Festus · Scene 26 (2/2) (2/2)

| Lucifer | Entering. Friend! Did ye not know me? It was I who sang. | | Elissa | It was he! | | Festus | Thou⁠— | | Lucifer | Hush! thou art not to utter what I am. Bethink thee; it was our covenant. I said that I would see thee once again. | | Elissa | Thou didst; and I must thank thee. | | Lucifer | Hear me now! Thou knowest well what once I was to thee: One who for love of one I loved⁠—for thee⁠— Would have done or borne the sins of all the world; Who did thy bidding at thy lightest look; And had it been to have snatched an angel’s crown Off her bright brow as she sat singing, throned, I would have cut these heartstrings that tie down, And let my soul have sailed to Heaven, and done it⁠— Spite of the thunder and the sacrilege, And laid it at thy feet. I loved thee, lady! I am one whose love was greater than the world’s, And might have vied with God’s; a boundless ring, All pressing on one point⁠—that point thy heart. And now⁠—but shall I call on my revenge?⁠— It is at hand in armies. Thou art a woman; And that is saying the best and worst of thee. I know that vengeance is the part of God: And can make myself almighty for the moment. For what? for nothing. Thou art utter nothing. Thus it was always with me when with thee; And I forget my purpose and lay wrongs, In looking and in loving. But I hate thee. To say that thou didst love me! Curse the air That bore the sound to me! Forgive me, God! If I blaspheme, it is not at Thee, but her. I’d not believe, her were she saved in Heaven! There is no blasphemy in love but doubt; No sin, but to deceive. | | Festus | Then is she sinless. She loved thee first⁠—then me. What wouldst thou more? Thy heart’s embrace, though close, was snake-like cold; And mine was warm, and what is more, was welcome. | | Lucifer | Patience! I spake not, oared not, thought not, of thee.⁠— Now I forgive thy having loved another; And I forgive⁠—but never mind it now; I have forgiven so much, there is nothing left To make more words about; but, for the future, I will as soon attempt to entice a star To perch upon my finger; or the wind To follow me like a dog, as think to keep A woman’s heart again. Answer me not! Let me say what I have to say and go. Thou art all will and passion; that is thine Excuse and condemnation. | | Elissa | While that will Was love to thee, I saw no harm, nor thou. And if my heart hath gained, it was not I Who put it on⁠—nor could help it going wrong. | | Lucifer | Oh! I have heard, what rather than have heard, I would have stopped mine ears with thunder: words, That have gone singing through my soul, like arrows Through the air. | | Elissa | I never will defend myself. For I despise defence like accusation⁠— And now look down on them and thee together. | | Lucifer | Now let us party, or I shall die of wrath. Be my estrangement perfect as my love! | | Elissa | Part then! | | Lucifer | Thank God it is for eternity! | | Elissa | I do. Away. | | Lucifer | Festus! I wait for thee. | | Festus | Come, thou art not the first deceived in love; Yet love is not so much love as a dream, Which hath, it seems, like guerdon with the thing⁠— The staring madness when we wake and find That what we have loved, must love, is not that We meant to love. Perhaps I profited Too much by thy good lessons. Go! I follow. | | Lucifer | Going. Now therefore would I wager, and I might, The great archangers trump to a dog-whistle, That whatsoever happens, worse ensues. | | Festus | Forgive me, love, for having brought this on thee. | | Elissa | The love which giveth all, forgiveth aught. And thou art more to me than earth or Heaven. They have but given life: thou gavest me love, The lord of life⁠—thou, my life! love, and lord! Take me again! my kindest⁠—dearest⁠—best! Him who hath gone I never loved like thee. There was a desolation in his eye I could not brook to look on; for it seemed As though it ate the light out of mine own. I think that thou dost love me. | | Festus | And I think, For perfect love there should be but one god⁠— One worshipper. | | Elissa | We know the gods of old Worshipped each other⁠—equal deities. For the sweet poets surely spake the truth About the gods; they dare not speak but truth. | | Festus | Who but thyself would speak of poetry, While thou art by? who art the very breathing Beauty which bards may seek ideally. And dost thou, then, believe the gods of old⁠— Those toys and playthings of an infant world? | | Elissa | If I do not believe, I do not scorn them. Nay, I could mourn for them and pray for them. I can scorn nothing which a nation’s heart Hath held, for ages, holy: for the heart Is alike holy in its strength and weakness: It ought not to be jested with, nor scorned. All things, to me, are sacred that have been. And, though earth, like a river, streaked with blood, Which tells a long and silent tale of death, May blush her history and hide her eyes, The past is sacred⁠—it is God’s: not ours. Let her and us do better if we can. | | Festus | There are whole veins of diamonds in thine eyes, Might furnish crowns for all the Queens of earth. Oh! I could sooner set a price on the sun, My love, than on thy lightest look. Look on me! Speak! if it only be to say thou wilt not. Look! I would rather look on thee one minute, Than paradise for a whole day⁠—such days As are in Heaven. I love thee more and more. | | Elissa | To love, and say we love⁠—to suck the sting Out of the heart, and put its poison on The tongue. | | Festus | Yet it is luxury to feel Inflamed⁠—to glow within ourselves, like fire-opals. Now, stay thy pretty little tuneful tongue, Nor silver o’er thy syllables! They will not Pass. No, not one more word! I must away; I have staid too long, already, for my word. | | Elissa | I cannot part with thee: nay, sit again! Parted from thee I feel like one half riven, And my soul acheth to spring to⁠—as thus! | | Festus | There! let me leave love! let me loose these arms. Another time and, ah! well⁠—never mind! We shall be happier⁠—I know we shall. Thou hast been mine⁠—thou art mine⁠—and thou shalt be! | | Elissa | My life is one long loving thought of thee. If any ask me what I do, I could say I love, and that is all. | | Festus | It is enough. One kiss! another! one more⁠—there! farewell! Goes. | | Elissa | And he is gone! and the world seems gone with him. Shine on, ye Heavens! why can ye not impart Light to my heart? Have ye no feeling in ye? Why are ye bright when I am so unhappy? But oh! I would not change my woes for thrice The bliss of others, since they are for thee, love. Our very wretchedness grows dear to us When suffering for one we love. Sweet stars! I cannot look upon your loveliness Without sadness, for ye are too beautiful; And beauty makes unhappy: so men say. Ye stars! it is true⁠—we read our fate in ye. Bright through all ages, are ye not happy there? With years, many as your light-rays are ye not Immortal? Space-pervading, oh! ye most be, Spirit-like, infinite. All-being God! Who art in all things, and in whom all are!⁠— And it is thus we worship Thee the most; When heart to heart with one we love we are gods;⁠— Let us believe that if Thou gavest earth For our bodies, then the stars were for our souls; For perfect beauty and unbounded love! Let us believe they look upon us here As their inheritors, and save themselves For us, as we for Thee, and Thou for all! |