Teresa Contarini/Act I

by Elizabeth F. Ellet

ACT I

SCENE I

Scene Venice

Grand Council Chamber. Doge and Senators discovered in debate.

Doge

I would not counsel to severity.

If Venice be in danger, she has arms

To wield the sword against all threatening foes,

And hearts enough to bleed in her defence.

Loredano

Should we not watch more jealous o'er her rights?

And rather crush rebellion in the bud,

Than pamper it into luxurious growth

By our delay? Spain looks with eager eye

To find some crevice in the wall of safety

Wherewith our vigilance hath hedged the state:---

France joins the envious league;---their minions lurk

Within the city's bounds, to discontent

Stirring the populace.---But one way offers

Security---let laws too often slighted

Reign in full force.

Contarini

It doth become us here

To feign sleep, but unclose a thousand eyes;

To treasure up each doubtful sign and word,

To write down sighs.

Loredano

Let all suspected die!

Let the first breath of treason be the signal

To crush the offender.

Veniero

For the guilty, arm

Your power with all its terrors. Be severe,

And firm, but frame not laws whose weight must fall

Upon a thousand innocent heads, to reach

One that deserves their penalty.

Loredano

Would you bar

The course of justice?

Veniero

Justice! ye misname

What is but cruelty. Is not your power

Already vast enough? If the pale slave

Whisper of you, he bends his brow to earth,

Lifting in awe his trembling hand toward heaven,

And mutters " Those above! " A power so boundless,

Why would you make but tyranny?

Loredano

'Tis right

It should be so. The multitude esteem

Each god a tyrant, and all tyrants gods.

Not by the force of hostile powers without,

A state will fall, if in herself she bear not,

As doth the human frame, those hidden seeds

That ripen for destruction.---Ours the charge

To seek and root them out.---Look on the years

Of our brave ancestors. The sacred yoke

Of laws severe, inflexible and just,

They bore unmurmuring---and the citizen

Learned here the lesson to all Italy

Besides, unknown---to govern and obey!

'On such a policy shone days of splendor:

Easy was then the task to put to rout

The Gallic fleets; to humble Frederick's pride

In a single conflict---and on every tower

Raised by our foes beyond our country's bounds,

To plant the Lion standard of St. Mark.

Asia then trembled for her kingdom's safety,

Though Europe intervened; and 'gainst all Europe

Leagued for our injury, alone and armed

Stood forth the genius of Venetian power.'

Now times are changed. Now crime unblushing claims

Impunity. In this degenerate age,

Nor evils will be borne---nor remedies!

And we are branded with the name of tyrants,

By every worthless flatterer of the people

Who boasts himself a statesman, and would here

Let crime pass scatheless.

Veniero

Nay---why fix you thus

Your glance on me? am I the "worthless flatterer"

Whom you would here denounce?

Loredano

Even as you will---

Your conscience must reply.

Doge

Nay---nay---my lords,

Descend not here to brawl. Retire---and let

The vote be taken.

[Contarini and Badoero count the votes.

Senators of Venice,

Ye to the public eye should be as gods,

Not men thus passion moved.

Contarini

Fathers! the laws have triumphed.

Read the decree.

Badoero ( reads. )

"It is hereby enacted, that if any Patrician be seen to hold intercourse in secret with the ambassadors of France or Spain, or pass their thresholds after sunset, he shall be held guilty of treason and shall suffer its penalty."

Doge

'Tis well; such is the Senate's voice. And now

Another duty. Summon Foscarini.

[ A guard goes out, and returns with Foscarini.

Antonio Foscarini!

To you our council hath decreed the trust

Of the embassy to Switzerland. We will

That you depart to-night.

Foscarini

My gracious lord,

Humble, yet grateful, I receive the trust

You're pleased to invest me with. My years are few,

Yet ripe for strict obedience.

Doge ( rising )

It grows late.

The council is dissolved.

[ Exeunt all but Doge and Foscarini.

Small time remains

To show thee, Foscarini, ere we part,

The prince merged in the friend:---I was thy father's.

Say, if my efforts can in aught avail

To do thee service?

Foscarini

I do prize your goodness:

Will tax it for one boon. There is a maid

Within this town, I speak not of her beauty,

For that were idle, and you'd smile perchance,

At lover's rhapsodies------

Doge

Well, cut them short;

Her name?

Foscarini

She is the daughter of Veniero;

All Venice knows his feud with Loredano,

Their strife and hate. My suit is briefly this---

From Loredano and his secret arts,

Protect Teresa and her sire.

Doge

You ask

As if the Doge did govern here, and were not

Most bound to servitude. Yet will I watch

Over their safety.

Foscarini

And if peril threaten,

Inform me of the danger?

Doge

That I promise.

Foscarini

Enough! with lighter heart I shall now leave

My native city. Fare you well!

Doge

Heaven guard you.

[ Exeunt severally.

SCENE II

A Street.---Enter Vincentio and Leonardo, with other citizens.

Vincentio

Talk not of patience here! On every pleasure

Some spy doth watch, in mirth's unguarded hour

To seize stray thoughts which haply may transgress

The straitened bounds of prudence.

Leonardo

Hush! you tread

Close on its limits now. The mighty ones

Are like the gods, invisible and present.

Vincentio

Aye, like the gods too, that their cunning visits

Their destined victims with a wholesome madness!

By Heaven! I'd rather grapple with the Hun,

Or serve the turbaned Turk, than linger life out

In such concealed bondage! 'Twas but now,

Even at the masque, I saw the peering eyes

Of that dark villain, Steno, fixed upon me.

I've marked him oft---he serves the state in secret!

Mine arm ached for the dagger, as I watched

His lowering face.

