SCENE X. To these enter the Countess Tertsky, pale and disordered. Her utterance is slow and feeble, and unempassioned. Oct. (meeting her) O Countess Tertsky! These are results Of luckless unblest deeds. Coun. Therein; I shut it up, and here deliver The keys. Oct. (with a deep anguish) house too is desolate. O Countess! my Coun. Who next is to be murder'd? Who is next To be maltreated? Lo! The Duke is dead. The Emperor's vengeance may be pacified ! Too suddenly he could not think on them. Oct. Speak not of vengeance! Speak not of maltreatment! The Emp'ror is appeased; the heavy fault The Empress honours your adversity, Takes part in your afflictions, opens to you Her motherly arms! Therefore no farther fears! Yield yourself up in hope and confidence To the Imperial grace! Coun. (with her eye rais'd to heaven) To the grace and Do I yield up myself.-Where shall the body This sure may well be granted us one sepulchre Oct. Countess, you tremble, you turn pale! Coun. (reassembles all her powers, and speaks with energy and dignity) More worthily of me, than to believe I would survive the downfall of my house. You think We did not hold ourselves too mean, to grasp Courageous death more worthy of our free station Coun. In a few moments is my fate accomplish'd. Nay, it is too late. [Exit Countess. Gor. O house of death and horrors! (An officer enters, and brings a letter with the great seal.) Gor. (steps forward and meets him) It is the Imperial seal. What is this? (He reads the address, and delivers the letter to Octavio with a look of reproach, and with an emphasis on the word.) To the Prince Piccolomini. Oct. (with his whole frame expressive of sudden anguish, raises his eyes to heaven.) The Curtain drops. Printed by W. H. Cox, 5, Great Queen Street, London. |