The Vigil of Venus and Other Poems | Page 4

Amyclae a moment was mute, and for ever a wilderness grew. Now
learn ye to love who loved never--now ye who have loved, love anew,
To-morrow!--to-morrow!
TO
CHARLES THURSBY
THE "ONLIE BEGETTER"
THE REGENT
A DRAMA IN ONE ACT
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
CARL'ANTONIO, Duke of Adria
TONINO, his young son

LUCIO; Count of Vallescura, brother to the Duchess
CESARIO, Captain of the Guard
GAMBA, a Fool
OTTILIA, Duchess and Regent of Adria
LUCETTA, a Lady-in-Waiting
FULVIA, a Lady of the Court
_Courtiers, Priests, Choristers, Soldiers, Mariners,
Townsfolk, etc._
The Scene is the Ducal Palace of Adria, in the N. Adriatic
The Date, 1571
THE REGENT
SCENE.--_A terraced courtyard before the Ducal Palace.
Porch and
entrance of Chapel, R. A semicircular
balcony, L., with balustrade
and marble seats, and an
opening whence a flight of steps leads down
to the
city. The city lies out of sight below the terrace;
from which,
between its cypresses and statuary, is
seen a straight stretch of a canal;
beyond the canal are
sand-hills and the line of the open sea.
Mountains,
L., dip down to the sea and form a curve of the
coast._
_As the curtain rises, a crowd of town and country
folk is being
herded to the back of the terrace by the
Ducal Guard, under Cesario.
Within the Chapel, to_
_the sound of an organ, boys' voices are
chanting the
service of the Mass._
Cesario, Gamba the Fool, Guards, Populace.
Cesario. Way there! Give room! The Regent comes from Mass. Guards,
butt them on the toes--way there! give room!
Prick me that laggard's

leg-importunate fools!
Guards. Room for the Regent! Room!
[The sacring bell rings within the Chapel.
Cesario. Hark there, the bell!
[A pause. Men of the crowd take off their caps.
Could ye not leave, this day of all the year,
Your silly suits, petitions,
quarrels, pleas?
Could ye not leave, this once in seven years,
Our
Lady to come holy-quiet from Mass.
Lean on the wall, and loose her
cage-bird heart,
To lift and breast and dance upon the breeze.

Draws home her lord the Duke?
Crowd. Long live the Duke!
Cesario. The devil, then! Why darken his approach?
_Gamba (from the bench where he has been mending his
viol)._
Because, Captain, 'tis a property knaves
and fools have in
common--to stand in their own
light, as 'tis of soldiers to talk bad
logic. That
knave, now--he with the red nose and the black
eye--the
Duke's colours, loyal man!--you clap
an iron on his leg, and ask him
why he is not
down in the city, hanging them out of window!
Go to:
you are a soldier!
Cesario. And you a Fool, and on your own showing
stand in your
own light.
Gamba. Nay, neither in my own light, nor as a
Fool. So should
myself stand between the sun
and my shadow; whereas I am not
myself--these
seven years have I been but the shadow of a
Fool. Yet
one must tune up for the Duke.
_(Strikes his viol and sings.)_

"Bird of the South, my Rondinello----"
Flat-Flat!
_Cesario (calling up to watchman on the Chapel roof)._ Ho there! What
news?
A Voice. Captain, no sail!
Cesario. Where sits
The wind?
Voice. Nor' west, and north a point!
Cesario. Perchance
They have down'd sail and creep around the flats.
_Gamba (tuning his viol)._ Flats, flats! the straight horizon, and the life
These seven years laid by rule! The curst canal
Drawn level through
the drawn-out level sand
And thistle-tufts that stink as soon as pluck'd!

Give me the hot crag and the dancing heat,
Give me the Abruzzi,
and the cushioned thyme--
Brooks at my feet, high glittering snows
above.
What were thy music, viol, without a ridge?
[Noise of commotion in the city below.
Cesario. Watchman, what news?
A Voice. Sir, on the sea no sail!
One of the Crowd. But through the town below a horseman spurs-- I
think, Count Lucio! Yes--Count Lucio!
He nears, draws rein,
dismounts!
Cesario. Sure, he brings news.
Gamba. I think he brings word the Duke is sick;
his loyal folk have
drunk so much of his
health.

[_A murmur has been growing in the town below. It
breaks into
cheers as Count Lucio comes springing
up to the terrace._
Enter Lucio.
Lucio. News! Where's the Regent? Eh? is Mass not said?
Cesario,
news! I rode across the dunes;
A pilot--Nestore--you know the man--

Came panting. Sixteen sail beyond the point!
That's not a galley
lost!
Crowd. Long live the Duke!
Lucio. Hark to the tocsin! I have carried fire--
Wildfire! Why, where's
my sister? I've a mind--
[_He strides towards the door of the Chapel; but
pauses at the sound
of chanting within, and
comes back to Cesario._
Man, are you mute? I say the town's aflame
Below! But here, up here,
you stand and stare
Like prisoners loosed to daylight. Rub your eyes,

Believe!
_Cesario (musing)._ It has been long.
Lucio. As tapestry
Pricked out by women's needles; point-device
As
saints in fitted haloes. Yet they stab,
Those needles. Oh, the devil
take their tongues!
Cesario. Why, what's the matter?
Lucio. P'st! another lie
Against the Countess Fulvia; and the train

Laid to my sister's