# Teresa Contarini/Act I
## 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.