FIESCO (taking him tenderly by the hand). Not even when that duke is thy brother? Not if he should make his principality the treasury of that benevolence which was restrained by his domestic poverty? Not even then, Verrina.
VERRINA. No-not even then! We pardon not the robber because he made gifts of his plunder, nor does such generosity suit Verrina. I might permit my fellow-citizens to confer a benefit on me-because I should hope some day to make them an adequate return. That which a prince confers is bounty; but bounty undeserved I would receive alone from God.
FIESCO (angrily). It were as easy to tear Italy from the bosom of the ocean as to shake this stubborn enthusiast from his prejudices.
VERRINA. Well mayst thou talk of tearing: thou hast torn the republic from Doria, as a lamb from the jaws of the wolf, only that thou mightest devour it thyself. But enough of this-just tell me, duke, what crime the poor wretch committed whom you ordered to be hung up at the church of the Jesuits?
FIESCO. The scoundrel set fire to the city.
VERRINA. Yet the scoundrel left the laws untouched.
FIESCO. Verrina presumes upon my friendship.
VERRINA. Away with friendship! I tell thee I no longer love thee. I swear to thee that I hate thee-hate thee like the serpent of Paradise, that first disturbed the happiness of creation, and brought upon mankind unbounded sorrow. Hear me, Fiesco, I speak to thee not as a subject to his master, not as a friend to his friend, but as man to man-(with bitterness and vehemence). Thou hast committed a crime against the majesty of the eternal God in permitting virtue to lead thy hands to wickedness, and in suffering the patriots of Genoa to violate their country. Fiesco, had thy villany deceived me also!-Fiesco, by all the horrors of eternity! with my own hands I would have strangled myself, and on thy head spurted the venom of my departing soul. A princely crime may break the scale of human justice, but thou hast insulted heaven, and the last judgment will decide the cause. (Fiesco remains speechless, looking at him with astonishment.) Do not attempt to answer me. Now we have done. (After walking several times up and down.) Duke of Genoa, in the vessels of yesterday's tyrant, I have seen a miserable race who, at every stroke of their oars, ruminate upon their long-expiated guilt, and weep their tears into the ocean, which, like a rich man, is too proud to count them. A good prince begins his reign with acts of mercy. Wilt thou release the galley-slaves?
FIESCO (sharply). Let them be the first fruits of my tyranny. Go, and announce to them their deliverance.
VERRINA. You will enjoy but half the pleasure unless you see their happiness. Perform this deed thyself. The great are seldom witnesses of the evils which they cause. And shall they, too, do good by stealth and in obscurity? Methinks the duke is not too great to sympathize with a beggar.
FIESCO. Man, thou art dreadful; yet I know not why I must follow thee. (Both go toward the sea.)
VERRINA (stops, much affected). But once more embrace me, Fiesco. Here is no one by to see Verrina weep, or to behold a prince give way to feeling-(he embraces him eagerly). Surely never beat two greater hearts together-we loved each other so fraternally-(weeping violently on Fiasco's neck). Fiesco! Fiesco! Thou makest a void in my bosom which all mankind, thrice numbered, could not fill up.
FIESCO (much affected). Be still, my friend.
VERRINA. Throw off this hateful purple, and I will be so. The first prince was a murderer, and assumed the purple to hide the bloody stains of his detested deeds. Hear me, Fiesco! I am a warrior, little used to weeping-Fiesco-these are my first tears-throw off this purple!
FIESCO. Peace.
VERRINA (more vehemently). Fiesco, place on the one side all the honors of this great globe, on the other all its tortures; they should not make me kneel before a mortal-Fiesco (falling on his knee), this is the first bending of my knee-throw off this purple!
FIESCO. Rise, and no longer irritate me!
VERRINA (in a determined tone). I rise then, and will no longer irritate thee. (They stand on a board leading to a galley.) The prince must take precedence.
FIESCO. Why do you pull my cloak? It falls--
VERRINA (with bitter irony). If the purple falls the duke must after it. (He pushes him into the sea.)
FIESCO (calls out of the waves). Help, Genoa! Help! Help thy duke! (Sinks.)
SCENE XVII.
CALCAGNO, SACCO, ZIBO, ZENTURIONE, Conspirators, People.
CALCAGNO (crying out). Fiesco! Fiesco! Andreas is returned-half Genoa joins Andreas. Where is Fiesco?
VERRINA (in a firm tone). Drowning.
ZENTURIONE. Does hell or madness prompt thy answer?
VERRINA. Drowned-if that sound better. I go to join Andreas.
(The CONSPIRATORS stand in groups, astonished. The curtain falls.)
FB2 document info
Document ID: b92f36aa-d543-4399-a8b1-18333f3670cb
Document version: 1
Document creation date: 2009-06-24
Created using: EmEditor 8.05 software
Document authors :
Ghost mail
Source URLs :
http://www.munseys.com/book/03216/
About
This file was generated by Lord KiRon's FB2EPUB converter version 1.1.5.0.
(This book might contain copyrighted material, author of the converter bears no responsibility for it's usage)
Этот файл создан при помощи конвертера FB2EPUB версии 1.1.5.0 написанного Lord KiRon.
(Эта книга может содержать материал который защищен авторским правом, автор конвертера не несет ответственности за его использование)
http://www.fb2epub.net
https://code.google.com/p/fb2epub/
Fiesco Page 12