SCENE FROM A PROJECTED DRAMA ON INEZ DE CASTRO
The Queen and Don Pedro
Queen. Oh God! That ever I should live to see
My only son in arms against his father.
Pedro. I know not whom you mean; I have no father.
Queen. I mean the King Alonzo.
Pedro. What, the man
Who killed my wife? With all my soul and strength
I curse that man, and curse myself as well
If e'er again I own him for my father,
If e'er again I own him for my King,
Or ever see his face except to slay him.
I curse the heritage that shall be mine
Long as he rules it.
Queen. Pedro! Pedro! Oh
Impious! Thou freezest up my soul with horror.
Pedro. Oh mother! mother! Do you call me impious?
Oh mother! mother! Yet you knew my Inez!
Queen. Ah yes, my son, I knew her and I loved her.
Pedro. Well, say no more of her, nor dare again
Breathe any word of peace with Don Alonzo.
Queen. Alas! I only came to speak of that.
What shall I say?
Pedro. If that was all your errand,
Madam, you may return back to your husband.
Queen. Does my son speak so to his mother?
Pedro. Yes,
And shall to all who speak of peace with him.
Queen. Oh, Pedro, he is old and broken down,
His hairs that were but grizzled, are all white
Through your rebellion.
Pedro. Greybeard murderer!
Oh, mother, would that I had twenty brothers;
So might that man have twenty foes the more.
Queen. What shall I do? You break my heart.
Pedro. You weep
For him, then? You are tender-hearted, mother.
Who weeps for me?
Queen. Oh, by the Cross, my son,
And by the Virgin, and the Saints of Heaven,
I wept for you till I could weep no more.
My only son in arms against his father.
Pedro. I know not whom you mean; I have no father.
Queen. I mean the King Alonzo.
Pedro. What, the man
Who killed my wife? With all my soul and strength
I curse that man, and curse myself as well
If e'er again I own him for my father,
If e'er again I own him for my King,
Or ever see his face except to slay him.
I curse the heritage that shall be mine
Long as he rules it.
Queen. Pedro! Pedro! Oh
Impious! Thou freezest up my soul with horror.
Pedro. Oh mother! mother! Do you call me impious?
Oh mother! mother! Yet you knew my Inez!
Queen. Ah yes, my son, I knew her and I loved her.
Pedro. Well, say no more of her, nor dare again
Breathe any word of peace with Don Alonzo.
Queen. Alas! I only came to speak of that.
What shall I say?
Pedro. If that was all your errand,
Madam, you may return back to your husband.
Queen. Does my son speak so to his mother?
Pedro. Yes,
And shall to all who speak of peace with him.
Queen. Oh, Pedro, he is old and broken down,
His hairs that were but grizzled, are all white
Through your rebellion.
Pedro. Greybeard murderer!
Oh, mother, would that I had twenty brothers;
So might that man have twenty foes the more.
Queen. What shall I do? You break my heart.
Pedro. You weep
For him, then? You are tender-hearted, mother.
Who weeps for me?
Queen. Oh, by the Cross, my son,
And by the Virgin, and the Saints of Heaven,
I wept for you till I could weep no more.