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INTEGRATED
ENVIRONMENTAL
TECHNOLOGIES
FOR WASTEWATER
TREATMENT AND
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
INTEGRATED
ENVIRONMENTAL
TECHNOLOGIES
FOR WASTEWATER
TREATMENT AND
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
Edited by
Vineet Kumar
Waste Re-processing Division, CSIR-National Environmental Engineering
Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), Nehru Marg, Nagpur,
Maharashtra-440020, India
Manish Kumar
CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute
(CSIR-NEERI), Nehru Marg, Nagpur, Maharashtra-440020, India
Elsevier
Radarweg 29, PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands
The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, United Kingdom
50 Hampshire Street, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating
and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such
information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including
parties for whom they have a professional responsibility.
To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume
any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability,
negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas
contained in the material herein.
ISBN: 978-0-323-91180-1
Dedicated to my teachers, and mentors, from whom I continue to learn, and to my family for
their support, blessings, motivation, and love.
Vineet Kumar
Dedicated to my family especially my wife without whose support this book would not have
been possible.
Manish Kumar
Contents
vii
viii Contents
12.2 Enzymes, structure and properties of 14. Integrating forward osmosis into
polyhydroxyalkonate 285 microbial fuel cells for
12.3 Overview of different substrate for wastewater treatment 321
PHA production 287
Abdallah Alhajar, Muhammad Tawalbeh, Dana Arjomand,
12.4 Chemical environment and composition
Nooruddin Abdel Rahman, Hassan Khan and Amani Al-Othman
of wastewater sludge 291
12.5 Production of PHA using pure and mixed 14.1 Introduction 321
microbial cultures 292 14.1.1 Microbial fuel cell 322
12.6 Integration of polyhydroxyalkonate 14.1.2 Forward osmosis 324
production process with wastewater treatment 14.2 Membrane transport theory 325
plant 293 14.3 Osmotic microbial fuel cells 326
12.7 Growing impact and policies of PHA-based 14.3.1 Operational and manufactural
bioplastic in the world 296 observations 327
12.8 Conclusion 298 14.3.2 Applications 328
References 298 14.4 Challenges and obstacles 328
14.4.1 Reverse solute flux 329
14.4.2 Cost and efficiency 329
13. Wastewater treatment by oleaginous 14.4.3 Membranes 330
algae and biodiesel production: 14.5 Previous studies on OsMFCs 330
Prospects and challenges 303 14.6 Conclusions 332
Narasiman Nirmala, Shanmuganantham Selvanantham Dawn
References 332
and Jayaseelan Arun
15. Recent trends for treatment of
13.1 Introduction 303 environmental contaminants in wastewater:
13.2 Contaminants in industrial wastewater 305
An integrated valorization of
13.3 Microalgae and industrial wastewater 306
13.3.1 Microalgae and agro-industrial industrial wastewater 337
wastewater 307 Edwin Hualpa-Cutipa, Richard Andi Solórzano Acosta,
13.3.2 Microalgae and heavy metal Sheena Sangay-Tucto, Xiomara Gisela Mendoza Beingolea,
Gianfranco Talavera Gutierrez and Isabel Navarro Zabarburú
wastewater 307
13.3.3 Microalgae and textile dye 15.1 Introduction 337
wastewater 310 15.2 Physicochemical removal of pollutants
13.4 Prospects of microalgae for biofuel from wastewater generated by industries 338
production 310 15.2.1 Removal of adsorption 339
13.4.1 Advantages of utilizing microalgae 15.2.2 Removal by ion exchange 340
for biodiesel production 310 15.2.3 Removing by nanotechnology 342
13.4.2 Lipids from microalgae 311 15.2.4 Removal by electrocoagulation 342
13.4.3 Induction of neutral lipid production 311 15.2.5 Removal by membrane processes 344
13.4.4 Extraction of oil from microalgae 15.2.6 Removal by chemical precipitation 344
and its different techniques 311 15.2.7 Removal by magnetic extraction 347
13.5 Conversion of algal oil to biodiesel 313 15.2.8 Removal for biofiltration 347
13.5.1 Catalytic transesterification methods 314 15.3 Biotechnological removal of pollutants
13.6 Biofuels and bioproducts acquired from from wastewater generated by industries 348
biovolarization of algal biomass 315 15.3.1 Phytoremediation 348
