Why did he so?
Osorio (with deep tones of suppressed agitation). Ay, wherefore
did he so? 165
Velez. Because you bade him — and an excellent thought!
A mighty man, and gentle as he is mighty.
He’ll wind into her confidence, and rout
A host of scruples — come, confess, Osorio!
Osorio. You pierce through mysteries with a lynx’s eye, 170
In this, your merry mood! you see it all!
Velez. Why, no! — not all. I have not yet discover’d,
At least, not wholly, what his speeches meant.
Pride and hypocrisy, and guilt and cunning —
Then when he fix’d his obstinate eye on you, 175
And you pretended to look strange and tremble.
Why — why — what ails you now?
Osorio (with a stupid stare). Me? why? what ails me?
A pricking of the blood — it might have happen’d
At any other time. Why scan you me?
Velez (clapping him on the shoulder). ‘Twon’t do—’twon’t do — I
have lived too long in the world. 180
His speech about the corse and stabs and murderers,
Had reference to the assassins in the picture:
That I made out.
Osorio (with a frantic eagerness). Assassins! what assassins!
Velez. Well-acted, on my life! Your curiosity
Runs open-mouth’d, ravenous as winter wolf. 185
I dare not stand in its way. [He shows OSORIO the picture.
Osorio. Dup’d — dup’d — dup’d!
That villain Ferdinand! (aside).
Velez. Dup’d — dup’d — not I.
As he swept by me ——
Osorio. Ha! what did he say?
Velez. He caught his garment up and hid his face.
It seem’d as he were struggling to suppress —— 190
Osorio. A laugh! a laugh! O hell! he laughs at me!
Velez. It heaved his chest more like a violent sob.
Osorio. A choking laugh! [A pause — then very wildly.
I tell thee, my dear father!
I am most glad of this!
Velez. Glad! — aye — to be sure.
Osorio. I was benumb’d, and stagger’d up and down 195
Thro’ darkness without light — dark — dark — dark —
And every inch of this my flesh did feel
As if a cold toad touch’d it! Now ‘tis sunshine,
And the blood dances freely thro’ its channels!
[He turns off — then (to himself) mimicking FERDINAND’S
manner.
‘A common trick of gratitude, my lord! 200
Old Gratitude! a dagger would dissect
His own full heart,’ ‘twere good to see its colour!
Velez (looking intently at the picture). Calm, yet commanding!
how he bares his breast,
Yet still they stand with dim uncertain looks,
As penitence had run before their crime. 205
A crime too black for aught to follow it
Save blasphemous despair! See this man’s face —
With what a difficult toil he drags his soul
To do the deed. [Then to OSORIO.
O this was delicate flattery
To poor Maria, and I love thee for it! 210
Osorio (in a slow voice with a reasoning laugh). Love — love — and
then we hate — and what? and wherefore?
Hatred and love. Strange things! both strange alike!
What if one reptile sting another reptile,
Where is the crime? The goodly face of Nature
Hath one trail less of slimy filth upon it. 215
Are we not all predestined rottenness
And cold dishonor? Grant it that this hand
Had given a morsel to the hungry worms
Somewhat too early. Where’s the guilt of this?
That this must needs bring on the idiotcy 220
Of moist-eyed penitence—’tis like a dream!
Velez. Wild talk, my child! but thy excess of feeling
[Turns off from OSORIO.
Sometimes, I fear, it will unhinge his brain!
Osorio. I kill a man and lay him in the sun,
And in a month there swarm from his dead body 225
A thousand — nay, ten thousand sentient beings
In place of that one man whom I had kill’d.
Now who shall tell me, that each one and all,
Of these ten thousand lives, is not as happy
As that one life, which being shov’d aside 230
Made room for these ten thousand?
Velez. Wild as madness!
Osorio. Come, father! you have taught me to be merry,
And merrily we’ll pore upon this picture.
Velez (holding the picture before Osorio). That Moor, who points
his sword at Albert’s breast ——
Osorio (abruptly). A tender-hearted, scrupulous, grateful
villain, 235
Whom I will strangle!
Velez. And these other two ——
Osorio. Dead — dead already! — what care I for the dead?
Velez. The heat of brain and your too strong affection
For Albert, fighting with your other passion,
Unsettle you, and give reality 240
To these your own contrivings.
Osorio. Is it so?
You see through all things with your penetration.
Now I am calm. How fares it with Maria?
My heart doth ache to see her.
Velez. Nay — defer it!
Defer it, dear Osorio! I will go. [Exit VELEZ. 245
Osorio. A rim of the sun lies yet upon the sea —
And now ‘tis gone! all may be done this night!
Enter a Servant.
Osorio. There is a man, once a Moresco chieftain,
One Ferdinand.
Servant. He lives in the Alpuxarras,
Beneath a slate rock.
Osorio. Slate