JANE.
This is a terrible thing we are looking at, Joshua. It freezes my blood.
JOSHUA.
That abominable Fabiani!
JANE.
Peace, Joshua! Very abominable, but very unfortunate.
[_The procession reaches the other staircase: Simon Renard, who appeared at the entrance of this staircase, some moments before, and has observed everything, moves aside to let them pa.s.s. The procession goes under the arch of the staircase, and gradually disappears.
Jane, terrified, follows it with her eyes._
SIMON RENARD (_after the procession has disappeared_).
What does this mean? Is that really Fabiani? I thought him not so tall. Has Master Eneas?--It seems to me the Queen kept him near her for a moment. Let us see!
[_He disappears under the staircase, following the procession._
VOICE (_which grows fainter and fainter_).
The man, covered with a black veil, who follows me, is the very high and mighty Lord Fabiano Fabiani, Earl of Clanbra.s.sil, Baron of Dinasmonddy, Baron of Darmouth in Devonshire, who is to be beheaded at the London Market-Place, for the crimes of regicide and high treason.
OTHER VOICES (_almost indistinct_).
Pray for him!
JOSHUA.
The great bell will announce his exit from the Tower, presently.
Perhaps you can make your escape now: I must try to find a way. Wait for me here: I will come back.
JANE.
Are you going to leave me, Joshua? I will be afraid here, all alone.
JOSHUA.
It will be dangerous for you to wander over the Tower with me. I must get you away from here. Remember Gilbert is waiting for you.
JANE.
Gilbert? Everything for Gilbert. Go!
[_Joshua goes out._
Oh, what a terrible sight!--when I think that it might have been like this for Gilbert.
[_She kneels on one of the altar steps._
Oh, thank you! You are indeed G.o.d the Saviour. You have saved Gilbert.
[_The cloth at the back opens. The Queen appears: she comes slowly to the front of the stage, without seeing Jane, who turns around._
The Queen! My G.o.d!
SCENE II
_Jane, The Queen. Jane clings to the altar, with horror, and fixes a look of stupor and terror on The Queen"s face_
THE QUEEN (_she stands a few seconds at the front of the stage, her glance fixed, pale, as if absorbed in gloomy thoughts. At last she sighs profoundly_).
Oh, the people!
[_She looks around with anxiety and sees Jane._
Some one is here. Oh, it is you, young woman! It is you, Lady Jane. I frighten you. Don"t be afraid. You know the turnkey Eneas betrayed us. Don"t be afraid. I have already told you, child, you have nothing to fear from me. What was your ruin a month ago is your salvation to-day. You love Fabiano. There are only you and I in the whole world to-day who have a heart like that. Only you and I love him. We are sisters.
JANE.
Madame--
THE QUEEN.
Yes, you and I--two women, we are all he has! Every one else is against him; a whole city, a whole nation, a whole world. Unequal struggle of love against hate. Love for Fabiano is a sad thing, a fatal, a horror-stricken thing: it has a pallid brow like yours, tear-filled eyes like mine; it hides itself close to a funereal altar; it entreats with your lips, it curses with mine. But hate for Fabiano is a proud thing, radiant, triumphant: it is well-armed and victorious; it has the Court, the people, the crowded streets; it munches cries of death and cries of joy at the same time; it is magnificent, haughty, powerful; it illuminates a whole city surrounding a scaffold. Love, here it is--two women weeping in a tomb! Hate, there it is!
[_She pulls the white cloth violently aside, which reveals a balcony, and beyond the balcony, almost out of sight, the whole city of London, brilliantly illuminated. What is visible of the Tower of London is also illuminated. Jane fixes her amazed eyes on this startling scene, the reflection of which lights up the theater._
THE QUEEN.
Oh, infamous city; rebellious city; accursed city; monstrous city--who soaks her holiday dress in blood, and who holds the torch for the executioner! You are afraid of it, aren"t you, Jane? Doesn"t it seem to you, as it does to me, that it cowardly defies us both; that it is watching us with its hundred thousand flaming eyes--us, feeble, forsaken women that we are, alone and lost in this sepulcher?
Jane, do you hear it howl and laugh--that horrible city? Oh, England, all England to him who will destroy London! Would that I could change those torches into fiery brands, those lights into flames, and that illuminated city into a city of _fire_!
[_A tremendous outburst from the people outside--applause, confused cries, "There he is! There he is! Death to Fabiani--" The great bell of the Tower begins to toll. At this sound, The Queen breaks into a terrible peal of laughter._
JANE.
G.o.d! The unfortunate man is leaving the Tower!--You laugh, madame!
THE QUEEN.
Yes, I laugh! [_She laughs._] Yes, and you will laugh, too. Let me drop those hangings first. It seems to me all the time as if we were not alone, as if that frightful city could see and hear us.
[_She drops the white curtain and comes back to Jane._
Now that he is gone, now that there is no more danger, I can tell you about it. Laugh, laugh, let us both laugh at those execrable people who drink blood! Oh, it is grand, Jane! Jane, you tremble for Fabiano? Be at ease, laugh with me, I tell you. Jane, the man they"ve got, the man who is going to die, the man they think is Fabiano--is not Fabiano.