Doctor Vysarius

18. A Swimmer in a Fearful Element

[Noticing LEOPOLD’s sleeping form and mugging surprise with broad, clownish gestures, PORKEO comes gently to LEOPOLD’s aid, rousing him tenderly. They make a funny sort of pieta.]

PORKEO, whispering into his ear.
Doctor Leopold.

[LEOPOLD wakes from as though from a nightmare and breaks away from PORKEO’s grasp, crawling.]

LEOPOLD.
Pierrot, I cannot see.
My eyes are dark,
A shadow has come over them.

PORKEO.
Laugh then, you are better off.

LEOPOLD.
Pierrot, I cannot laugh.
A shadow has put its fist into my throat
And silence only lives in me.

PORKEO.
Smile then, you are better off.

LEOPOLD.
Pierrot, I cannot smile.
The black hand of a shadow
Has slashed the lips from my skull.

PORKEO.
Die then, you would be better off.

LEOPOLD.
Pierrot, I cannot die,
For as yet I have a tongue,
And I will say what I have seen.

PORKEO.
Say then.

[LEOPOLD rises and turns to his window. He points to the sky as he speaks, as though directing our attention to some great, unseen thing moving in the heavens.]

LEOPOLD.
Past moon, past sun,
There is the shadow
That fumes from star to star:
A swimmer in a fearful element,
Tar-slick and thunder-deep.
Hid within the wings,
Wheels and eyes
Roll voluptuously,
Lovesick for catastrophe.
I shiver at my visible desire,
So pathetic.
I shake, and understand my tragic flesh
Is smelled from Heaven.

PORKEO.
So pale, doctor – what eyes, what tears!
Forget this frown,
You’ve here a clown
Who’d break his neck to bring you cheer!

[PORKEO performs a festive tumble.]

LEOPOLD.
O fool! There are such things in Heaven! We are in grave danger.

PORKEO.
Danger, doctor? Who is in danger?

LEOPOLD.
You and I; the empire and the world.

PORKEO.
You’re sure?

[Briefly, a shadow, like a cloud, comes across the sky.]

LEOPOLD.
Pierrot, look up:
Something heavy
From high heaven’s
Hurtling down
On you and me.

[PORKEO plucks a white rose from his coat and offers it to LEOPOLD.]

PORKEO.
Then you must have my aid,
And, so this oath will never fade,
Take this:
I plucked this flower
From th’ imperial bower
Wherein my master dreams.
My pledge to him
In life and limb
I make also to you.

[LEOPOLD takes the rose.]

LEOPOLD.
A lovely rose, my sweet Pierrot,
Myself will hold it dear,
But your sweet pledge, I now must test
Or all is lost, I fear.

PORKEO.
Oh?

LEOPOLD.
The emperor is in his garden now?

PORKEO.
Not now, but you may find him there at vespers;
It is his custom to dose among the roses.

LEOPOLD.
Then we must go to him—away from the distractions of the court, away from—

PORKEO.
Vysarius?

[LEOPOLD blanches, swoons.]

Are you unwell, doctor? Well then, your clown shall doctor you. Come, let’s away and whiles we do, I’ll sing.

[PORKEO follows after LEOPOLD, distant, dreamy.]

[LEOPOLD staggers out and PORKEO follows, singing, until his voice is but a faint, oddly refracted echo.]