Vittoria Part 15

CAMILLO (on guard, clasping his wife).

"Tis well! I cry, to all we share.

Yea, life or death, 'tis well! 'tis well!'

MICHIELLA (stamps her foot).

'My heart 's a vessel tossed on h.e.l.l!'

LEONARDO (aside).

'Not in glad nuptials ends the day.'

ORSO (to Camilla).

'What is thy purpose with us?-say!'

CAMILLA (lowly).

'Unto my Father I have crossed For tidings of my Mother lost.'

ORSO.

'Thy mother dead!'

CAMILLA.

'She lives!'

MICHIELLA.

'Thou liest!

The tablets of the tomb defiest!

The Fates denounce, the Furies chase The wretch who lies in Reason's face.'

CAMILLA.

'Fly, then; for we are match'd to try Which is the idiot, thou or I'

MICHIELLA.

Graceless Camilla!'

ORSO 'Senseless girl!

I cherished thee a precious pearl, And almost owned thee child of mine.'

CAMILLA.

'Thou kept'st me like a gem, to shine, Careless that I of blood am made; No longer be the end delay'd.

'Tis time to prove I have a heart- Forth from these walls of mine depart!

The ghosts within them are disturb'd Go forth, and let thy wrath be curb'd, For I am strong: Camillo's truth Has arm'd the visions of our youth.

Our union by the Head Supreme Is blest: our severance was the dream.

We who have drunk of blood and tears, Knew nothing of a mortal's fears.

Life is as Death until the strife In our just cause makes Death as Life.'

ORSO "Tis madness?'

LEONARDO.

'Is it madness?'

CAMILLA.

'Men!

'Tis Reason, but beyond your ken.

There lives a light that none can view Whose thoughts are brutish:-seen by few, The few have therefore light divine Their visions are G.o.d's legions!-sign, I give you; for we stand alone, And you are frozen to the bone.

Your palsied hands refuse their swords.

A sharper edge is in my words, A deadlier wound is in my cry.

Yea, tho' you slay us, do we die?

In forcing us to bear the worst, You made of us Immortals first.

Away! and trouble not my sight.'

Chorus of Cavaliers: RUDOLFO, ROMUALDO, ARNOLDO, and others.

'She moves us with an angel's might.

What if his host outnumber ours!

'Tis heaven that gives victorious powers.'

[They draw their steel. ORSO, simulating grat.i.tude for their devotion to him, addresses them as to pacify their friendly ardour.]

MICHIELLA to LEONARDO (supplicating).

'Ever my friend I shall I appeal In vain to see thy flashing steel?'

LEONARDO (finally resolved).

'Traitress! pray, rather, it may rest, Or its first home will be thy breast.'

Chorus of Bridal Company.

'The flowers from bright Aurora's head We pluck'd to strew a happy bed, Shall they be dipp'd in blood ere night?

Woe to the nuptials! woe the sight!'

Rudolfo, Romualdo, Arnoldo, and the others, advance toward Camillo. Michiella calls to them encouragingly that it were well for the deed to be done by their hands. They bid Camillo to direct their lifted swords upon his enemies. Leonardo joins them. Count Orso, after a burst of upbraidings, accepts Camillo's offer of peace, and gives his bond to quit the castle. Michiella, gazing savagely at Camilla, entreats her for an utterance of her triumphant scorn. She a.s.sures Camilla that she knows her feelings accurately.

'Now you think that I am overwhelmed; that I shall have a restless night, and lie, after all my crying's over, with my hair spread out on my pillow, on either side my face, like green moss of a withered waterfall: you think you will bestow a little serpent of a gift from my stolen treasures to comfort me. You will comfort me with a lock of Camillo's hair, that I may have it on my breast to-night, and dream, and wail, and writhe, and curse the air I breathe, and clasp the abominable emptiness like a thousand Camillos. Speak!'

The dagger is seen gleaming up Michiella's wrist; she steps on in a bony triangle, faced for mischief: a savage Hunnish woman, with the hair of a G.o.ddess-the figure of a cat taking to its forepaws. Close upon Camilla she towers in her whole height, and crying thrice, swift as the a.s.sa.s.sin trebles his blow, 'Speak,' to Camilla, who is fronting her mildly, she raises her arm, and the stilet flashes into Camilla's bosom.

'Die then, and outrage me no more.'

Camilla staggers to her husband. Camillo receives her falling. Michiella, seized by Leonardo, presents a stiffened shape of vengeance with fierce white eyes and dagger aloft. There are many shouts, and there is silence.

CAMILLA, supported by CAMILLO.

'If this is death, it is not hard to bear.

Your handkerchief drinks up my blood so fast It seems to love it. Threads of my own hair Are woven in it. 'Tis the one I cast That midnight from my window, when you stood Alone, and heaven seemed to love you so!

I did not think to wet it with my blood When next I tossed it to my love below.'

CAMILLO (cherishing her).

'Camilla, pity! say you will not die.

Your voice is like a soul lost in the sky.'

CAMILLA.

'I know not if my soul has flown; I know My body is a weight I cannot raise: My voice between them issues, and I go Upon a journey of uncounted days.

Forgetfulness is like a closing sea; But you are very bright above me still.

My life I give as it was given to me I enter on a darkness wide and chill.'