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Read Ebook: Love and Intrigue: A Tragedy by Schiller Friedrich
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Ebook has 141 lines and 8028 words, and 3 pages
LOUISA. Ah! I forgot that there are others in the world besides him--my head wanders so. Was he not here? Ferdinand?
MILLER . I thought my Louisa had forgotten that name in her devotions?
LOUISA . I understand you, father. I feel the knife which stabs my conscience; but it comes too late. I can no longer pray, father. Heaven and Ferdinand divide my bleeding soul, and I fear--I fear--. Yet no, no, good father. The painter is best praised when we forget him in the contemplation of his picture. When in the contemplation of his masterpiece, my delight makes me forget the Creator,--is not that, father, the true praise of God?
MILLER . There we have it! Those are the fruits of your ungodly reading.
MILLER . My child, my child, with joy would I sacrifice the remnant of my days hadst thou never seen the major.
LOUISA How; how? What did you say? No, no! that could not be your meaning, good father. You know not that Ferdinand is mine! You know not that God created him for me, and for my delight alone! The first moment that I beheld him--and the blood rushed into my glowing cheeks--every pulse beat with joy; every throb told me, every breath whispered, "'Tis he!" And my heart, recognizing the long-desired one, repeated "'Tis he!" And the whole world was as one melodious echo of my delight! Then--oh! then was the first dawning of my soul! A thousand new sentiments arose in my bosom, as flowers arise from the earth when spring approaches. I forgot there was a world, yet never had I felt that world so dear to me! I forgot there was a God, yet never had I so loved him!
MILLER . Louisa! my beloved, my admirable child! Do what thou wilt. Take all--all--my life--the baron-- God is my witness--him I can never give thee! , as they call it; and the fiddler's daughter shall be talked of for twenty miles round.
FERDINAND. . No more! no more! For God's sake be silent! Be silent but for this one night; 'tis the only favor I ask of you.
LOUISA with a glass of lemonade; the former.
LOUISA . Tell me, if it be not to your taste.
FERDINAND . Oh! I had almost forgotten! Good Miller, I have a request to make. Will you do me a little favor?
MILLER. A thousand with pleasure! What are your commands?
FERDINAND. My father will expect me at table. Unfortunately I am in very ill humor. 'Twould be insupportable to me just now to mix in society. Will you go to my father and excuse my absence?
LOUISA . Oh, let me go!
MILLER. Am I to see the president himself?
FERDINAND. Not himself. Give your message to one of the servants in the ante-chamber. Here is my watch as a credential that I sent you. I shall be here when you return. You will wait for an answer.
LOUISA . Cannot I be the bearer of your message?
FERDINAND . Stay--one thing more! Here is a letter to my father, which I received this evening enclosed in one to myself. Perhaps on business of importance. You may as well deliver it at the same time.
MILLER . Very well, baron!
LOUISA . But, dear father, I could do all this very well! Pray let me go!
MILLER. It is night, my child! and you must not venture out alone!
LOUISA. The lemonade is good.
FERDINAND Much good may it do thee!
LOUISA . Oh! could you but know, Walter, how cruelly you wrong me!
FERDINAND. Indeed!
FERDINAND . Oh! we have done with time.
LOUISA. When the remembrance of this evening will lie heavy on your heart!
FERDINAND Farewell the prince's service!
LOUISA. My God! what mean you!
FERDINAND. I am hot, and oppressed. I would be more at ease.
LOUISA. Drink! drink! it will cool you.
FERDINAND. That it will, most effectually. The strumpet, though, is kind-hearted! Ay, ay, so are they all!
LOUISA . That to thy Louisa, Ferdinand?
FERDINAND . Away! away! Hence with those soft and melting eyes! they subdue me. Come to me, snake, in all thy monstrous terrors! Spring upon me, scorpion! Display thy hideous folds, and rear thy proud coils to heaven! Stand before my eyes, hateful as the abyss of hell e'er saw thee! but not in that angel form! Take any shape but that! 'Tis too late. I must crush thee like a viper, or despair! Mercy on thy soul!
LOUISA. Oh! that it should come to this!
FERDINAND . So fair a work of the heavenly artist! Who would believe it? Who can believe it? I will not arraign thy ordinations, oh! incomprehensible Creator! Yet wherefore didst thou pour thy poison into such beauteous vessels? Can crime inhabit so fair a region? Oh! 'tis strange! 'tis passing strange!
LOUISA. To hear this, and yet be compelled to silence!
LOUISA. Alas for this criminal wilfulness! Rather than confess his own rashness, he accuses the wisdom of heaven!
FERDINAND . Yet once more, my Louisa! Yet once again, as on the day of our first kiss, when you faltered forth the name of Ferdinand, and the first endearing "Thou!" trembled on thy burning lips. Oh! a harvest of endless and unutterable joys seemed to me at that moment to be budding forth. There lay eternity like a bright May-day before our eyes; thousands of golden years, fair as brides, danced around our souls. Then was I so happy! Oh! Louisa! Louisa! Louisa! Why hast thou used me thus?
LOUISA. Weep, Walter, weep! Your compassion will be more just towards me than your wrath.
FERDINAND. You deceive yourself. These are not nature's tears! not that warm delicious dew which flows like balsam on the wounded soul, and drives the chilled current of feeling swiftly along its course. They are solitary ice-cold drops! the awful, eternal farewell of my love! They are tears for thy soul, Louisa! tears for the Deity, whose inexhaustible beneficence has here missed its aim, and whose noblest work is cast away thus wantonly. Oh methinks the whole universe should clothe itself in black, and weep at the fearful example now passing in its centre. 'Tis but a common sorrow when mortals fall and Paradise is lost; but, when the plague extends its ravages to angels, then should there be wailing throughout the whole creation!
FERDINAND. Dost thou feel well, Louisa?
LOUISA. Why that question?
FERDINAND. It would grieve me shouldst thou be called hence with a lie upon thy lips.
FERDINAND . No! no! That revenge were too satanic! No! God forbid! I will not extend my anger beyond the grave! Louisa, didst thou love the marshal? Thou wilt leave this room no more!
LOUISA . Ask what you will. I shall give no answer.
FERDINAND . Take heed for thy immortal soul! Louisa! Didst thou love the marshal? Thou wilt leave this room no more!
LOUISA. I shall give no answer.
FERDINAND . Louisa! Didst thou love the marshal? Before this light burns out--thou wilt stand--before the throne of God!
LOUISA . Merciful Jesus! what was that? And I feel so ill!
FERDINAND. Already? Oh, woman, thou eternal paradox! thy delicate nerves can sport with crimes at which manhood trembles; yet one poor grain of arsenic destroys them utterly!
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