The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume II Part 130

Then when the wizard fix'd his eye on you, 65 And you, I know not why, look'd pale and trembled-- Why--why, what ails you now?--

_Ordonio._ Me? what ails me?

A p.r.i.c.king of the blood--It might have happen'd At any other time.--Why scan you me?

_Valdez._ His speech about the corse, and stabs and murderers, 70 Bore reference to the a.s.sa.s.sins----

_Ordonio._ Dup'd! dup'd! dup'd!

The traitor, Isidore! [_A pause, then wildly._ I tell thee, my dear father!

I am most glad of this.

_Valdez._ True--sorcery Merits its doom; and this perchance may guide us To the discovery of the murderers. 75 I have their statures and their several faces So present to me, that but once to meet them Would be to recognize.

_Ordonio._ Yes! yes! we recognize them.

I was benumb'd, and staggered up and down Through darkness without light--dark--dark--dark! 80 My flesh crept chill, my limbs felt manacled As had a snake coil'd round them!--Now 'tis suns.h.i.+ne, And the blood dances freely through its channels!

[_Then to himself._

This is my virtuous, grateful Isidore!

[_Then mimicking ISIDORE'S manner and voice._

'A common trick of grat.i.tude, my lord!' 85 Old Grat.i.tude! a dagger would dissect His 'own full heart'--'twere good to see its colour.

_Valdez._ These magic sights! O that I ne'er had yielded To your entreaties! Neither had I yielded, But that in spite of your own seeming faith 90 I held it for some innocent stratagem, Which love had prompted, to remove the doubts Of wild Teresa--by fancies quelling fancies!

_Ordonio._ Love! love! and then we hate! and what? and wherefore?

Hatred and love! fancies opposed by fancies! 95 What? if one reptile sting another reptile?

Where is the crime? The goodly face of nature Hath one disfeaturing stain the less upon it.

Are we not all predestined transiency, And cold dishonour? Grant it, that this hand 100 Had given a morsel to the hungry worms Somewhat too early--Where's the crime of this?

That this must needs bring on the idiotcy Of moist-eyed penitence--'tis like a dream!

_Valdez._ Wild talk, my son! But thy excess of feeling---- 105 Almost I fear it hath unhinged his brain.

_Ordonio (Teresa reappears and advances slowly)._ Say, I had laid a body in the sun!

Well! in a month there swarm forth from the corse A thousand, nay, ten thousand sentient beings In place of that one man.--Say, I had kill'd him! 110

[_TERESA stops listening._

Yet who shall tell me, that each one and all Of these ten thousand lives is not as happy, As that one life, which being push'd aside, Made room for these unnumbered----

_Valdez._ O mere madness!

[_TERESA moves hastily forwards, and places herself directly before ORDONIO._

_Ordonio._ Teresa? or the phantom of Teresa? 115

_Teresa._ Alas! the phantom only, if in truth The substance of her being, her life's life, Have ta'en its flight through Alvar's death-wound--

[_A pause._

Where-- (Even coward murder grants the dead a grave) O tell me, Valdez!--answer me, Ordonio! 120 Where lies the corse of my betrothed husband?

_Ordonio._ There, where Ordonio likewise would fain lie!

In the sleep-compelling earth, in unpierc'd darkness![856:1]

For while we live-- An inward day that never, never sets, 125 Glares round the soul, and mocks the closing eyelids!

Over his rocky grave the fir-grove sighs A lulling ceaseless dirge! 'Tis well with him.

[_Strides off towards the altar, but returns as VALDEZ is speaking._

_Teresa._ The rock! the fir-grove! [_To VALDEZ._ Did'st thou hear him say it?

Hus.h.!.+ I will ask him!

_Valdez._ Urge him not--not now! 130 This we beheld. Nor he nor I know more, Than what the magic imagery revealed.

The a.s.sa.s.sin, who pressed foremost of the three----

_Ordonio._ A tender-hearted, scrupulous, grateful villain, Whom I will strangle!

_Valdez._ While his two companions---- 135

_Ordonio._ Dead! dead already! what care we for the dead?

_Valdez (to Teresa)._ Pity him! soothe him! disenchant his spirit!

These supernatural shews, this strange disclosure, And this too fond affection, which still broods O'er Alvar's fate, and still burns to avenge it-- 140 These, struggling with his hopeless love for you, Distemper him, and give reality To the creatures of his fancy.

_Ordonio._ Is it so?

Yes! yes! even like a child, that too abruptly Roused by a glare of light from deepest sleep 145 Starts up bewildered and talks idly.

Father!

What if the Moors that made my brother's grave, Even now were digging ours? What if the bolt, Though aim'd, I doubt not, at the son of Valdez, Yet miss'd its true aim when it fell on Alvar? 150

_Valdez._ Alvar ne'er fought against the Moors,--say rather, He was their advocate; but you had march'd With fire and desolation through their villages.-- Yet he by chance was captured.

_Ordonio._ Unknown, perhaps, Captured, yet as the son of Valdez, murdered. 155 Leave all to me. Nay, whither, gentle lady?

_Valdez._ What seek you now?

_Teresa._ A better, surer light To guide me----

_Both Valdez and Ordonio._ Whither?

_Teresa._ To the only place Where life yet dwells for me, and ease of heart.

These walls seem threatening to fall in upon me! 160 Detain me not! a dim power drives me hence, And that will be my guide.

_Valdez._ To find a lover!

Suits that a high-born maiden's modesty?

O folly and shame! Tempt not my rage, Teresa!

_Teresa._ Hopeless, I fear no human being's rage. 165 And am I hastening to the arms----O Heaven!

I haste but to the grave of my belov'd!