Julius Zeyer

“ Radovid.—Thou speakest of enchantment, lady, and I think that thou art not mistaken. That poplar is not like other trees. Its sudden growth is as enigmatic as its whole existence. When I see it from afar, it arouses within me the picture of some veiled woman, mourning and waiting somewhere near the road for someone who long has failed to come; and if I glance at it from near by, I imagine that it longs desperately to extend its branches even up to the windows of the room in which Radúz strangely dreams: I have the fancy that the entire poplar is a single eye and continually gazes fervently. ”

“ Now blood spurts from the trunk: what means that, pale moon? Speak from the sky! . . . Thou knowest much . . . we mortals go astray.
Radúz.—My tree, my sacred poplar, my comfort! (Embraces it.) Blood spurted from thee? Shed the blood on my brow and burn it; let me perish through that sorrow! Mother, now the blood has fallen on my head . . . What is this? A sudden joy is within me . . . My soul rejoices . . . What is this?
Mahulena (With a stronger voice) .—My Radúz, my sweet Radúz! My blood has healed thee . . . That curse has lost its power! Radúz!
Radúz (Crying in a loud voice) —Mahulena! ”

“ Thou knowest the steep footpath to the summit of the mountain? It is well concealed; only a dumb messenger knows it, he who each day brings to Radúz bread and water. However, dost thou not fear that if thou shouldst go there he would strangle thee? His arms are free.
Mahulena.—Radiz is good as the smiling sunshine of spring, which warms and gilds the whole world! His heart is like a meek dove which knows not what evil is! And that path I know; often have I sat at the foot of that peak: there quiet reigns; only the forests rustle below, and the birds which nest there sing as nowhere else! ”

“ Runa.—I hurl a curse on thee, a heavy curse, a terrible curse!
Mahulena.—Mother! Mother!
Runa.—I hurl upon thee a curse most powerful, which will follow thee and hound thee, hound thee until death as a pack of furious dogs pursues a timid fawn! By heaven I curse thee, I curse thee by earth! O earth, thou art a mother too; thou wilt hear me, thou must hear me: destruction to thee if thou remainest deaf! My curse is mighty as the wind, the fire, the sea! As a magic word, full of horror, which drags down the stars from heaven. Even fate itself will not overpower my curse! ”

“ Thou hast come in hatred, confess!
Radúz.—Having lost my way, I came here only unawares. Of great hatred for you I know little. I have always heard that we were enemies, we of Magura and you of Tatra, but I have never felt any malice in my heart. King Stojmír, we should really love each other, since in the wide world so much hatred rages round about us.
Stojmír.—Leave sweet words alone; thy gentleness is forced upon thee by thy misfortune.
Radúz.—That is true; for a man in fetters pride is the one thing becoming.
Runa.—I will humble thy pride, thou wilt soon see. O thou wilt know tortures! ”

“ Now thou surely knowest that neither here nor elsewhere wilt thou see aught else than at home.
Radúz.—I am not yet so wise, dear friend. And thou thyself art somewhat to blame that I am not wiser. Didst thou not ever nourish my childish dreams with thy tales? Who was it told me of the sun, that he had a castle somewhere in Tatra, that twelve maidens of eternal youth serve him there? Who pictured to me those black forests full of mystery, which stand mutely around a meadow, a meadow blooming with all sorts of wondrous flowers, on which shimmers the sun’s house of clouds? ”

“ Runa.—May thy heart know all tortures and thy soul all anguish, Mahulena! Thou livest in him and he in thee? Then I curse your love! May Radúz forget thee, may he not even recognize thee, mayst thou become strange to him as thou art now strange to me! Mayst thou die of yearning, perish with sorrow; mayst thou so suffer that thy heart, heavy as a stone, may know but one longing, that it sink into the depths of oblivion! May thy life and all thy thoughts through mighty suffering be involved in one vague prayer; even in that terrible stupefaction may there remain to thee but one consciousness ”

