Thelema ScholarTHE ALEISTER CROWLEY COLLECTION
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1912 · PDF PAGE 80

Mortadello

64 MORTADELLO Beneath the blessings from her false lips lisped, is choked, The teeth o’ the tigress clenched in death. The heart that smoked Hell’s lust is cold. ORLANDO. [Turns and sees MONICA, as he thinks, dead] God, then my sword drink vengeance deep ! GABRIELE. This thrust balk thy revenge ! [GABRIELE stabs him treacherously in his amazement. ORLANDO. O treacherous dagger-sweep ! GABRIELE. Ay ! she’s not dead, black fool ! But mine for the torture—Drink Black lees of hell’s own wine, thy poisoned soul to sink In mire and filth of agony, sh…

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1912 · PDF PAGE 93

Mortadello

…es. Drive that dog in ! A CITIZEN. Kill him ! CITIZENS. Kill him ! Bleed The leech ! Smash in his face ! Break up the walls for stones ! Death ! Death ! Death to the dog ! We’ll batter in his bones ! [They hurl sticks and other missiles at the window. Some begin to break down the wall of the bridge, and take the stones. THE GOVERNOR and his men are driven in. MORTADELLO and a com- pany of bowmen arrive. MORTADELLO. Ah, dogs, do you rebel ? You have to deal with us ! Bolt to the crossbow men ! Fuse to the arquebus ! Mow them like grass before th…

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1912 · PDF PAGE 70

Mortadello

52 MORTADELLO Let asps lurk in the orange blossoms of my hair, Great gasps of death strangle my Judas-love, despair Bite deep into his heart before I draw the veil And steep in murder, harpy’s tooth and claw, my pale Pure face, my bloodless virgin’s face, to dip and bury Its grace in his black blood, my long thin lip made merry With mouthing at his heart-strings, and my white throat working, Its drouth dissolved as the blood sucks, sucks—nightshade lurking In dells of witchcraft where black Hecate shoots out In hell’s lust, her tongue, a frenzy…

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1912 · PDF PAGE 39

Mortadello

…. Here ! take my ring. I go to concentrate my power. My sworn allies must know. I join you in an hour. I will make time to-night, though death lurked in the curtain. An hour for our delight, make one dream sure and certain ! Though all else fail, one hour shall spell supreme success, The bee drink of the flower, strength link with loveliness. ORLANDO. Torrents of ravening blood poured from the desolate steeps, Tumultuous fever of flood from the mountain that sweeps I would drain for this inaccessible thing made mine— The ineffable bliss, the so…

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1912 · PDF PAGE 79

Mortadello

… months of hate I starve to spit thee on my sword. ORLANDO. Now meet thy fate ! GABRIELE. Dog ! falls the last of thine beside thee now, Death calls, Death calls ! See rear their crests Hell’s adamantine walls. ORLANDO. I’ll send thee to announce me. GABRIELE. [Pointing to MONICA. Look ! thy whore’s gone first. Her end be all damnation. See ! the throat that cursed

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1912 · PDF PAGE 73

Mortadello

…LUCREZIA. Oh they are beautiful ! MONICA. Oh no ! but yet my soul Is mighty, I will have you know, to gain its goal. Now—tell me ! is it death you invoke—Zelina’s death ? You want me to give poison, choke the assassin breath ! LUCREZIA. I ask revenge—nay, justice—when you come to power. MONICA. So be it, I swear by Christ, Amen ! Await the hour. LUCREZIA. Can you do nothing now ? I ache with impotence. MONICA. Where is she ? LUCREZIA. Know you not ? MONICA. For the sake of God ! LUCREZIA. Offence Alike to Heaven and Earth, she is now the univer…

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1912 · PDF PAGE 107

Mortadello

…decide ! I say these red poppies lack The juices of Cathay. MORTADELLO. Ah ! you are on the track. ’Tis the white poppy holds poison and death. MONICA. Ah, well ! The whitest soul enfolds all mysteries of hell. ALESSANDRO. Ah ! there’s a mystic’s truth. MONICA. Saint Paul infers the same. All beauty and all youth but feed the eternal flame. Saints know, and only saints, the horrors of the soul, Its foul and fiery taints, its nigromancer’s scroll. Kneel, and love God. Enough if you would fathom hell ! The Path is straight and rough. MORTADELLO. …

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1912 · PDF PAGE 32

Mortadello

14 MORTADELLO MONICA. Death’s warrant for my sake ? I never injured him. ORLANDO. A woman’s hate inspires innocent Seraphim with infamous desires ! MONICA. God pardon Magdalene ! ORLANDO. No hour for grace, alas ! [Aside.] For all the grace I mean shall be the coup de grace ! [He goes off over the bridge. The nuns kneel at MONICA’S feet, and clasp her knees. MONICA. Sisters, you heard me. Rise. Home is no more a home. The goal of saintship lies through gates of martyrdom. There are virtues hard as stone ; with such the pit is paved. There are v…

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1912 · PDF PAGE 59

Mortadello

OR, THE ANGEL OF VENICE 41 MORTADELLO. Body and blood of God ! THE DOGE. Death ! THE ARCHBISHOP. Sacrilege ! GABRIELE. Close the doors ! Let none escape ! A VOICE. The doors are thronged. MORTADELLO. Swords ! Swords ! GABRIELE. Who roars So loud ? Keep silence, sir, or we are all undone ! MORTADELLO. Misshapen knave ! THE DOGE. Peace, peace. MORTADELLO. Thou misbegotten one ! Lay hands upon the household. [The church fills with smoke. GABRIELE. All’s gone dark. THE DOGE. Gone dark ! MORTADELLO. Gone dark ! GABRIELE. Crackles and fumes ; they ha…

