Michael Field

“ Naples and Spain—are mute, and all the parley
With France. Take heed, take heed, my good lord Cardinals,
How you raise up a Princedom.
CESARE.
[Turning his back on Garcilaso.] But more humbly
I make petition. How the world esteems me,
How slander rates me, when I am once unfrocked
I will answer to the world. You were my peers,
You are my judges, and from you I ask
Simply for mercy. Of too great indulgence.
I was admitted to your fair assemblage.
Open the door!
DON GARCILASO.
He blazes as a god. ”

“ CESARE. It is my pleasure to conduct you.
SANCIA.
An infidel, a bastard Paynim! The true breed does not flaunt it so licentiously. Sultan Djem, are you curious in our worship?
DJEM. I am curious, Madonna, to watch you.
SANCIA. I am veiled.{33}
DJEM.
Ah, you are not carnal enough to be veiled. Some of our treasure is in caskets, some exposed. To some men it is the knowledge of what is hidden that animates; to others—
SANCIA. See, I unveil.
DJEM. It is useless, Madonna; you are a spot....
CESARE.
A spot, a temptress, a devil! How we gather our escort, proceeding! ”

“ ALEXANDER.
Unless you do this thing and bury
The brood that hates us, I withdraw from you
My treasure and I excommunicate
A disobedient son. It is my will.
[Cesare’s fingers twist the chain so violently it snaps, and the sword drops to the ground.
CESARE.
I am your fool....
The fool of all these Kings, this Pope. No throne!
There is no throne....
[With a low bow.] Your abject servitor!
{136} ALEXANDER.
Hush! But in this my will. Paternity
Sees with hot passion where the foe is hidden.
You yield obedience, son?
CESARE.
Your fool, your fool! ”

“ How strange!
I feel as I should never grow a woman
Save at Ferrara, miles away from Rome.
Alfonso does not love me—every day
Humiliates my humbler race, is fearful
I shall be found in nature sinister
And fatal.... But I am not so, and therefore
He cannot find that I am anything
But just his young Lucrece, he soon will love,
As creatures sent for gifts, if they are gentle,
Are cherished in reception.... Oh!
A masked figure glides in behind and she suddenly hears a voice.
VOICE.
Amanda!
LUCREZIA.
[To herself.] Castelian!... One, one voice....
CESARE.
Amanda? ”

“ JUANITO.
At sunset, Excellence.
CESARE.
Now the king-star
Is falling down below the rocks—and blue
As a sea-deep is the hollow we must tempt;
It is blue: one venturing bird{172}
Makes it gigantic with a little shake,
An arietta.... We must drop down lower
Than the bird’s song—it is not from the ground.
Look, my Juanito!
Aside I hitch my shoulders through this narrow
And windy crevice of the barbican.
I am as agile and as thin as you,
I feel as young—
Case-hardened from that pestilence, a tower
Among my race; strong as La Mota ”

“ The Vatican be cleared of sin. These bastards ...
Let me not see them more! Joffré, Lucrezia—
Joffré must mind his government afar,
I banish him. Lucrece—oh, I shall gather
The seas between us; she shall dwell in Spain,
Dwell in Valencia, deep, where I was born,
White little demon-girl!
[He rises, trembling, and Poto robes him.] No priest henceforward
Shall hold two benefices; simony
No more shall breed among us. God would punish
Some sin in us; it could not be Giovanni
Deserved a death so cruel. Gently, Poto,
You are too violent. ”

“ Play the game.
[Silently two Spanish Gentlemen seat themselves near his couch and play. He turns on his elbow and watches them, passing his ball of perfume from hand to hand.
AGAPITO.
[In a murmur to Torella.
For hours, long hours, impassible he fixes
His eyes upon the board, as if the secret
Of Destiny were secret of a Sphinx
He could divine by watching.
CESARE.
[Still fixed on the game, but speaking to all.] Without doubt
Our fortune is unchained against us, friends:
But there are chances—let us reckon them!
My captain Scipione is of ours
Till death; he joins me in my liberty. ”

“ CESARE.
Can I
Found you a power in your estates and cities{84}
Without the wages of my soldiers? Sooner
I would pawn my Indian rubies
And ceremonial pearls than let my army
Starve for its hire. Ten thousand ducats—
ALEXANDER.
[Passing his hand across his brow.] I am coining day and night and in my dreams:
I cannot.... I am bare
Of treasure, save these vestments that the Church
Casts on my poverty. I have no jewels,
No raiment, no reserve....
But Cardinal Lopez
Is fading every day.
CESARE.
I cannot wait.
ALEXANDER.
Pish! ”