13.6.1 Biodiesel 315 15.3.2 Bioaccumulation removal 348
13.6.2 Biomethane 316 15.3.3 Biomineralization removal 349
13.6.3 Bioethanol 316 15.3.4 Biotransformation removal 349
13.6.4 Biochar 316 15.3.5 Removal by bioadsorption 355
13.7 Conclusion 317 15.3.6 Bacteria and fungus degradation 355
References 317
xii Contents
References 380
19.1 Introduction 433
17. Microbial electrochemical-based 19.2 Current situation of wastewater treatment
and management 435
constructed wetland technology for
19.3 New concepts and technologies for
wastewater treatment: Reality, challenges, wastewater treatment 437
and future prospects 383 19.3.1 Wastewater treatment using activated
Divyani Kumari, Achlesh Daverey and Kasturi Dutta carbon 437
19.3.2 Wastewater treatment using
17.1 Introduction 383 nanoparticles 439
17.2 Integration of BES with CW (CW-BES) 385 19.3.3 Carbon nanotubes and wastewater
17.2.1 Fundamentals of BES 385 cleansing 440
17.2.2 Advantages of integrating BES 19.3.4 Microbial fuel cells 442
with CW 387 19.4 Advanced integrated technologies for
17.2.3 Design of CW-BES systems and wastewater treatment 443
requirements 388 19.5 Potential benefits of integrated technologies
17.3 Wastewater treatment using CW-BES used in wastewater treatment 446
(lab-, pilot-, and full-scale studies) 389 19.6 Conclusion 449
Contents xiii
Richard Andi Solórzano Acosta Escuela de In- Ritu Bala Department of Microbiology, School of
geniería Ambiental, Universidad César Vallejo, Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Profes-
Lima-Este., Perú sional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India
Abdallah Alhajar Department of Chemical En- Soumya Banerjee Department of Basic Science
gineering, American University of Sharjah, and Humanities, Hooghly Engineering & Tech-
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates nology College, Chinsurah, West Bengal, India
Nisar Ali Key Laboratory for Palygorskite Paul Olusegun Bankole Department of Pure
Science and Applied Technology of Jiangsu and Applied Botany, College of Biosciences,
Province, National & Local Joint Engineering Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta,
Research Centre for Deep Utilization Ogun State, Nigeria
Technology of Rock-salt Resource, Faculty Xiomara Gisela Mendoza Beingolea Faculty of
of Chemical Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Universidad Na-
Technology, Huai’an, China. cional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
Dana Al-Muqbel Department of Chemical En- Ram Naresh Bharagava Department of Microbi-
gineering, American University of Sharjah, ology (DM), School for Environmental Sciences
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (SES), Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Univer-
Mohammed Al-Murisi Department of Chemi- sity (A Central University), Lucknow, Uttar
cal Engineering, American University of Shar- Pradesh, India
jah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Savita Bhardwaj Department of Botany, School
Amani Al-Othman Department of Chemical En- of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Pro-
gineering, American University of Sharjah, fessional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Amit Bhatnagar Department of Separation Sci-
Dana Arjomand Department of Chemical Engi- ence, LUT School of Engineering Science, LUT
neering, American University of Sharjah, Shar- University, Mikkeli, Finland
jah, United Arab Emirates Muhammad Bilal School of Life Science and
Janci Arichandran Department of Biotechnol- Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technol-
ogy, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, ogy, Huai’an, China
Tamil Nadu, India Jayanta Kumar Biswas Enviromicrobiology,
Jayaseelan Arun Centre for Waste Management, Ecotoxicology and Ecotechnology Research
Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technol- Laboratory, Department of Ecological Studies,
ogy, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia,
Manuel Javier Aybar Instituto Superior de In- West Bengal, India; International Centre for
vestigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO, CONICET- Ecological Engineering, University of Kalyani,
Universidad Nacional de Tucumán), Tucumán, Kalyani, West Bengal, India
Argentina; Instituto de Biología “Dr. Francisco Soma Biswas Energy and Environment Re-
