Miscellanea Part 33

Second Woman. Oh, my father! why have you left your child?

Alas! when you went away I played--poor fool!--with your brilliant uniform. (Dark livery of death, would that I had never seen thee!) I said I should be proud of you when you came back to me, having killed a great many of your enemies. Child that I was to speak of killing, not knowing what it meant! And now, when will you return? What have they done with you, dear Father? What has become of that revered head, which my lips never approached but with respect? Perhaps at this very moment it is dragged, all stained and livid, through the dust or in the mud.

Oh, G.o.d! if my prayers may still avail for him, withdraw him speedily from those frightful conflicts, where every blow falls upon a father, a son, a brother, or a husband. Pity the many tears that flow for every drop of blood!

Highlander. It is my daughter! I yet hear the last farewell her innocent mouth sent after me.

Third Woman. Oh, my beloved! where can I go to look for you?

Little did we think, when we vowed before G.o.d never in this life to forsake each other, that War would come and carry you away as a leaf is driven before the wind. Perhaps at this moment you are stretched upon an armful of b.l.o.o.d.y straw, and other hands than mine dress your glorious wounds. Ah, miserable me! of what does my tender jealousy complain? Who knows if you are not by this time safe from wounds for ever? Oh, my G.o.d! if Thou hast taken him, take me also. I promised to follow him when I received his parting kiss.

Hussar. It is my wife beyond a doubt! I recognize the words her sweet voice murmured that very day in my ear.

Fourth Woman. I said, "Go, and bear yourself like a man." He went, and he has not returned. Ah, merciless tigers! we rear our children with fear and weeping. We pa.s.s whole nights bent over their little cradles, and when we have made men of them you come and take them away from us that you may send them to death. And we, miserable women!

must encourage them to die if we would not have them dishonoured. Poor dear boy! so strong! so handsome! so good to his mother! Ah! if there be a G.o.d of vengeance, surely the cries of desolate mothers will allow no sleep to those who provoke such ma.s.sacres. They will haunt them to the grave, and rise behind them to the foot of that throne where the great Judge of all awaits them.

[_She buries her face in her hands._

Cossack. It is my mother! I recognize her last words. (_He springs towards her_.) It is I, Mother, it is I! (_She raises her head_.) What do I see? A stranger! and it is an Englishwoman!

Highlander (_raising the daughter's veil_). Good heavens! She is a German.

Hussar (_raising the wife's veil_). It is not she! It is a Frenchwoman.

Grenadier (_raising the sister's veil_). She is a Russian! It is not for us that they are weeping; perhaps it is for some of those whom we have killed. How could we be so deceived?

Peace (_advancing_). There are sisters, wives, daughters, and mothers everywhere, my children, and Nature has but one language in all countries. (_To WAR_.) As for you, go and sound your trumpet in barracks and drinking-houses, but invoke the Dead no more, and do not reckon upon women.

Note.--The battle of Austerlitz was fought December 2, 1805.

The battle of Leipsic, August 16-19, 1813. The Allies took Paris March 30, 1814.

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