Castruccio Castrucani/Act II

by Letitia Elizabeth Landon

ACT II.

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Scene I.—Apartment in the Arrezi Palace.

CLARICHA.
(Seated at an embroidering-frame.)

The past it is my world: ah! but for that,

How could I bear the present? In the past
Is garner'd all most precious to my soul.
It is not true that love decays or dies
With time or absence: years have pass'd away,
Yet still my dreams are faithful to one thought.
One voice makes secret music in my ear,
Distinct as when it breathed its earliest vow.
Long since hath hope grown faint, but weary never!
Fate may have said that we shall meet no more!
But rather would I live upon the love
Whose only food is memory, than forget,
And ask oblivion for its cold content.

Enter LEONI.
LEONI.

Nay, I must not disturb you: pray resume

Your graceful task.

CLARICHA.

Pardon me, sir.—(Going—he detains her.)

LEONI.

'Tis long since I have seen so fair a face,

And cannot part with it so readily.

CLARICHA.

I will announce your coming to my lady.

LEONI.

She knows it, sweet, and will be here anon.

The time will not seem long with those dark eyes
To count the minutes by.

CLARICHA.

You must excuse my stay.

[Snatches her hand from him—exit.

LEONI (Solus).

Women exaggerate all things—most of all

Our flatteries and their power. Foolish girl!
She might have pass'd my waiting pleasantly.
But soft! here comes my uncle.

Enter Arrezi.
ARREZI.

Welcome, fair nephew, once again to Lucca.

LEONI.

Thanks, my kind kinsman; but, before I say

A word of greeting, tell me of your news.

ARREZI.

This 'twixt ourselves—I bring the very worst.

Castruccio is again the lord of Lucca.

LEONI.

It cannot be.

ARREZI.

The people rose and freed him from his prison,

Bore him in triumph to the senate-house,
And, once among us, all gave way before him.

LEONI.

What! did ye yield, so many as ye were?

ARREZI.

What could we do? strong as the angry sea,

The people gather'd fiercely at the gates,
And many of the younger nobles lean'd
Towards his side, chafed at the thoughts of peace
Bought by submission to the Florentines.

LEONI (Aside).

Cowards and traitors to themselves. (Aloud.) And now

What is the course ye mean to follow?

ARREZI.

Our power is broken, and we must submit.

LEONI.

Is it the head of our most noble house

Who names submission to the Castrucani?

ARREZI.

What can we do? he's brave and eloquent.

His sword subdues the Florentines, his tongue
Enchants the people!

LEONI.

What can ye do?—resist.

ARREZI.

What has resulted from our late resistance

But a more firm assurance to his sway?

LEONI.

Fools, that could let a prison stand between

Their enemy and death!

ARREZI.

We must conciliate now.

LEONI.

He is to wed

The fair Bianca.

ARREZI.

We shall share his power.

LEONI.

I like no sharing but the lion's share.

This was not once the temper of our house:
The Castrucani owed their banishment
To us and ours.

ARREZI.

Ah! those were glorious days.

None question'd, then, our rightful sovereignty.

LEONI.

Which half the citizens now laugh to scorn.

As yet I have not been an hour in Lucca,
Yet I can see all things are changed.

ARREZI.

Too true!

LEONI.

Your servants are your masters; where are gone

Your old respect and high authority?

ARREZI.

I do not know the times in which I live.

So much of change lies heavy on each hour!
Castruccio comes to-night—now greet him fair.

LEONI.

What! when he comes a suitor to my cousin?

ARREZI.

Such an alliance will secure us all.

LEONI.

I tell you, count, that it shall never be;

Think upon what you owe your ancient line:
Its feuds are bonds its honour must hold dear.
We hate the Castrucani!

ARREZI.

I have small cause, if you knew all, to love them.

LEONI.

And yet you yield and tamper with Castruccio.

ARREZI.

And once again, I say, what can we do?

LEONI (Aside).

He wavers—ancient hatred is too strong

For the new bond of interest and of fear,
But yet I dare not trust him with the scheme
That rises dark and vague upon my mind.
I must think more. (Aloud.)—Again, I say, resist!
But wisely, calmly; never should the sword
Flash till it strikes.

ARREZI.

I'll tell you truly, kinsman,

I like not this alliance: it is forced

On us by evil days and evil fortunes.
Now, more than ever, do we need such aid,
For I misdoubt but that Castruccio knows
'Twas not to serve him that I sought the council
When he was prisoner.

LEONI.

Bid him, as you said,

To a gay banquet here, and bid with him
All his chief followers; let us seem friends:
And, if we watch our hour, that hour will come.

ARREZI.