“ Magnificent before all Rome.
{72} ALEXANDER.
You sparkle!
I pardon you. He scarcely will.
[The Pope nods his head and rises to go.
LUCREZIA.
[Detaining him.] A peach!...
It is a little fountain
That grottoes under cloud of this red skin.
There, father, from my hand.
[The Pope seats himself again.
And this dear Cesare,
You will no more reproach him,
When he grows dull and drowses in the sun:
We let our lions drowse.
ALEXANDER.
[Eating the fruit.] Delicious!
So cordial in its essence it revives,
But sets the senses light enough to slumber.
We let our lions drowse ... ”

“ CARDINAL SEGOVIA.
Be comforted, O Blessèdness!
[To Cesare.] Farewell, farewell,
Lord Cardinal; excel, as in our ranks you cannot.
Though often bitter to us in your mood,
Our skies will miss the lightning and the light
Without you, and our skies are colourless.
FRENCH AMBASSADOR.
The Duke of Valentinois—so my king
Greets you with patents disembarked to-day.
[The Cardinals and Ambassadors press round Cesare to congratulate; he smiles and bows. Then they break into groups and disperse.
{45}
CESARE.
[Between his teeth.] Our obstacles
No more in our condition! Solitary! ”

“ Poor lad! A restless creature, like a dog
That strays about your hearth, and may be here
To-morrow or be gone—Satan that wanders
The earth alone knows where.... But murdered!
I think I will not know; my ears refuse{81}
All knowledge from you.... We must cloak this death
Among ourselves.
[The Pope turns away tottering.
CESARE.
We cannot:
For his physicians said he would not die,
But live, as pertinacious as a weed.
It cannot and it shall not be a secret
Why he was killed.
ALEXANDER.
[Turning sharply back on Cesare.] By whom?
CESARE.
By me. ”

“ Betray me as Gonsalvo at the last?
{173} JUANITO.
Garcia is safe; he burns to furnish you.
CESARE.
How wider
The steepness stretches, the tranquillity!
What does it promise? It is Fortune’s Pit,
That gapes in Spain, that swallowed me awhile
In Rome and Naples, and then cast me out
Alive upon this pinnacle. And now....
The world will be my chess-board, I survey
Until occasion hail me. There is Louis
Of France would set his horse to tread with mine;
The Emperor hates as Pope the Rovere;
Gonzaga lord of Mantua will espouse
My fellowship, Ferrara is fraternal;
My brother of Navarre ”

“ VANOZZA.
But I affirm
You are more wonderful than all the stars;
You are immortal for great fame, for greater{158}
Than I can give the wording of. I bore you—
You are sacred, sacred. All the saints of heaven
Hold you in virtue! I had many dreams
When you were born. My Prince, though I could give you
No rights, and fortune is not in our hands
To give it where we love, I give you faith,
A mother’s, simple as the faith I give
To the High God—though He were poor, and nowhere
Had place to lay His head.
CESARE. ”

“ JULIUS.
Then you have chosen
A lifetime in the dens your victims haunt.
Mule! And the Guard is waiting ...
Son of Hell!
[He makes a sign to summon the Papal Guard.
CESARE.
[With a wide gesture.] Freedom!
JULIUS.
... Speak out,
Or write your watchword, and Lord Santa Croce
Shall wait with you at Naples, till I hear
Cesena makes submission: then you pass
Free, where you will.
{164}
The Papal Guard enters.
CESARE.
My freedom!
AGAPITO.
Excellence, dear lord,
As you have pity on our love, unbury
The word that makes you free.
CESARE.
Agapito! ”

“ Was as his hearth! Rodrigo Borgia’s son
Asks your forgiveness.
VANOZZA.
Excellence!... But loose me!
Are you so strong?
Your breath beats at the nostrils as his beat.
Loose!... Let me meet Messer Agapito....
[The Mute has pointed toward the horizon, touching Agapito’s sleeve; he has watched intently for some time, and now advances.
AGAPITO.
News, news, Signore!
I did not tell you till these travellers
Were at our very gates.
CESARE.
[Shivering.] The dew comes down.
Mother, the cloak with ermine! ”

“ DJEM.
Will you take me into your church? They are staring at you, these little girls. You go far.
CESARE. [To a girl.] My little love, your name?
GIRL. Virgilia.{31}
CESARE. You find me beautiful? While the Piazza is still empty....
[He whirls her swiftly round Pasquino.
DJEM. This may not be in the Piazza.
CESARE.
[Sitting down again.] You shall see what may be in the Church. Virgilia, you should kiss the Captain.
GIRL. Not that one.
CESARE. [Resting his elbows on his knees and extending his hands to her.] But who is the Captain?
GIRL. You, you are the beautiful Captain. ”

