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Cha.

Polyxena

When suddenly,—a warm March day, just that!
Just so much sunshine as the cottager's child
Basks in delighted, while the cottager
Takes off his bonnet, as he ceases work,
To catch the more of it-and it must fall
Heavily on my brother. . . had you seen
Philip the lion-featured !—not like me!
Pol. I know-
Cha.

And Philip's mouth yet fast to mine,

His dead cheek on my cheek, his arm still round

My neck, they bade me rise, "for I was heir

To the Duke," they said, "the right hand of the Duke;" Till then he was my father, not the Duke!

So.. let me finish. . the whole intricate

World's business their dead boy was born to, I
Must conquer,-ay, the brilliant thing he was,
I, of a sudden, must be: my faults, my follies,
-All bitter truths were told me, all at once
To end the sooner. What I simply styled
Their overlooking me, had been contempt:
How should the Duke employ himself, forsooth,
With such an one while lordly Philip rode

By him their Turin through? But he was punished,
And must put up with-me! 'Twas sad enough

To learn my future portion and submit

And then the wear and worry, blame on blame! -For, spring-sounds in my ears, spring-smells about, How could I but grow dizzy in their pent

Dim palace-rooms at first? My mother's look
As they discussed my insignificance-

(She and my father, and I sitting by,)—

I bore :-I knew how brave a son they missed:
Philip had gayly passed state-papers o'er,
While Charles was spelling at them painfully!
But Victor was my father spite of that.
"Duke Victor's entire life has been," I said,
"Innumerable efforts to one end;

"And, on the point now of that end's success,
“Our Ducal turning to a Kingly crown,

"Where's time to be reminded 'tis his child

"He spurns?" And so I suffered. . yet scarce suffered, Since I had you at length !

Pol.

To serve in place Of monarch, minister and mistress, Charles.

Cha. But, once that crown obtained, then was't not like Our lot would alter ?" When he rests, takes breath, “Glances around, and sees who's left to love— "Now that my mother's dead, sees I am left"Is it not like he'll love me at the last?" Well: Savoy turns Sardinia-the Duke's King! Could I-precisely then-could you expect His harshness to redouble? These few months Have been... have been . . Polyxena, do you And God conduct me, or I lose myself!

What would he have? What is't they want with me?

Him with this mistress and this minister,

-You see me and you hear me ; judge us both!
Pronounce what I should do, Polyxena!

Pol. Endure, endure, beloved! Say you not
That he's your Father? All's so incident
To novel sway! Beside, our life must change:
Or you'll acquire his kingcraft, or he'll find
Harshness a sorry way of teaching it.

I bear this--not that there's so much to bear

Cha. You bear it? don't I know that you, tho' bound To silence for my sake, are perishing

Piecemeal beside me? and how otherwise?

-When every creephole from the hideous Court
Is stopt; the Minister to dog me, here—
The Mistress posted to entrap you, there!
And thus shall we grow old in such a life—
Not careless,―never estranged, but old: to alter
Our life, there is so much to alter !

Pol.

Come

Is it agreed that we forego complaints
Even at Turin, yet complain we here
At Rivoli? 'Twere wiser you announced
Our presence to the king. What's now a-foot,
I wonder?—Not that any more's to dread
Than every day's embarrassment—but guess,
For me, why train so fast succeeded train
On the high-road, each gayer still than each;
I noticed your Archbishop's pursuivant,

The sable cloak and silver cross; such pomp

Bodes.. what now, Charles? Can you conceive?

Cha.

Pol. A matter of some moment

Not I,

Cha.

There's our life!

Which of the group of loiterers that stared
From the lime-avenue, divines that I—
About to figure presently, he thinks,
In face of all assembled-am the one
Who knows precisely least about it?
Pol.

D'Ormea's contrivance !

Cha.

Tush!

Ay-how otherwise

Should the young Prince serve for the old King's foil? -So that the simplest courtier may remark,

'Twere idle raising parties for a Prince

Content to linger D'Ormea's laughing-stock!
Something, 'tis like, about that weary business

[Pointing to papers he has laid down, and which POLYXENA
examines.]

-Not that I comprehend three words, of course,
After all last night's study.

Pol.

The faint heart!

Why, as we rode and you rehearsed just now

Its substance.. (that's the folded speech I mean,
Concerning the Reduction of the Fiefs ..)

-What would you have?—I fancied while you spoke,
Some tones were just your father's.

Cha.

Flattery!

Pol. I fancied so :—and here lurks, sure enough,

My note upon the Spanish Claims! You've mastered The fief-speech thoroughly-this other, mind,

Is an opinion you deliver,-stay,

Best read it slowly over once to me;

Read-there's bare time; you read it firmly-loud
-Rather loud-looking in his face,-don't sink

Your eye once-ay, thus! "If Spain claims . . .” begin -Just as you look at me!

Cha.

At you! Oh, truly,
You have I seen, say, marshalling your troops-
Dismissing councils-or, through doors ajar,
Head sunk on hand, devoured by slow chagrins
-Then radiant, for a crown had all at once
Seemed possible again! I can behold

Him, whose least whisper ties my spirit fast,
In this sweet brow, nought could divert me from,
Save objects like Sebastian's shameless lip,
Or, worse, the clipt gray hair and dead white face,
And dwindling eye as if it ached with guile,
Which D'Ormea wears

[As he kisses her, enter from the KING's apartment D'ORMEA.]
.. I said he would divert

My kisses from your brow!

D'O. [Aside.] Here! So King Victor

Spoke truth for once; and who's ordained, but I,
To make that memorable? Both in call,

As he declared! Were't better gnash the teeth,
Or laugh outright now?

Cha. [to Pol.]

What's his visit for ?

D'O. [Aside.] I question if they'll even speak to me. Pol. [to Cha.] Face D'Ormea, he'll suppose you fear

him, else.

[Aloud.] The Marquis bears the King's command, no doubt.

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