Don Carlos by Friedrich Schiller (ebook reader 8 inch TXT) 📕

of the marquis has at once Changed his whole nature. We no longer know him.

ALVA. I must go to him, nor respect his feelings. A great discovery which I have made - -

FERIA. A new discovery!

ALVA.
A Carthusian monk My guards observed, with stealthy footsteps, creep Into the prince's chamber, and inquire With anxious curiosity, about The Marquis Posa's death. They seized him straight, And questioned him. Urged by the fear of death, He made confession that he bore about him Papers of high importance, which the marquis Enjoined him to deliver to the prince, If, before sunset, he should not return.

FERIA. Well, and what further?

ALVA.
These same letters state That Carlos from Madrid must fly before The morning dawn.

FERIA. Indeed!

ALVA. And that a ship at Cadiz lies Ready for sea, to carry him to Flushing. And that the Netherlands but wait his presence, To shake the Spanish fetters from their arms.

FERIA. Can this be true?

ALVA.
And other letters say A fleet of Soliman's will sail for Rhodes, According to the treaty, to attack The Spanish squadron in the Midland seas.

FERIA. Impossible.

ALVA.
And hence I understand The object of the journeys, which of late The marquis made through Europe. 'Twas no less Than to rouse all the northern powers to arms In aid of Flanders' freedom.

FERIA.
Was it so?

ALVA. There is besides appended to these letters The full concerted plan of all the war Which is to disunite from Spain's control The Netherlands forever. Naught omitted; The power and opposition close compared; All the resources accurately noted, Together with the maxims to be followed, And all the treaties which they should conclude. The plan is fiendish, but 'tis no less splendid.

FERIA. The deep, designing traitor!

ALVA.
And, moreover, There is allusion made, in these same letters, To some mysterious conference the prince Must with his mother hold upon the eve Preceding his departure.

FERIA.

That must be This very day.

ALVA.
At midnight. But for this I have already taken proper steps. You see the case is pressing. Not a moment Is to be lost. Open the monarch's chamber.

FERIA. Impossible! All entrance is forbidden.

ALVA. I'll open then myself; the increasing danger Must justify my boldness.

[As he is on the point of approaching the door it opens,
and the KING comes out.

FERIA.
'Tis himself.


SCENE IX.

The KING. The preceding.

All are alarmed at his appearance, fall back, and let him
pass through them. He appears to be in a waking dream, like a
sleep-walker. His dress and figure indicate the disorder caused
by his late fainting. With slow steps he walks past the GRANDEES
and looks at each with a fixed eye, but without recognizing any of
them. At last he stands still, wrapped in thought, his eyes fixed
on the ground, till the emotions of his mind gradually express
themselves in words.

KING. Restore me back the dead! Yes, I must have him.

DOMINGO (whispering to ALVA). Speak to him, duke.

KING.
He died despising me! Have him again I must, and make him think More nobly of me.

ALVA (approaching with fear).
Sire!

KING (looking round the circle).
Who speaks to me! Have you forgotten who I am? Why not Upon your knees, before your king, ye creatures! Am I not still your king? I must command Submission from you. Do you all then slight me Because one man despised me?

ALVA.
Gracious king! No more of him: a new and mightier foe Arises in the bosom of your realm.

FERIA. Prince Carlos - -

KING.
Had a friend who died for him; For him! With me he might have shared an empire. How he looked down upon me! From the throne Kings look not down so proudly. It was plain How vain his conquest made him. His keen sorrow Confessed how great his loss. Man weeps not so For aught that's perishable. Oh, that he might But live again! I'd give my Indies for it! Omnipotence! thou bring'st no comfort to me: Thou canst not stretch thine arm into the grave To rectify one little act, committed With hasty rashness, 'gainst the life of man. The dead return no more. Who dare affirm That I am happy? In the tomb he dwells, Who scorned to flatter me. What care I now For all who live? One spirit, one free being, And one alone, arose in all this age! He died despising me!