“ Radovid.—That is strange! Methinks some demon of the woods has perchance been making sport of thee. But what came to pass last night?
Radúz.—Ah, it came to pass that I overtook the stag . . . But alas, angered by the long, futile chase, I became the slave of my own blind passion! When at last I grasped it by the antlers, Radovid, I plunged my sword into its side! Its hot blood spurted on my face and hands and tears fell from its eyes. It fell and sighed like a human being! My heart sank; I fancied that I had committed murder! I could not endure the accusing look of the dying animal. ”

“ How cruel men are!
Runa.—Confess that thou didst that evil deed. Is this thy sword?
Radúz.—It is my sword. If I had held it when you came upon me I should have sold my life dearly. That I killed the poor beast I reckon as one of my sins. But I did not know that it was yours and that it was consecrated.
Runa.—But, believe me, thou wilt rue that sin bitterly. But thy greatest sin is that thou art the prince of Magura. Thou art silent? So thou wishest to deny that? Look, I will believe thee, that thou art not the son of Queen Nyola, if without delay thou wilt curse her! ”

“ Here in this bush lies my salvation; it is a large, heavy axe: it has long been lying in wait here like an executioner—Come, wouldst thou see it? It glitters in the moon light as if it laughed, anticipating its work! (She approaches the shrubbery beneath the birches.)
Radovid.—O, be not rash, my queen! I wring my hands! Some sudden terror seizes me, as it were a foreboding.
Nyola.—Silence! Behold! Radúz! He is wandering through the garden, carrying an armful of flowers. He walks as if in dreams. Let us step aside here and observe him! (They go behind a clump of birches.) ”

“ Radovid.—Whosoe’er be near, let him harken to my mournful tidings, which I and many others are spreading from mountain to mountain, from village to village, even to the farthest bounds of Magura! I call my sad message to the four corners of the world: Mourn and weep, ye men of Magura! Your good king is dead! Dead is your king! Your king is dead, dead is your king! (Silence: the trumpets sound again, at a greater distance.)
Mahulena.—O speak, Radúz! My Radúz, that silent grief will stifle thee! Thou art pale as a stone, motionless as a stone, cold as a rock! ”

“ Radúz, hear me! Radúz, protect me, that I may rush to thee in my anguish!
Nyola.—Who disturbs the peace of this sacred hour?
Populace.—Take heed, foolish child, lest thou kindle the anger of those who are powerful!
Mahulena.—That must surely be his mother! . . . She is proud, I think. . . . (Forcing her way through the crowd.) My Radúz! . . . Ah, now for the first time do I behold that bier. . . . Forgive me! . . . I too will follow the funeral train, only behind you; and I will be quiet, dumb, thou wilt see, and humble in the presence of thy haughty mother. ”

“ May sorrow be thy breath, sorrow thy bread, sorrow thy single element!
Radúz.—O Mahulena do not grieve, but come. Love is mightier than hatred, thou shalt see!
Runa.—Thou shalt learn thine error, Radúz. My curse falls on thee as well as on her! No less shall be thy suffering, though it shall be a grievous riddle to thee! As soon as another woman’s loving lips touch thy cheek, then shall my curse upon thee begin! And that instant thou wilt forget her, wilt not recognize her, thine own Mahulena, even if thou shouldst gaze upon her constantly! ”

“ Radúz.—No, Mahulena, no! Thou must not enter the palace like a guest whom no one has awaited! Before thee will I go and tell all that thou hast done and suffered for me; and they will come with me here to this oak for thee—my father, my mother, the whole palace and the whole city; and they will bow before thee! Like a queen, like a mighty conqueror thou shalt enter gloriously through the gates of thine own city and under the roof of thy palace! ”

“ It was Runa; she hates me, and when thou didst escape her yoke, then that evil sorceress sent some unholy power to ruin thee! But I will cure thee, my child, and will save thee and myself: I know how! Runa is dead; a message came to the castle this morning and I concealed it, not wishing to speak of death amid a festival. Runa is dead; her witchcraft yonder and that evil spirit which she has sent hither to us, will take their flight—when I but fell this tree! Thus shalt thou be healed! ”

