah, that you live Is substance of reward, joy's permanent Sweet soil, but there's a flower to spring from that, A nodding ecstasy that I may pluck For my own bosom,--is there not?

_Cha._ Don't--don't----

_Her._ You turn away? You've still a doubt of me?

Then modesty may save her frigid self.

I'll speak for love, the one best thing this side Of Heaven. You've taken my hand, and now my heart, And all myself would follow it. My heart, My body, and my risen soul. Yes, risen!

My past of clay is quickened with a breath That waits not death to know itself immortal, And this is all my pride, that by that breath I'm rich enough to give myself to you.

[_She waits for him to speak. He makes no answer_]

I am rejected, having but my shame To cover naked love. Yet vanity Finds me this scanted shroud. Seeing you here, My hunger guessed at yours. I felt you came To seek me, else my heart, timid with fault, Had kept its silence, though my tongue had given As now a friend's good welcome.

_Cha._ I have come, But not to you.

_Her._ For why then? I've an ear Of caution. Let my veins, at too swift flood, Grow slow as prudence in what work you will.

Now that our aims are near as once our hearts, You'll let me help? I swear by both our souls, And yours the dearer one, that our desires Are one bent bow, and if our arrows speed They'll kiss at the same mark.

_Cha._ I'm fathoms deep, But in a sea as sweet as ever closed O'er drowned felicity!

_Her._ Why are you here?

_Cha._ To keep an oath!--that kept is our division, Yet forfeited would so untreasure me That being's G.o.d would blush dishallowed way Quite out such husk of man!

_Her._ An oath?

_Cha._ Oh, first In made self-curses I'll unload some part Of this stuffed loathing for the wretch I am!

_Her._ Nay, I'll not listen.

_Cha._ Star that was a maiden, Do not believe I loved you when my days Ran tribute at your feet,----

_Her._ Say anything But that. Those days were mine, and true.

_Cha._ False, false!

For love is generous as the heart of bounty, Giving defect perfection. Narrowed hours, Beseamed and flawed, take from its seer-lit eyes The unstinted, dear proportion secret yet In Time's full dream.