# Dramas (Baillie)/The Homicide/Act 3

ACT III.
SCENE I.—Van Maurice's House; an Ante-room in the Apartment of Rosella.
Enter Margaret and a Maid Servant, by opposite sides.
MARGARET.
MAID.
MARGARET.
MAID.
MARGARET.
Enter Rosella.
ROSELLA.
MARGARET.
ROSELLA.
[As she is about to go off, she is stopped by the entering of a Servant.]
SERVANT.
ROSELLA.
MARGARET (to Servant).
SERVANT.
ROSELLA.
[Exit Servant.
(To Margaret and the Maid.) Leave me; I would see him alone.
MARGARET.
ROSELLA.
Don't mind that, but leave me.
If it should be! I fear—why do I fear?
Should I not wish it earnestly? Wild thought!
For such a quick return no natural means
Could have effected: him it cannot be.
Enter Claudien in disguise.
[She remains motionless, eyeing him from head to foot, while he looks round to ascertain that there he nobody in the room, and then discovers himself on which she utters a suppressed cry.]
But oh! I know it well;—thou should'st be here.
My brother must not die,
CLAUDIEN.
Thou know'st it then; he has to thee reveal'd?
ROSELLA.
CLAUDIEN.
ROSELLA.
Fear and affection have divined the truth.
The horror he express'd when I proposed
To write to thee and hasten thy return,
Came like a flash of lightning on my mind,
And then the truth was instantly reveal'd.
CLAUDIEN.
Be comforted, my dearest; he is safe.
ROSELLA.
(Wringing her hands distractedly.)
Alas, alas! we're dreadfully beset.
The innocent must not die; and with the guilty
Is twined the dearest chord of my existence.
Oh, words of misery! to call thee guilty!
(Taking his hands and pressing them tenderly.)
There has been blood upon these hands—I know it;
But 'twas the blood of a fell enemy
Who would have shed thy blood; and may I not
Press them and bless thee still?
CLAUDIEN.
Like sunshine through one solitary loophole,
In a dark firmament of gather'd clouds,
That gilds one spot of ocean, hill or plain,
With brightness beautiful though circumscribed.
Thou cheer'st my soul, and be thou also cheer'd!
I must and I will save thy brother's life.
And for that thou hast made my own so precious,
I will be wary to preserve it also.
ROSELLA.
Else thou couldst never, in so short a time,
Have reach'd this shore again.
CLAUDIEN.
Upon the breakers of a rocky shore;
But I swam stoutly, and, when quite exhausted,
I caught a floating raft and gain'd the shore.
ROSELLA.
And will preserve thee stilL
CLAUDIEN.
ROSELLA.
And to the Court declare the simple truth,
As to the deed, yet speaking of thee still
As one far distant in another land.
I am bold now; I am braced for the task;
Trust it to me.
CLAUDIEN.
I've better means than this to save thy brother.
ROSELLA (eagerly).
CLAUDIEN.
Thou'st made it so. There is no time, my love,
For further explanation. Fare thee well!
I'm glad that I have seen thee first; have heard
Thy words of strong affection, and have felt
This dear and gentle hand press'd to my heart.
Farewell, farewell!
ROSELLA.
Were going to divide us. How is this?
Farewell pronounced with such solemnity!
CLAUDIEN.
May separate the dearest.
ROSELLA.
The dungeon and the chain.—O, God of heaven!
To this dread Court myself; I have no fear,
For Heaven will teach me what I ought to say
When I am there; will give me words of power
To save a brother's life—ay, and a life
Dear as a brother's. Now I feel assuredly
I shall prevail. There is no time to lose:
Go to my chamber; haste thee to the cover.
(Dragging him to the door of an inner room.)
CLAUDIEN.
ROSELLA (dragging him still).
Alas! I have no strength; but let my weakness
Compel thee, generous Claudien!
(Kneeling to him.)
CLAUDIEN.
If thou believ'st thy chamber would protect me.
Shouldst thou before the judges speak of me,
As of an absent man! would they believe thee?
Thy servants too; they have admitted here
A stranger muffled up in mystery,
And must confess they saw him not depart.
Thou'lt run me into danger from the dread
And apprehension of it.—
Withhold me not; I will be very prudent;
I will not rashly risk my life. No longer
Must I remain; moments are precious now;
Let me depart.
ROSELLA.
To keep thee here so long.
(Catching hold of him as he hurries off.)
Button thee closer, take this handkerchief,
And press it to thy mouth like one in pain.
(Giving a handkerchief.)
CLAUDIEN.
ROSELLA (running after him again).
Thy step and graceful bearing will betray thee.
CLAUDIEN.
[Rosella alone, who continues to pace to and fro in a hurried way, and presently Margaret enters.]
MARGARET.
ROSELLA.
MARGARET.
I met the stranger going hence, and thought
I might return to thee: have I done wrong?
[Rosella gives no answer, but walks about as before.]
Move not so rapidly, my dear Rosella,
But let thy body have a little rest.
