Page:Poet Lore, volume 34, 1923.djvu/69

 involuntarily grasps the axe—let me pass, Radovid, let me pass: I will break that spell!

Radovid.—Nay, queen, by thy love of Radúz, hold! Something whispers to me that thou wouldst kill him! Look upon his pale face, so white by the light of the moon; now a smile seems to hover around his lips, a dreamy smile, full of happiness!

Mahulena.—O my comforting star, freed from corporeal fetters, my sweet, beloved Radúz, now thou art capable of hearing my voice.and understanding what my spirit whispers to thine! In thy dreams dost thou feel the dew of the tree fall on thy forehead? That is my tears, full of tenderness, O Radúz! And in sweet pain I bow my branches over thee; the breeze of the languishing night aids me My comforting star, I am thy Mahulena: dost thou hear? Thy Mahulena am I! The weight of that terrible curse is now for a moment taken from us; Radúz and Mahulena once more belong to each other, through the bond of sleep!

Radúz (In his sleep) —O sweet name, like the rustling of a tree! So after all thou hast returned to my feeble memory! Now I know all Istand on the summit of the mountain  Thou dost approach, my salvation! (Raises his arms into the air.) O, I shall hold thee, hold thee! Never, nevermore shalt thou escape me through my clouded memory!

Mahulena.—Calm thyself, my belovèd soul! Calm thyself and hearken! Salvation is possible for thee! When thou art not near me I am in a drowsy state, more a plant than a human being! Yet in that strange half-consciousness I have confused visions and hear voices which the human ear never hears! To animals, plants and the stars many things are known which cannot be understood by man. From the earth, our mother, good tidings constantly issue, prophetic messages which only the initiated can understand As the sap from the roots, at times something mysteriously gushes to my heart, to my head, from the deepest depths of the prophesying earth  Radúz, thus I know something whereof my mother in her curses was silent; I know that thy clouded memory can be restored by my blood! Dost thou hear? My blood! How gladly would I pour it all forth for thy salvation, Radúz! Yet I cannot, I am inflexible as a rock; only the wind can bend me, not my will! O, wound me, wound me, my sweet Radúz! O, take it, that blood, and be healed! Radúz, awaken and take thy remedy, all the blood of my heart!