I'll to the Castrucani palace straight,

And urge our welcome.[Exit.

LEONI (Solus).

And he will come; danger escaped but makes

The brave more daring; and Castruccio's brave.
It is a desperate game that I must try,
And yet our only chance. There's little time,
But haste is the friend of enterprise:
I will but snatch a moment with Bianca,
Then to my task.[Exit.

Scene II.— Interior of a Church.

CLARICHA enters, and makes an Offering of Flowers at
the Shrine of the Madonna.

CLARICHA (Solus).

Lady divine, who yet art bound to earth

By the strong tie of sorrows shared, look down

And smile upon the offering which each day
I offer for his sake; if yet on earth,
Weary he wander, strengthen and support;
If thought of me add to his happiness
Keep it alive, and if it be regret,
Let me fade gently, like a pleasant dream—
Sweet, but too faint to rest on memory!
If—but, oh, no, not even in my prayers
Can I name death.—[Sound of approaching steps.
Some one approaches, and I cannot bear
My quiet moment broken—[She retires up the stage.

Enter Castruccio muffled, and a Florentine Spy.
 
CASTUCCIO.

I understand their plan;

Florence will aid the strongest.

FLORENTINE.

Such is her policy; her wishes take her

Upon the noble's side.

CASTRUCCIO.

It matters not—

One victory more, and I can name my terms;
It is the secret stratagem I seek;
For that I look to thee—henceforth we meet
Within this church; few ever come this way.

FLORENTINE.

To-morrow look for tidings from the camp.

CASTRUCCIO.

I or Cesario will meet you here

At this same hour. Here is your promised gold.

FLORENTINE.

Thanks; I will be secret as the grave.Exit.

CASTRUCCIO.

I loathe the tools that I perforce must use;

For sooner would I hang yon knave than pay him.
Crime takes no shape so base as treachery,
And yonder slave betrays his city's council
For a few ducats; but the time will come,
When, strong in Lucca's cause, I shall not need
Such an unworthy means; the slave and spy
Belong to tyranny, and freedom works
With nobler instruments.

Going out, Claricha returns, they meet face to face, and
recognize each other.

CASTRUCCIO.

My loved, my lost, my beautiful Claricha!

CLARICHA.

Oh! wake me not, Amino, if I dream.

CASTRUCCIO.

Amino! how that name recalls my youth!

But whence art thou? when last I sought our home,
There was no vestige of the humble roof
That was the shelter of our early years.
I only found a heap of blacken'd ashes
O'er which the green weeds had begun to trail.

CLARICHA.

You had not left us but a few sad months,

When, burnt and plunder'd by the Florentines,
Our village 'mid its vineyards lay in ruins;
The aid from Lucca sent, arrived too late

To save our homes; but to the chief Arrezi
I owe my life, and, placed by him, I dwelt
Long with a noble lady of his house,
Who loved me like the children she had lost.

CASTRUCCIO.

The Count Arrezi! strange we never met.

CLARICHA.

I have not been three days in Lucca—death

Left me once more alone in this cold world.
Again the Count Arrezi was my friend,
And placed me with his daughter, who is soon
To wed the Count Castruccio.

CASTRUCCIO.

I am he.

CLARICHA.

Amino!

CASTRUCCIO.

Oh, breathe that name again—let it recall

All that my youth once dream'd of hope and love!
Or rather let me hear that name no more,
It is the death-knell of all happiness.

CLARICHA.

Alas, I dare not question; yet, one word—

Have you forgotten me?

CASTRUCCIO.

Forgotten what was dearest to my soul!

CLARICHA.

Alas, how may that be, if Count Castruccio

And my Amino be the same?

CASTRUCCIO.

Evil and bitter were my early years:

Exiled in childhood, sought for but to slay,
I only re-assumed our ancient name,
When, gathering all the remnants of our cause,
I raised the banner of our line, and came
A conqueror—who but only came to spare.

CLARICHA.

I would that I had earlier known your name.

CATRUCCIO.

How bitterly I mock the pride that kept

My birth a secret; yet 'twas not all pride,
I plann'd a glad surprise for her I loved;
In the first dawn of my success, I sought
The well-remember'd vineyards.

CLARICHA.

Farewell, Count Castruccio! had I known

The name whose triumphs fill our Italy,
I had not hoped as I have done for years;
But I should still have loved: it does not need
That words should say, the nameless, friendless girl
Is nothing to the Lord of Lucca.

CASTRUCCIO.

Weary and hard has been my path through life;

Its brief success by danger has been bought,
Yet knew I not its bitterness till now.

CLARICHA.

Farewell, my lord.

