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KING VICTOR & KING CHARLES.

FIRST YEAR, 1730.-KING VICTOR.

PART I.

CHARLES, POLYXENA.

Cha. You think so? Well, I do not.

Pol.

All must clear up; we shall be happy yet:
This cannot last for ever-oh, may change
To-day or any day!

My beloved,

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Like this drags on, now better and now worse.

My father may may take to loving me;

...

And he may take D'Ormea closer yet

To counsel him ;-may even cast off her
--That bad Sebastian; but he also may

. . Or no, Polyxena, my only friend,
He may not force you from me?

Pol.

Now, force me

From you!-me, close by you as if there gloomed
No Sebastians, no D'Ormeas on our path—
At Rivoli or Turin, still at hand,

Arch-counsellor, prime confidant . . . force me!
Cha. Because I felt as sure, as I feel sure

We clasp hands now, of being happy once.
Young was I, quite neglected, nor concerned
By the world's business that engrossed so much
My father and my brother: if I peered
From out my privacy,—amid the crash

And blaze of nations, domineered those two.

'T was war, peace-France our foe, now-England, friend

In love with Spain-at feud with Austria! Well-
I wondered, laughed a moment's laugh for pride
In the chivalrous couple, then let drop

My curtain-"I am out of it," I said—

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When suddenly,—a warm March day, just that!
Just so much sunshine as the cottage child
Basks in delighted, while the cottager
Takes off his bonnet, as he ceases work,
To catch the more of it—and it must fall
Heavily on my brother! Had you seen
Philip the lion-featured! not like me!
Pol. I know-

Cha.

And Philip's mouth yet fast to mine, His dead cheek on my cheek, his arm still round

My neck, they bade me rise, "for I was heir

To the Duke," they said, "the right hand of the Duke:"
'Till then he was my father, not the Duke!
So.. let me finish. . the whole intricate
World's-business their dead boy was born to, I
Must conquer,-ay, the brilliant thing he was,
I, of a sudden must be: my faults, my follies,
-All bitter truths were told me, all at once,
To end the sooner. What I simply styled
Their overlooking me, had been contempt :
How should the Duke employ himself, forsooth,
With such an one, while lordly Philip rode

By him their Turin through? But he was punished,
And must put up with-me! 'T was sad enough
To learn my future portion and submit.

And then the wear and worry, blame on blame!
For, spring-sounds in my ears, spring-smells about,
How could I but grow dizzy in their pent
Dim palace-rooms at first? My mother's look
As they discussed my insignificance,

She and my father, and I sitting by,

I bore; I knew how brave a son they missed;
Philip had gaily run state-papers through,
While Charles was spelling at them painfully!
But Victor was my father spite of that.
"Duke Victor's entire life has been," I said,
"Innumerable efforts to one end;

"And on the point now of that end's success, "Our Ducal turning to a Kingly crown,

"Where 's time to be reminded 't is his child

"He spurns?" And so I suffered-scarcely suffered Since I had you at length!

Pol.

-To serve in place

Of monarch, minister and mistress, Charles !

Cha. But, once that crown obtained, then was 't not like Our lot would alter? "When he rests, takes breath, "Glances around, and sees who 's left to love-"Now that my mother 's dead, sees I am left— "Is it not like he 'll love me at the last ? " Well, Savoy turns Sardinia; the Duke 's King : Could I precisely then-could you expect His harshness to redouble? These few months Have been.. have been.. Polyxena, do you And God conduct me, or I lose myself!

What would he have? What is 't they want with me?
Him with this mistress and this minister,

-You see me and you hear him; judge us both!
Pronounce what I should do, Polyxena !

Pol. Endure, endure, beloved! Say you not
He is your father? All 's so incident

To novel sway! Beside, our life must change :
Or you'll acquire his kingcraft, or he 'll find
Harshness a sorry way of teaching it.

I bear this-not that there's so much to bear.

Cha. You bear? Do no I know that you, tho' bound To silence for my sake, are perishing

Piecemeal beside me? And how otherwise
When every creephole from the hideous Court
Is stopped; the Minister to dog me, here-
The Mistress posted to entrap you, there?
And thus shall we grow old in such a life;
Not careless, never estranged,—but old: to alter
Our life, there is so much to alter !

Pol.

Is it agreed that we forego complaint

Even at Turin, yet complain we here

Come

At Rivoli? 'T were wiser you announced
Our presence to the King. What 's now afoot
I wonder?-Not that any more's to dread
Than every day's embarrassment: but guess
For me, why train so fast succeeded train
On the high-road, each gayer still than each!
I noticed your Archbishop's pursuivant,

The sable cloak and silver cross; such pomp

Bodes. . what now, Charles? Can you conceive?

Cha.

Pol. A matter of some moment-
Cha.

Not I.

There's our life!

Which of the group of loiterers that stare
From the lime-avenue, divines that I-
About to figure presently, he thinks,
In face of all assembled-am the one
Who knows precisely least about it?
Pol.

D'Ormea's contrivance !

Tush!

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