BRUDE[2]
Reading edition
BRUDE[2]
(A Dramatic Fantasy)
Dealing with: Boadicea, queen of the Britons. Lamora, a Gaulish captive. Brude, a Druid. Cormo, a warrior. Corlun, Druid high-priest, and Horma, a wandering hag.
Scene: A Hall of hewn wood, on the island of Mona, in which Boadicea sits enthroned and attended. On her right, warriors, long-haired, mustached and painted with woad. On the left, a band of Druids robed in white: among them Brude, whom she watches jealously from time to time. On the floor in front of her cringes Lamora, held by Cormo.
Boadicea. Britons, hear! Ye know how my lord, Caerleon's liege, Swore feal to the Romans His lorn wife and daughters— When the wolf, Death, Gnawed life from his heart. Ye know how the Roman, Ravenous traitor, Slaves us with thongs Of brutal behest. Will ye still daunt Your necks to the noose? All. No! no! Queen! no, no, no! Boadicea. Then, warriors of iron, Sworded with terror, Fly to your henges! Fight till ye crowd Hell with the ghosts Of ethlings that Britons hate. Warriors. To the slaughter! Hro! to the slaughter!
[They rush from the hall in haste.
Boadicea (continuing). And ye, Druid seers, Heard by the gods, Feared by the fiends, Ye must away! To your dark fane, The gaunt oak-forest Holy with mistle! White-robed as spirits, Gold knives uplifting, Sing to the serpents, Seek the Charmed Egg! Druids (bowing with weird signs). Great is the Queen. Her Druids hear. But shall no gift be made? Boadicea. Yea ... since Lactantius, God more than all gods, Will not be soothed By sheep or cattle, On your high altar Slay ye this maiden of Gaul!
[Points to Lamora, who cries out to her, then to Brude:
Lamora. Nay, Queen, O pity! O, Brude, win pity! Let her not yield me Prey to the gods. Rather in battle 'Gainst the hard Roman Would I be trampled Into the grave. Trampled by war-hoofs ... Into a grave of blood! Boadicea. Proud-lip! mocker! Dare you sputter Shame on the awful gods?
[Strikes her down.... Brude watches helpless.
Corlun (coming forward). Kneel, Druids, kneel! Then bear her away! Meet me at midnight, Druids' day, Deep within Mona's wood.
[They kneel, then go, bearing Lamora.
Scene II: Sunset. A rocky cave near the forest. Brude facing back and forth with restless muttering.
Brude. O thou Lactantius, Whom other gods Worship with trembling, While their star-chariots Roll to the sea! Symbolled by circles, Endless in being, Dost thou love life-blood As Druids say? When the white maiden's Pierced on the altar Dost thou drink praises From her wide wound? So teach the seers, So did I, Brude, swear— Till I saw Lamora! Her eyes are love-fires, Her words are sorcery Stronger than god-laws! But ... who comes hither? [Has heard a moan. Hither harasser Of these my thoughts? Ha! is it Lamora Followed by Cormo? Curses like vampires Fall on his head!
[Steps aside.
Lamora (entering in despair). Mother! sweet mother, Far in the Eastland, Soon must thy daughter Pass from earth's day! Ne'er shall a boy-babe Suck from her bosom Valor to strangle Wolves in the lair! Never shall husband From the red war-fields Bring her the foeman's spoils! Cormo (behind her). Lamora, proud one— Lamora. Leave me, viper! Stand from me farther! Will you e'en now With tongue spit poison On my last ebbing hour? Cormo. Nay, maiden, cruel, But I will aid thee. Words are as smoke, Deeds as flame! Hear! I will save thee From Druid talons And bear thee whither thou wilt: Give but thy vow to wed me! Lamora. Wed thee?—thee?... Never—while cliffs O'er the plain jutting Plight void death to the leaper! Never while waves Curl gray lips Yearning to gulf the doomed! Cormo. Then thou shalt die! shalt die! Druids shall gash Streamings of life Out of thy shrinking sides! Lamora. Then die I will!... But not thro fear. Coward of Britons, Will I e'er mother Child of thy loins. Rather let flames, Tongues of the gods, Suck the red life from my breast. Yea, let the gods, Glutless as men, And, as women, Treacherous, vain— Strike, at the call of thy Queen!
