Mary Stuart: A Tragedy Part 36

CURL.

Oh, curse upon him! Be his soul Condemned forever! he has borne false witness.

MELVIL.

Think, madam, what you say.

CURL.

I will maintain it With every sacred oath before the court, I will repeat it in his very face; The world shall hear of nothing else. I say That she dies innocent!

MELVIL..

G.o.d grant it true!

[1] The doc.u.ment is now in the British Museum.

SCENE III.

Enter HANNAH KENNEDY.

KENNEDY (to CURL).

Go, madam, and require a cup of wine-- 'Tis for our lady.

MELVIL.

Is the queen then sick?

KENNEDY.

She thinks that she is strong; she is deceived By her heroic courage; she believes She has no need of nourishment; yet still A hard and painful task's allotted her.

Her enemies shall not enjoy the triumph; They shall not say that fear hath blanched her cheeks When her fatigues have conquered human weakness.

MELVIL.

May I approach her?

KENNEDY.

She will come herself.

SCENE IV.

Enter BURGOYN; two women of the chamber follow him, weeping, and in deep mourning.

BURGOYN.

Oh, Melvil!

MELVIL.

Oh, Burgoyn!

[They embrace silently.

FIRST WOMAN (to the NURSE).

She chose to be Alone: she wishes, at this awful moment, For the last time, to commune with her G.o.d.

SCENE V.

Enter MARGARET CURL, bearing a golden cup of wine; she places it hastily upon the table, and leans, pale and trembling, against a chair.

MELVIL.

How, madam! What has frightened you?

KENNEDY.

Oh G.o.d!

BURGOYN.

Speak, madam!

CURL.

What, alas! have I beheld!

MELVIL.

Come to yourself, and say what you have seen!

CURL.

As I went down the staircase which conducts To the great hall below, a door stood open; I looked into the chamber, and I saw-- Oh heaven!

MELVIL.

What saw you?

CURL.

All the walls were hung With black; a s.p.a.cious scaffold, too, o'erspread With sable cloth, was raised above the floor, And in the middle of the scaffold stood A dreadful sable block! upon it lay A naked, polished axe:--the hall was full Of cruel people, crowding round the scaffold Who, with a horrid thirst for human blood, Seemed waiting for the victim!

THE WOMEN.

Gracious heaven, Protect our queen!

MELVIL.

Be calm; the queen approaches.

SCENE VI.

Enter MARY in white and sumptuously arrayed, as for a festival: she wears hanging from her neck, on a row of small beads, an Agnus Dei; a rosary hangs from her girdle; she bears a crucifix in her hand, and a diadem of precious stones binds her hair; her large black veil is thrown back.

On her entrance all present fall back on both sides with the most violent expressions of anguish.

MELVIL falls involuntarily upon his knees.

MARY (with quiet majesty, looking round the whole circle).

Why these complaints? Why weep ye? Ye should rather Rejoice with me, that now at length the end Of my long woe approaches; that my shackles Fall off, my prison opens, and my soul Delighted mounts on seraph's wings, and seeks The land of everlasting liberty.