Page:Blackwood's Magazine volume 050.djvu/356

322 Envy my happiness and my success.

I am your friend, I soon shall be your brother.

Love and the laurel—both are mine—ha! ha!

And what is better, both are—undeserved.

When the arbiters are met—and when they cry,

"Picture of Danäe gains prize the first—

Who is the painter?" When the secretary

Opens the seal'd note I shall give him—when

Calmari's name resounds from every lip—

What human transports then shall equal mine?

Then comes the laurel—the five hundred crowns—

My ward to be my wife! My brain grows dizzy,

I'll think of it no more—the joy' s too great.

There is an eager bustling throng without,

I'll go and ope the doors—yes, my good friends,

Ye all shall be admitted, and shall witness

My triumph with astonishment and envy.

(descending cautiously from the niche.) I must make haste.

God help me! 'tis too late!

The people are already in the hall;

I cannot face them in this strange attire.

I'll try the door of the director's house.

Good heavens! 'tis lock'd, I'm driven to despair!

What shall I do? (He hurries back into the niche.)

. He must be here; the porter

Told me he had not left the hall. (He draws aside the curtain covering the niche.)

Bernardo!

(remains standing on the pedestal.) Is't you, Salvator?

. What detains you here?

The old man would not stir.

(with considerable irritation.) 'Tis passing strange!

It is incredible that you should play

These foolish tricks at such a time as this!

. Is there no way by which I can escape?

I know of none; the hall is fill'd with people.

. This is a dreadful scrape!

It serves you right.

What brought you here, I say, at such a time?

You know Calmari has his own suspicions,

And, if he finds you here, the game is up —

You lose your Laura—he escapes exposure.

Consider! I have given in my name

In a seal'd note.

Has he not done the same?

Now just suppose that his is open'd first,

How could you, in so critical a moment,

Appear in this fantastical disguise

Before the arbiter., and claim your picture?

A pretty figure you would cut indeed!