Don Carlos (play)

SCENE III.

The QUEEN, MARQUIS POSA.

QUEEN (full of astonishment).

How! Marquis, dare I trust my eyes? Are you

Commissioned to me from the king?

MARQUIS.

Does this

Seem such a wonder to your majesty?

To me 'tis otherwise.

QUEEN.

The world must sure

Have wandered from its course! That you and he-

I must confess--

MARQUIS.

It does sound somewhat strange-

But be it so. The present times abound

In prodigies.

QUEEN.

But none can equal this.

MARQUIS.

Suppose I had at last allowed myself

To be converted, and had weary grown

Of playing the eccentric at the court

Of Philip. The eccentric! What is that?

He who would be of service to mankind

Must first endeavor to resemble them.

What end is gained by the vain-glorious garb

Of the sectarian? Then suppose-for who

From vanity is so completely free

As for his creed to seek no proselytes?

Suppose, I say, I had it in my mind

To place my own opinions on the throne!

QUEEN.

No, marquis! no! Not even in jest could I

Suspect you of so wild a scheme as this;

No visionary you! to undertake

What you can ne'er accomplish.

MARQUIS.

But that seems

To be the very point at issue.

QUEEN.

What

I chiefly blame you, marquis, for, and what

Could well estrange me from you-is--

MARQUIS.

Perhaps

Duplicity!

QUEEN.

At least-a want of candor.

Perhaps the king himself has no desire

You should impart what now you mean to tell me.

MARQUIS.

No.

QUEEN.

And can evil means be justified

By honest ends? And-pardon me the doubt-

Can your high bearing stoop to such an office?

I scarce can think it.

MARQUIS.

Nor, indeed, could I,

Were my sole purpose to deceive the king.

'Tis not my wish-I mean to serve him now

More honestly than he himself commands.

QUEEN.

'Tis spoken like yourself. Enough of this-

What would the king?

MARQUIS.

The king? I can, it seems,

Retaliate quickly on my rigid judge

And what I have deferred so long to tell,

Your majesty, perhaps, would willingly

Longer defer to hear. But still it must

Be heard. The king requests your majesty

Will grant no audience to the ambassador

Of France to-day. Such were my high commands-

They're executed.

QUEEN.

Marquis, is that all

You have to tell me from him?

MARQUIS.

Nearly all

That justifies me thus to seek your presence.

QUEEN.

Well, marquis, I'm contented not to hear

What should, perhaps, remain a secret from me.

MARQUIS.

True, queen! though were you other than yourself,

I should inform you straight of certain things-

Warn you of certain men-but this to you

Were a vain office. Danger may arise

And disappear around you, unperceived.

You will not know it-of too little weight

To chase the slumber from your angel brow.

But 'twas not this, in sooth, that brought me hither,

Prince Carlos--

QUEEN.

What of him? How have you left him?

MARQUIS.

E'en as the only wise man of his time,

In whom it is a crime to worship truth-

And ready, for his love to risk his life,

As the wise sage for his. I bring few words-

But here he is himself.

[Giving the QUEEN a letter.

QUEEN (after she has read it).

He says he must

Speak with me--

MARQUIS.

So do I.

QUEEN.

And will he thus

Be happy-when he sees with his own eyes,

That I am wretched?

MARQUIS.

No; but more resolved,

More active.

QUEEN.

How?

MARQUIS.

Duke Alva is appointed

To Flanders.

QUEEN.

Yes, appointed-so I hear.

MARQUIS.

The king cannot retract:-we know the king.

This much is clear, the prince must not remain

Here in Madrid, nor Flanders be abandoned.

QUEEN.

And can you hinder it?

MARQUIS.

Perhaps I can,

But then the means are dangerous as the evil-

Rash as despair-and yet I know no other.

QUEEN.

Name them.

MARQUIS.

To you, and you alone, my queen,

Will I reveal them; for from you alone,

Carlos will hear them named without a shudder.

The name they bear is somewhat harsh.

QUEEN.

Rebellion!

MARQUIS.

He must prove faithless to the king, and fly

With secrecy to Brussels, where the Flemings

Wait him with open arms. The Netherlands

Will rise at his command. Our glorious cause

From the king's son will gather matchless strength,

The Spanish throne shall tremble at his arms,

And what his sire denied him in Madrid,

That will he willingly concede in Brussels.

QUEEN.

You've spoken with the king to-day-and yet

Maintain all this.

MARQUIS.

Yes, I maintain it all,

Because I spoke with him.

QUEEN (after a pause).

The daring plan

Alarms and pleases me. You may be right-

The thought is bold, and that perhaps enchants me.

Let it but ripen. Does Prince Carlos know it?

MARQUIS.

It was my wish that he should hear it first

From your own lips.

QUEEN.

The plan is doubtless good,

But then the prince's youth--

MARQUIS.

No disadvantage!

He there will find the bravest generals

Of the Emperor Charles-an Egmont and an Orange-

In battle daring, and in council wise.

QUEEN (with vivacity).

True-the design is grand and beautiful!

The prince must act; I feel it sensibly.

The part he's doomed to play here in Madrid

Has bowed me to the dust on his account.

I promise him the aid of France and Savoy;

I think with you, lord marquis-he must act-

But this design needs money--

MARQUIS.

It is ready.

QUEEN.

I, too, know means.

MARQUIS.

May I then give him hopes

Of seeing you?

QUEEN.

I will consider it.

MARQUIS.

The prince, my queen, is urgent for an answer.

I promised to procure it.

[Presenting his writing tablet to the QUEEN.

Two short lines

Will be enough.

QUEEN (after she has written).

When do we meet again?

MARQUIS.

Whene'er you wish.

QUEEN.

Whene'er I wish it, marquis!

How can I understand this privilege?

MARQUIS.

As innocently, queen, as e'er you may.

But we enjoy it-that is sure enough.

QUEEN (interrupting).

How will my heart rejoice should this become

A refuge for the liberties of Europe,

And this through him! Count on my silent aid!

MARQUIS (with animation).

Right well I knew your heart would understand me.

[The DUCHESS OLIVAREZ enters.

QUEEN (coldly to the MARQUIS).

My lord! the king's commands I shall respect

As law. Assure him of the queen's submission.

[She makes a sign to him. Exit MARQUIS.