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

world, And make a sacrifice ne'er made before.

CARLOS. I will, I will; I have a giant's strength To win your favor; but to lose you, none.

QUEEN. Confess, my Carlos, I have harshly read thee; It is but spoken, and waywardness, and pride, Attract you thus so madly to your mother! The heart you lavish on myself belongs To the great empire you one day shall rule. Look that you sport not with your sacred trust! Love is your high vocation; until now It hath been wrongly bent upon your mother: Oh, lead it back upon your future realms, And so, instead of the fell stings of conscience, Enjoy the bliss of being more than man. Elizabeth has been your earliest love, Your second must be Spain. How gladly, Carlos, Will I give place to this more worthy choice!

CARLOS (overpowered by emotion, throws himself at her feet). How great thou art, my angel! Yes, I'll do All, all thou canst desire. So let it be.
[He rises. Here in the sight of heaven I stand and swear - I swear to thee, eternal - no, great Heaven! - Eternal silence only, - not oblivion!

QUEEN. How can I ask from you what I myself Am not disposed to grant?

MARQUIS (hastening from the alley).
The king!

QUEEN.
Oh God!

MARQUIS. Away, away! fly from these precincts, prince!

QUEEN. His jealousy is dreadful - should he see you - -

CARLOS. I'll stay.

QUEEN.
And who will be the victim then?

CARLOS (seizing the MARQUIS by the arm). Away, away! Come, Roderigo, come!
[Goes and returns. What may I hope to carry hence with me?

QUEEN. Your mother's friendship.

CARLOS.
Friendship! Mother!

QUEEN.
And These tears with it - they're from the Netherlands.

[She gives him some letters. Exit CARLOS with the MARQUIS.
The QUEEN looks restlessly round in search of her ladies,
who are nowhere to be seen. As she is about to retire up,
the KING enters.


SCENE VI.

The KING, the QUEEN, DUKE ALVA, COUNT LERMA, DOMINGO,
LADIES, GRANDEES, who remain at a little distance.

KING. How, madam, alone; not even one of all Your ladies in attendance? Strange! Where are they?

QUEEN. My gracious lord!

KING.
Why thus alone, I say?
[To his attendants. I'll take a strict account of this neglect. 'Tis not to be forgiven. Who has the charge Of waiting on your majesty to-day?

QUEEN. Oh, be not angry! Good, my lord, 'tis I Myself that am to blame - at my request The Princess Eboli went hence but now.

KING. At your request!

QUEEN.
To call the nurse to me, With the Infanta, whom I longed to see.

KING. And was your retinue dismissed for that? This only clears the lady first in waiting. Where was the second?

MONDECAR (who has returned and mixed with the other ladies,
steps forward).
Your majesty, I feel I am to blame for this.

KING.
You are, and so I give you ten years to reflect upon it, At a most tranquil distance from Madrid.

[The MARCHIONESS steps back weeping. General silence.
The bystanders all look in confusion towards the QUEEN.

QUEEN. What weep you for, dear marchioness?
[To the KING.
If I Have erred, my gracious liege, the crown I wear, And which I never sought, should save my blushes Is there a law in this your kingdom, sire, To summon monarch's daughters to the bar? Does force alone restrain your Spanish ladies? Or need they stronger safeguard than their virtue? Now pardon me, my liege; 'tis not my wont To send my ladies, who have served me still With smiling cheerfulness, away in tears. Here, Mondecar.

[She takes off her girdle and presents it to the MARCHIONESS.

You have displeased the king, Not me. Take this remembrance of my favor, And of this hour. I'd have you quit the kingdom. You have only erred in Spain. In my dear France, All men are glad to wipe such tears away. And must I ever be reminded thus? In my dear France it had been otherwise.

[Leaning on the MARCHIONESS and covering her face.