CASTRUCCIO.

Hear me, Claricha—be yourself my judge—

What Lucca was, let our first years recall:
Years past in war and exile—when the land
Had not one vineyard safe—one hearth secure—

How stands my country now?—at peace within,
The peasant, undisturb'd beneath his vine,
The citizen in safety, high or low,
While our fair banners flout the gates of Florence.
Not for the palace only have I ruled,
But for the green fields and the market place;
Peace dwells beneath the shadow of my power.

CLARICHA.

Ah, me! I know too well how much Castruccio

Has done for Lucca.

CASTRUCCIO.

I have given youth,

And love, and hope, to be her sacrifice.
From the first hour that Lucca own'd my sway,
I only look'd to her prosperity:
The heart went with her that now turns aside;
On one side dost thou stand and happiness,
But on the other, danger, toil, and care.

CLARICHA.

And duty !

CASTRUCCIO.

A heavy duty girdles me around;

Arrezi's daughter has my plighted honour:
For Lucca's sake was the alliance sought,
To bind her father's party to my side.
A darker power than mine impels me on—
For the first time I hesitate, and fain
I would recall my purpose.

CLARICHA.

Not for me;

Look on yon heaven, Castruccio, and think
Of thine own glorious future.

CASTRUCCIO.

Has life no service I could render thee?

CLARICHA.

What is there I could ask of thee but love?

CASTRUCCIO.

I cannot part with thee: I had forgotten

That there were sweet and gentle thoughts in life;
Let me do something for thy sake, my loved one.

CLARICHA.

Oh, death, this is thy agony!

CASTRUCCIO.

The council will have met—I must away;

Who could restrain my followers in their fear
If I were missing? but not yet farewell,
I have so much to say, so much to ask.
We meet again, Claricha; I must seek
At least to be thy friend; we meet again.

CLARICHA.

Alas! why should we meet? it is in vain.

CASTRUCCIO.

I cannot choose, my heart beats quick with joy:

Youth, hope, and tenderness return with thee.

CLARICHA.

For thine own sake, Castruccio, fare-thee-well.

CASTRUCCIO.

Stay yet one moment; if thou didst but know

How faithfully this heart has kept thy name,
Its sad and secret music; years have past

Since the green vineyards heard our youthful vow;
Hurried our parting word, and parting kiss,
But not less sacred. In my first career
Thou wert my hope, my star of enterprise—
When I look'd forward, 'twas to look to thee.

CLARICHA.

And now we meet, and know that we must part,

Unpitying fate! why met we not before?

CASTRUCCIO.

My exile was repeal'd, but ere I sought

My native city, I did seek for thee;
Instead of sunny welcome in thine eyes,
I found but desolation and despair:
Dark night, and its eternal echoes, gave
The only answer when I call'd thy name.

CLARICHA.

Oh! if we had but met.

CASTRUCCIO.

Fate mocks at us; a few brief hours suffice

To stand between us and our happiness,
Thenceforth I had those gentle hopes no more,
That make the spirit gentle where they dwell.
Lucca was then my all—I had no hopes
But for the glory of my native city;
To see her free and prosperous, became
Life's sole great object.

CLARICHA.

Not for my sake shall Lucca's hero pause

Upon his glorious path; not for my sake
Forget life's noblest duties.

CASTRUCCIO.

Thou art more strong than I am—yet not so,

I see thy cheek is pale, thine eye is wet,
I cannot leave thee.

Enter CESARIO hastily.

CESARIO.

I pray your pardon, but the need is great;

The late attempt fills all your friends with fear,
Not mine to check their angry eagerness,
Which now is fain to seek thee, sword in hand.

CASTRUCCIO.

To stay is madness now; my brief delay

May be atoned in blood. Love, now farewell.

CESARIO.

I pray you, lady, urge his speed.

CLARICHA.

Farewell! farewell!

CASTRUCCIO.

Meet me again, Claricha, meet me here;

Here, with high Heaven, and the dead around,
Fit for farewell like ours. Sternly I feel
The pressure of my duty to the land,
Whose people are entrusted to my keeping;
But I cannot part with thee, and know so little
Of thy uncall'd-for future.

CESARIO.

Good, my lord.

CASTRUCCIO.

Claricha, most beloved, I dare not stay,

With life on every moment, bid me go.

CLARICHA.

Farewell.

CASTRUCCIO.

We meet to-morrow; every gentle saint

Watch over thee. Farewell.—[Exeunt.

CLARICHA. (Stands looking after him, and then turns suddenly
and kneels before the Madonna).

At least I still may pray for him.—[Scene closes.

END OF THE SECOND ACT.