Feeling! feeling!The death of a man — the breaking of a bubble. 155
‘Tis true, I cannot sob for such misfortunes!
But faintness, cold, and hunger — curses on me
If willingly I e’er inflicted them!
Come, share the beverage — this chill place demands it.
Friendship and wine! [OSORIO proffers him the goblet.
Albert. Yon insect on the wall, 160
Which moves this way and that its hundred legs,
Were it a toy of mere mechanic craft,
It were an infinitely curious thing!
But it has life, Osorio! life and thought;
And by the power of its miraculous will 165
Wields all the complex movements of its frame
Unerringly, to pleasurable ends!
Saw I that insect on this goblet’s brink,
I would remove it with an eager terror.
Osorio. What meanest thou?
Albert. There’s poison in the wine. 170
Osorio. Thou hast guess’d well. There’s poison in the wine.
Shall we throw dice, which of us two shall drink it?
For one of us must die!
Albert. Whom dost thou think me?
Osorio. The accomplice and sworn friend of Ferdinand.
Albert. Ferdinand! Ferdinand! ‘tis a name I know not. 175
Osorio. Good! good! that lie! by Heaven! it has restor’d me.
Now I am thy master! Villain, thou shalt drink it,
Or die a bitterer death.
Albert. What strange solution
Hast thou found out to satisfy thy fears,
And drug them to unnatural sleep?
[ALBERT takes the goblet, and with a sigh throws it
on the ground.
My master! 180
Osorio. Thou mountebank!
Albert. Mountebank and villain!
What then art thou? For shame, put up thy sword!
What boots a weapon in a wither’d arm?
I fix mine eye upon thee, and thou tremblest!
I speak — and fear and wonder crush thy rage, 185
And turn it to a motionless distraction!
Thou blind self-worshipper! thy pride, thy cunning,
Thy faith in universal villainy,
Thy shallow sophisms, thy pretended scorn
For all thy human brethren — out upon them! 190
What have they done for thee? Have they given thee peace?
Cured thee of starting in thy sleep? or made
The darkness pleasant, when thou wakest at midnight?
Art happy when alone? can’st walk by thyself
With even step, and quiet cheerfulness? 195
Yet, yet thou mayst be saved.
Osorio (stupidly reiterating the word). Saved? saved?
Albert. One pang —
Could I call up one pang of true remorse!
Osorio. He told me of the babe, that prattled to him,
His fatherless little ones! Remorse! remorse!
Where gott’st thou that fool’s word? Curse on remorse! 200
Can it give up the dead, or recompact
A mangled body — mangled, dash’d to atoms!
Not all the blessings of an host of angels
Can blow away a desolate widow’s curse;
And tho’ thou spill thy heart’s blood for atonement, 205
It will not weigh against an orphan’s tear.
Albert (almost overcome by his feelings). But Albert ——
Osorio. Ha! it
chokes thee in the throat,
Even thee! and yet, I pray thee, speak it out.
Still Albert! Albert! Howl it in mine ear!
Heap it, like coals of fire, upon my heart! 210
And shoot it hissing through my brain!
Albert. Alas —
That day, when thou didst leap from off the rock
Into the waves, and grasp’d thy sinking brother,
And bore him to the strand, then, son of Velez!
How sweet and musical the name of Albert! 215
Then, then, Osorio! he was dear to thee,
And thou wert dear to him. Heaven only knows
How very dear thou wert! Why didst thou hate him?
O Heaven! how he would fall upon thy neck,
And weep forgiveness!
Osorio. Spirit of the dead! 220
Methinks I know thee! Ha! — my brain turns wild
At its own dreams — off — off, fantastic shadow!
Albert (seizing his hand). I fain would tell thee what I am,
but dare not!
Osorio (retiring from him). Cheat, villain, traitor! whatsoe’er
thou be
I fear thee, man!
[He starts, and stands in the attitude of listening.
And is this too my madness? 225
Albert.
