Don Carlos | Page 5

think,
About the country? And methinks this month

Has flown away with strange rapidity.
I counted on much pleasure,
very much,
From our retirement here, and yet I have not
Found that
which I expected. Is it thus
With all our hopes? And yet I cannot say

One wish of mine is left ungratified.
OLIVAREZ.
You have not told us, Princess Eboli,
If there be hope
for Gomez,--and if we may
Expect ere long to greet you as his bride?
QUEEN.
True--thank you, duchess, for reminding me!
[Addressing the PRINCESS.
I have been asked to urge his suit with
you.
But can I do it? The man whom I reward
With my sweet Eboli
must be a man
Of noble stamp indeed.
OLIVAREZ.

And such he is,
A man of mark and fairest fame,--a man
Whom our
dear monarch signally has graced
With his most royal favor.
QUEEN.
He's happy in
Such high good fortune; but we fain would know,
If
he can love, and win return of love.
This Eboli must answer.
EBOLI (stands speechless and confused, her eyes bent on the ground;
at last she falls at the QUEEN's feet).
Gracious queen!
Have pity on me! Let me--let me not,--
For
heaven's sake, let me not be sacrificed.
QUEEN.
Be sacrificed! I need no more. Arise!
'Tis a hard fortune
to be sacrificed.
I do believe you. Rise. And is it long
Since you
rejected Gomez' suit?
EBOLI.
Some months--
Before Prince Carlos came from Alcala.
QUEEN (starts and looks at her with an inquisitive glance). Have you
tried well the grounds of your refusal?
EBOLI (with energy).
It cannot be, my queen, no, never, never,--

For a thousand reasons, never!
QUEEN.
One's enough,
You do not love him. That suffices me.
Now let it
pass.
[To her other ladies.
I have not seen the Infanta
Yet this morning.
Pray bring her, marchioness.

OLIVAREZ (looking at the clock).
It is not yet the hour, your
majesty.
QUEEN.
Not yet the hour for me to be a mother!
That's somewhat
hard. Forget not, then, to tell me
When the right hour does come.
[A page enters and whispers to the first lady, who
thereupon turns to
the QUEEN.
OLIVAREZ.
The Marquis Posa!
May it please your majesty.
QUEEN.
The Marquis Posa!
OLIVAREZ.
He comes from France, and from the Netherlands,

And craves the honor to present some letters
Intrusted to him by your
royal mother.
QUEEN.
Is this allowed?
OLIVAREZ (hesitating).
A case so unforeseen
Is not provided for in my instructions.
When a
Castilian grandee, with despatches
From foreign courts, shall in her
garden find
The Queen of Spain, and tender them----
QUEEN.
Enough! I'll venture, then, on mine own proper peril.
OLIVAREZ.
May I, your majesty, withdraw the while?
QUEEN.
E'en as you please, good duchess!
[Exit the DUCHESS, the QUEEN gives the PAGE a sign, who

thereupon retires.

SCENE IV.
The QUEEN, PRINCESS EBOLI, MARCHIONESS OF MONDECAR,
and
MARQUIS OF POSA.
QUEEN.
I bid you welcome, sir, to Spanish ground!
MARQUIS.
Ground which I never with so just a pride
Hailed for
the country of my sires as now.
QUEEN (to the two ladies).
The Marquis Posa, ladies, who at Rheims

Coped with my father in the lists, and made
My colors thrice
victorious; the first
That made me feel how proud a thing it was
To
be the Queen of Spain and Spanish men.
[Turning to the MARQUIS.
When we last parted in the Louvre, Sir,

You scarcely dreamed that I should ever be
Your hostess in
Castile.
MARQUIS.
Most true, my liege!
For at that time I never could have dreamed

That France should lose to us the only thing
We envied her
possessing.
QUEEN.
How, proud Spaniard!
The only thing! And you can venture this--

This to a daughter of the house of Valois!
MARQUIS.
I venture now to say it, gracious queen,
Since now you
are our own.
QUEEN.
Your journey hither
Has led you, as I hear, through France. What
news
Have you brought with you from my honored mother
And

from my dearest brothers?
MARQUIS (handing letters).
I left your royal mother sick at heart,

Bereft of every joy save only this,
To know her daughter happy on
the throne
Of our imperial Spain.
QUEEN.
Could she be aught
But happy in the dear remembrances
Of
relatives so kind--in the sweet thoughts
Of the old time when--Sir,
you've visited
Full many a court in these your various travels,
And
seen strange lands and customs manifold;
And now, they say, you
mean to keep at home
A greater prince in your retired domain
Than
is King Philip on his throne--a freer.
You're a philosopher; but much I
doubt
If our Madrid will please you. We are so--
So quiet in
Madrid.
MARQUIS.
And that is more
Than all the rest of Europe has to boast.
QUEEN.
I've heard as much. But all this world's concerns
Are
well-nigh blotted from my memory.
[To PRINCESS EBOLI.
Princess, methinks I see a hyacinth

Yonder in bloom. Wilt bring it to me, sweet?
[The PRINCESS goes towards the palace, the QUEEN
softly to the
MARQUIS.
I'm much mistaken, sir, or your arrival
Has made one heart more
happy here at court.
MARQUIS.
I have found a sad one--one that in this world
A ray of
sunshine----

EBOLI.
As this gentleman
Has seen so many countries, he, no doubt,
Has
much