ROSELLA.
My mind would go distracted.
MARGARET.
Where no one will observe thee. Take my arm—
Heaven aid and pity thee, poor sufferer,
There is a cruel conflict in thy breast.
[Exeunt.
SCENE II.
A narrow Lobby or Passage, leading to the Hall of Justice. Several People discovered, passing or loitering about.
Enter Father Francis.
FATHER FRANCIS (to an Under Officer).
OFFICER.
FATHER FRANCIS.
OFFICER.
FATHER FRANCIS.
OFFICER.
FATHER FRANCIS.
OFFICER.
FATHER FRANCIS.
Enter Ardusoffe.
ARDUSOFFE.
FATHER FRANCIS.
ARDUSOFFE.
FATHER FRANCIS.
ARDUSOFFE.
FATHER FRANCIS.
ARDUSOFFE.
FATHER FRANCIS.
ARDUSOFFE.
FATHER FRANCIS.
SCENE III.
The Hall of Justice. Two Judges sitting in state; the Prisoner at the Bar; Kranzberg and Borion, and all the Attendants, &c. of a full Court.
SENIOR JUDGE.
Maurice Van Maurice, baron and citizen of this imperial city, we have heard your defence from the mouth of your advocate, pled with eloquence and ability, though opposed to much strong uncontradicted evidence against you: is ​there any thing further which you wish to urge in your own behalf? [Van Maurice remains silent.]
JUNIOR JUDGE.
VAN MAURICE.
SENIOR JUDGE.
VAN MAURICE.
SENIOR JUDGE.
VAN MAURICE.
Yes, I request it earnestly; for who,
Of woman born, shrinks not from death inflicted
Before the gazing eyes of multitudes,—
Inflicted with disgrace. I do entreat you,
For that I leave behind me those most dear,
Who will, if such my punishment, receive
A stroke more terrible than headsman's axe,
The wretch's momentary bane, can give—
I do beseech ye, for that ye yourselves
Hereafter may be wrung with deep compunction,
When the good citizens of Lubeck, moved
With gratitude for the brave father, coupled
With pity for the son of such a parent,
Shall scowl upon ye as you pass along
Her public streets, as those who, in his misery,
Denied some weeks of respite to the offspring
Of their once loved commander.
I do appeal to all within these walls,
The citizens of this my native city;
I do appeal to every honest man
Of whate'er town or kingdom; yea, to those
Who, banish'd forth from the community
Of social man, have but the forest waste
For their wild home, and for their polity
The light of untaught reason, whether this,
Your pitiless refusal of my suit,
Be not at enmity with every sympathy
Of common nature. I appeal to all.
MANY VOICES (at once).
SENIOR JUDGE.
VAN MAURICE (looking round on the spectators).
I know I shall hereafter be restored
To lost esteem and good men's love.—Alas!
The fisherman in his small boat, when drifted
To the wild cat'ract's brink, is seen no more
Till, from the boiling nether gulph cast up,
Amid the fierce turmoil of warring eddies,
Jagg'd rocks and churning foam, a sorry sight
Of mangled, stripp'd, and sever'd limbs appears.
I may be so restored, with praise shed o'er me
As unavailing as the rainbow tints,
That through the cat'ract's cloudy spray may gleam
Upon the perish'd wretch.
Enter Ardusoffe and Father Francis.
SENIOR JUDGE.
VAN MAURICE.
SENIOR JUDGE.
[Van Maurice bows.]
JUNIOR JUDGE.
You screw your sense of honour, noble Baron, to the romantic pitch. Consider better of it. Is this your final determination? [Van Maurice bows again.] Then, though most painfully, we must proceed to give sentence as the law directs.
ARDUSOFFE (advancing).
SENIOR JUDGE.
ARDUSOFFE.
JUNIOR JUDGE.
ARDUSOFFE.
SENIOR JUDGE.
[Father Francis is led to the further end of the hall, where the oath is administered to him in dumb show. He then advances slowly to the front, as if unwell.]
ARDUSOFFE.
FATHER FRANCIS.
ARDUSOFFE (after looking to the Judges, who nod assent).
You are permitted. [Exit Father Francis.
KRANZBERG.
ARDUSOFFE (to Kranzberg).
VAN MAURICE (aside to Ardusoffe).
ARDUSOFFE (aside to Van Maurice).
After a pause, enter Claudien, disguised as Father Francis.
SENIOR JUDGE.
CONFESSOR.
SENIOR JUDGE.
CONFESSOR.
KRANZBERG.
JUNIOR JUDGE.
CONFESSOR.
VAN MAURICE.
JUNIOR JUDGE.
CONFESSOR.
SENIOR JUDGE.
ARDUSOFFE.
CONFESSOR.
VAN MAURICE.
I can forbear no longer; if this monk
Tell such a tale as drawn from my confession,
By all most sacred held in earth or heaven,
He lies a thousand times!
CONFESSOR.
VAN MAURICE.
