The Works of Frederick Schiller Part 333

ALL (together with astonishment).

The king shed tears!

[The bell rings in the cabinet, COUNT LERMA hastens in.

DOMINGO.

Count, yet one word.

Pardon! He's gone! We're fettered in amazement.

SCENE XXIV.

PRINCESS EBOLI, FERIA, MEDINA SIDONIA, PARMA, DOMINGO, and other grandees.

EBOLI (hurriedly and distractedly).

Where is the king? Where? I must speak with him.

[To FERIA.

Conduct me to him, duke!

FERIA.

The monarch is Engaged in urgent business. No one now Can be admitted.

EBOLI.

Has he signed, as yet, The fatal sentence? He has been deceived.

DOMINGO (giving her a significant look at a distance).

The Princess Eboli!

EBOLI (going to him).

What! you here, priest?

The very man I want! You can confirm My testimony!

[She seizes his hand and would drag him into the cabinet.

DOMINGO.

I? You rave, princess!

FERIA.

Hold back. The king cannot attend you now.

EBOLI.

But he must hear me; he must hear the truth The truth, were he ten times a deity.

EBOLI.

Man, tremble at the anger of thy idol.

I have naught left to hazard.

[Attempts to enter the cabinet; ALVA rushes out, his eyes sparkling, triumph in his gait. He hastens to DOMINGO, and embraces him.

ALVA.

Let each church Resound with high To Dennis. Victory At length is ours.

DOMINGO.

What! Ours?

ALVA (to DOMINGO and the other GRANDEES).

Now to the king.

You shall hereafter hear the sequel from me.

ACT V.

SCENE I.

A chamber in the royal palace, separated from a large fore-court by an iron-barred gate. Sentinels walking up and down. CARLOS sitting at a table, with his head leaning forward on his arms, as if he were asleep. In the background of the chamber are some officers, confined with him. The MARQUIS POSA enters, un.o.bserved by him, and whispers to the officers, who immediately withdraw.

He himself steps close up to CARLOS, and looks at him for a few minutes in silent sorrow. At last he makes a motion which awakens him out of his stupor. CARLOS rises, and seeing the MARQUIS, starts back. He regards him for some time with fixed eyes, and draws his hand over his forehead as if he wished to recollect something.

MARQUIS.

Carlos! 'tie I.

CARLOS (gives him his hand).

Comest thou to me again?

'Tis friendly of thee, truly.

MARQUIS.

Here I thought Thou mightest need a friend.

CARLOS.

Indeed! was that Thy real thought? Oh, joy unspeakable!

Right well I knew thou still wert true to me.

MARQUIS.

I have deserved this from thee.

CARLOS.

Hast thou not?

And now we understand each other fully, It joys my heart. This kindness, this forbearance Becomes our n.o.ble souls. For should there be One rash, unjust demand amongst my wishes, Wouldst thou, for that, refuse me what was just?

Virtue I know may often be severe, But never is she cruel and inhuman.

Oh! it hath cost thee much; full well I know How thy kind heart with bitter anguish bled As thy hands decked the victim for the altar.

MARQUIS.

What meanest thou, Carlos?

CARLOS.

Thou, thyself, wilt now Fulfil the joyous course I should have run.

Thou wilt bestow on Spain those golden days She might have hoped in vain to win from me.