And I will keep her in my sight, and follow
(As lighter birds follow the powerfuller)

Where'er the tempest drives her . . not to save,
But break the fall, or warn her from below.

Do

бо

Fiammetta. Generously spoken, my own sweet Giovanni! So, and I can spare you; but remember Others may want a warning too, may want Some one to break a fall, some one to save. Giovanni! O Giovanni! to save what?

For what is left but love? . . save that, Giovanni!
Boccaccio. Were any infelicity near you,

Crowns and their realms might perish : but your sister

Is

part of you: had she but lookt into

Your cradle, and no more; had one kind word,

And only one, fallen from her upon you;

My life should be the price for it.

Fiammetta. Your life!

We have but one, we two.

But until she

Is safe again, and happier, you shall keep it.
Go, go then; follow her; but soon return.
While you are absent from me, shapeless fears
Must throng upon and keep awake my sorrow.
Boccaccio. To grieve for what is past, is idle grief,
Idler to grieve for what may never be.

Courage! when both most wish it, we shall meet.

70

ACT I. SCENE II.

CASTEL-NUOVO.

GIOVANNA and DEL BALZO.

Giovanna. Ugo del Balzo! thou art just and firm.
Seek we the murderers out, and bring them forth
Before their God and fellow-men, if God
Or fellow-men have they. Spare none who did
This cruel deed. The partner of my throne,
Companion of my days.. until that day..
Avenge! In striking low the guilty head

Show mercy to my people. Take from me
And execute with promptness this commission.
O what a chasm in life hath one day made,
Thus giving way with such astounding crash
Under my feet, when all seem'd equable,
All hopeful, not a form of fear in sight.

Del Balzo. Lady! if all could see the pangs within
Which rend your bosom, every voice would pause
From railing and reproach.

Giovanna. Reproach who will,

Rail who delight in railing.

Protect the innocent?

Could my arm

Del Balzo. But strange reports

(With this commission in my hand I speak it) Murmur throughout the city. Kindred, ay, Close kindred are accused.

Giovanna. Such accusations

Have burst upon my ear: they wrong my cousin.
A man more loyal than the brave Taranto

Nor court nor field e'er saw: but even he

Shall not escape if treachery be found

Within the shadow of that lofty mien.

Del Balzo. No, by the sword of the archangel! no..

30

Altho' his sister smiles this hour upon

Her first-born of my dear and only brother

The Duke of Andria. Thou must weep, Francesco !
And she and I; for such dishonour taints

The whole house through, obscuring past and future.
Was he not in Aversa?

Giovanna. Imperfect then is that commission, Ugo!

Del Balzo.

Freedom of speech is limited.

Giovanna. By what?

Del Balzo.

The throne,

Giovanna. For once then push the throne more back, And let thy words and actions have their

scope.

Del Balzo. Why was Aversa chosen for the revels? [The QUEEN hesitates and sighs deeply.

One answer comes from all. Because the town

Is Norman, the inhabitants are Norman,
Sworn enemies to an Hungarian prince;

The

very name sounds hostilely; the walls Built in aversion to the pride of Capua.

Giovanna. I could give other answer, which such hearts Would little understand. My happiest days

Were spent there... O that there my last had closed!
Was it not in Aversa we first met?

There
my Andrea, while our friends stood round
At our betrothment, fain would show me first
A horse they led for him from Hungary.
The hands we join'd were little hands indeed !
And the two rings we interchanged would ill
Let pass the bossy chain of his light hair
Entwisted with my darker, nor without
His teeth were then drawn through it.
When none saw quarrels on his side or mine,
Yet were there worse than there were latterly,
Or than since childhood ever. We have lived

Those were days

From those days forth without distrust and strife.

All might have seen but now will not know that.

Del Balzo. Lady! the court and people do remember
That none more courteous, none more beautiful,

Lives than the Prince Luigi they acknowledge
That Prince Andrea's qualities fell short

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70

Giovanna. Del Balzo! cease! he was your prince but

Del Balzo. Few, I confess it; not so few the other's.

His assiduities, his love.

Giovanna. Do these

Remember too, whate'er advantages

The Prince Luigi of Taranto had,

I

gave my hand where they who rear'd me will'd,

VOL. I.

M

80

That no contention in our family

Might reach my people? Ugo! tell me now
To whom show'd I my love? To them or him?
Del Balzo. Lady! 'twas nobly done.

Yet he was seen

To walk among the maskers on that night,
Was ordered to keep on his mask, was known
To watch Andrea in the balcony,

To rush away, to fight below the place
Where the inhuman deed was perpetrated,
And then to fly.

Giovanna. Oh! if Taranto could

Be guilty!.. but impossible! My sister

Saw him pursue three masks: and his own page
Found him in fight with one, where two were slain.

Del Balzo. Would any court receive such testimony?
Giovanna. Examine then more closely. I am lost,
Not in conjectures, for my mind flies off
From all conjecture, but in vague, in wild
Tumultuous thoughts, all broken, crost, and crazed.
Go, lose no moment. There are other things

90

100

[DEL BALZO goes.

I could have said what were they? . . there are things..
Maria.. why not here! . . She knows there are .
O! were the guilty so perplext as I am,

No guilt were undiscover'd in the world!

ACT I. SCENE III.

FILIPPA, SANCIA TERLIZZI, DEL BALZO.

Sancia Terlizzi. Gentle and gracious and compassionate,

Companion and not queen to those about her,

Giovanna delegates her fullest powers

To stern Del Balzo; and already force

Enters the palace gates.

Filippa. Let them be closed

Against all force. Send for the seneschal.

Sancio Terlizzi. Acciajoli has departed for Aversa,

There to make inquest.

Filippa. Who dares strike the door?

Del Balzo (entering). The laws.

Filippa. Count Ugo! is the queen extinct?

Del Balzo. The prince is.

Therefore lead with due

[To an Officer.

This violence?

Del Balzo (to the Officer). Let none, I pray, be used.

Behold the queen's commission!

[To FILIPPA.

In that chamber

Where close examinations must ensue,

In clear untroubled order let your words
Leave us no future violence to be fear'd.

20

Filippa (returning the paper). The queen hath acted as she always acts,

Discreetly; bravely; it becomes her race

And station: what becomes a faithful subject

Let us do now.

[The QUEEN enters.

Sancia Terlizzi. Turn: lo, the queen herself!

Del Balzo. Lady! there is one chamber in the realm, And only one, and that but for one day,

You

may not enter.

Giovanna. Which is that, Del Balzo?

Del Balzo. Where the judge sits against the criminal.
Giovanna.

Criminal! none are here.

Del Balzo. If all my wishes

Avail'd me, there were none.

Giovanna. Sure, sure, the palace

Is sacred.

Del Balzo. Sacred deeds make every place

Sacred, unholy ones make all unholy.

Giovanna. But these are our best friends.

Filippa. My royal mistress !

The name of friendship and the name of justice

30

40

Should stand apart. Permit me to retire.. [To DEL Balzo.

Whither, sir, you must dictate.