Don Carlos (play)

SCENE XIX.

The QUEEN, PRINCESS EBOLI.

EBOLI (breathless, pale, and wild, falls before the QUEEN).

Help! Help! O Queen! he's seized!

QUEEN.

Who?

EBOLI.

He's arrested

By the king's orders given to Marquis Posa.

QUEEN.

Who is arrested? Who?

EBOLI.

The prince!

QUEEN.

Thou ravest

EBOLI.

This moment they are leading him away.

QUEEN.

And who arrested him?

EBOLI.

The Marquis Posa.

QUEEN.

Then heaven be praised! it was the marquis seized him!

EBOLI.

Can you speak thus, and with such tranquil mien?

Oh, heavens! you do not know-you cannot think--

QUEEN.

The cause of his arrest! some trifling error,

Doubtless arising from his headlong youth!

EBOLI.

No! no! I know far better. No, my queen!

Remorseless treachery! There's no help for him.

He dies!

QUEEN.

He dies!

EBOLI.

And I'm his murderer!

QUEEN.

What! Dies? Thou ravest! Think what thou art saying?

EBOLI.

And wherefore-wherefore dies he? Had I known

That it would come to this!

QUEEN (takes her affectionately by the hand).

Oh, dearest princess,

Your senses are distracted, but collect

Your wandering spirits, and relate to me

More calmly, not in images of horror

That fright my inmost soul, whate'er you know!

Say, what has happened?

EBOLI.

Oh, display not, queen,

Such heavenly condescension! Like hot flames

This kindness sears my conscience. I'm not worthy

To view thy purity with eyes profane.

Oh, crush the wretch, who, agonized by shame,

Remorse, and self-reproach writhes at thy feet!

QUEEN.

Unhappy woman! Say, what is thy guilt?

EBOLI.

Angel of light! Sweet saint! thou little knowest

The demon who has won thy loving smiles.

Know her to-day; I was the wretched thief

Who plundered thee.

QUEEN.

What! Thou?

EBOLI.

And gave thy letters

Up to the king?

QUEEN.

What! Thou?

EBOLI.

And dared accuse thee!

QUEEN.

Thou! Couldst thou this?

EBOLI.

Revenge and madness-love-

I hated thee, and loved the prince!

QUEEN.

And did

His love so prompt thee?

QUEEN.

And who arrested him?

EBOLI.

I had owned my love,

But met with no return.

QUEEN (after a pause).

Now all's explained!

Rise up!-you loved him-I have pardoned you

I have forgotten all. Now, princess, rise.

[Holding out her hand to the PRINCESS.

EBOLI.

No, no; a foul confession still remains.

I will not rise, great queen, till I--

QUEEN.

Then speak!

What have I yet to hear?

EBOLI.

The king! Seduction!

Oh, now you turn away. And in your eyes

I read abhorrence. Yes; of that foul crime

I charged you with, I have myself been guilty.

[She presses her burning face to the ground. Exit QUEEN.

A long pause. The COUNTESS OLIVAREZ, after some minutes,

comes out of the cabinet, into which the QUEEN entered, and

finds the PRINCESS still lying in the above posture. She

approaches in silence. On hearing a noise, the latter looks

up and becomes like a mad person when she misses the QUEEN.