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Page 1 of 41912 · PDF PAGE 76
60 MORTADELLO MONICA. The cup is spiced, But there is none whose thirst may quench itself thereby, And there is none that dares to drench, or drain it dry. ORLANDO. Ah, but again ! [A dull detonation is heard without. MONICA. Hark ! Hark ! O what is that ? ORLANDO. The gate ! Impossible MONICA. Shot follows shot. ORLANDO. They are mad. MONICA. But wait ! Alls silent now. ORLANDO. No ! I hear cries, and blows rung hard On sconce and skull MONICA. Ah ! God, hope dies. [Another detonation is heard. ORLANDO. Theres the petard. They must have blow…
1912 · PDF PAGE 97
OR, THE ANGEL OF VENICE 81 MORTADELLO. The devil may have wrought This miracle on you. MONICA. And on St. Francis too ! Between the false and true theres wisdoms work to do. MORTADELLO. Well, this I know for sure, you are possessed. MONICA. Possessed ? Ay, there lies many a lure of perfume in my breast. MORTADELLO. Ha ! did Orlando sin with you ? I guessed aright. MONICA. Have you no wage to win ? Days wont to follow night. MORTADELLO. Cynic as wanton. MONICA. Well ? Come, you are cold, you are cold ! MORTADELLO. She-devil sprung from hell !…
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OR, THE ANGEL OF VENICE 13 ORLANDO. I ask a gift supreme. MONICA. It suits such service done. ORLANDO. A gift beyond all my dream, and all mens orison. MONICA. Speak ; it is yours. ORLANDO. I ask a rarer prize than life. MONICA. Take off the Sphinxs mask. ORLANDO. I want you for my wife. MONICA. My lord, ask something else. I am not worthy of love. ORLANDO. Love, if I read you, spells a word you know not of. Therefore therein for me the supreme triumph lies. [MONICA hesitates and prays silently. MONICA. My Venice, tis for thee I make the sac…
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OR, THE ANGEL OF VENICE 17 MAGDALENA. Oh ! you have killed me ! MONICA. [Coming out of shelter.] Ay ! detested harlot ! MAGDALENA. Thou ? MONICA. I think you will not lie with Mortadello now ! ORLANDO What, Monica the saint ! MONICA. Oh, you may see my soul ! Blood has washed off the paint ! You were my gain and goal ! Kiss me while she still bleeds ! I am yours, your slave, your toy, The furrow of tropic seeds, black bliss of Afric joy ORLANDO. Frightful and frantic dream ! Portentous, mon- strous omen ! I sail upon a stream of blood of slaug…
1912 · PDF PAGE 105
…d to reach incredible success. But he has wit to teacha smile and a caress. MORTADELLO. Yet you are to instruct our Sandro how to woo ! MONICA. This is the usufruct of your instruction too ! MORTADELLO. I own defeat of wit. Fair lady, lead me hence ! [LUCREZIA goes on MORTADELLOS arm. MONICA. Be merciful to it ! LUCREZIA. O trust my indolence ! MORTADELLO. She scorns to measure swords. LUCREZIA. Indeed, it is the heat. ALESSANDRO. Your ladys laugh accords. MORTADELLO. The masculines effete. [He goes off flirting with LUCREZIA. MONICA. See M…
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84 MORTADELLO MORTADELLO. The corpse of Magdalene stands in its shroud between us. MONICA. The joy it would have been if only she had seen us Thusnearso nearso near MORTADELLO. She played me false ! MONICA. You know The black rocks that uprear amid the tinted snow ! You know what fangs were fleshed on her adulterous throat, How her perfume refreshed the rank reek of the goat ! MORTADELLO. You were his mistress too ! MONICA. I thought the form was due Preliminal to sue exchange of troth with you. MORTADELLO. You mock me and you shock. MONIC…
1912 · PDF PAGE 73
OR, THE ANGEL OF VENICE 55 LUCREZIA. My pulses beat. MONICA. My skin sheds dew. Now do you know me ? Can the boon you seek escape ? Ah, but your bosom is the moon, your cheek a grape ! Mine are but baby breasts. See here ! Not worth a kiss. Theres nothing for a man to fear in thisor this. LUCREZIA. Oh they are beautiful ! MONICA. Oh no ! but yet my soul Is mighty, I will have you know, to gain its goal. Nowtell me ! is it death you invokeZelinas death ? You want me to give poison, choke the assassin breath ! LUCREZIA. I ask revengenay, ju…