D. Barbieri”, Facultad de Bioquímica, Química search Laboratory, Department of Electrical En-
y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, gineering, Dr. B. C. Roy Engineering College,
Tucumán, Argentina Durgapur, West Bengal, India
xv
xvi Contributors
Khalida Bloch Department of Microbiology, Pablo Marcelo Fernández Planta Piloto de Pro-
School of Science, RK University, Rajkot, cesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI-
Gujarat, India CONICET), Tucumán, Argentina; Universidad
Himani Chandel EMBL-Environmental Micro- Nacional de Catamarca, Catamarca, Argentina
biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, EERG- Luiz Fernando R. Ferreira Waste and Effluent
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Remediation Treatment Laboratory, Institute of Technol-
Group, School of Biotechnology, Shoolini Uni- ogy and Research (ITP), Tiradentes University,
versity of Biotechnology and Management Sci- Farolândia, Aracaju, SE, Brazil
ences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India Lucía Inés Castellanos de Figueroa Planta Pi-
Zhen Hong Chang Department of Chemical loto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos
Engineering and Process, Faculty of Engi- (PROIMI-CONICET), Tucumán, Argentina
neering and Built Environment, University Sougata Ghosh Department of Microbiology,
Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi, Selangor School of Science, RK University, Rajkot, Gu-
Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; Department of Chemi- jarat, India
cal and Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of En-
Dilshad Begum Golgeri M Department of
gineering, Technology and Built Environment,
Biochemistry, School of Applied Sciences,
UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
REVA University, Bangalore, Karnataka, India;
Akanksha Chauhan Environment and Biofuel Department of Biochemistry, Indian Academy
Research Lab, Hydro and Renewable Energy Degree College Autonomous, Bangalore,
Department, Indian Institute of Technology Karnataka, India
(IIT) Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand,
Dummi Mahadevan Gurumurthy Department
India
of Biotechnology, GM Institute of Technology,
Achlesh Daverey School of Environment and Davangere, Karnataka, India
Natural Sources, Doon University, Dehradun,
Gianfranco Talavera Gutierrez Faculty of Phar-
Uttarakhand, India
macy and Biochemistry, Universidad Nacional
Shanmuganantham Selvanantham Dawn Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
Centre for Waste Management, Sathyabama
Nasser M. Hamdan Department of Physics, Col-
Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai,
lege of Arts and Sciences, American University
Tamil Nadu, India; Centre of Excellence for
of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Energy Research, Sathyabama Institute of
Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Oshadi Hettithanthri Ecosphere Resilience Re-
India search Centre, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Uni-
versity of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri
Inderpal Devgon Department of Microbiology,
Lanka
School of Bioengineering and Biosciences,
Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Kah Chun Ho Faculty of Engineering, Built En-
Punjab, India vironment, and Information Technology, SEGi
University, Kota Damansara, Malaysia
Vaishali Dhaka Department of Microbiology,
Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Pun- Anyi Hu CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollu-
jab, India tant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environ-
ment Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen,
Govindaraj Divyapriya Department of Civil
China
and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Poly-
technic Institute and State University, Blacks- Edwin Hualpa-Cutipa Faculty of Pharmacy and
burg, United States Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Omics in Life
Sciences Research Group, Universidad Na-
Kasturi Dutta Department of Biotechnology and
cional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú;
Medical Engineering, National Institute of Tech-
Universidad César Vallejo
nology Rourkela, Odisha, India
Contributors xvii
Anum Iqbal Material Sciences and Engineer- Pabasari Arundathi Koliyabandara Ecosphere
ing Program, American University of Sharjah, Resilience Research Centre, Faculty of Applied
