THE DYNASTS ACT
VlLLENEUVE
try that longer, Fournier, is in vain Upon this haggard, scorched, and ravaged hulk, Her decks all reeking with such gory shows, Her starboard side in rents, her stern nigh gone 1 How does she keep afloat ?— " Bucentaure," O unlucky good old ship! My part in you is played. Ay—I must go ; I must tempt Fate elsewhere,—if but a boat Can bear me through this wreckage to the van,
FOURNIER
Our boats are stove in, or as full of holes
As the cook's skimmer, from their cursed balls!
Musketry. VILLENEUVE'S Head-of-Staff, BE PRIGNY, falls wounded, and many additional men. VILLENEUVE glances troubkmsly from ship to ship of his fleet,
VILLENEUVE
How hideous are the waves, so pure this dawn!— Red-frothed; and friends and foes all mixed therein.— Can we in some way hail the " Trinidad " And get a boat from her ?
They attempt to attract the attention of the " Santlsima Trinidad " by shouting.
Impossible;
Amid the loud combustion of this strife As well try holloing to the antipodes! . . . So here I am. . The bliss of Nelson's end Will not be mine; his full refulgent eve Becomes my midnight! Well; the fleets shall see That I can yield my cause with dignity.
The " Bucentaure " strikes her flag.
A boat then puts off from the English ship "Conqueror," and VILLENEUVE, having surrendered his sword, is taken out from the
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