SCENE L-A Hall in the Ducal Palace. Enter LOREDANO and BARBARIGO, meeting. Lored. The hour's past-fix'd yesterday For the resumption of his trial. - Let us Rejoin our colleagues in the council, and Urge his recal. Barb. Nay, let him profit by A few brief minutes for his tortured limbs; He was o'erwrought by the question yesterday, And may die under it if now repeated. Barb. I yield not to you in love of justice, Or hate of the ambitious Foscari, nature's Most stoical endurance. Barb. Perhaps without committing any. Lored. We shall see. Pursue hereditary hate too far. Barb. To extermination. Extinct, you may say this.-Let's in to council. Barb. Yet pause the number of our colleagues is not Complete yet; two are wanting ere we can Proceed. Lored. And the chief judge, the Doge? With more than Roman fortitude is ever His last. Barb. Will nothing move you? Barb. He shows is not. Lored. I have mark'd that-the wretch! Barb. But yesterday, I hear, on his return To the ducal chambers, as he pass'd the threshold The old man fainted. Lored. It begins to work, then. Barb. The work is half your own. Lored. And should be all mineMy father and my uncle are no more. Barb. I have read their epitaph, which says they died By poison. (Two Senators pass over the stage, as in their way to "the Hall of the Council of Ten." Lored. You see the number is complete. Follow me. [Exit Loredano. Barb. (solus). Follow thee! I have follow'd long Thy path of desolation, as the wave Sweeps after that before it, alike whelming The wreck that creaks to the wild winds, and wretch Who shrieks within its riven ribs, as gush The waters through them: but this son and sire Might move the elements to pause, and yet Must I on hardily like them-Oh! would 1 could as blindly and remorselessly!— Lo, where he comes!-Be still, my heart! they are Thy foes,must be thy victims: wilt thou beat For those who almost broke thee? Enter Guards, with young FOSCARI as prisoner. Guard. Let him rest. Signor, take time. J. Foscari. I thank thee, friend, I'm feeble; But thou mayst stand reproved. Guard. I'll stand the hazard. Enter an Officer, who whispers BARBARIGO. Barb. (to the Guard) Let him approach. I must not speak with him Further than thus; I have transgress'd my duty In this brief parley, and must now redeem it Within the Council-Chamber. [Exit Barbarigo. [Guard conducting Jacopo Foscari to the window. Guard. There, sir, 'tis J. Foscari. Like a boy-Oh Venice! J. Foscari. Limbs! how often have they Bounding o'er yon blue tide, as I have skimm'd The gondola along in childish race, While the fair populace of crowding beauties, The wave all roughen'd; with a swimmer's stroke Flinging the billows back from my drench'd hair, J. Foscari. That's kind:- I meet some And laughing from my lip the audacious pity, but no mercy; This is the first. Guard. And might be last, did they Who rule behold us. Barb. (advancing to the guard) is one who does: There Yet fear not; I will neither be thy judge Nor thy accuser; though the hour is past, Wait their last summons - I am of the Ten," And waiting for that summons sanction you Even by my presence: when the last call sounds, We'll in together. Look well to the prisoner! J. Foscari. What voice is that? Barbarigo's! Ah! 'tis brine, Which kiss'd it like a wine-cup, rising o'er The waves as they arose, and prouder still The loftier they uplifted me; and oft, In wantonness of spirit, plunging down Into their green and glassy gulfs, and making My way to shells and sea-weed, all unseen By those above, till they wax'd fearful; then Returning with my grasp full of such tokens As show'd that I had search'd the deep: exulting, With a far-dashing stroke, and drawing deep The long-suspended breath, again I spurn'd The foam which broke around me, and pursued Our house's foe, and one of my few judges. My track like a sea-bird.—I was a boy then. Guard. Be a man now: there never was | And the cold drops strain through my brow more need Guard. And the third time will slay you. J. Foscari. Let them do so, So I be buried in my birth - place; better Be ashes here than aught that lives elsewhere. Guard. And can you so much love the soil which hates you? J. Foscari. The soil!