498
Vittoria
For she may wake. My daughter never yet
Has heard the word “death” spoken. You stand dumb,
Uncomprehending. Yet, for nineteen years
She has been happy, and she does not dream
That death is lord of life. See, her cheeks glow,
And her eyes, opened, shine. To womanhood
One child has grown untouched by the great fear.
Has heard the word “death” spoken. You stand dumb,
Uncomprehending. Yet, for nineteen years
She has been happy, and she does not dream
That death is lord of life. See, her cheeks glow,
And her eyes, opened, shine. To womanhood
One child has grown untouched by the great fear.
Luigi (slowly). She is most beautiful.
Father.(slowly). She is most Sir, sit you down
And help me plan for this day and the next,
For I am old, and helpless as a child,
And great is my perplexity. Fear not!
She will not waken if we whisper.
And help me plan for this day and the next,
For I am old, and helpless as a child,
And great is my perplexity. Fear not!
She will not waken if we whisper.
Luigi.not waken if we whisper. You
Are of the city?
Are of the city?
Father.the city? Twenty years ago
I was a ruler of my city there:
My name is Pontarini.
I was a ruler of my city there:
My name is Pontarini.
Luigi.ame is Pontarini. A great name!
Great and unstained.
Great and unstained.
Father.unstained. Father. Your eyes are kind and grave
For one so young. They question me, and I,
Because I feel that you will understand,
Will tell you what no living man has heard.
Yonder in that white city, years ago,
I lived with wife and child, absorbed, content
In that great happiness that tempts the gods.
For paradise I would not have exchanged
The room wherein my lady sat, the path
Along the garden where she made the air
Holy by her mere passing. When the child,
A year old, could say “madre,” as she played
With the bright tresses of her mother’s hair,
One day my life was ended. By the pall
Over my lady’s dust, I made a vow
And I have kept it. There should be on earth
One life, I swore, all joy. One soul should go
By the great fear unshadowed. We have lived
Yonder in a walled villa by the sea.
Beyond the falling of the leaves, my child
Knows naught of the great change. Most carefully
Has she been shielded, and she has not seen
The death of any living thing. The birds
Have ever sung to her: they come and go,
Leaving no trace of death. Search through the wood
And you will never find a tiny bone
That crumbles, showing life for them as aught
But an eternal song upon the air.
She has been happy. Now, upon my heart
The hand of death has fallen. Few the days
And few the hours left, above the grass
And in the sun, for me. I travel on
To bear one message I am bound to give
My city ere I die.
For one so young. They question me, and I,
Because I feel that you will understand,
Will tell you what no living man has heard.
Yonder in that white city, years ago,
I lived with wife and child, absorbed, content
In that great happiness that tempts the gods.
For paradise I would not have exchanged
The room wherein my lady sat, the path
Along the garden where she made the air
Holy by her mere passing. When the child,
A year old, could say “madre,” as she played
With the bright tresses of her mother’s hair,
One day my life was ended. By the pall
Over my lady’s dust, I made a vow
And I have kept it. There should be on earth
One life, I swore, all joy. One soul should go
By the great fear unshadowed. We have lived
Yonder in a walled villa by the sea.
Beyond the falling of the leaves, my child
Knows naught of the great change. Most carefully
Has she been shielded, and she has not seen
The death of any living thing. The birds
Have ever sung to her: they come and go,
Leaving no trace of death. Search through the wood
And you will never find a tiny bone
That crumbles, showing life for them as aught
But an eternal song upon the air.
She has been happy. Now, upon my heart
The hand of death has fallen. Few the days
And few the hours left, above the grass
And in the sun, for me. I travel on
To bear one message I am bound to give
My city ere I die.
Vittoria (half wakens, nestles her cheek against
her father’s hand, and murmurs:)
I am so happy here with you.
her father’s hand, and murmurs:)
I am so happy here with you.
[The two men breathe lightly until she sleeps again.
Father (piteously).breathe lightly My son,
I know not how to act. I have delayed,
Have waited, knowing any day might bring
The awful knowledge to her, through the touch
Of my dead hand. Often upon my lips
The words have trembled, but I cannot speak.
