The Hunchback Part 24

_Julia_. Ah! in infected clothes New from a pest-house! Leave me! If I dress, I dress alone! O for a friend! Time gallops!

[Attendants go out.]

He that should guard me is mine enemy!

Constrains me to abide the fatal die, My rashness, not my reason cast! He comes, That will exact the forfeit!--Must I pay it?-- E'en at the cost of utter bankruptcy!

What's to be done? p.r.o.nounce the vow that parts My body from my soul! To what it loathes Links that, while this is linked to what it loves!

Condemned to such perdition! What's to be done?

Stand at the altar in an hour from this!

An hour thence seated at his board--a wife Thence!--frenzy's in the thought! What's to be done?

[Enter MASTER WALTER.]

_Wal_. What! run the waves so high? Not ready yet!

Your lord will soon be here! The guests collect.

_Julia_. Show me some way to 'scape these nuptials! Do it!

Some opening for avoidance or escape,-- Or to thy charge I'll lay a broken heart!

It may be, broken vows, and blasted honour, Or else a mind distraught!

_Wal_. What's this?

_Julia_. The strait I'm fallen into my patience cannot bear.

It frights my reason--warps my sense of virtue!

Religion!--changes me into a thing I look at with abhorring!

_Wal_. Listen to me.

_Julia_. Listen to me! If this contract Thou holdest me to--abide thou the result!

Answer to heaven for what I suffer!--act!

Prepare thyself for such calamity To fall on me, and those whose evil stars Have linked them with me, as no past mishap, However rare, and marvellously sad Can parallel! lay thy account to live A smileless life, die an unpitied death-- Abhorred, abandoned of thy kind,--as one Who had the guarding of a young maid's peace,-- Looked on and saw her rashly peril it; And when she saw her danger, and confessed Her fault, compelled her to complete her ruin!

_Wal_. Hast done?

_Julia_. Another moment, and I have.

Be warned! Beware how you abandon me To myself! I'm young, rash, inexperienced! tempted By most insufferable misery!

Bold, desperate, and reckless! Thou hast age Experience, wisdom, and collectedness,-- Power, freedom,--everything that I have not, Yet want, as none e'er wanted! Thou canst save me, Thou oughtst! thou must! I tell thee at his feet I'll fall a corse--ere mount his bridal bed!

So choose betwixt my rescue and my grave;-- And quickly too! The hour of sacrifice Is near! Anon the immolating priest Will summon me! Devise some speedy means To cheat the altar of its victim. Do it!

Nor leave the task to me!

_Wal_. Hast done?

_Julia_. I have.

_Wal_. Then list to me--and silently, if not With patience.--[Brings chairs for himself and her.]

How I watched thee from thy childhood I'll not recall to thee. Thy father's wisdom-- Whose humble instrument I was--directed Your nonage should be pa.s.sed in privacy, From your apt mind that far outstripped your years, Fearing the taint of an infected world;-- For, in the rich grounds, weeds once taking root, Grow strong as flowers. He might be right or wrong!

I thought him right; and therefore did his bidding.

Most certainly he loved you--so did I; Ay! well as I had been myself your father!

[His hand is resting upon his knee, JULIA attempts to take it--he withdraws it--looks at her--she hangs her head.]

Well; you may take my hand! I need not say How fast you grew in knowledge, and in goodness,-- That hope could scarce enjoy its golden dreams So soon fulfilment realised them all!

Enough. You came to womanhood. Your heart, Pure as the leaf of the consummate bud, That's new unfolded by the smiling sun, And ne'er knew blight nor canker!

[JULIA attempts to place her other hand on his shoulder--he leans from her--looks at her--she hangs her head again.]

Put it there!

Where left I off? I know! When a good woman Is fitly mated, she grows doubly good, How good soe'er before! I found the man I thought a match for thee; and, soon as found, Proposed him to thee. 'Twas your father's will, Occasion offering, you should be married Soon as you reached to womanhood.--You liked My choice, accepted him.--We came to town; Where, by important matter summoned thence, I left you an affianced bride!

_Julia_. You did!

You did! [Leans her head upon her hand and weeps.]

_Wal_. Nay, check thy tears! Let judgment now, Not pa.s.sion, be awake. On my return, I found thee--what? I'll not describe the thing I found thee then! I'll not describe my pangs To see thee such a thing! The engineer Who lays the last stone of his sea-built tower, It cost him years and years of toil to raise-- And, smiling at it, tells the winds and waves To roar and whistle now--but, in a night, Beholds the tempest sporting in its place-- May look aghast, as I did!

_Julia_. [Falling on her knees.] Pardon me!

Forgive me! pity me!

_Wal_. Resume thy seat. [Raises her.]

I pity thee; perhaps not thee alone It fits to sue for pardon.

_Julia_. Me alone!

None other!

_Wal_. But to vindicate myself, I name thy lover's stern desertion of thee.

What wast thou then with wounded pride? A thing To leap into a torrent! throw itself From a precipice! rush into a fire! I saw Thy madness--knew to thwart it were to chafe it-- And humoured it to take that course, I thought, Adopted, least 'twould rue!

_Julia_. 'Twas wisely done.

_Wal_. At least 'twas for the best.

_Julia_. To blame thee for it Was adding shame to shame! But Master Walter, These nuptials!--must they needs go on?

Servant. [Entering.] More guests Arrive.

_Wal_. Attend to them. [Servant goes out.]

_Julia_. Dear Master Walter!

Is there no way to escape these nuptials?

_Wal_. Know'st not What with these nuptials comes? Hast thou forgot?

_Julia_. What?

_Wal_. Nothing!--I did tell thee of a thing.

_Julia_. What was it?

_Wal_. To forget it was a fault!

Look back and think.