(He has seated himself on the throne.Enter Chamberlain, with lords in waiting.)CHAMB.
I rejoice That unadvised of any but the voice Of royal instinct in the blood, your Highness Has ta'en the chair that you were born to fill.
SEG.
The chair?
CHAMB.
The royal throne of Poland, Sir, Which may your Royal Highness keep as long As he that now rules from it shall have ruled When heaven has call'd him to itself.
SEG.
When he?--
CHAMB.
Your royal father, King Basilio, Sir.
SEG.
My royal father--King Basilio.
You see I answer but as Echo does, Not knowing what she listens or repeats.
This is my throne--this is my palace--Oh, But this out of the window?--CHAMB.
Warsaw, Sir, Your capital--
SEG.
And all the moving people?
CHAMB.
Your subjects and your vassals like ourselves.
SEG.
Ay, ay--my subjects--in my capital--
Warsaw--and I am Prince of it--You see It needs much iteration to strike sense Into the human echo.
CHAMB.
Left awhile In the quick brain, the word will quickly to Full meaning blow.
SEG.
You think so?
CHAMB.
And meanwhile Lest our obsequiousness, which means no worse Than customary honour to the Prince We most rejoice to welcome, trouble you, Should we retire again? or stand apart?
Or would your Highness have the music play Again, which meditation, as they say, So often loves to float upon?
SEG.
The music?
No--yes--perhaps the trumpet--
(Aside)
Yet if that Brought back the troop!
A LORD.
The trumpet! There again How trumpet-like spoke out the blood of Poland!
CHAMB.
Before the morning is far up, your Highness Will have the trumpet marshalling your soldiers Under the Palace windows.
SEG.
Ah, my soldiers--
My soldiers--not black-vizor'd?--
CHAMB.
Sir?
SEG.
No matter.
But--one thing--for a moment--in your ear--Do you know one Clotaldo?
CHAMB.
Oh, my Lord, He and myself together, I may say, Although in different vocations, Have silver'd in your royal father's service;And, as I trust, with both of us a few White hairs to fall in yours.
SEG.
Well said, well said!
Basilio, my father--well--Clotaldo Is he my kinsman too?
CHAMB.
Oh, my good Lord, A General simply in your Highness' service, Than whom your Highness has no trustier.
SEG.
Ay, so you said before, I think.And you With that white wand of yours--Why, now I think on't, I have read of such A silver-hair'd magician with a wand, Who in a moment, with a wave of it, Turn'd rags to jewels, clowns to emperors, By some benigner magic than the stars Spirited poor good people out of hand From all their woes; in some enchanted sleep Carried them off on cloud or dragon-back Over the mountains, over the wide Deep, And set them down to wake in Fairyland.
CHAMB.
Oh, my good Lord, you laugh at me--and I
Right glad to make you laugh at such a price:
You know me no enchanter: if I were, I and my wand as much as your Highness', As now your chamberlain--SEG.
My chamberlain?--
And these that follow you?--
CHAMB.
On you, my Lord, Your Highness' lords in waiting.
SEG.
Lords in waiting.
Well, I have now learn'd to repeat, I think, If only but by rote--This is my palace, And this my throne--which unadvised--And that Out of the window there my Capital;And all the people moving up and down My subjects and my vassals like yourselves, My chamberlain--and lords in waiting--and Clotaldo--and Clotaldo?--You are an aged, and seem a reverend man--You do not--though his fellow-officer--
You do not mean to mock me?
CHAMB.
Oh, my Lord!
SEG.
Well then--If no magician, as you say, Yet setting me a riddle, that my brain, With all its senses whirling, cannot solve, Yourself or one of these with you must answer--How I--that only last night fell asleep Not knowing that the very soil of earth I lay down--chain'd--to sleep upon was Poland--Awake to find myself the Lord of it, With Lords, and Generals, and Chamberlains, And ev'n my very Gaoler, for my vassals!
Enter suddenly ClotaldoCLOTALDO.
Stand all aside That I may put into his hand the clue To lead him out of this amazement.Sir, Vouchsafe your Highness from my bended knee Receive my homage first.
SEG.
Clotaldo! What, At last--his old self--undisguised where all Is masquerade--to end it!--You kneeling too!
What! have the stars you told me long ago Laid that old work upon you, added this, That, having chain'd your prisoner so long, You loose his body now to slay his wits, Dragging him--how I know not--whither scarce I understand--dressing him up in all This frippery, with your dumb familiars Disvizor'd, and their lips unlock'd to lie, Calling him Prince and King, and, madman-like, Setting a crown of straw upon his head?
CLO.
Would but your Highness, as indeed I now Must call you--and upon his bended knee Never bent Subject more devotedly--However all about you, and perhaps You to yourself incomprehensiblest, But rest in the assurance of your own Sane waking senses, by these witnesses Attested, till the story of it all, Of which I bring a chapter, be reveal'd, Assured of all you see and hear as neither Madness nor mockery--SEG.
What then?
CLO.
All it seems:
This palace with its royal garniture;
This capital of which it is the eye, With all its temples, marts, and arsenals;This realm of which this city is the head, With all its cities, villages, and tilth, Its armies, fleets, and commerce; all your own;And all the living souls that make them up, From those who now, and those who shall, salute you, Down to the poorest peasant of the realm, Your subjects--Who, though now their mighty voice Sleeps in the general body unapprized, Wait but a word from those about you now To hail you Prince of Poland, Segismund.
SEG.
All this is so?
CLO.
As sure as anything Is, or can be.
SEG.
You swear it on the faith You taught me--elsewhere?--CLO (kissing the hilt of his sword).
Swear it upon this Symbol, and champion of the holy faith I wear it to defend.
SEG (to himself).
My eyes have not deceived me, nor my ears, With this transfiguration, nor the strain Of royal welcome that arose and blew, Breathed from no lying lips, along with it.
