The Purgatory of St. Patrick, Pedro Calderón de la Barca [i read a book TXT] 📗

mortal dread Which forbad me to endure Any stranger, and in fine, That your arms being joined with mine, I might feel the more secure. Many a land, both far and near, Passing through you fared right well; And now answering I will tell Why it is that we come here. And 'tis this: I come to slay Here a man who did me wrong, 'Tis for this I pass along, Muffled in this curious way, Hiding country, dress, and name; And the night suits best for me, For my powerful enemy Can the first position claim In the land. Since I avow Why I hither have been led, Listen now how I have sped In my project until now. I three days ago was brought To this city in disguise, For two nights, beneath the skies, I my enemy have sought In his street and at his door; Twice a muffled figure came And disturbed me in my aim, Twice he called and stalked before Him I followed in the street; But when I the figure neared, Suddenly he disappeared As if wings were on his feet. I this third night have brought you, That should this mysterious shape Come again, he sha'nt escape, Being caught between us two; Who he is we then can see.

PAUL. Two? who are they?

LUIS. You and I.

PAUL. I'm not one.

LUIS. Not one? How? Why?

PAUL. No, sir, no. I cannot be One, nor half a one. These stories Faith! would frighten fifty Hectors; What know I of Lady Spectres, Or of Lord Don Purgatories? All through life I've kept aloof From the other world's affairs, Shunning much superfluous cares; But, my courage put to proof, Bid me face a thousand men, And if I don't cut and run From the thousand, nay, from one, Never trust to me again. For I think it quite a case Fit for Bedlam, if so high, That a man would rather die, Than just take a little race. Such a trifle! Sir, to me Life is precious; leave me here, Where you'd find me, never fear.

LUIS. Here's the house; to-night I'll be, Philip, your predestined fate. Now we'll see if heaven pretends To defend him, and defends.- Watch here, you, beside the gate.


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SCENE II.

A Muffled Figure. - LUIS and PAUL.

PAUL. There's no need to watch, for hither Some one comes.

LUIS. A lucky mortal Am I, if the hour draws nigh That will two revenges offer.* Since this night there then will be Naught to interrupt my project, Slaying first this muffled figure And then Philip. Slow and solemn Comes this man again. I know him By his gait. But whence this horror That comes o'er me as I see him, This strange awe that chills, that shocks me?


[footnote] *Asonante in o - e to the end of Scene VIII.


THE FIGURE. Luis Enius!

LUIS. Sir, I've seen you Here the last two nights; your object? If you call me, wherefore fly thus? If 'tis me you seek, why mock me By retiring?

THE FIGURE. Follow me, Then you'll know my name.

LUIS. I'm stopped here In this street by a little business.- To be quite alone imports me.- Wherefore first by killing you I'll be free to kill another [He draws his sword, but merely cuts the air. Draw, then, draw your sword or not, Thus the needful path I shorten To two acts of vengeance. Heavens! I but strike the air, cut nothing, Sever nothing else. Quick! Paul, Stop him as he stalks off yonder, Near to you.

PAUL. I'm bad at stopping.

LUIS. Then your footsteps I will follow Everywhere, until I learn Who you are. [Aside.] (In vain his body Do I strive to pierce. Oh, heavens! Lightnings flash from off my sword here; But in no way can I touch him, As if sword and arm were shortened.) [Exit following the figure, striking at it without touching it.


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SCENE III.

PHILIP. - PAUL.

PAUL [aside]. God be with you both! But scarce Has one vanished, when another Comes to haunt me. Why, I'm tempted By strange phantoms and hobgoblins Like another San Antonio:- In this doorway I'll ensconce me, Till my friend here kindly passes.

PHILIP. Love, ambitious, bold, deep-plotted, With the favours of a kingdom Me thou mak'st a prosperous lover. To the desert fled Polonia, Where, mid savage rocks and forests, Citizen of mighty mountains, Islander of lonely grottoes, She doth dwell, to Lesbia leaving Crown and kingdom; through a stronger Greed than love I Lesbia court,- For a queen is worth my homage. From her trellis I have come, From a sweet and pleasant converse. But, what's this? Each night I stumble On a man here at my doorstep. Who is there?

PAUL [aside]. To me he's coming. Why on earth should every goblin Pounce on me?

PHILIP. Sir, Caballero.

PAUL. These are names I don't acknowledge; He can't speak to ME.

PHILIP. This house Is my home.

PAUL. Which I don't covet; May you for an age enjoy it, Without billets.