United Arab Emirates Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura,
Hafiz M.N. Iqbal Tecnologico de Monterrey, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka; Faculty of Technology,
School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Pitipana, Sri
Mexico Lanka
Khushboo Iqbal Amity Institute of Microbial Mukesh Kumar Department of Microbiology,
Technology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar School of Bioengineering and Biosciences,
Pradesh, India Lovely Professional University, Phagwara,
Punjab, India
Swathi Jayakumar Department of Biotechnol-
ogy, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Navneet Kumar EMBL-Environmental Micro-
Tamil Nadu, India biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, EERG-
Sadhumathiya Jayapandiyan Department Ecotoxicology and Environmental Remediation
of Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Group, School of Biotechnology, Shoolini
Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India University of Biotechnology and Management
Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh,
Mahmood Gheni Jebur Ralph E Martin De-
India
partment of Chemical Engineering, University
of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA; Depart- Vineet Kumar Waste Re-processing Division,
ment of Chemical Engineering, Tikrit Univer- CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Re-
sity, Tikrit, Salah Al-din, Iraq search Institute (CSIR-NEERI), Nehru Marg,
Syeda Ulfath Tazeen Kadri Department of Bio- Nagpur, Maharashtra-440020, India
chemistry, School of Applied Sciences, REVA Divyani Kumari Department of Biotechnology
University, Bangalore, Karnataka, India and Medical Engineering, National Institute of
Dhriti Kapoor Department of Botany, School Technology Rourkela, Odisha, India
of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely
Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, Débora Daniela Maza Instituto Superior de In-
India vestigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO, CONICET-
Ansaf V. Karim Environmental Science and En- Universidad Nacional de Tucumán), Tucumán,
gineering Department, Indian Institute of Tech- Argentina
nology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, India Arti Mishra Amity Institute of Microbial
Arun Karnwal Department of Microbiology, Technology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar
School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Pradesh, India
Lovely Professional University, Phagwara,
Thilothi Mohandas Department of Biotechnol-
Punjab, India
ogy, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli,
Sivasankari Karikalacholan Department of Ma- Tamil Nadu, India
rine Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University,
Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India Monojit Mondal Enviromicrobiology, Ecotoxi-
cology and Ecotechnology Research Labora-
Keerthi Praveen Department of Chemistry,
tory, Department of Ecological Studies, Univer-
Anna University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
sity of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal,
Anoar A. Khan Chemical Engineering India
Department, Vignan’s Foundation for Science,
Technology & Research, Vadlamudi, Guntur, Sikandar I. Mulla Department of Biochemistry,
Andhra Pradesh, India School of Applied Sciences, REVA University,
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Hassan Khan Department of Chemical Engi-
neering, American University of Sharjah, Shar- Junaid Munawar College of Chemistry, Beijing
jah, United Arab Emirates University of Chemical Technology, PR China
xviii Contributors
Satish Kumar Murari Department of Biochem- Nugegoda, Sri Lanka; Instrument Center,
istry, School of Applied Sciences, REVA Univer- Faculty of Applied Sciences, University
sity, Bangalore, Karnataka, India of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda,
Sibiraj Murugesan EMBL-Environmental Sri Lanka
Microbiology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Praveen C. Ramamurthy Interdisciplinary Cen-
EERG-Ecotoxicology and Environmental tre for Water Research (ICWaR), Indian Institute
Remediation Group, School of Biotechnology, of Sciences, Bangalore, India
Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Abhishek Rana Jindal Global Law School, O.P.
Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, In-
Pradesh, India dia
Nadeeshani Nanayakkara Department of Civil Ehsan Ullah Rashid Department of Chemistry,
Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Per- University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisal-
adeniya, Sri Lanka abad, Pakistan
Shahid Nawaz Department of Chemistry, The Anushka Rathnayake Ecosphere Resilience Re-
University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan search Centre, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Uni-
Puthiya Veetil Nidheesh Environmental Impact versity of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri
and Sustainability Division, CSIR-National En- Lanka; Institute of Chemistry Ceylon, Raja-
vironmental Engineering Research Institute, giriya, Sri Lanka
Nagpur, Maharashtra, India Ragavi Ravi Department of Biotechnology,
Vinod Kumar Nigam Department of Bioengi- Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli,
neering and Biotechnology, Birla Institute of Tamil Nadu, India
Technology, Mesra, Ranchi Rishabh Motilal Nehru Medical College, Praya-
Narasiman Nirmala Centre for Waste Manage- graj
ment, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Tech- Rohan Samir Kumar Sachan Department of Mi-
nology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India crobiology, School of Bioengineering and Bio-
Nirosha Parimannan Department of Marine sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phag-
Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, wara, Punjab, India
Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India Sheena Sangay-Tucto Centro de Investigación
Lakshmi Pisharody The Zuckerberg Institute of y Tecnología del Agua (CITA), Departamento
Water Research, Ben-Gurion University, Beer- de Ingeniería Ambiental, Universidad de Inge-
sheba, Israel niería y Tecnología (UTEC), Lima, Perú
Malliga Perumal Department of Marine Gaurav Saxena EMBL-Environmental Microbi-
Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, ology and Biotechnology Laboratory, EERG-
Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India Ecotoxicology and Environmental Remediation
Sanjeev Kumar Prajapati Environment and Bio- Group, School of Biotechnology, Shoolini Uni-
fuel Research Lab, Hydro and Renewable En- versity of Biotechnology and Management Sci-
ergy Department, Indian Institute of Tech- ences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
nology (IIT) Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand, Keerthana Shanmuganathan Department of
India Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University,
Nooruddin Abdel Rahman Department of Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
Chemical Engineering, American University of Geetansh Sharma EMBL-Environmental
Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Microbiology and Biotechnology Laboratory,
Anushka Upamali Rajapaksha Ecosphere EERG-Ecotoxicology and Environmental
Resilience Research Centre, Faculty of Applied Remediation Group, School of Biotechnology,
Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and
Contributors xix
Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; Research Centre for
Pradesh, India Sustainable Process Technology, Faculty of
Neha Sharma Amity Institute of Microbial Engineering and Built Environment, University
Technology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi, Selangor
Pradesh, India Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
End of Act V.
ACT SIXTH.
SCENE I.
Early morning in the condemned cell where Isola lies sleeping. In
one corner of it a warder sits, with his head sunk on his chest,
asleep. The first sign of day dawn is stealing through the barred
window.
Isola (gradually awaking, says dreamily): “’Tis somewhat hard my
rugged, earthy couch, Yet the brown heather nurtures Liberty. I’d
rather nestle in its arms, than lie Cushioned and canopied on regal
couch.” [Wakes more fully, and starts up into a sitting posture,
as consciousness and remembrance return. “’Tis neither, though.
Memory has returned. Morning is breaking on my last one here.
In a few hours my deathless Counterpart Will meet once more my
loved Escanior. Escanior! I am coming, Escanior! They sought to
part us. We shall meet again.” (She looks at the dim light in the
cell, and says): “’Tis a lone scene. A dreary aspect. Cold.” [Shivers.
“Bare walls, grey dawn, a flick’ring light at play A drowsy gaoler,
with his sleeping head, Nodding upon his almost soulless breast.
What is he but a thing mechanical, The tool of icy and unfeeling
law? Law, sacred law! No matter how unjust. An idol to be viewed
with veneration! Yes, Death is nigh, nigh unto Isola. It has no
terror for her, still she fain Would turn aside its grip from dear
Vulnar, And faithful Scrutus, too, if possible. Why should they die
for saving Hector’s son? Hector, awake! Save them, preserve their
lives. What is their crime? Did they not save Vergli, Half-brother
of our little Bernis? Hark! Far off I hear a clock tower tolling six.