ALVA.
Our lives are useless! Spaniards, let's die at once! E'en in the grave This man still robs us of our monarch's heart.

KING (sits down, and leans his head on his arm). Oh! had he died for me! I loved him, too, And much. Dear to me was he as a son. In his young mind there brightly rose for me A new and beauteous morning. Who can say What I had destined for him? He to me Was a first love. All Europe may condemn me, Europe may overwhelm me with its curse, But I deserved his thanks.

DOMINGO.
What spell is this?

KING. And, say, for whom did he desert me thus? A boy, - my son? Oh, no, believe it not! A Posa would not perish for a boy; The scanty flame of friendship could not fill A Posa's heart. It beat for human kind. His passion was the world, and the whole course Of future generations yet unborn. To do them service he secured a throne - And lost it. Such high treason 'gainst mankind Could Posa e'er forgive himself? Oh, no; I know his feelings better. Not that he Carlos preferred to Philip, but the youth - The tender pupil, - to the aged monarch. The father's evening sunbeam could not ripen His novel projects. He reserved for this The young son's orient rays. Oh, 'tis undoubted, They wait for my decease.

ALVA.
And of your thoughts, Read in these letters strongest confirmation.

KING. 'Tis possible he may miscalculate. I'm still myself. Thanks, Nature, for thy gifts; I feel within my frame the strength of youth; I'll turn their schemes to mockery. His virtue Shall be an empty dream - his death, a fool's. His fall shall crush his friend and age together. We'll test it now - how they can do without me. The world is still for one short evening mine, And this same evening will I so employ, That no reformer yet to cone shall reap Another harvest, in the waste I'll leave, For ten long generations after me. He would have offered me a sacrifice To his new deity - humanity! So on humanity I'll take revenge. And with his puppet I'll at once commence.
[To the DUKE ALVA. What you have now to tell me of the prince, Repeat. What tidings do these letters bring?

ALVA. These letters, sire, contain the last bequest Of Posa to Prince Carlos.

KING (reads the papers, watched by all present. He then lays them aside
and walks in silence up and down the room).
Summon straight The cardinal inquisitor; and beg He will bestow an hour upon the king, This very night!

TAXIS.
Just on the stroke of two The horses must be ready and prepared, At the Carthusian monastery.

ALVA.
Spies Despatched by me, moreover, have observed Equipments at the convent for a journey, On which the prince's arms were recognized.

FERIA. And it is rumored that large sums are raised In the queen's name, among the Moorish agents, Destined for Brussels.

KING.
Where is Carlos?

ALVA. With Posa's body.

KING.
And there are lights as yet Within the queen's apartments?

ALVA.
Everything Is silent there. She has dismissed her maids Far earlier than as yet has been her custom. The Duchess of Arcos, who was last with her, Left her in soundest sleep.

[An officer of the Body Guard enters, takes the DUKE OF FERIA
aside, and whispers to him. The latter, struck with surprise,
turns to DUKE ALVA. The others crowd round him, and a murmuring
noise arises.

FERIA, TAXIS, and DOMINGO (at the same time)
'Tis wonderful!

KING. What is the matter!

FERIA.
News scarce credible!

DOMINGO. Two soldiers, who have just returned from duty, Report - but - oh, the tale's ridiculous!

KING. What do they say?

ALVA.
They say, in the left wing Of the queen's palace, that the emperor's ghost Appeared before them, and with solemn gait Passed on. This rumor is confirmed by all The sentinels, who through the whole pavilion Their watches keep. And they, moreover, add, The phantom in the queen's apartment vanished.

KING. And in what shape appeared it?

OFFICER.
In the robes, The same attire he in Saint Justi wore For the last time, apparelled as a monk.

KING. A monk! And did the sentries know his person Whilst he was yet alive? They could not else Determine that it was the emperor.

OFFICER. The sceptre which he bore was evidence It was the emperor.

DOMINGO.
And the story goes He often has been seen in this same dress.

KING. Did no one speak to him?

OFFICER.