John Keats

The Complete Works: Poetry, Plays, Letters and Extensive Biographies


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I

AURANTHE’S ApartmentAURANTHE and CONRAD discovered

      Conrad.

      Well, well, I know what ugly jeopardy

      We are cag’d in; you need not pester that

      Into my ears. Prythee, let me be spared

      A foolish tongue, that I may bethink me

      Of remedies with some deliberation.

      You cannot doubt but ’tis in Albert’s power

      To crush or save us?

      Auranthe.

      No, I cannot doubt.

      He has, assure yourself, by some strange means,

      My secret ; which I ever hid from him,

      Knowing his mawkish honesty.

      Conrad.

      Curs’d slave!

      Auranthe. Ay, I could almost curse him now myself.

      Wretched impediment! Evil genius!

      A glue upon my wings, that cannot spread,

      When they should span the provinces! A snake,

      A scorpion, sprawling on the first gold step,

      Conducting to the throne, high canopied.

      Conrad.

      You would not hear my council, when his life

      Might have been trodden out, all sure and hush’d;

      Now the dull animal forsooth must be

      Intreated, managed! When can you contrive

      The interview he demands?

      Auranthe.

      As speedily

      It must be done as my brib’d woman can

      Unseen conduct him to me; but I fear

      Twill be impossible, while the broad day

      Comes through the panes with persecuting glare.

      Methinks, if ‘t now were night I could intrigue

      With darkness, bring the stars to second me,

      And settle all this trouble.

      Conrad.

      Nonsense! Child!

      See him immediately; why not now?

      Auranthe.

      Do you forget that even the senseless door-posts

      Are on the watch and gape through all the house?

      How many whispers there are about,

      Hungry for evidence to ruin me ;

      Men I have spurn ‘d, and women I have taunted?

      Besides, the foolish prince sends, minute whiles,

      His pages so they tell me to enquire

      After my health, entreating, if I please,

      To see me.

      Conrad.

      Well, suppose this Albert here;

      What is your power with him?

      Auranthe.

      He should be

      My echo, my taught parrot! but I fear

      He will be cur enough to bark at me ;

      Have his own say ; read me some silly creed

      ‘Bout shame and pity.

      Conrad.

      What will you do then?

      Auranthe.

      What I shall do, I know not: what L would

      Cannot be done; for see, this chain her-floor

      Will not yield to the pick-axe and the spade,

      Here is no quiet depth of hollow ground.

      Conrad.

      Sister, you have grown sensible and wise,

      Seconding, ere I speak it, what is now,

      I hope, resolv’d between us.

      Auranthe.

      Say, what is ‘t?

      Conrad. You need not be his sexton too: a man

      May carry that with him shall make him die

      Elsewhere, give that to him; pretend the while

      You will tomorrow succumb to his wishes,

      Be what they may, and send him from the Castle

      On some fool’s errand; let his latest groan

      Frighten the wolves!

      Auranthe.

      Alas! he must not die!

      Conrad.

      Would you were both hears’d up in stifling lead!

      Detested

      Auranthe. Conrad, hold! I would not bear

      The little thunder of your fretful tongue,

      Tho; I alone were taken in these toils,

      And you could free me; but remember, sir,

      You live alone in my security:

      So keep your wits at work, for your own sake,

      Not mine, and be more mannerly.

      Conrad.

      Thou wasp!

      If my domains were emptied of these folk,

      And I had thee to starve

      Auranthe. O, marvellous!

      But Conrad, now be gone; the Host is look’d for;

      Cringe to the Emperor, entertain the Lords,

      And, do ye mind, above all things, proclaim

      My sickness, with a brother’s sadden’d eye,

      Condoling with Prince Ludolph. In fit time

      Return to me.

      Conrad.

      I leave you to your thoughts.

      [Exit.

      Auranthe (sola) Down, down, proud temper! down,

      Auranthe’s pride!

      Why do I anger him when I should kneel?

      Conrad! Albert! help! help! What can I do?

      wretched woman! lost, wreck’d, swallow’d up,

      Accursed, blasted ! O, thou golden Crown,

      Orbing along the serene firmament

      Of a wide empire, like a glowing moon;

      And thou, bright sceptre! lustrous in my eyes,

      There as the fabled fair Hesperian tree,

      Bearing a fruit more precious! graceful thing.

      Delicate, godlike, magic! must I leave

      Thee to melt in the visionary air,

      Ere, by one grasp, this common hand is made

      Imperial? I do not know the time

      When I have wept for sorrow; but methinks

      I