Limbo and Other Essays Part 15

But I would try, Diego.

DIEGO

Be not grasping, Madam. The generous coursers whom your father taught you to break and harness have their set of virtues. Those of curs are different. Do not grudge them those. Your n.o.ble horses kick them enough, without even seeing their presence. But I feel I am beyond my depth, not being philosophical by nature or schooling. And I had forgotten to give you part of his Highnesses message. Knowing your love of music, and the attention you have given it, the Duke imagined it might divert you, till he was at leisure to pay you homage, to make trial of my poor powers.

Will it please you to order the other musicians, Madam?

PRINCESS

Nay, good Diego, humour me in this. I have studied music, and would fain make trial of accompanying your voice. Have you notes by you?

DIEGO

Here are some, Madam, left for the use of his Highness's band this evening. Here is the pastoral of Phyllis by Ludovic of the Lute; a hymn in four parts to the Virgin by Orlandus La.s.sus; a madrigal by the Pope's Master, Signor Pierluigi of Praeneste. Ah! Here is a dramatic scene between Medea and Creusa, rivals in love, by the Florentine Octavio.

Have you knowledge of it, Madam?

PRINCESS

I have sung it with my master for exercise. But, good Diego, find a song for yourself.

DIEGO

You shall humour me, now, gracious Lady. Think I am your master. I desire to hear your voice. And who knows? In this small matter I may really teach you something.

_The_ PRINCESS _sits to the harpsichord_, DIEGO _standing beside her on the dais. They sing, the_ PRINCESS _taking the treble_, DIEGO _the contralto part. The_ PRINCESS _enters first--with a full-toned voice clear and high, singing very carefully_. DIEGO _follows, singing in a whisper. His voice is a little husky, and here and there broken, but ineffably delicious and penetrating, and, as he sings, becomes, without quitting the whisper, dominating and disquieting. The_ PRINCESS _plays a wrong chord, and breaks off suddenly._

DIEGO

(_having finished a cadence, rudely_)

What is it, Madam?

PRINCESS

I know not. I have lost my place----I----I feel bewildered. When your voice rose up against mine, Diego, I lost my head. And--I do not know how to express it--when our voices met in that held dissonance, it seemed as if you hurt me----horribly.

DIEGO

(_smiling, with hypocritical apology_)

Forgive me, Madam. I sang too loud, perhaps. We theatre singers are apt to strain things. I trust some day to hear you sing alone. You have a lovely voice: more like a boy's than like a maiden's still.

PRINCESS

And yours----'tis strange that at your age we should reverse the parts,--yours, though deeper than mine, is like a woman's.

DIEGO (_laughing_)

I have grown a heart, Madam; 'tis an organ grows quicker where the breed is mixed and lowly, no n.o.bler limbs r.e.t.a.r.ding its development by theirs.

PRINCESS

Speak not thus, excellent Diego. Why cause me pain by disrespectful treatment of a person--your own admirable self--whom I respect? You have experience, Diego, and shall teach me many things, for I desire learning.

_The_ Princess _takes his hand in both hers, very kindly and simply_.

Diego, _disengaging his, bows very ceremoniously_.

DIEGO

Shall I teach you to sing as I do, gracious Madam?

PRINCESS (_after a moment_)

I think not, Diego.

ACT V

_Two months later. The wedding day of the_ DUKE. _Another part of the Palace of Mantua. A long terrace still to be seen, with roof supported by columns. It looks on one side on to the jousting ground, a green meadow surrounded by clipped hedges and set all round with mulberry trees. On the other side it overlooks the lake, against which, as a fact, it acts as d.y.k.e. The Court of Mantua and Envoys of foreign Princes, together with many Prelates, are a.s.sembled on the terrace, surrounding the seats of the_ DUKE, _the young_ d.u.c.h.eSS HIPPOLYTA, _the_ d.u.c.h.eSS DOWAGER _and the_ CARDINAL. _Facing this gallery, and separated from it by a line of sedge and willows, and a few yards of pure green water, starred with white lilies, is a stage in the shape of a Grecian temple, apparently rising out of the lake. Its pediment and columns are slung with garlands of bay and cypress. In the gable, the_ DUKE'S _device of a labyrinth in gold on a blue ground and the motto:_ "RECTAS PETO." _On the stage, but this side of the curtain, which is down, are a number of_ Musicians _with violins, viols, theorbs, a hautboy, a flute, a ba.s.soon, viola d'amore and ba.s.s viols, grouped round two men with double ba.s.ses and a man at a harpsichord, in dress like the musicians in Veronese's paintings. They are preluding gently, playing elaborately fugued variations on a dance tune in three-eighth time, rendered singularly plaintive by the absence of perfect closes_.

CARDINAL

(_to_ VENETIAN AMBa.s.sADOR)

What say you to our Diego's masque, my Lord? Does not his skill as a composer vie almost with his sublety as a singer?

MARCHIONESS OF GUASTALLA

(_to the_ d.u.c.h.eSS DOWAGER)

A most excellent masque, methinks, Madam. And of so new a kind. We have had masques in palaces and also in gardens, and some, I own it, beautiful; for our palace on the hill affords fine vistas of cypress avenues and the distant plain. But, until the Duke your son, no one has had a masque on the water, it would seem. 'Tis doubtless his invention?

d.u.c.h.eSS

(_with evident preoccupation_)

I think not, Madam. 'Tis our foolish Diego's freak. And I confess I like it not. It makes me anxious for the players.

BISHOP OF CREMONA (_to the_ CARDINAL)

A wondrous singer, your Signor Diego. They say the Spaniards have subtle exercises for keeping the voice thus youthful. His Holiness has several such who sing divinely under Pierluigi's guidance. But your Diego seems really but a child, yet has a mode of singing like one who knows a world of joys and sorrows.

CARDINAL

He has. Indeed, I sometimes think he pushes the pathetic quality too far. I am all for the Olympic serenity of the wise Ancients.

YOUNG d.u.c.h.eSS (_laughing_)