Thelema ScholarTHE ALEISTER CROWLEY COLLECTION
FOLLOW A WORD THROUGH THE COLLECTION

Search the corpus.

Phrase search ignores case and repeated whitespace. All-words search finds whole words anywhere on the same page. OCR errors can affect results.

20 matching pages

Page 1 of 1
1912 · PDF PAGE 96

Mortadello

80 MORTADELLO The devil’s die to cast—and mine the game to-day. Here he comes ! I should like to hide behind the door, Leap out on him and strike, one flounder to the floor, Bury my teeth in that bull-neck, and snap the spine, As a dog kills a rat. Now, manners, mouth o’ mine ! The door opens and MORTADELLO enters as MONICA regains her composure. But throughout the scene she throws off her reserved and modest manner, and behaves as a shame- less and alluring wanton. MORTADELLO. And so we meet at last ! MONICA. The hour I waited for ! MORTADELLO…

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 98

Mortadello

…l too sudden to a sob. I don’t care that [she makes a gesture of contempt] for all the favour of the mob. Your friends have real power ; mine’s but the power of storm. It’s over in an hour ; your sun is always warm. MORTADELLO. If it were so, I think you would not be so frank. MONICA. Yes, but I shall not sink ; you make a perfect plank. This hour is mine ; and this shall breed me many more. Your Charon-fee’s a kiss—and I shall come to shore. MORTADELLO. I would as soon espouse a trull upon the quays. MONICA. My beauty can arouse no kinder thou…

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 78

Mortadello

…hou, who wast nailed by wicked men upon the cross, Now hear me, assailed by villains. All my gain is loss. Breath fails me, dark as hell mine eyes foresee my doom, Death, stern and stark, the glutton shark the tomb, my bloom Blasted. Thy maid, Lord Christ, kept vigil before Thee, Fasted and prayed, endured a life’s Gethsemane ; Now, scourged and spat upon, mocked before priest and king— Thou, gaze on thought, come crowned, come armed, come conquering, Come, save me, save thy maiden ! Strike each barbèd dart Home to the grave convent and cloiste…

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 106

Mortadello

…Scrawled with so fierce a face that none may ever dare Uplift the carapace for fear—what may be there. ALESSANDRO. It is no easy road to mine—our—heart’s desire. MONICA. Is it not sharp, the goad ? Does it not burn, the fire ? ALESSANDRO. Nay, wit is brought to term. MONICA. The spirit is unwilling, Although the flesh is firm ? ALESSANDRO. Through flesh and spirit thrilling Sings the exultant pang—but does not tell me how. MONICA. Mine feels the equal fang—to catch the naked Now Seems almost Fate—but I say Nay, say Nay, say Nay. I have taught m…

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 6

Mortadello

PREFACE HIS comedy is perhaps my first serious attempt at a work of art ; previous lucubrations of mine having been works either of necessity or of piety : that is, or I felt obliged to tell the truth about something, or I was definitely inspired. But the Angel of Venice (I protest) is a very cunning concoction. I had been revolving certain exposition by M. Henri Davray of Verlaine’s skill in treating the Alexandrine ; and I couldn’t let it stay there ! Hence the form. I had also been meditating on Maeter- linck’s method of obtaining atmosphere…

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 122

Mortadello

…ters, followed by many nobles and burgesses. Most welcome, holy father ! You were not hurt at all ? LEGATE. Not hurt, but shaken rather. Mine are old bones to fall. MONICA. Welcome my lords ! You, too, are welcome citizens ! All your attention due to hear his eminence Speak for his Holiness the Pope. LEGATE My friends, I came Charged with all strain and stress to watch a glamoured game. I watched. I waited. Not one word have I let fall. It was enough to allot your portions to you all. One I found faithful, one ; your devilish Doge’s wife, The s…

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 80

Mortadello

…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, shame—Christ, I’ll drench Desire of hate in her own rotting body’s stench. But death—not death ! Ha ! Ha ! Ha ! ORLANDO. I am a dead man. GABRIELE. He saith it ! Now to achieve the pinnacle of my plan ! Princess, I arrest you in the Doge’s name. MONICA. Arrest ! GABRIELE. No less ! MONICA. [Rising wi…

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 25

Mortadello

…! my lord. ALESSANDRO. Outrun the dolphin and the deer ! Murano ! LUCREZIA. [To ALESSANDRO.] Take my waist. ZELINA. [To ALESSANDRO.] And mine. ALESSANDRO. Oh ! not so fervent. I’m anxious to be chaste ; Lorenzo is your servant. LORENZO. I love them ; they despise so poor a thing as I. ALESSANDRO. I laugh at them ; they rise to the occasion. LORENZO. Why ? ALESSANDRO. This was the primal curse, the climax of the rancorous. That girls should be perverse, and cavaliers cantankerous. [The gondola moves off L., and is met by another, closed. LUCREZI…

