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That ‘twere a useless and a cruel zeal

       To rob a dying man of any hope,

       However vain, that soothes him: and, in fine,

       Denies all chance of offspring from the Queen.

      Raab Kiuprili. The venomous snake! My heel was on its head, 60

       And (fool!) I did not crush it!

      Chef Ragozzi. Nay, he fears

       Zapolya will not long survive her husband.

      Raab Kiuprili. Manifest treason! Even this brief delay

       Half makes me an accomplice —— (If he live,)

      [Is moving toward the palace.

      If he but live and know me, all may ——

      Chef Ragozzi. Halt! [Stops him. 65

       On pain of death, my Lord! am I commanded

       To stop all ingress to the palace.

      Raab Kiuprili. Thou!

      Chef Ragozzi. No place, no name, no rank excepted —

      Raab Kiuprili. Thou!

      Chef Ragozzi. This life of mine, O take it, Lord Kiuprili!

       I give it as a weapon to thy hands, 70

       Mine own no longer. Guardian of Illyria,

       Useless to thee, ‘tis worthless to myself.

       Thou art the framer of my nobler being;

       Nor does there live one virtue in my soul,

       One honourable hope, but calls thee father. 75

       Yet ere thou dost resolve, know that yon palace

       Is guarded from within, that each access

       Is thronged by armed conspirators, watched by ruffians

       Pampered with gifts, and hot upon the spoil

       Which that false promiser still trails before them. 80

       I ask but this one boon — reserve my life

       Till I can lose it for the realm and thee!

      Raab Kiuprili. My heart is rent asunder. O my country,

       O fallen Illyria, stand I here spell-bound?

       Did my King love me? Did I earn his love? 85

       Have we embraced as brothers would embrace?

       Was I his arm, his thunderbolt? And now

       Must I, hagridden, pant as in a dream?

       Or, like an eagle, whose strong wings press up

       Against a coiling serpent’s folds, can I 90

       Strike but for mockery, and with restless beak

       Gore my own breast? — Ragozzi, thou art faithful?

      Chef Ragozzi. Here before Heaven I dedicate my faith

       To the royal line of Andreas.

      Raab Kiuprili. Hark, Ragozzi!

       Guilt is a timorous thing ere perpetration: 95

       Despair alone makes wicked men be bold.

       Come thou with me! They have heard my voice in flight,

       Have faced round, terror-struck, and feared no longer

       The whistling javelins of their fell pursuers.

       Ha! what is this?

      [Black flag displayed from the Tower of the Palace: a

       death-bell tolls, &c.

      Vengeance of Heaven! He is dead. 100

      Chef Ragozzi. At length then ‘tis announced. Alas! I fear,

       That these black death-flags are but treason’s signals.

      Raab Kiuprili. A prophecy too soon fulfilled! See yonder!

       O rank and ravenous wolves! the death-bell echoes

       Still in the doleful air — and see! they come. 105

      Chef Ragozzi. Precise and faithful in their villainy

       Even to the moment, that the master traitor

       Had pre-ordained them.

      Raab Kiuprili. Was it overhaste,

       Or is it scorn, that in this race of treason

       Their guilt thus drops its mask, and blazons forth 110

       Their infamous plot even to an idiot’s sense?

      Chef Ragozzi. Doubtless they deem Heaven too usurp’d! Heaven’s

       justice

       Bought like themselves!

       Being equal all in crime,

       Do you press on, ye spotted parricides!

       For the one sole preeminence yet doubtful, 115

       The prize of foremost impudence in guilt?

      Raab Kiuprili. The bad man’s cunning still prepares the way

       For its own outwitting. I applaud, Ragozzi!

       Ragozzi! I applaud,

       In thee, the virtuous hope that dares look onward

       And keeps the life-spark warm of future action 120

       Beneath the cloak of patient sufferance.

       Act and appear, as time and prudence prompt thee:

       I shall not misconceive the part thou playest.

       Mine is an easier part — to brave the usurper.

      [Enter a procession of EMERICK’S Adherents, Nobles,

       Chieftains, and Soldiers, with Music. They

       advance toward the front of the stage. KIUPRILI

       makes the signal for them to stop. — The Music

       ceases.

      Leader of the Procession. The Lord Kiuprili! — Welcome from the

       camp. 125

      Raab Kiuprili. Grave magistrates and chieftains of Illyria,

       In good time come ye hither, if ye come

       As loyal men with honourable purpose

       To mourn what can alone be mourned; but chiefly

       To enforce the last commands of royal Andreas 130

       And shield the Queen, Zapolya: haply making

       The mother’s joy light up the widow’s tears.

      Leader. Our purpose demands speed. Grace our procession;

       A warrior best will greet a warlike king.

      Raab Kiuprili. This patent written by your lawful king, 135

       (Lo! his own seal and signature attesting)

       Appoints as guardians of his realm and offspring,

       The Queen, and the Prince Emerick, and myself.

      [Voices of Live KING EMERICK! an EMERICK! an EMERICK!

      What means this clamour? Are these madmen’s voices?

       Or is some knot of riotous slanderers leagued 140

       To infamize the name of the king’s brother

       With a lie black as Hell? unmanly cruelty,

       Ingratitude, and most unnatural treason? [Murmurs.

       What mean these murmurs? Dare then any here

       Proclaim Prince Emerick a spotted traitor? 145

       One that has taken from you your sworn faith,

       And given you in return a Judas’ bribe,

       Infamy now,

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