[Goes, followed by Cormo.
Brude (coming forward). No! thou shalt live, live, live!
[Goes into cave, then comes forth with a knife.
Scene III: Midnight. A stormy glade in the forest. On one side a cromlech whereon Lamora lies bound: Corlun beside her with an uplifted blade of gold. On the other side Druids—around a pot of serpents over a fire in the cavern of an uprooted tree.
[Brude is among them, watchful.
Corlun (chanting). Orpo!—Ai!— Now shall the Roman Backward be driven, O gods! Orpo!—Ai!— For to the death stroke Lamora's given, O gods! Orpo! Ai!— Her skyward soul Thro the dank dark shall rise, As the morn's sun Unto your halls Far o'er the skies. And she shall say Thus Druids crave Help of the helpers of men. Druids (incanting around the cavern). Orpo!—Ai!— Serpents are spawned Of devils' spit, O gods! Orpo!—Ai!— Spit boiled with blood In caverns lit By fungous fangs From Mona's wood.
[They circle. Brude steals behind Corlun.
Orpo!—Ai!— Serpents are spawned In magic broth To coil and wriggle, Writhe and twist; Till their froth Becomes a mist, Till the mist An egg shall form— Charm that Druids prize. Brude (with a sudden cry). Corlun, the gods Wait for thy soul! [Slays him. Lamora, fly! With me, fly— Thro the black forest! [Has cut her bonds. Great Lactantius, Maker of gods, Loves not the maiden's death-cry!
[They escape.
Druids (in terror). Corlun is slain! Corlun! slain! Woe to the Druids! Woe from the heavens! Woe from the ireful Queen!
[They pursue confusedly.
Scene IV: Dawn; far in the forest. Enter Brude and Lamora faintingly to a spot where Horma, the hag, unseen by them is gathering herbs.
Lamora. Strength no more Wings me for flight. With hunger of sleep I faint. [Falls.
Brude (sinking by her). Yet ere thy sleep, Maid like the dawn, List to my heart's wild uttering! All I have dared Was for thy love— Tho but to love thee Would I dare all! Lamora. Ah! What is love, Brude wise and noble? Is it this burning Far in my breast Melting my soul to thine? Is it this power Hid in my eyes Shaping thy face On hill and cloud? Is it this whisper, As of sea-waves, Singing thy name to me? Yea! So now we may sleep.
[They lie down. Horma, the hag, who has heard them, creeps maundering up and gazes at them.
Horma. Owl and eaglet? Have they fled? Then let witch-toads sing! Oaths forgotten, Would they wed? Then let bull-bats, Wild a-wing, Flap the moon from heaven! Deep in the forest— Ha! ho! ho!
[Breaks off, hearing shouts. Continues.
They'll be slain!
[Fleeing.
They'll be slain! Brude (waking). What was my dream?...
[Hears the shouts.
Lamora! Lamora!
[They start up and look at each other. Silence.
Lamora (at length). So was it doomed. Now we must cross Thro the death-fog Unto the blest. But side by side, And ere they come. [Hands him her knife. Here we shall die. But in the Meadows Where the thin shades Wander and wander, Ever in love we'll live! Fold first thy arms around me. [They embrace.
Brude (starting from her). Hear! they have come— Cormo! The Queen!... Lamora. Then strike! for thy face Alone would I see in death! Brude (killing her then himself). Cormo!... Queen!... Death! Ye shall never ... tear us apart!
[Falls with her in his arms, as Boadicea and warriors enter.
Boadicea (seeing them). Dead!... Leave them, food For beast and bird! Leave them! away! away!
[All go with pride and spurning.