1912 · PDF PAGE 106
90 MORTADELLO MONICA. While Mortadello lives I shall be faithful to him. ALESSANDRO. What confidence that gives ! MONICA. Ill teach you how to woo him. ALESSANDRO. Ah ! must it then be thus ? The cup, and not the knife ? MONICA. Ay ! have a thought for us ! Remember Im his wife, And if I would be yours ALESSANDRO. The scandal must be hid Sepulture that secures. MONICA. A leaden coffin-lid Scrawled with so fierce a face that none may ever dare Uplift the carapace for fearwhat may be there. ALESSANDRO. It is no easy road to mineourhearts…
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OR, THE ANGEL OF VENICE 83 MONICA. Yet in an hour we must change rings ! MORTADELLO. To be betrothed ! O let me die ! MONICA. Why yes ! and leave me to my hope By virtueand addressto pacify the Pope. MORTADELLO. All I have played for, all my life long, lost ! MONICA. No, won ! Theres naught beyond recall, no deed to be undone. Take Venice, take the throne, take favour and success All yours and yours alonein married happiness ! A price to pay that most would call a prize to pluck ! MORTADELLO. Oh, I am like to boast of such a piece of luck !…
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56 MORTADELLO 57 LUCREZIA. Oh how I love you. MONICA. Ah ! your love. I pay its price ! Quick, to the door girl. Footsteps. Tis Orlando. LUCREZIA. Yes. MONICA. Do up your hair. Give me one kiss. Oh loveliness ! [A knock. Come in ! Come in ! I have waited long. Enter ORLANDO. LUCREZIA. Farewell, Princess ! MONICA. Farewelland see the guard is strong. [Exit LUCREZIA. ORLANDO. The bloodhounds press Hard on my heels. MONICA. Are we safe here ? ORLANDO. They cannot find The secret passage ; have no fear. MONICA. Oh, love is blind. Did you do wisel…
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…prays. Dear God, what rich perfume Must flood the starry ways, a fragrant lily-bloom ! Dare I disturb the wreaths that curl toward God ? MONICA. Amen ! LUCREZIA. How like a babe she breathes ! MONICA. [Rising and going to greet LUCREZIA.] What news from Venice then ? Why, my Lucrezia, you are fair ! The wound is healed ? Why, well, then ! Do we still despair to take the field ? LUCREZIA. Still in his iron gauntlet gripped the city squirms. MONICA. Then Mortadello has not slipped off to the worms ? No ? All the better in the end ! Your eyes shal…
1912 · PDF PAGE 96
…teeth in that bull-neck, and snap the spine, As a dog kills a rat. Now, manners, mouth o mine ! The door opens and MORTADELLO enters as MONICA regains her composure. But throughout the scene she throws off her reserved and modest manner, and behaves as a shame- less and alluring wanton. MORTADELLO. And so we meet at last ! MONICA. The hour I waited for ! MORTADELLO. Its omen overcast with crimson clouds of war ! MONICA. Ah ! thats for Venice folk, good sentimental fools ! We know that lifes a joke. MORTADELLO. You play with plaguy tools ! I …
1912 · PDF PAGE 121
OR, THE ANGEL OF VENICE 105 SCENE V. The Palace of the Doge. The Throne-room. MONICAALESSANDROLUCREZIA. A distant bell, the Great Bell of St. Marks, still tolls. MONICA. Embrace me ! Here we stand at the cross-roads of Fate. Enlace me ! hand in, hand what ardours we await ! The merry play is played, the comedy that Pan On very Ida made, the comedy of man ! LUCREZIA. I gave her steel to twist and writhe herself upon. MONICA. One flicker of my wrist, and his black soul was gone. ALESSANDRO. I have done nothing yet. MONICA. Oh, you have laughed…