KING. Can a reproach, that in my love had birth, Afflict you so? A word so trouble you, Which the most anxious tenderness did prompt?
[He turns towards the GEANDEES. Here stand the assembled vassals of my throne. Did ever sleep descend upon these eyes, Till at the close of the returning day I've pondered, how the hearts of all my subjects Were beating 'neath the furthest cope of heaven? And should I feel more anxious for my throne Than for the partner of my bosom? No! My sword and Alva can protect my people, My eye alone assures thy love.

QUEEN.
My liege, If that I have offended - -

KING.
I am called The richest monarch in the Christian world; The sun in my dominions never sets. All this another hath possessed before, And many another will possess hereafter. That is mine own. All that the monarch hath Belongs to chance - Elizabeth to Philip. This is the point in which I feel I'm mortal.

QUEEN. What fear you, sire?

KING.
Should these gray hairs not fear? But the same instant that my fear begins It dies away forever.
[To the grandees.
I run over The nobles of my court and miss the foremost. Where is my son, Don Carlos?
[No one answers.
He begins To give me cause of fear. He shuns my presence Since he came back from school at Alcala. His blood is hot. Why is his look so cold? His bearing all so stately and reserved? Be watchful, duke, I charge you.

ALVA.
So I am: Long as a heart against this corslet beats, So long may Philip slumber undisturbed; And as God's cherub guards the gates of heaven So doth Duke Alva guard your royal throne.

LERMA. Dare I, in all humility, presume To oppose the judgment of earth's wisest king? Too deeply I revere his gracious sire To judge the son so harshly. I fear much From his hot blood, but nothing from his heart.

KING. Lerma, your speech is fair to soothe the father, But Alva here will be the monarch's shield - No more of this.
[Turning to his suite.
Now speed we to Madrid, Our royal duties summon us. The plague Of heresy is rife among my people; Rebellion stalks within my Netherlands - The times are imminent. We must arrest These erring spirits by some dread example. The solemn oath which every Christian king Hath sworn to keep I will redeem to-morrow. 'Twill be a day of doom unparalleled. Our court is bidden to the festival.

[He leads off the QUEEN, the rest follow.


SCENE VII.

DON CARLOS (with letters in his hand), and MARQUIS POSA
enter from opposite sides.

CARLOS. I am resolved - Flanders shall yet be saved: So runs her suit, and that's enough for me!

MARQUIS. There's not another moment to be lost: 'Tis said Duke Alva in the cabinet Is named already as the governor.

CARLOS. Betimes to-morrow will I see the king And ask this office for myself. It is The first request I ever made to him, And he can scarce refuse. My presence here Has long been irksome to him. He will grasp This fair pretence my absence to secure. And shall I confess to thee, Roderigo? My hopes go further. Face to face with him, 'Tis possible the pleading of a son May reinstate him in his father's favor. He ne'er hath heard the voice of nature speak; Then let me try for once, my Roderigo, What power she hath when breathing from my lips.

MARQUIS. Now do I hear my Carlos' voice once more; Now are you all yourself again!


SCENE VIII.

The preceding. COUNT LERMA.

COUNT.
Your grace, His majesty has left Aranjuez; And I am bidden - -

CARLOS.
Very well, my lord - I shall overtake the king - -

MARQUIS (affecting to take leave with ceremony).
Your highness, then, Has nothing further to intrust to me?

CARLOS. Nothing. A pleasant journey to Madrid! You may, hereafter, tell me more of Flanders.

[To LERMA, who is waiting for him.

Proceed, my lord! I'll follow thee anon.


SCENE IX.

DON CARLOS, MARQUIS POSA.

CARLOS. I understood thy hint, and thank thee for it. A stranger's presence can alone excuse This forced and measured tone. Are we not brothers? In future, let this puppet-play of rank Be banished from our friendship. Think that we Had met at some gay masking festival, Thou in the habit of a slave, and I Robed, for a jest, in the imperial purple. Throughout the revel we respect the cheat, And play our parts with sportive earnestness, Tripping it gayly with the merry throng; But should thy Carlos beckon through his mask, Thou'dst press his hand in silence as he passed, And we should be as one.

MARQUIS.
The dream's divine!