The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Illustrated Edition). Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ 1800, 1828,

       1829.

      [Before 51] Isolani (with a bitter laugh). 1800, 1828, 1829.

      [Before 55] Tertsky (interrupting him). 1800, 1828, 1829.

      [Before 56] Illo (raising his voice to the highest pitch). 1800, 1828,

       1829.

      [Before 58] Max (has his attention roused, and looks again into the

       paper). 1800, 1828, 1829.

ACT III

       Table of Contents

SCENE I

       Table of Contents

      SCENE. — A Chamber in PICCOLOMINI’S Mansion. — Night.

      OCTAVIO PICCOLOMINI. A Valet de Chambre, with Lights.

      Octavio. —— And when my son comes in, conduct him hither.

       What is the hour?

      Valet. ‘Tis on the point of morning.

      Octavio. Set down the light. We mean not to undress.

       You may retire to sleep.

      [Exit Valet. OCTAVIO paces, musing, across the chamber;

       MAX PICCOLOMINI enters unobserved, and looks at his

       father for some moments in silence.

      Max. Art thou offended with me? Heaven knows 5

       That odious business was no fault of mine.

       ‘Tis true, indeed, I saw thy signature.

       What thou hadst sanctioned, should not, it might seem,

       Have come amiss to me. But—’tis my nature —

       Thou know’st that in such matters I must follow 10

       My own light, not another’s.

      Octavio (embraces him). Follow it,

       O follow it still further, my best son!

       To-night, dear boy! it hath more faithfully

       Guided thee than the example of thy father.

      Max. Declare thyself less darkly.

      Octavio. I will do so. 15

       For after what has taken place this night,

       There must remain no secrets ‘twixt us two.

      [Both seat themselves.

      Max Piccolomini! what thinkest thou of

       The oath that was sent round for signatures?

      Max. I hold it for a thing of harmless import, 20

       Although I love not these set declarations.

      Octavio. And on no other ground hast thou refused

       The signature they fain had wrested from thee?

      Max. It was a serious business —— I was absent —

       The affair itself seemed not so urgent to me. 25

      Octavio. Be open, Max. Thou hadst then no suspicion?

      Max. Suspicion! what suspicion? Not the least.

      Octavio. Thank thy good angel, Piccolomini:

       He drew thee back unconscious from the abyss.

      Max. I know not what thou meanest.

      Octavio. I will tell thee. 30

       Fain would they have extorted from thee, son,

       The sanction of thy name to villainy;

       Yea, with a single flourish of thy pen,

       Made thee renounce thy duty and thy honour!

      Max (rises). Octavio!

      Octavio. Patience! Seat yourself. Much yet 35

       Hast thou to hear from me, friend! — hast for years

       Lived in incomprehensible illusion.

       Before thine eyes is Treason drawing out

       As black a web as e’er was spun for venom:

       A power of hell o’erclouds thy understanding. 40

       I dare no longer stand in silence — dare

       No longer see thee wandering on in darkness,

       Nor pluck the bandage from thine eyes.

      Max. My father!

       Yet, ere thou speak’st, a moment’s pause of thought!

       If your disclosures should appear to be 45

       Conjectures only — and almost I fear

       They will be nothing further — spare them! I

       Am not in that collected mood at present,

       That I could listen to them quietly.

      Octavio. The deeper cause thou hast to hate this light, 50

       The more impatient cause have I, my son,

       To force it on thee. To the innocence

       And wisdom of thy heart I could have trusted thee

       With calm assurance — but I see the net

       Preparing — and it is thy heart itself 55

       Alarms me for thine innocence — that secret,

       Which thou concealest, forces mine from me.

       Know, then, they are duping thee! — a most foul game

       With thee and with us all — nay, hear me calmly —

       The Duke even now is playing. He assumes 60

       The mask, as if he would forsake the army;

       And in this moment makes he preparations

       That army from the Emperor to steal,

       And carry it over СКАЧАТЬ