“ DJEM. You should fight with us in our army.
CESARE.
[Putting his arm round Djem’s neck.] You shall fight with me in my army. We have borne such witness against ourselves, and in places where the Cardinals might recount our misdoings, that to-morrow in Consistory, when I make appeal, they will release me from my vow.
DJEM. Then you will be no longer Christian?
CESARE.
Look there, look at those yellow-garbed Marani. To save life and limb they pay me monies—money for a journey to France. Oh, look at them! They groan, and I am the cause. [With a gay laugh.] I am a Christian. ”

“ I join the French?
{144} ALEXANDER.
Ay—with the treaties
Between us and the Spaniards and Gonsalvo
Safe in my coffers: for the French will fail;
And, though they raised you up, they hold you back
From Florence and your clutch on Tuscany.
You have Romagna firm.
CESARE.
O father,
Live a few years and I shall be your king!
As you love me, live till Tuscany is mine.
Live, live!
ALEXANDER.
For you
I have done harder things than conquer death. ”

“ For safety.
CESARE.
—It is blood,
The fascination of deep heritage,
Compels the old race back to every city
I vaunted mine....
I do not want you near,
I brought you out of danger. Openly
You are my mother, openly I drew you
Behind my litter to a refuge: always,
Till I am powerless, you will feel my power,
Protecting you....
Enter Messer Agapito da Amalia.
And is Giovanni Sforza
Restored to Pesaro?
AGAPITO
My lord, he is. ”

“ CESARE.
Good-night,
Don Juan. Such a fan exasperates,
Entering all senses.
[They shake hands. Don Juan goes out. Cesare motions his torch-bearer to withdraw.
Come, Juanito;
Unarm me. To your tent, Agapito;
You will have rheum to-morrow. [Exit Agapito.
God!—the stroke
Of wing this tempest has: there is no shield.
Lift up the tent-skirt, Juan.
[They go in, and the sound is heard of armour flung on the floor. Then Cesare’s voice is heard.
[Within.] Take a cloak,
A dry one from the press, and bear this message
Back to Don Juan; I forgot. ”

“ SANCIA.
Ay, Alfonso! He is murdered.
I will be heard! [She beats on the door.
Lucrece, Lucrece! She could divorce one husband:
Oh, she can sever!... Cold as death her eyes
Beat on me. O Lucrezia, do you hear? [She mutters.
They are murdering my brother—he is murdered.
Now all is gone to silence.... [She sinks down in her sobs.
{77} CESARE.
[To Lucrezia.] Star, you fade! ”

“ POTO.
Holiness,
Donna Lucrezia in the Sistine Convent
Prays day and night.
ALEXANDER.
Sweet soul!
POTO.
The Lord Valencia—
ALEXANDER.
Ah, what of him? Where is his piety?
POTO.
When your affliction broke on you, before it
Men fled as from a pest. Lord Cesare
Is shut within his palace; duteously,
Almost from hour to hour, his servants pass
For tidings of your health.
An Usher appears at the door.
USHER.
The Governor
Of Rome prays for the Presence.
ALEXANDER.
He has tidings? ”

“ SANCIA.
To wake in Naples, not this deadly Rome—
It is the air that kills!
ALFONSO.
A wish
I echo from my heart. We are roused as slaves,
As slaves put in subservient offices.
ADRIANA.
To ride with Prince Squillace by your side
After Duke Cesare is such distinction
You need not sulk from, prince.
{56} SANCIA.
But we are dead afraid. ”

“ Not ever, not like Joffré, for a wife.
You shall not sit there looking lone—beside you,
Father, a power we have not measured yet,
That we shall measure. After all my wars,
And all my wars will be to draw you peace,
I shall return.
Kiss me.
ALEXANDER.
My heart,
No blessing—oh, a kiss!
SCENE III
A room in the Palace of Santa Maria in Porticu belonging to Donna Lucrezia Borgia d’Aragon. Donna Lucrezia sits at the head of a couch; Duke Cesare de Valentinois lies along it. They are both dressed in white satin, embroidered with gold and pearls.
LUCREZIA.
You have seen the little mother? ”

“ Sobs will not help my Duchess home.
Ah, sweeting,
They do not do up at Ferrara there
As we in Rome: they live less joyously.
But you, a woman, will be sensitive
To all I stumble at the hinting of.
The peg you sing to must be set less high,
Less near Olympus. My bold horsewoman,
You must not tarry as with me to watch
The stallions worship Venus: those rich flames
Are out of mode for Don Alfonso’s wife....
Your feet will often weary for the dance—
You shake your head.... Well, then, a fruitful couch,
A sturdy race of princes be engendered
To comfort you! ”