Enter Countess and Steward, with a paper. COUNTESS
Alas! And would you take the letter of her?
Might you not know she would do as she has done
By sending me a letter? Read it again. STEWARD reads the letter
"I am Saint Jaques’ pilgrim, thither gone.
Ambitious love hath so in me offended 5
That barefoot plod I the cold ground upon,
With sainted vow my faults to have amended.
Write, write, that from the bloody course of war
My dearest master, your dear son, may hie.
Bless him at home in peace, whilst I from far 10
His name with zealous fervor sanctify.
His taken labors bid him me forgive;
I, his despiteful Juno, sent him forth
From courtly friends, with camping foes to live
Where death and danger dogs the heels of worth. 15
He is too good and fair for death and me,
Whom I myself embrace to set him free." COUNTESS
Ah, what sharp stings are in her mildest words!
Rinaldo, you did never lack advice so much
As letting her pass so. Had I spoke with her, 20
I could have well diverted her intents,
Which thus she hath prevented. STEWARD Pardon me, madam.
If I had given you this at overnight,
She might have been o’erta’en. And yet she writes 25
Pursuit would be but vain. COUNTESS What angel shall
Bless this unworthy husband? He cannot thrive
Unless her prayers, whom heaven delights to hear
And loves to grant, reprieve him from the wrath 30
Of greatest justice. Write, write, Rinaldo,
To this unworthy husband of his wife.
Let every word weigh heavy of her worth
That he does weigh too light. My greatest grief,
Though little he do feel it, set down sharply. 35
Dispatch the most convenient messenger.
When haply he shall hear that she is gone,
He will return; and hope I may that she,
Hearing so much, will speed her foot again,
Led hither by pure love. Which of them both 40
Is dearest to me, I have no skill in sense
To make distinction. Provide this messenger.
My heart is heavy, and mine age is weak.
Grief would have tears, and sorrow bids me speak. They exit. | In Roussillon France, the Countess reads a letter from Helen. It turns out that Helen has decided to run away, too. She's on a holy pilgrimage to the Shrine of Saint Jaques (a.k.a., St. James' shrine in Spain) to make up for the fact that she's driven her husband off to a war zone. The Countess is frantic. She orders Reynaldo to write Bertram a letter asking him to come home ASAP. She even admits that it probably wasn't such a good idea for her meddle in her son's love life to begin with. Then she hatches a plan to reunite Helen and Bertram. (So much for not sticking her nose in her kid's business. That didn't last long.) |