Radúz

“ Mahulena.—What is happening? Where am I? . . . It is my Radúz! Now I know! Love is stronger than all hatred, and loving more powerful than cursing! Thou didst guess it then, Radúz, on the summit of the mountains!
Nyola.—Who is that marvellously charming maiden, veiled as with an enchantment of dreams?
Radúz.—That is she who loosed my fetters in the Tatra Mountains and led me back to thee, mother . . . O, I will tell thee all, and thou wilt weep, weep! Bless her! Gaze upon her, upon my white dove! . . . Mahulena . . . thou growest ghastly pale! ”

“ Radovid.—Thou wouldst rather surrender thyself, it may be, into the cruel hands of thine enemies?
Radúz.—But why is King Stojmír so implacable a foe of my father?
Radovid.—Because at one time they were so good friends that they were like own brothers. That hatred is always fiercest which occupies the place of former love. But now let us go!
Radúz.—Why dost thou hasten so? It is pleasant here. See how those gold-green dragon flies hover above the water . . . So at one time they were like brothers . . . ”

“ Radúz.—I do indeed. Vratko.—This seems like a dream. And the head on these coins is like the picture of a king. He has a crown on his head.
Radúz.—It is a picture of my father. And now farewell! (He departs with Radovid.)
Vratko (Gazing after him in amazement) .—The picture of my father,” he said. Is his father then a king and he a prince? . . . What surprise and joy will there be at home! . . . I do not even wish to carry the wood with me, in order that I may have nimbler legs and reach home sooner. But stay, here is King Stojmir himself and his bodyguard. ”

“ 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! ”

“ Raduz and Ludmila rode on and on until they neared Raduz’ native city. There they met a man of whom Raduz asked the news.
“News indeed!” the man said. “The king and his three older sons are dead. Only the queen is alive and she cries night and day for her youngest son who went out into the world and has never been heard of since. The whole city is in an uproar as to who shall be the new king.”
When Raduz heard this he said to Ludmila: “Do you, my dear Ludmila, wait for me here outside the city while I go quickly to the palace and let it be known that I am alive and am returned. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Be thou, Radúz, my support now on this mournful journey. . . . (Hangs on his arm and leans against him. Both bend for a moment over the body, which Nyola again covers with the pall. Just then Mahulena appears in the meadow among the populace.)
Mahulena.—O, let me pass! O, mercifully let me pass! This anguish is killing me! Where is the palace? . . . Where is Radúz? . . . Where is your prince? O, there, there I see him, and my fear is ended!
Populace.—Back, mad girl! What doest thou? Art thou bereft of reason? Whither dost thou force thy way? ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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? ”

“ 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! ”

“ 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! ”

“ 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! ”

“ In the meantime Raduz and Ludmila were fleeing as fast as they could.
Suddenly Ludmila said: “Oh, how my left cheek burns! I wonder what it means? Look back, dear Raduz, and see if there is any one following us.”
Raduz turned and looked. “There’s nothing following us,” he said, “but a black cloud in the sky.”
“A black cloud? That’s the old man on the black horse that rides on the clouds. Quick! We must be ready for him!”
Ludmila struck the ground with Yezibaba’s wand [Pg 232] and changed it into a field. She turned herself into the growing rye and made Raduz the reaper who was cutting the rye. ”

“ The black cloud descended upon them with thunder and a shower of hailstones that beat down the growing rye.
“Take care!” Raduz cried. “You’re trampling my rye! Leave some of it for me.”
“Very well,” the old man said, alighting from his steed, “I’ll leave some of it for you. But tell me, reaper, have you seen anything of two young people passing this way?” ”

“ 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! ”

“ 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.) ”

“ 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! ”

“ 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 ”

“ 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! ”

“ 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. ”

“ Runa.—As the truth always wounds the secret transgressor. I tell thee that there is wisdom in freeing thyself of Radúz, for while he lives he threatens thee because of that which has already occurred! And I further tell thee that thou art warming a serpent in thy bosom, that Mahulena will betray thee, me, us all! Thou dost not guess what love can make of a woman!
Stojmír.—Thou dost disturb me deeply! Thine every word seems like an arrow! ”

“ It would not be fitting to present you to my mother, the queen, in those ragged clothes. As soon as I am made king I shall come for you, bringing you a beautiful dress.”
Ludmila agreed to this and Raduz left her and hurried to the castle. His mother recognized him at once and ran with open arms to greet him. She wanted to kiss him but he wouldn’t let her. The news of his [Pg 237] return flew abroad and he was immediately proclaimed king. A great feast was spread and all the people ate and drank and made merry. ”

“ 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? ”

“ I will let thee go, that thou mayst bring to Magura the tidings of the prince’s sad fate. Of a ransom speak no word. Perchance later I shall desire the blood of this youth; perchance his death will be more precious to me than gold.
Runa.—Now thou speakest as a king and a man! Why should we bargain over that slave?
Radúz.—Who is a slave here? Tell us, queen!
Runa.—Thou, thou! For I will cast thee into iron fetters and will torture thee to death with the heaviest toil! O, like a wolf thou wilt tear at thy chain and despairingly gnaw it with thy teeth!
Radovid.—Thou viper! ”