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…darkmans road to their fell work ! I have seen such. LUCREZIA. So is my thought. How should I speak To you, all love of lilies wrought ? MONICA. Give me your cheek Ill kiss your fear away, sweet girl. Ill whisper things Subtler than basilisks that furl and fold their wings Over the serpent-heart. I guess your hearts desire. Bend to me closer. Whisper yes. LUCREZIA. My brains afire. MONICA. Then whisper. LUCREZIA. I dare not. MONICA. Oh dare ! LUCREZIA. My friend ! MONICA. Ah yes ! She whose black envy would not spare your loveliness ! LUCRE…
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…! I say these red poppies lack The juices of Cathay. MORTADELLO. Ah ! you are on the track. Tis the white poppy holds poison and death. MONICA. Ah, well ! The whitest soul enfolds all mysteries of hell. ALESSANDRO. Ah ! theres a mystics truth. MONICA. Saint Paul infers the same. All beauty and all youth but feed the eternal flame. Saints know, and only saints, the horrors of the soul, Its foul and fiery taints, its nigromancers scroll. Kneel, and love God. Enough if you would fathom hell ! The Path is straight and rough. MORTADELLO. If only…
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14 MORTADELLO MONICA. Deaths warrant for my sake ? I never injured him. ORLANDO. A womans hate inspires innocent Seraphim with infamous desires ! MONICA. God pardon Magdalene ! ORLANDO. No hour for grace, alas ! [Aside.] For all the grace I mean shall be the coup de grace ! [He goes off over the bridge. The nuns kneel at MONICAS feet, and clasp her knees. MONICA. Sisters, you heard me. Rise. Home is no more a home. The goal of saintship lies through gates of martyrdom. There are virtues hard as stone ; with such the pit is paved. There are v…
1912 · PDF PAGE 37
…who egged him on tot, if you please). Yes, Mortadello, schooled to order, not to pray ! But he was overruled ; my counsel, you may say. MONICA. I thank you sir. GABRIELE. We launch an Argo of goodwill ; So heres the olive-branch ; I bear it in my bill. MONICA. Sir, I accept. This hand in innocence and truth Takes yours. Superbly planned your subtlety, in sooth. GABRIELE. You say so. You must flatter. But thus my wisdom clinches The bargaina small matter. MONICA. Ah ! heres where the shoe pinches ! GABRIELE. Subtlest of spirits ! Yet your fo…
1912 · PDF PAGE 123
… success ! A CITIZEN. We have seen troublous times : at last good fortune smiles ! Heres glory to the Angel of the City of the Isles ! [MONICA assumes throne ; all applaud and do homage, MONICA comes forward and kneels be- fore THE LEGATE. MONICA. Now glory be to God, and glory to His Son, And glory to His Spirit, the eternal Three in One ! I humbly kneel and swear all truth and faith to keep, All power of all my prayer, all vigil to your sleep ! [COUNT ALESSANDRO joins MONICA, kneeling My good lord here shall guide, his wit and wisdom serve, …
1912 · PDF PAGE 81
…cross of Christ ! GABRIELE. Once more ! Are you bewitched by sorcery, enticed By beauty ? I command you to arrest the woman. Your duty ! MONICA. [Towering over him.] Thing misshapen, blasted and inhuman, Bow down to the cross ! His love purge thee ! His Passion Save thee ! Christ crown the work ! Here is the blessing that he gave thee ! [She touches him with the cross. He staggers and reels. GABRIELE. I am slain. O torture her ; she hath poisoned me [He falls, and writhes in agony. MONICA. Too true ! Gods pain is deadly poison for a fiend like…
1912 · PDF PAGE 77
OR, THE ANGEL OF VENICE 61 MONICA. Oncekiss your wife ! The guard comes. Enter a Soldier, covered with blood, his right arm hanging use- less by his side. He staggers and gasps. SOLDIER. Pardon me ! Alls lost. MONICA. Nay, say nothing yet ! Be of good courage. Gods a host they have not met ! ORLANDO. What is it ? SOLDIER. The damned hunchback tis so bloodily That bears it. The two gates are his. We can but die. ORLANDO. Is he run mad ? A convent ! SOLDIER. Mad ! hes mad with lust And blood. Yet by his side he had the Archbishop. ORLANDO. T…