LITMIR.BIZ

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He's staunch. He's watching, or I am much deceived.

       [MULGRAVE departs. MALMESBURY goes within. The scene shuts.]

ACT FIFTH

       Table of Contents

      SCENE I

       OFF CAPE TRAFALGAR

       [A bird's eye view of the sea discloses itself. It is daybreak,

       and the broad face of the ocean is fringed on its eastern edge

       by the Cape and the Spanish shore. On the rolling surface

       immediately beneath the eye, ranged more or less in two parallel

       lines running north and south, one group from the twain standing

       off somewhat, are the vessels of the combined French and Spanish

       navies, whose canvases, as the sun edges upward, shine in its

       rays like satin.

       On the western horizon two columns of ships appear in full sail,

       small as moths to the aerial vision. They are bearing down

       towards the combined squadrons.]

      RECORDING ANGEL I [intoning from his book]

       At last Villeneuve accepts the sea and fate,

       Despite the Cadiz council called of late,

       Whereat his stoutest captains—men the first

       To do all mortals durst—

       Willing to sail, and bleed, and bear the worst,

       Short of cold suicide, did yet opine

       That plunging mid those teeth of treble line

       In jaws of oaken wood

       Held open by the English navarchy

       With suasive breadth and artful modesty,

       Would smack of purposeless foolhardihood.

      RECORDING ANGEL II

       But word came, writ in mandatory mood,

       To put from Cadiz, gain Toulon, and straight

       At a said sign on Italy operate.

       Moreover that Villeneuve, arrived as planned,

       Would find Rosily in supreme command.—

       Gloomy Villeneuve grows rash, and, darkly brave,

       Leaps to meet war, storm, Nelson—even the grave.

      SEMICHORUS I OF THE YEARS [aerial music]

       Ere the concussion hurtle, draw abreast

       Of the sea.

      SEMICHORUS II

       Where Nelson's hulls are rising from the west,

       Silently.

      SEMICHORUS I

      Each linen wing outspread, each man and lad

       Sworn to be

      SEMICHORUS II

       Amid the vanmost, or for Death, or glad

       Victory!

       [The point of sight descends till it is near the deck of the

       “Bucentaure,” the flag-ship of VILLENEUVE. Present thereupon

       are the ADMIRAL, his FLAG-CAPTAIN MAGENDIE, LIEUTENANT

       DAUDIGNON, other naval officers and seamen.]

      MAGENDIE

       All night we have read their signals in the air,

       Whereby the peering frigates of their van

       Have told them of our trend.

      VILLENEUVE

       The enemy

       Makes threat as though to throw him on our stern:

       Signal the fleet to wear; bid Gravina

       To come in from manoeuvring with his twelve,

       And range himself in line.

       [Officers murmur.]

       I say again

       Bid Gravina draw hither with his twelve,

       And signal all to wear!—and come upon

       The larboard tack with every bow anorth!—

       So we make Cadiz in the worst event.

       And patch our rags up there. As we head now

       Our only practicable thoroughfare

       Is through Gibraltar Strait—a fatal door!

       Signal to close the line and leave no gaps.

       Remember, too, what I have already told:

       Remind them of it now. They must not pause

       For signallings from me amid a strife

       Whose chaos may prevent my clear discernment,

       Or may forbid my signalling at all.

       The voice of honour then becomes the chief's;

       Listen they thereto, and set every stitch

       To heave them on into the fiercest fight.

       Now I will sum up all: heed well the charge;

       EACH CAPTAIN, PETTY OFFICER, AND MAN

       IS ONLY AT HIS POST WHEN UNDER FIRE.

       [The ships of the whole fleet turn their bows from south to

       north as directed, and close up in two parallel curved columns,

       the concave side of each column being towards the enemy, and

       the interspaces of the first column being, in general, opposite

       the hulls of the second.]

      AN OFFICER [straining his eyes towards the English fleet]

       How they skip on! Their overcrowded sail

       Bulge like blown bladders in a tripeman's shop

       The market-morning after slaughterday!

      PETTY OFFICER

       It's morning before slaughterday with us,

       I make so bold to bode!

       [The English Admiral is seen to be signalling to his fleet. The

       signal is: “ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN TO DO HIS DUTY.” A loud

       cheering from all the English ships comes undulating on the wind

       when the signal is read.]

      VILLENEUVE

       They are signalling too—Well, business soon begins!

       You will reserve your fire. And be it known

       That we display no admirals' flags at all

       Until the action's past. 'Twill puzzle them,

       And work to our advantage when we close.—

       Yes, they are double-ranked, I think, like us;

       But we shall see anon.

      MAGENDIE

       The foremost one

       Makes for the “Santa Ana.” In such case

       The “Fougueux” might assist her.

      VILLENEUVE

       Be it so—

       There's time enough.—Our ships will be in place,

       And ready to speak back in iron words

      

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