A coward am I, and I cannot shut
The sunshine from her, cannot take away
The fragrance from the flowers. That the thought
Which blackens all the sky above our heads,
And makes the green grass wither, must be hers,
Is more than I can bear For all these years
While I have walked with death, she has not seen
The shadow at my side.
I know not how to act. I have delayed,
Have waited, knowing any day might bring
The awful knowledge to her, through the touch
Of my dead hand. Often upon my lips
The words have trembled, but I cannot speak.
A coward am I, and I cannot shut
The sunshine from her, cannot take away
The fragrance from the flowers. That the thought
Which blackens all the sky above our heads,
And makes the green grass wither, must be hers,
Is more than I can bear For all these years
While I have walked with death, she has not seen
The shadow at my side.
Luigi.shadow at my side. Sir, just below
The crest of yonder hill, a convent stands
Where I have taken refuge. Will you come
And bring your daughter to the safety there?
In its great quiet you can form some plan.
The crest of yonder hill, a convent stands
Where I have taken refuge. Will you come
And bring your daughter to the safety there?
In its great quiet you can form some plan.
Father. Monks always prattle of the grave and death—
How could I shield my daughter?
How could I shield my daughter?
Luigi.could I shield my daughter? These are they
Vowed unto silence, and they may not speak,
In fear of penance. Prithee, let me go
To tell them that you come. You trust me, sir?
See, I walk lightly, lest the sleeper wake.
Vowed unto silence, and they may not speak,
In fear of penance. Prithee, let me go
To tell them that you come. You trust me, sir?
See, I walk lightly, lest the sleeper wake.
Father (watching him as he goes). The fate
was kind that sent him to our aid.
was kind that sent him to our aid.
Luigi(to himself). What will the eyes be
when the lashes lift,
when the lashes lift,
The eyes that know not death?
ACT II
Scene I.—The convent garden. Monks in
white Carmelite robes pace up and down the
cloister, praying.
The father sits at the
refectory door, reading. Vittoria stands
by the garden wall.
white Carmelite robes pace up and down the
cloister, praying.
The father sits at the
refectory door, reading. Vittoria stands
by the garden wall.
Luigi. You look away from all the flowers here,
Roses and Easter lilies, daffodils,
As if you did not even hear the bees
Humming about them. Will you tell at what
You gaze so steadfastly?
Roses and Easter lilies, daffodils,
As if you did not even hear the bees
Humming about them. Will you tell at what
You gaze so steadfastly?
Vittoria..so steadfastly? That great white cliff
Yonder, with the blue water at its edge,
And the sky’s blue above. It is too steep
For any orange-tree or cypresses
To grow along its side. Look, can you see?
Yonder, with the blue water at its edge,
And the sky’s blue above. It is too steep
For any orange-tree or cypresses
To grow along its side. Look, can you see?
Luigi (gazing only at her). I see!
Vittoria.It haunts me, and the long, white,
even road
Lies like an invitation to pursue
And find what there is hidden, for it seems
That something terrible or splendid waits
Within its shadow. I am but a child
Longing to see beyond the farthest hill.
Never till yesterday did I set foot
Upon the highway, and I do not know
This world that lies beyond our villa wall.
Doubtless I seek for much that is not there.
even road
Lies like an invitation to pursue
And find what there is hidden, for it seems
That something terrible or splendid waits
Within its shadow. I am but a child
Longing to see beyond the farthest hill.
Never till yesterday did I set foot
Upon the highway, and I do not know
This world that lies beyond our villa wall.
Doubtless I seek for much that is not there.
Luigi. And you are sad?
Vittoria.you are sad? My father does not see:
Pray, may I not be sad alone with you?
Pray, may I not be sad alone with you?
Luigi. You may be what you will. I only ask
That I may understand: you puzzle me.
That I may understand: you puzzle me.
Vittoria.My father always longed to have me gay,
For therein was his happiness. I smile
Ever for him, and I have laughed when sobs
‘aught in my throat. Women must learn to be
That which men wish, Teresa says, and hide
All pain and hunger far down in their hearts.
Making me happy was my father’s life:
To him, I have been happy.
For therein was his happiness. I smile
Ever for him, and I have laughed when sobs
‘aught in my throat. Women must learn to be
That which men wish, Teresa says, and hide
All pain and hunger far down in their hearts.
Making me happy was my father’s life:
To him, I have been happy.