Just two hours more. Bernis, awake? My child. Bernis, arouse
your father, bid him save, Bid him give Scrutus and Vulnar their
lives. It matters not for me, but for these two, Bernis awake him,
bid him think of them. My little boy, make haste. Time glides
along; It waits for no one, peasant, peer, or king.”
[Enter another gaoler, the drowsy one starts up.
Gaoler. “The pastor’s here. Would you converse with him? And let
him shrift your soul from coal black sin? What will you have to
eat? Name your desire, And I will see it is attended to. You must
be hungry, aye, and thirsty too, For two whole days food has not
passed your lips, Nor water either. Are you not famishing?”
Fortunatus. “Ask the wild bird, deprived of Liberty, And caged
inside a narrow prison cell, Either to eat of seed or drink of water!
I am not hungry friend, I need no food, Nor do I need the pastor’s
aid to shrive My soul of some imaginary sins. Let me be left in
peace. ’Tis all I ask, And when the hour arrives for me to die, I’ll
leave this cage ever so joyfully.”
Gaoler. “You’re a queer lot, you evolutionists. I would not like to
die, at all, at all, And without eating, or a steadying dram To keep
the nerves together. Think of it! It is to me incomprehensible.
Queer fish indeed these evolutionists.”
Isola (musingly to herself): “Hector might wake. My voice may have
reached him, Those thoughts of mine might possibly strike home!
Somehow I feel he’ll wake and send reprieve. Send it, yes, but will
it arrive in time? I’ll claim the privilege of dying first. Each
moment saved is precious. Dear Vulnar, Your staunch fidelity to
me and Truth, Merits not death, but Honour, Liberty. And you,
too, Scrutus, you so faithful. No, You do not merit such a
punishment. Hector! Art coming? Give these men their lives.”
SCENE II.
On the scaffold. An immense crowd is assembled outside the prison
of Holdfast. The three prisoners have been pinioned, and have
reached the spot of execution.
Fortunatus (to the hangman): “I claim the privilege of dying first,
Being the youngest of us three condemned, So man, make me
your first experiment, And take your time, don’t hurry, be
composed. Tut man, don’t tremble! What is there to fear? Learn
from young Fortunatus how to die. Adjust the rope. There! Steady.
Hark! I hear. [Listens. ’Tis the far echo of a horse’s feet, Surely,
yes surely, both will now be saved, I feel it, bless thee Hector, Vic
——”
A tremendous roar is heard outside. The words “Reprieve,
Reprieve, the King himself! The King!” suddenly penetrate to the
scaffold. A minute later and the King hurries thereon.
King Hector. “Reprieved! Governor hear! They are reprieved!”
[Staring at the group. “Two only here? Where is young
Fortunatus?”
The Hangman. “Dead, Sire! The word ‘reprieve’ reached me too
late, The sound arrived just as I pulled the bolt. His last words
were ‘Bless thee Hector, Victory!’ I heard them uttered as he fell
below, His death was speedy, instantaneous.”
Hector, laying both hands on Vulnar’s shoulder and bowing his
head on them, sobs out: “Isola! Isola! too late! too late! Oh! Isola
forgive. I rode my best. I rode not as a King, but as a man Whose
heart was bursting to reach you in time. I rode the horse you used
to love so well. The chestnut Saladin. He cleft the air, He seemed
to fly like arrow from the bow. He did his utmost. I did mine. Alas!
Fate was against us. Fate inexorable.”
The Governor of Holdfast prison exclaiming to himself: “Isola!
Fortunatus, Isola? By all the gods! This is a pretty pass. [To a
Warder. Haste man! Cut down young Fortunatus. See. Quick!
bear the body to my private rooms. Explain the situation to my
wife. Tell her to lay Isola on the bed. Apprise her that the King is
here. The King! A pretty pass! A tragedy indeed!”