Leonardo

Are you alone in fear?

Our Senators------

Vincentio

Are tigers clothed in robes.

Leonardo

Not all. Yet when the voice of mirth is heard,

If they appear, in terror steals away

Each startled reveller, and all around

Is silent as the grave---

Vincentio

To which they doom

The luckless murmurers.

Leonardo

Hush! some one approaches.

The Signor Loredano, and another.

In converse, too.

Vincentio

Some double, unheard crime

They ponder.

Leonardo

Let us go.

[ Exeunt.

[Enter Contarini and Loredano.

Contarini

Chafe not at idle words.

Loredano

I am not wont

To let them move me. In another age

The stain of insult must be washed with blood,

Or it grew rank, and spread unsightliness

On him that bore it. Now, though thrice reviled,

Thrice, at the banquet, in these times the steel

'Tis dangerous to wield. Hate is resisted

By wisdom.

Contarini

And let wisdom vanquish hate.

And now to softer themes. Wilt go with me

Where pleasure ever waits to greet the guest?

Loredano

The lady Fiorilla's?

Contarini

Fiorilla!

Shame! in a tone where bitterness so lately

Hath dwelt, to breathe her name---were not that name

Of power to sweeten all! Hear but her voice---

Oh! the dull spheres, to hear it, might descend,

Lessoned by music sweeter than their own!

'Twill charm the evil spirit from your soul,

As the enamored bard of old beguiled

Hell's guilty prisoners to a transient bliss,

And won the bride he loved from Pluto's arms!

Loredano

You love this syren?

Contarini

Nay---to shrines so fair,

Kneeling, we offer passionate vows, but dream not

Of single worship. Would the sun in heaven,

That fills the world with glory, treasure up

His gathered beams for one poor mortal's gaze?

Or if he might, would not the dazzling tide

O'erwhelm his votary? Florilla's charms

Were never made for one---and all who share

The sunlight of her smile, may bask in safety;

It shines on all alike.

Loredano

You know I seek not

A lady's favor. May your hopes grow ripe

Beneath her cherishing glance!

Contarini

My dearest hopes

Are elsewhere fixed.

Loredano

So fickle a gallant!

Contarini

Your pardon! The majestic flower that spreads

Its beauties to the open eye of day

All may admire, and quaff its bounteous fragrance.

But love we less some gentle, shrinking bud,

That blooms but for our gaze?

Loredano

Ha! and who plays

The treasured blossom to your miser's bower?

Contarini

A lovely, and a stately one; full soon

To be transplanted to that genial soil.

To night my vows I pay where hundreds more

Will emulate my worship. Will you go?

Loredano

I'll join you soon.

[ Exit Loredano.

Contarini

He'll serve my purpose well.

His anger is well-timed: it gives a color

To my intent, which makes all doubly sure.

This for the marble that so meetly yawns

For secret accusations. Loredano

Must aid my labors, while I reap the fruit.

[ Exit.

SCENE III

A Garden--- Teresa appears, descending the steps of a balcony.

Teresa

'Tis sunset, and he is not here; though wont

To anticipate the hour! It matters not.

How lovely is the silvery, deepening twilight!

There needs but some faint sound, in melody

Stealing upon the silence---some fond whisper

Which makes us sigh for quiet in return,

To muse upon its meaning!

( A strain of music without, which continues for some moments. )

Enter Foscarini.

Foscarini

She listens like a goddess, fresh from heaven,

To airs that breathe nought heavenly save her name.

The winds that wanton, lady, o'er thy lips,

Steal thence the fragrance that with prodigal wings

They lavish round the world!

Teresa

Flatterer! thy boldness

I would rebuke, but that thy tones have music

That charms away reproof.

Foscarini

Oh! woman, woman!

Who marking on your cheek the sudden brightness,

The brow that strives so vainly to compel

Disdain to sit there---who could deem you loved not

The voice of homage? Nay---sweet monitor------

Teresa

I never feigned disdain.

Foscarini

Nor felt it?

Teresa

Never

Toward you.

Foscarini

Why thanks; and well may I be proud,

Who merit scorn so richly; rashly seeking

To win such excellence, as other eyes

Are blinded while they gaze on!

Teresa

Again, again!

Foscarini

Forgive me---it is hard to measure words

When the heart overflows. Mine own Teresa!

Do I not love---have I not loved thee long?

As we do ever love all gentle things,

All glorious things, and holy---the rich flowers---

The brilliant morn---the far and smiling heaven!

All these grow sometimes pale;---heaven is o'ercast---

The dawn is clouded---and the fickle flowers

Are blighted ere their bloom be ripe!---Oh, tell me,

Who shall ensure to love, in chilling absence,

Exemption from their change?

Teresa

It owns no change.

To speak like you in figures,---wears the sky

A fainter hue, because some cloud awhile

Obscures its glory to terrestrial eyes?

But wherefore talk of absence?

Foscarini

We must part.

Teresa

Part!

Foscarini

For a time. Let it not blanch thy cheek,

Though, sooth, that hue of fear is dearer far

Than were ten thousand roses.

Teresa

Has my favor

O'erwearied you so soon?

Foscarini

Nay: thou dost wrong

Thy favor, to say thus. What could have power

To lure me from thy presence, save the trust

That short-lived sorrow should a harvest yield

Of rich, enduring bliss?

[ Music heard at a distance.

Hark! 'Tis the gondola

That waits to bear me hence. I must not linger.

Come with me for a space; and as we go

I'll tell thee of my hopes---hopes that will banish

Intrusive fear, and clothe the rugged peaks

Of wild Helvetia's Alps with smiles and flowers,

Breathing Elysian fragrance o'er their snows!

[Exeunt.