-Oh no, it is the seed of the soil Which persecutes me; but my native earth Officer. Bring in the prisoner! The third time they have tortured me :then lend me Thine arm. [To the Guard. Officer. Take mine, sir; 'tis my duty to Be nearest to your person. J. Foscari. You!-you are he Who yesterday presided o'er my pangs→ Away!-I'll walk alone. Officer. As you please, signor; The sentence was not of my signing, but I dared not disobey the Council when They J. Foscari. Bade thee stretch me on their horrid engine. I pray thee touch me not-that is, just now; The time will come they will renew that order, But keep off from me till 'tis issued. As as if The self-same aspect, to my very sire! [Exeunt Jacopo Foscari, Officer, etc. Enter MEMMO and another Senator. Memmo. He's gone-we are too late:think you the Ten Will sit for any length of time to-day? Senator. They say the prisoner is most obdurate, Persisting in his first avowal; but Memmo. And that is much; the secrets Of yon terrific chamber are as hidden From us, the premier nobles of the state, As from the people. Senator. Save the wonted rumours, Which (like the tales of spectres that are rife Near ruin'd buildings) never have been proved, Nor wholly disbelieved: men know as little Of the state's real acts as of the grave's Unfathom'd mysteries. Memmo. But with length of time We gain a step in knowledge, and I look Forward to be one day of the decemvirs. Senator. Or Doge? Memmo. Why, no, not if I can avoid it. Senator. 'Tis the first station of the state, and may Be lawfully desired, and lawfully Memmo. To such Memmo. I understand thee, but I must not answer. Marina (fiercely). True_none dare answer here save on the rack, Or question save those— Senator. And feeling for thy husband's wrongs, wouldst thou Memmo (interrupting her). High-born Have him bear more than mortal pain, in dame! bethink thee Where thou now art. Marina. Where I now am!-It was Marina. And his son's prison ;—true, I And if there were no other nearer, bitterer For pointing out the pleasures of the place. I Marina (looking up towards heaven). am; but oh, thou eternal God! Canst thou continue so, with such a world? Memmo. Thy husband yet may be absolved. Marina. He is, In heaven. I pray you signor senator, An hour since, face to face, as judge and culprit: Will he condemn him? Memmo. I trust, not. Marina. But if silence? Marina. We all must bear tortures. I have not Left barren the great house of Foscari, I have endured as much in giving life But did not, for my hope was to bring forth tears. Memmo. All's silent now. Marina. Perhaps all's over, but Enter an Officer hastily. Memmo. Lady, Senator (offering to assist her). I pray Marina. Off! I will tend him. He does not, there are those will sentence Ingress is given to both. chambers, none within those Except the Ten, and their familiars. I know that none who enter there return Memmo. Alas! this Is but to expose yourself to harsh repulse. Marina. Who shall oppose me? Whose duty 'tis to do so. Marina. 'Tis their duty To trample on all human feelings, all Marina. That shall be tried. He shriek! No; that should be his father's That in my heart would make its way Memmo. It will only serve Are judges who give way to anger? they Senator. Poor lady! [Exit Marina. Memmo. 'Tis mere desperation; she Will not be admitted o'er the threshold. Senator. And │Even if she be so, cannot save her husband. But, see, the officer returns. Lored. And had he not recover'd? Upon the least renewal. Lored. Twas not tried. Barb. 'Tis vain to murmur ; the majority [The officer passes over the stage|In council were against you. Memmo. I hardly Thought that the Ten had even this touch Or would permit assistance to this sufferer. Resource against the tyranny of pain? Senator. That's not their policy: they'd Because he fears not death; and banish him, Memmo. Circumstance Address'd to Milan's duke, in the full know- That it would fall into the senate's hands, Senator. Yes, but to his country: was proved. Senator. Not clearly, and the charge of Has been annull'd by thedeath-bed confession Memmo. Then why not clear him? They ought to answer; for it is well known Was slain by Erizzo for private vengeance. strange process than Lored. Thanks to you, sir, And the old ducal dotard, who combined Of our stern duty, which prescribes the And bids us sit and see its sharp infliction, Lored. What? Barb. That You would sometimes feel, Lored. Go to, you're a child, No tears. |