PHILIP. If important Business in this street detains you (Not a word whereon I offer), Give me room that I may pass.

PAUL [aside]. Somewhat timid, though quite proper, Goblins can be cowards too.- Yes, sir, for a certain office I am here; go in, and welcome; I no gentleman would stop here Bound for bed, nor is it right.

PHILIP. The condition I acknowledge.- [Aside. Well, fine spectres, to be sure, Haunt this street: each night I notice That a man here comes before me, But when I approach him softly, Hereabouts on my own threshold, I, as now, have always lost him. But what matters this to me? [Exit.

[PAUL draws his sword and makes several flourishes. PAUL. As he's gone, the right and proper Thing is this:- Stay, stay, cold shadow, Whether you're a ghost or ghostess, I can't reach it. Why, by heaven! Air alone I cut and chop here. But if this is he we wait for In the night-time like two blockheads Faith! he is a lucky fellow To have got to bed so promptly. But another noise I hear Sounding from that dark street yonder. 'Tis of swords and angry voices:- There I run to reconnoitre. [Exit.


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SCENE IV.

ANOTHER STREET.

The Muffled Figure and LUIS.

LUIS. Sir, already we have issued From that street; if aught there stopped us, We are here alone, and may Hand to hand resume the combat. And since powerless is my sword Thee to wound, I throw me on thee To know who thou art. Declare, Art thou demon, man, or monster? What! no answer? Then I thus Dare myself to solve the problem, [He tears the cloak from the Figure, and finds beneath it a skeleton. And find out . . . . Oh, save me, heaven! God! what's this I see? what horrid Spectacle! What frightful vision! What death-threatening fearful portent! Stiff and stony corse, who art thou? That of dust and ashes formed Now dost live?

THE FIGURE. Not know thyself? This is thy most faithful portrait; I, alas! am Luis Enius. [Disappears.*


[footnote] *The interview between Luis Enius and the Skeleton, says a recent writer, "is a scene truly Calderonic - the hour, the place, the intended assassin, and the sudden reflection of himself, with his guilty conscience impersonate before him; it reminds us of that wild fable of Jeremy Taylor or Fuller, about the bird with a human face, that feeds on human flesh until it chances to see its reflection in a stream, and then it pines away for grief that it has killed its fellow." - WESTMINSTER REVIEW, vol. liv. p. 306.


LUIS. Save me, heaven! what words of horror! Save me, heaven! what sight of woe! Prey of shadows and misfortunes. Ah, I die. [He falls on the ground.


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SCENE V.

PAUL. - LUIS.

PAUL. It is the voice Of my master. Succour cometh Opportunely now in me. Sir!

LUIS. Ah! why return, dread monster? I am overwhelmed, I faint here At your voice.

PAUL [aside]. God help his noddle! He's gone mad! - Dread monster? No, [Aloud. I am Juan Paul, that donkey Who, not knowing why or wherefore, Is your servant.

LUIS. Ah! good, honest Paul, I knew you not, so frightened Am I. But at that why wonder, If myself I do not know? Did you see a fearful corse here, A dead body with a soul, An apparent man supported By his skeleton alone, Bones from which the flesh had rotted, Fingers rigid, gaunt, and cold, Naked trunk, uncouth, abhorrent, Vacant spaces whence the eyes, Having fallen, left bare the sockets?- Whither has he gone?

PAUL. If I Saw that ghost, upon my honour, I could never say I saw it; For more dead than that dead body I had fallen on the other side At the moment.

LUIS. And no wonder; For my voice was mute, my breath Choked, my heart's warm beat forgotten, Clothed with ice were all my senses, Shod with lead my feet, my forehead Cold with sweat, I saw suspended Heaven's two mighty poles upon me, The brief Atlases sustaining Such a burden being my shoulders. It appeared as if there started Rocks from every tender blossom, Giants from each opening rose; For the earth's disrupted hollows Wished from out their graves to cast Forth the dead who lay there rotten; Ah, among them I beheld Luis Enius! Heaven be softened! Hide me, hide me, from myself! Bury me in some deep corner Of earth's centre! Let me never See myself, since no self-knowledge Have I had! But now I have it; Now I know I am that monster Of rebellion, who defied, In my madness, pride, and folly, God Himself; the same, whose crimes Are so numerous and so horrid, That it were slight punishment, If the whole wrath of the Godhead Was outpoured on me, and whilst God was God, eternal torments I should have to bear in hell. But I have this further knowledge, They were done against a