(_The sound of a
mountain
horn floats on the air.
World's Greatest Books - Volume 17 - Poetry and Drama
It is the emperor.
He is a man
Different from the king (_turning to the astonished_ CONSPIRATORS);
and he will win
Your loyalty, my friends, and your good aid,
If God in His great mercy will but guide
His erring feet along the pathway trod
By Charlemagne. Don Juan of Aragon,
Forgive me, and receive now from my hands
A wife full worthy of you, Dona Sol.
[_The two lovers kneel at his feet. Taking from his neck
the Golden Fleece, he puts it on_ HERNANI.
THE SPECTATORS: Long live the emperor.
DON RUY GOMEZ: I have the horn.
ACT IV
SCENE--_A terrace by the palace of Aragon. It is midnight, and the
guests are departing from the marriage feast of_ HERNANI
_and_ DONA SOL.
DONA SOL: At last, my husband, we are left alone.
How glad I am the feast and noise is done--
Are over.
HERNANI: I, too, am weary of the loud, wild joy.
Happiness is a deep and quiet thing,
As deep and grave and quiet as true love.
DONA SOL: Yes, happiness and love are like a strain
Of calm and lovely music. Hernani,
Listen!
(_The sound of a mountain horn floats on the air. _)
It is some mountaineer that plays
Upon your silver horn. [HERNANI _staggers back. _
HERNANI: The tiger comes!
The old, grey tiger! Look! In the shadows there!
DONA SOL: What is it frightens you?
[_The horn sounds again. _
HERNANI: He wants my blood! I cannot!
[DON RUY GOMEZ _enters, playing on the horn like a madman. _
DON RUY GOMEZ: So you have not kept your word.
"My life belongs to you. At any time
You wish to take it, sound upon this horn
And I will kill myself. " You are forsworn!
Different from the king (_turning to the astonished_ CONSPIRATORS);
and he will win
Your loyalty, my friends, and your good aid,
If God in His great mercy will but guide
His erring feet along the pathway trod
By Charlemagne. Don Juan of Aragon,
Forgive me, and receive now from my hands
A wife full worthy of you, Dona Sol.
[_The two lovers kneel at his feet. Taking from his neck
the Golden Fleece, he puts it on_ HERNANI.
THE SPECTATORS: Long live the emperor.
DON RUY GOMEZ: I have the horn.
ACT IV
SCENE--_A terrace by the palace of Aragon. It is midnight, and the
guests are departing from the marriage feast of_ HERNANI
_and_ DONA SOL.
DONA SOL: At last, my husband, we are left alone.
How glad I am the feast and noise is done--
Are over.
HERNANI: I, too, am weary of the loud, wild joy.
Happiness is a deep and quiet thing,
As deep and grave and quiet as true love.
DONA SOL: Yes, happiness and love are like a strain
Of calm and lovely music. Hernani,
Listen!
(_The sound of a mountain horn floats on the air. _)
It is some mountaineer that plays
Upon your silver horn. [HERNANI _staggers back. _
HERNANI: The tiger comes!
The old, grey tiger! Look! In the shadows there!
DONA SOL: What is it frightens you?
[_The horn sounds again. _
HERNANI: He wants my blood! I cannot!
[DON RUY GOMEZ _enters, playing on the horn like a madman. _
DON RUY GOMEZ: So you have not kept your word.
"My life belongs to you. At any time
You wish to take it, sound upon this horn
And I will kill myself. " You are forsworn!
