The Works of Lord Byron Volume IV Part 69

_Doge_. Come hither, my Bertuccio--one embrace; Speed, for the day grows broader; send me soon A messenger to tell me how all goes When you rejoin our troops, and then sound--sound 130 The storm-bell from St. Mark's![et]

[_Exit_ BERTUCCIO FALIERO.

_Doge_ (_solus_). He is gone, And on each footstep moves a life. 'Tis done.[441]

Now the destroying Angel hovers o'er Venice, and pauses ere he pours the vial, Even as the eagle overlooks his prey, And for a moment, poised in middle air, Suspends the motion of his mighty wings, Then swoops with his unerring beak.[442] Thou Day!

That slowly walk'st the waters! march--march on-- I would not smite i' the dark, but rather see 140 That no stroke errs. And you, ye blue sea waves!

I have seen you dyed ere now, and deeply too, With Genoese, Saracen, and Hunnish gore, While that of Venice flowed too, but victorious: Now thou must wear an unmixed crimson; no Barbaric blood can reconcile us now Unto that horrible incarnadine, But friend or foe will roll in civic slaughter.

And have I lived to fourscore years[443] for this?

I, who was named Preserver of the City? 150 I, at whose name the million's caps were flung[eu]

Into the air, and cries from tens of thousands Rose up, imploring Heaven to send me blessings, And fame, and length of days--to see this day?

But this day, black within the calendar, Shall be succeeded by a bright millennium.

Doge Dandolo survived to ninety summers To vanquish empires, and refuse their crown;[444]

I will resign a crown, and make the State Renew its freedom--but oh! by what means? 160 The n.o.ble end must justify them. What Are a few drops of human blood? 'tis false, The blood of tyrants is not human; they, Like to incarnate Molochs, feed on ours, Until 'tis time to give them to the tombs Which they have made so populous.--Oh World!

Oh Men! what are ye, and our best designs, That we must work by crime to punish crime?

And slay as if Death had but this one gate, When a few years would make the sword superfluous? 170 And I, upon the verge of th' unknown realm, Yet send so many heralds on before me?-- I must not ponder this. [_A pause._ Hark! was there not A murmur as of distant voices, and The tramp of feet in martial unison?

What phantoms even of sound our wishes raise!

It cannot be--the signal hath not rung-- Why pauses it? My nephew's messenger Should be upon his way to me, and he Himself perhaps even now draws grating back 180 Upon its ponderous hinge the steep tower portal, Where swings the sullen huge oracular bell,[ev]

Which never knells but for a princely death, Or for a state in peril, pealing forth Tremendous bodements; let it do its office, And be this peal its awfullest and last Sound till the strong tower rock!--What! silent still?

I would go forth, but that my post is here, To be the centre of re-union to The oft discordant elements which form 190 Leagues of this nature, and to keep compact The wavering of the weak, in case of conflict; For if they should do battle,'twill be here, Within the palace, that the strife will thicken: Then here must be my station, as becomes The master-mover.--Hark! he comes--he comes, My nephew, brave Bertuccio's messenger.-- What tidings? Is he marching? hath he sped?

_They_ here!-all's lost-yet will I make an effort.

_Enter a_ SIGNOR OF THE NIGHT,[445] _with Guards, etc., etc._

_Sig_. Doge, I arrest thee of high treason!

_Doge_. Me! 200 Thy Prince, of treason?--Who are they that dare Cloak their own treason under such an order?

_Sig_. (_showing his order_).

Behold my order from the a.s.sembled Ten.

_Doge_. And _where_ are they, and _why_ a.s.sembled? no Such Council can be lawful, till the Prince Preside there, and that duty's mine:[446] on thine I charge thee, give me way, or marshal me To the Council chamber.

_Sig_. Duke! it may not be: Nor are they in the wonted Hall of Council, But sitting in the convent of Saint Saviour's. 210

_Doge_. You dare to disobey me, then?

_Sig_. I serve The State, and needs must serve it faithfully; My warrant is the will of those who rule it.

_Doge_. And till that warrant has my signature It is illegal, and, as _now_ applied, Rebellious. Hast thou weighed well thy life's worth, That thus you dare a.s.sume a lawless function?[ew]

_Sig_. 'Tis not my office to reply, but act-- I am placed here as guard upon thy person, And not as judge to hear or to decide. 220

_Doge_ (_aside_).

I must gain time. So that the storm-bell sound,[ex][447]

All may be well yet. Kinsman, speed--speed--speed!-- Our fate is trembling in the balance, and Woe to the vanquished! be they Prince and people, Or slaves and Senate-- [_The great bell of St. Mark's tolls._ Lo! it sounds--it tolls!

_Doge_ (_aloud_).

Hark, Signor of the Night! and you, ye hirelings, Who wield your mercenary staves in fear, It is your knell.--Swell on, thou l.u.s.ty peal!

Now, knaves, what ransom for your lives?

_Sig_. Confusion!

Stand to your arms, and guard the door--all's lost 230 Unless that fearful bell be silenced soon.

The officer hath missed his path or purpose, Or met some unforeseen and hideous obstacle,[ey]

Anselmo, with thy company proceed Straight to the tower; the rest remain with me.

[_Exit part of the Guard._

_Doge_. Wretch! if thou wouldst have thy vile life, implore it; It is not now a lease of sixty seconds.

Aye, send thy miserable ruffians forth; They never shall return.

_Sig_. So let it be!

They die then in their duty, as will I. 240

_Doge_. Fool! the high eagle flies at n.o.bler game Than thou and thy base myrmidons,--live on, So thou provok'st not peril by resistance, And learn (if souls so much obscured can bear To gaze upon the sunbeams) to be free.

_Sig_. And learn thou to be captive. It hath ceased, [_The bell ceases to toll_.

The traitorous signal, which was to have set The bloodhound mob on their patrician prey-- The knell hath rung, but it is not the Senate's!

_Doge_ (_after a pause_).

All's silent, and all's lost!

_Sig_. Now, Doge, denounce me 250 As rebel slave of a revolted Council!

Have I not done my duty?

_Doge_. Peace, thou thing!

Thou hast done a worthy deed, and earned the price Of blood, and they who use thee will reward thee.

But thou wert sent to watch, and not to prate, As thou said'st even now--then do thine office, But let it be in silence, as behoves thee, Since, though thy prisoner, I am thy Prince.

_Sig_. I did not mean to fail in the respect Due to your rank: in this I shall obey you. 260

_Doge_ (_aside_). There now is nothing left me save to die; And yet how near success! I would have fallen, And proudly, in the hour of triumph, but To miss it thus!----

_Enter other_ SIGNORS OF THE NIGHT, _with_ BERTUCCIO FALIERO _prisoner_.

_2nd Sig_. We took him in the act Of issuing from the tower, where, at his order, As delegated from the Doge, the signal Had thus begun to sound.

_1st Sig_. Are all the pa.s.ses Which lead up to the palace well secured?

_2nd Sig_. They are--besides, it matters not; the Chiefs Are all in chains, and some even now on trial-- 270 Their followers are dispersed, and many taken.

_Ber. F._ Uncle!

_Doge_. It is in vain to war with Fortune; The glory hath departed from our house.

_Ber. F._ Who would have deemed it?--Ah! one moment sooner!

_Doge_. That moment would have changed the face of ages; _This_ gives us to Eternity--We'll meet it As men whose triumph is not in success, But who can make their own minds all in all, Equal to every fortune. Droop not,'tis But a brief pa.s.sage--I would go alone, 280 Yet if they send us, as 'tis like, together, Let us go worthy of our sires and selves.

_Ber. F._ I shall not shame you, Uncle.