virgin honor —
VERRINA (raging). What?
BERTHA. Last night —
VERRINA (furiously.) Speak! What!
BERTHA. Force. (Sinks down upon the side of the sofa.)
VERRINA (after a long pause, with a hollow voice). One word more, my daughter – thy last! Who was it?
BERTHA. Alas, what an angry deathlike paleness! Great God, support me! How his words falter! His whole frame trembles!
VERRINA. I cannot comprehend it. Tell me, my daughter – who?
BERTHA. Compose yourself, my best, my dearest father!
VERRINA (ready to faint). For God's sake – who?
BERTHA. A mask —
VERRINA (steps back, thoughtfully). No! That cannot be! – the thought is idle – (smiling to himself ). What a fool am I to think that all the poison of my life can flow but from one source! (Firmly addressing himself to BERTHA.) What was his stature, less than mine or taller?
BERTHA. Taller.
VERRINA (eagerly). His hair? Black, and curled?
BERTHA. As black as jet and curled?
VERRINA (retiring from her in great emotion). O God! my brain! my brain! His voice?
BERTHA. Was deep and harsh.
VERRINA (impetuously). What color was – No! I'll hear no more! 'His cloak! What color?
BERTHA. I think his cloak was green.
VERRINA (covering his face with his hands, falls on the couch). No more. This can be nothing but a dream!
BERTHA (wringing her hands). Merciful heaven! Is this my father?
VERRINA (after a pause, with a forced smile). Right! It serves thee right – coward Verrina! The villain broke into the sanctuary of the laws. This did not rouse thee. Then he violated the sanctuary of thy honor (starting up). Quick! Nicolo! Bring balls and powder – but stay – my sword were better. (To BERTHA.) Say thy prayers! Ah! what am I going to do?
BERTHA. Father, you make me tremble —
VERRINA. Come, sit by me, Bertha! (in a solemn manner.) Tell me, Bertha, what did that hoary-headed Roman, when his daughter – like you – how can I speak it! fell a prey to ignominy? Tell me, Bertha, what said Virginius to his dishonored daughter?
BERTHA (shuddering). I know not.
VERRINA. Foolish girl! He said nothing – but (rising hastily and snatching up a sword) he seized an instrument of death —
BERTHA (terrified, rushes into his arms). Great God! What would you do, my father?
VERRINA (throwing away the sword). No! There is still justice left in Genoa.
SACCO, CALCAGNO, the former.
CALCAGNO. Verrina, quick! prepare! to-day begins the election week of the republic. Let us early to the Senate House to choose the new senators. The streets are full of people, you will undoubtedly accompany us (ironically) to behold the triumph of our liberty.
SACCO (to CALCAGNO). But what do I see? A naked sword! Verrina staring wildly! Bertha in tears!
CALCAGNO. By heavens, it is so. Sacco! some strange event has happened here.
VERRINA (placing two chairs). Be seated.
SACCO. Your looks, Verrina, fill us with apprehension.
CALCAGNO. I never saw you thus before – Bertha is in tears, or your grief would have seemed to presage our country's ruin.
VERRINA. Ruin! Pray sit down. (They both seat themselves.)
CALCAGNO. My friend, I conjure you —
VERRINA. Listen to me.
CALCAGNO (to SACCO). I have sad misgivings.
VERRINA. Genoese! you both know the antiquity of my family. Your ancestors were vassals to my own. My forefathers fought the battles of the state, their wives were patterns of virtue. Honor was our sole inheritance, descending unspotted from the father to the son. Can any one deny it?
SACCO. No.
CALCAGNO. No one, by the God of heaven!
VERRINA. I am the last of my family. My wife has long been dead. This daughter is all she left me. You are witnesses, my friends, how I have brought her up. Can anyone accuse me of neglect?
CALCAGNO. No. Your daughter is a bright example to her sex.
VERRINA. I am old, my friends. On this one daughter all my hopes were placed. Should I lose her, my race becomes extinct. (After a pause, with a solemn voice). I have lost her. My family is dishonored.
SACCO and CALCAGNO. Forbid it, heaven! (BERTHA on the couch, appears much affected.)
VERRINA. No. Despair not, daughter! These men are just and brave. If they feel thy wrongs they will expiate them with blood. Be not astonished, friends! He who tramples upon Genoa may easily overcome a helpless female.
SACCO and CALCAGNO (starting up with emotion). Gianettino Doria!
BERTHA (with a shriek, seeing BOURGOGNINO enter). Cover me, walls, beneath your ruins! My Scipio!
BOURGOGNINO – the former.
BOURGOGNINO (with ardor). Rejoice, my love! I bring good tidings. Noble Verrina, my heaven now depends upon a word from you. I have long loved your daughter, but never dared to ask her hand, because my whole fortune was intrusted to the treacherous sea. My ships have just now reached the harbor laden with valuable cargoes. Now I am rich. Bestow your Bertha on me – I will make her happy. (BERTHA hides her face – a profound pause.)
VERRINA. What, youth! Wouldst thou mix thy heart's pure tide with a polluted stream?
BOURGOGNINO (clasps his hand to his sword, but suddenly draws it back). 'Twas her father said it.
VERRINA. No – every rascal in Italy will say it. Are you contented with the leavings of other men's repasts?
BOURGOGNINO. Old man, do not make me desperate.
CALCAGNO. Bourgognino! he speaks the truth.
BOURGOGNINO (enraged, rushing towards BERTHA). The truth? Has the girl then mocked me?
CALCAGNO. No! no! Bourgognino. The girl is spotless as an angel.
BOURGOGNINO (astonished). By my soul's happiness, I comprehend it not! Spotless, yet dishonored! They look in silence on each other. Some horrid crime hangs on their trembling tongues. I conjure you, friends, mock not thus my reason. Is she pure? Is she truly so? Who answers for her?
VERRINA. My child is guiltless.
BOURGOGNINO. What! Violence! (Snatches the sword from the ground.) Be all the sins of earth upon my bead if I avenge her not! Where is the spoiler?
VERRINA. Seek him in the plunderer of Genoa! (BOURGOGNINO struck with astonishment – VERRINA walks up and down the room in deep thought, then stops.) If rightly I can trace thy counsels, O eternal Providence! it is thy will to make my daughter the instrument of Genoa's deliverance. (Approaching her slowly, takes the mourning crape from his arm, and proceeds in a solemn manner.) Before the heart's blood of Doria shall wash away this foul stain from thy honor no beam of daylight shall shine upon these cheeks. Till then (throwing the crape over her) be blind! (A pause – the rest look upon him with silent astonishment; he continues solemnly, his hand upon BERTHA'S head.) Cursed be the air that shall breathe on thee! Cursed the sleep that shall refresh thee! Cursed every human step that shall come to sooth thy misery! Down, into the lowest vault beneath my house! There whine, and cry aloud! (pausing with inward horror.) Be thy life painful as the tortures of the writhing worm – agonizing as the stubborn conflict between existence and annihilation. This curse lie on thee till Gianettino shall have heaved forth his dying breath. If he escape his punishment, then mayest thou drag thy load of misery throughout the endless circle of eternity!
[A deep silence – horror