Her health is weak at present: agitation Strongly affects her. But she'll soon recover. GARCIO. Thou answ'rest for her readily, young lady, Enter ROVANI, followed by Nurse, carrying a sleeping infant. ROVANI. Come on, good Nurse; thou need'st not be ashamed To show thy bantling, sleeping or awake. Ne'er changed the face of stern and warlike sire GARCIO (turning eagerly round). The child my child! (Lifting the mantle that covers it, and gazing on the infant.) ROVANI. Ay, there are cheeks and lips like roses glowing; Like loopholes in a cloud. - Awake, sweet imp! Nay, wake him not; Let me support GARCIO. his sleep is beautiful. Come to my stirring heart, And here be cradled, thing of wond'rous joy! (Taking the child.) Here, in the inmost core of beating life, I'd lodge thee. Mine thou art! yes, thou art mine! Here is my treasured being: thou wilt love me. (Laying his face close to the child's.) Blest softness! little hand and little cheek! This is a touch so sweet! a blessed touch! There is love in it; love that will not change! (Bursting into tears, while the Nurse takes the child again.) COUNTESS (aside, observing his emotion). O heaven, he weeps! - the tears of strong affection! Away, base doubts! (Running to him, and clasping her arms round him.) Garcio, dear Garcio! husband of my heart, And father of my boy! is there within thee Such soft and strong affection? O, there is! And with it every good and generous feeling. Forgive me, O forgive me! GARCIO. How, my love? How wakes this sudden burst of tenderness? COUNTESS. O, forgive me! My mind was weak and brooded on dark thoughts. We'll cast them from us.-Yes, thy child, thy boy! Look on him still: they say that in his face There are some traits of thine. Observe his mouth; That smile GARCIO. Nay, that sweet smile I could not give him; No, nor those lips. He much resembles thee. COUNTESS. Thinkest thou so? Then haply thou perceiv'st Another likeness some have sadly traced; Dost thou perceive it? GARCIO. No: another likeness? In COUNTESS. my sad lonely hours, I have imagined, And sooth'd me with the pleasing, mournful thought, He bears some faint resemblance to my brother, My poor Ulrico. (GARCIO'S countenance becomes stern, and looking again stedfastly on the child, he turns away in silence.) It does not strike thee, then ? . GARCIO (motioning the Nurse to retire). We shall disturb his slumbers. COUNTESS (to him reproachfully). Sent off without a kiss of kind endearment? GARCIO. We should disturb him. (Looking after the child as he is carried off) COUNTESS. Thine eye pursues him with a mournful look : Thou fear'st, perhaps, an early fate may snap His thread of life, like his lamented uncle's. GARCIO. No; past and future are but shadowy visions; Dark cumb'rous things which we must cast aside To make the present hour endurable. Who waits without? A cup of wine, I pray; I'm tir'd and faint. COUNTESS. Indeed, thou seem'st unwell : I fear thou bring'st not back thy wonted health. GARCIO. I'm well, — I was in health, but this damp re gion, I breathe not in it but with breath suppress'd. Thou know'st right well I never liked this place: Why art thou here? COUNTESS. It is necessity. GARCIO. I know; I know; but other homes there are; We'll hence to-morrow. COUNTESS. Ha! so soon, my lord? GARCIO. It must be so. I would retire awhile; Where is my chamber? COUNTESS. In the western tower. GARCIO. No; I'll remain-I will not yet retire. (Pacing to and fro, and then returning to her.) I know not how it is; I'm fanciful; I like a southern chamber. COUNTESS (in a faint voice, gazing fearfully upon him). Ev'n as you will. (SOPHERA, who has during the greater part of this scene retired to the bottom of the Stage with ROVANI, now comes forward.) SOPHERA. Please you, my lord, to go, I will conduct you Where many fair apartments wait your choice. |