Do not beset me thus! the Count is absent,
And cannot now defend himself. Whatever
May be your good intentions in my favour,
As friendly aid I utterly reject them.
KRANZBERG.
BORION.
SENIOR JUDGE.
[The Judges confer closely together in dumb show, while the Prisoner and others speak in an under-voice.]
VAN MAURICE (beckoning to the Confessor).
KRANZBERG.
ARDUSOFFE.
VAN MAURICE.
Come hither, stealthy monk, for holy father
I never more may call thee. (Beckoning as before.)
[Confessor goes nearer.] So unwilling!
What fiend of darkness hast thou tamper'd with?
No earthly man but one could to thy ear
What thou reveal'st convey, and he's far distant.
CONFESSOR (in a low voice to Van Maurice).
[Van Maurice pushes him away, and with an eager expression of countenance points to the door; then sitting hastily down, remains in a stooping posture, covering his face with his hands.]
KRANZBERG (to Ardusoffe).
ARDUSOFFE.
VAN MAURICE (starting up).
ARDUSOFFE.
VAN MAURICE.
ARDUSOFFE.
VAN MAURICE (looking to Confessor, who stands at a distance).
ARDUSOFFE.
VAN MAURICE.
ARDUSOFFE.
VAN MAURICE (looking up fearfully).
SENIOR JUDGE.
[Van Maurice stands motionless on the spot; a murmur of horror sounds through the hall, Kranzberg alone looking triumphant; while the Confessor sinks into the arms of Ardusoffe, who prevents him from falling on the ground.]
OFFICER OF THE COURT.
ARDUSOFFE (drawing his cowl still closer).
CONFESSOR (aside to Ardusoffe).
O, more than innocent! a man most virtuous.
Ay, more than virtuous; e'en to honour's summit
Most nobly raised, whereon he stands aloft,
'Twixt heaven and earth, so godlike, that the mind
Scarcely believes this nether world of sin
Hath been his previous home.—He is most guiltless.
SENIOR JUDGE.
CONFESSOR (dropping his disguise).
SENIOR JUDGE.
CLAUDIEN.
You call it murder—so it may be called.
He at the moment lay unarm'd; I, therefore,
Can make no plea of self-defence. But murder,
Deliberately devised, ne'er stain'd these hands:
And if there be a man in this assembly
Who loves a virtuous woman—such, I trow,
In every court and crowd are to be found—
Let him declare how he should feel on hearing
Her fair name outraged by a sland'rous tongue,
The caitiff struggling to elude his grasp:
And if a fatal stroke by rage inflicted
He can in conscience deem deliberate bloodshed,
Being so circumstanced, I am a murderer.
JUNIOR JUDGE.
CLAUDIEN.
JUNIOR JUDGE.
Fearful extremity! How wert thou preserved?
CLAUDIEN.
A floating plank, which bore me to the land.
The tempest and the sea had pity on me;
And will ye then destroy what they have spared?
I beg for mercy: I am not ashamed
To ask, ay, to implore your clemency;
For, guilty as I am, I am so circumstanced
That life is dear to me. (Pointing to Van Maurice, who is now on his knees, stretching out his hands to the Judges, but unable to speak.)
And see, who kneels before you! one who knelt not for his own life; who never, till this moment, bent his honoured knee but to that Almighty Judge, who hath commanded weak and erring men to be merciful, that they may obtain mercy. [The Judges whisper to one another.]
JUNIOR JUDGE.
[Claudien, turning to Van Maurice, spreads out his arms, and the latter, rushing into them, strains him to his bosom.]
VAN MAURICE.
KRANZBERG.
VAN MAURICE.
KRANZBERG.
VAN MAURICE.
KRANZBERG (drawing from his cloak a concealed weapon, and rushing furiously on him).
CLAUDIEN (doing the same, and putting himself between them).
[They fight, and Ardusoffe and others endeavour to part them, but cannot effect it, till Claudien has run Kransberg through the body, and received a wound from him.]
ARDUSOFFE.
CLAUDIEN.
VAN MAURICE (alarmed).
CLAUDIEN.
Re-enter the Judges, and resume their seats.
SENIOR JUDGE.
CLAUDIEN.
(Is supported by Van Maurice.)
JUNIOR JUDGE (descending hastily from his seat).
ARDUSOFFE.
Enter Rosella, joyfully.
ROSELLA.
I have heard it—I have heard the joyful tidings!
I will embrace ye both.
VAN MAURICE.
ROSELLA.
Claudien, thou'rt very pale; there's blood upon thee.
O, misery, misery! (Wringing her hands.)
VAN MAURICE.
ROSELLA.
'T is Heaven chastises; I will bear it meekly.
But is there yet for me no sound of kindness,—
No dear word of affection, gentle Claudien,
From thy pale lips, so pale and so compress'd?
Alas, alas! thou look'st upon the ground,
And dost not look at me!
VAN MAURICE.
[She embraces the knees of Claudien, who sinks slowly to the ground, supported by Van Maurice and Ardusoffe, and the curtain drops.]