Vulnar (to the hangman): “Unpinion me and Scrutus. Do it sharp,
man.” [A pause. Turning to the King and taking his hand: “Oh!
sire, grieve not, you did your very best. Would I had died first, and
saved Isola. I never dreamed of a reprieve. Brave heart! She died
to give me life. She died for Truth. Sire, see to it she did not die in
vain. Her last words, ‘Bless thee Hector. Victory!’ Shall ring into
your soul and make you just, Oh! yes, they shall. Her name will
gain the day, Isola dead, shall win bright Victory.”
King Hector (still sobbing): “Take me to Isola. Isola! I tried to save
thee, but I came too late. I strove with human might to be in time,
The human heart was beating in my breast. All royal mummery
had left my side, It was the man and not the King that strove,
Though Kings can feel, they are just human beings, Albeit
barbaric customs make them dolls. And I, I loved thee Isola. I did.
Who could help loving one so kind, so true?” (To Vulnar) “Vulnar,
where is she? Take me to her side, I tried to save her, but I came
too late.”
[Sobs.
Vulnar (linking the King’s arm in his and signing to the Governor,
standing close by, to lead forward): “Come, sire, I’ll take your
Majesty to her. Take comfort thinking how she blest you, sire;
Mourn not for her, she died as she had lived, With valiant heart
beating for others’ woes. Death had no terrors for her, sire,
indeed, It cannot claim the soul of Isola, Her deathless Thought,
that which made her a pow’r, Lives on and will live on eternally.
Doubtless ’tis roving with Escanior’s, She loved him, loved no
other all her life, I, his old Comrade, testify to this, I who e’er
worshipped where her feet have trod. And yet she’ll hover round
you sire again, And influence your heart to make the Cause, For
which she died, triumphant everywhere. She claimed to reign with
you, see to it Sire That her loved voice shall wake this world
again.”
They follow the Governor to his private apartments, and this latter
and Vulnar silently stand aside as the King enters the one in
which Isola has been laid.
King Hector (solus): “Yes, she is dead. Isola, thou art gone, That
which o’ertakes all men has come to thee. Vulnar spoke rightly,
when he said that thou, Dead should ne’erless obtain the Victory.
Yes, thou hast won it. Here, I swear to thee, All thou did’st die for
shall be realised, Right shall prevail, and Men shall own their
own, There shall be no more disinherited. Saxscober’s
Constitution shall become The constitution of a people free, And I
will be their real, not dummy King, Their brother worker, their
companion. While Life is left to me to work, I’ll work, I’ll make
Saxscoberland a dreamland scene, It shall reflect thy dream dear
Isola, Its face shall be the mirror of thy soul. Vergli shall aid me.
My first act shall be To do him justice and proclaim him heir; Our
little Bernis shall not act the thief, He shall be what thou sought’st
to keep the child, A human being, not a puppet slave. He shall be
his brave mother’s substitute, In him already shines thy deathless
soul. Isola, thou hast won, I swear it, Love. Thy death has won
Saxscober’s Liberty,”
He bends over and kisses her forehead. Then leaves the room.
Meeting Vulnar outside, he says: “Vulnar, I leave her body in your
care. Treat her as you would treat a reigning Queen. She shall
reign over fair Saxscoberland In deed, in fact, in true reality. Unto
the other nations of our Erth Her message shall be borne and shall
prevail, The bright example of Saxscoberland Shall move the
smaller fry to imitate, A bright example has its magnetism, And
draws men to solicit its embrace. Hector is clasping Isola’s. No
force Shall ever tear it from his grasp. No fear! I leave you, Vulnar.
Do your part. I go. My share in Evolution has begun. With Vergli I
will lead its sacred cause, With him will realize Isola’s dream.”
[He wrings Vulnar’s hand, and calling the Governor to him walks
away by his side.