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1912 · PDF PAGE 103

Mortadello

… and other flowers. MORTADELLO. TILL heavy hangs the heat ; the sleepy waters swoon. October may repeat the menaces of June. ALESSANDRO. Death has a drum to beat to his eternal tune. MORTADELLO. Why, man, you’re gloomy still ; the weather’s cause enough. ALESSANDRO. No, highness, I am ill ; I have been crossed in love. MORTADELLO. Love’s easy to be won. ALESSANDRO. My lord, you find it so. It’s simple for the sun to set the field aglow ! But I’m a star obscure, fantastical, forsooth ! And how should I allure and catch capricious youth ? MORTADE…

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1912 · PDF PAGE 81

Mortadello

… save you, all God’s mercy burn Sin from you. Follow me ! SOLDIERS. Our queen. Sweet saint of God ! GABRIELE. Spew, spew God’s agony and death. Black period Of all my hopes. [He dies. MONICA. There goes to his master a lost soul. SOLDIERS. We’ll follow you. MONICA. Who knows the glory of my goal ? SOLDIERS. To the palace ! MONICA. No, my friends, obey your orders still. It is the prison that ends my passage. All my will

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1912 · PDF PAGE 100

Mortadello

…ck me and you shock. MONICA. The people wait to see Unlock the barren rock of this fine colloquy. Which will you have ? Close furled the death-flag flutter free ? Or Venice and the world, the flesh, the devil—and me ? MORTADELLO. It is my honour that you rob me of ! MONICA. I give You glory, a tame cat. MORTADELLO. Too false and fugitive ! MONICA. Oh, you repine too much. At least I give you life, And in the bargain such a jewel of a wife ! MORTADELLO. Well, here’s my ring. I trust because I must, agree Just to be all unjust ! MONICA. My lust o…

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1912 · PDF PAGE 27

Mortadello

… while faintest fear can threat my troth-plight wife Shall its blade quiver and ache and fret to have her life. Be reassured. MAGDALENA. Death sits, your vassal, in your eyes. MORTADELLO. I swear by Mary and the Mass, your rival dies. MAGDALENA. Then go, my knight and king. I love you. MORTADELLO. Queen, good-night ! [He steps from the gondola. MAGDALENA. God and his angels watch above you. MORTADELLO. At the light You may expect my news. MAGDALENA. Strike swift and sure and subtle ! Snap the pale thread, my wedding gift Fate’s empty shuttle !

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1912 · PDF PAGE 31

Mortadello

…is hatched. I dare This hour the fearful fate. Stay hidden here ; beware Count Mortadello ! MONICA. He ? ORLANDO. He is now gone to take Death’s warrant from the Three.

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1912 · PDF PAGE 34

Mortadello

…6 MORTADELLO MONICA. I fear to set the tune ; I fear to cast the throw. ORLANDO. Set back the rising moon ! Fate marches : who says no ? Death broods upon the tide, and love beams far and wide ; You my betrothèd bride—athwart her corpse I stride ! Hide there beneath the porch ! I’ll strike upon the bell, Kindle the fatal torch to light her soul to hell. [He strikes the bell. MAGDALENA appears at the window, dressed. My Magdalena ! You are ready ? Love’s the tune ! Bare me your beauty to the night and the lagoon ! MAGDALENA. I am ready. [She dis…

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1912 · PDF PAGE 54

Mortadello

… teeth ! ALESSANDRO. The hour draws near. The tigress springs ; I feel her breath Black hour of fear, whose leaden wings beat, beat like death. MONICA. Ah ! is my breath so hot and quick and fierce and sharp ? Nay ! “ shuddereth the angelic prick-song on her harp. No tigress roams the forest, preys upon mankind : No ocean foams with fury, slays, frenzied and blind

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1912 · PDF PAGE 37

Mortadello

OR, THE ANGEL OF VENICE 19 Under the Doge’s seal the order for your death. Count Mortadello begged the favour on his knees. (You may divine who egged him on to’t, if you please). Yes, Mortadello, schooled to order, not to pray ! But he was overruled ; my counsel, you may say. MONICA. I thank you sir. GABRIELE. We launch an Argo of goodwill ; So here’s the olive-branch ; I bear it in my bill. MONICA. Sir, I accept. This hand in innocence and truth Takes yours. Superbly planned your subtlety, in sooth. GABRIELE. You say so. You must flatter. But …

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1912 · PDF PAGE 46

Mortadello

…see ! they break ; he shines ! An omen ! THE DOGE. Call it one ! Is there no risk of storm before the night whose fall Is certain as the death that must envelop all ? GABRIELE. My lord, be of good cheer. Though dusk devour us soon. Remember we have made alliance with the moon THE DOGE. I am satisfied. We float, a serviceable bark. For you remains reward, the Lion of St. Mark. [He throws the chain and symbols over the shoulders of GABRIELE, who kneels and kisses his hand Now, are the ten waiting ? GABRIELE. So I believe, my Lord. THE DOGE. Call …

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1912 · PDF PAGE 69

Mortadello

…efore me, given all my youth, dear Lord, To Thee, now hear me, hear me, hear me this one breath ! Give me this Mortadello to my kiss—and death !

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1912 · PDF PAGE 61

Mortadello

…in from flesh, alike my drouth in gore, those bowels rip From that false belly. God ! I gasp ! Loosen my throat ! Some one calls. Hell ! Death ! O sharp asp !

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