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 68

Mortadello

…. Knave or buffoon, I’ll tan his hide. D’ye think he lends to the Princess ? GABRIELE. How can I say ? She has good friends. MORTADELLO. Mine are no less. Where’s the assassin ? GABRIELE. The black dog—I cannot find him. Or Satan or the Synagogue must be behind him. Well, we must find. MORTADELLO. If we might dare to cry a price—— GABRIELE. The powder magazine would flare—and not flare twice. Our safety is the doubt we spread of our intent. MORTADELLO. Proclaim her whore. GABRIELE. The hope that fed that lamp is spent. On of the Ten—the Ten, I …

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 39

Mortadello

… 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 song of the spring, to be thine ! I would drink molten gold, and walk on white-hot steel, Once, only once to hold your body, once to feel The annihilation of sense and spirit in your caress, The imminent and intense bolt of your loveliness. MONICA. Well, yours the right reward of love and death. Time calls. Hell’s master hath toward a banquet in his halls. I am the whirlpool’s le…

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 118

Mortadello

…sing ! O dance ! I’ll play Strike the guitar with this red steel ! Advance ! Array ! Array yourselves as brides ; these bloody robes are mine. Blood on my breasts ! Storm rides at last the Apennine ! Bend yourselves ! Swing you with the blast ! The raging revel Bring all of us, yea, all, at last, to dare the devil !

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 73

Mortadello

…eat. MONICA. My skin sheds dew. Now do you know me ? Can the boon you seek escape ? Ah, but your bosom is the moon, your cheek a grape ! Mine are but baby breasts. See here ! Not worth a kiss. There’s nothing for a man to fear in this—or this. 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, …

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 72

Mortadello

…esses ! Is not this nipple like the crest of Etna ? Tresses Of gold. Let down your locks ; let fall, Lucrezia, let Their sunshine kindle mine, a pall of snaky jet ! My mouth is thin like Saturn’s ring, your mouth is red As Mars, a sword, a snake to sting, a sun to shed Life on all wanderers in the maze of love, a moon To curve, and Venus’ self to craze. LUCREZIA. O tender tune ! You know the secret of all sweetness. MONICA. No ! ’tis you Who are too fair.

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 34

Mortadello

…e night and the lagoon ! MAGDALENA. I am ready. [She disappears. ORLANDO. To meet God ! your sulky soul must glide In a darker boat than mine, and cross a colder tide. [MAGDALENA opens the door, and comes out. MAGDALENA. See ! but a silken shawl between you and your lover ! [She opens it, spreading her arms to enfold him. ORLANDO. Between you and your thrall what mysteries uncover ! MAGDALENA. What do you mean ? ORLANDO. Behold this crater-cup concealed. A flower of dusky gold upon the lilied field ! [He stoops and kisses her upon the navel. MA…

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 57

Mortadello

…ay send, destruction tear Through larch and pine to village, rend its roofs in air. This is God’s virgin, lords : I bid your hearts with mine Rise in thanksgiving. Love was hid in that cold shrine. And now I bid you welcome well the fairest bride That ever graced our citadel. Great Father, guide Our wedded steps through joys too great to estimate, Our wedded deeds to decorate our storied State. Advance the chair. Lord Bishop, now we await your pleasure. O sanction thou the rainbow vow to arch my treasure ! [The service of marriage is begun. THE…

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 65

Mortadello

…y, before We lend our monies out to anyone, we ought To see the peace restored. ISSACHAR. You speak my very thought. Not one doubloon of mine shall leave its quiet nest And hiding-place until these wars are laid to rest. ISRAEL. Agreed. I’ll tell the Synagogue of our resolve. That will bring folk to reason. Hinge that won’t resolve Needs oil of peace.

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 113

Mortadello

…loving friends, I cannot say how much My wisdom comprehends ; but these are words that touch One’s heart. Unbidden tears spring salty to mine eyes. There’s something that endears such common courtesies, When, as I see they are, the words are truly meant. I am the highest star in all the firmament : But this much I admit, my light is partly due— Indeed, the most of it—to you, dear friends, to you. I do not hesitate to say that, bar my wife. This is the very proudest day in all my life. [He raises his cup, and drinks. Here’s health to you in turn…

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 115

Mortadello

…through haze the rigid rays of the dead moons ! Saturn of lead, and Mars all red, and Venus blue, And purple Jove, lend me your love, as mine to you ! All stars, all vast worlds that stream past. I lust to slake

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 90

Mortadello

…nt of God ! ALESSANDRO. She is with God, not upon earth ! A CITIZEN. Ask for her prayers. MONICA. Thy will be done, thy will, O God, not mine or theirs ! Purge me of will ! It was my wicked will that kept Me back so long, so long, from rousing That which slept ALESSANDRO. O Lady Monica ! can you not speak one word ? MONICA. My ears are open, yet in sooth I have not heard. ALESSANDRO. Pray for us !

original embedded textRead original & transcription →
1912 · PDF PAGE 30

Mortadello

…ANDO is torn by conflicting emotions. ORLANDO. I’ll save you. Will you give your servant his reward ? MONICA. That will I, as I live, if mine to give, my lord !

original embedded textRead original & transcription →