“ Radúz.—Whosoever touches that tree—woe unto him! That poplar is more precious to me than my life, and I shall defend it, thou shalt see, with desperation!
Nyola.—This indeed is more than I can bear! Well, then know that I hate that cursèd tree, which robs me of thy love, my due respect! That tree I will fell before thine eyes! By mine own strength I will overcome thine illness, since by my gentleness I have not attained my aim! Thou art a mere child in mind, and therefore it is fitting to act for thee. Here, Radovid, lift the axe and do as I bid thee. ”

“ In yonder palace it is so sad and desolate, but near thee there is happiness. Mother earth has many, many children; she has men, beasts, and plants. But plants are dearest to her; they hold firmly, firmly to her bosom and never release their hold of her! What a noble child of hers art thou, thou whispering, delicate poplar, thou pensive tree full of tenderness; for I know that only from tenderness dost thou tremble, and not from fear, like mankind. ”

“ Radúz.—Mahulena, what powerful charm breathes from thy lips? I am suddenly as if transformed: what has happened to me? I am no longer the man that I have been; I am with thee alone: something new, which never was and which now will endure for evermore, hath awakened in me! Something infinitely better than that which was before! It is as if thou hadst entered into me! Now shall come to see only with thine eyes and to breathe only with thy breath! All my thoughts are thine and one beating unites our hearts. . . . If thou shouldst leave me—here I should vanish into nothingness! ”

“ Thou wilt see, thyself, if thou catch sight of her. But thou must not gaze straight at her, suddenly! Thou mightst be struck as if by lightning when it flashes from out the darkness and floods the whole sky with fire! First look merely at her feet, which are like lilies in slippers of gold, then lift thine eyes to her waist, and lastly, when thou hast become wonted to such beauty, gaze at her clear forehead . . . But how I have been talking. I must go home to my wife and little son.
Radúz.—Thou art a good man and hast comforted me much by thy speech. How dost thou earn thy living? ”

“ Runa.—O, thou shameless as a bitch! Darest thou cast in my face thine own burning shame? How thou wilt atone for this; O how thou wilt atone!
Radúz.—Come, Mahulena, who would believe that thou didst receive thy life from her? From a pestilent swamp how could so bright a sunbeam shine forth? Come, let us hasten, let us preserve ourselves!
Runa.—And dost thou think that I shall let thee pass? Through long suffering thou hast grown weak, while I am as strong as a man! O, I will hold thee! ”

“ On one side is a distant view of a hilly region; in its midst extends a delightful meadow and large gardens can be seen, behind which a fantastic city appears on the horizon. Radúz and Mathulena approach from the denser portion of the forest and pause by a huge oak in the shade of which lie several large boulders.
Radúz.—O Mahulena, I greet this tree as a friend of my youth! As a child I used to play here, and from these moss-covered stones there is a wide view into regions far away! ”

“ For Radovid I beg mercy, not for myself.
Prija.—Dost thou wish to seem valiant? Why then dost thou breathe so heavily? That does not bear witness to the calm of courage.
Radúz.—I am thirsty, believe me; that is why I breathe so heavily.
Runa.—Quench thy thirst with thy tears.
Stojmír.—Enough of mockery now! Přibina, I will leave Radúz to thy charge. Release Radovid at the border, that he may bring home his news. I am going home now. Take the prisoner and cast him into the depths of that old tower which stands in the dark forest beneath the crag, and which is termed enchanted. ”

“ Radovid.—Queen, yield not thus to thy sorrow!
Nyola.—What can I do else? It has continued for the whole year, always the same. For a whole year already my torture continues. At first I thought that it was sorrow over the loss of his father which so tormented and destroyed Radúz, which clouded his once clear mind. But long since it has been plain that he is under the spell of some enchantment. All has proved in vain that I have attempted; no gayety can arouse his grief-stricken mind: why do I prepare festivities; why do I arrange dances and songs! ”