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Enter ZAPOLYA, with an infant in arms.

      Zapolya. Hush, dear one! hush! My trembling arm disturbs thee!

       Thou, the protector of the helpless! Thou,

       The widow’s husband and the orphan’s father, 435

       Direct my steps! Ah whither? O send down

       Thy angel to a houseless babe and mother,

       Driven forth into the cruel wilderness!

       Hush, sweet one! Thou art no Hagar’s offspring: thou art

       The rightful heir of an anointed king! 440

       What sounds are those? It is the vesper chaunt

       Of labouring men returning to their home!

       Their queen has no home! Hear me, heavenly Father!

       And let this darkness ——

       Be as the shadow of thy outspread wings 445

       To hide and shield us! Start’st thou in thy slumbers?

       Thou canst not dream of savage Emerick. Hush!

       Betray not thy poor mother! For if they seize thee

       I shall grow mad indeed, and they’ll believe

       Thy wicked uncle’s lie. Ha! what? A soldier? 450

      [Enter CHEF RAGOZZI.

      Chef Ragozzi. Sure Heaven befriends us. Well! he hath escaped!

       O rare tune of a tyrant’s promises

       That can enchant the serpent treachery

       From forth its lurking hole in the heart. ‘Ragozzi!

       O brave Ragozzi! Count! Commander! What not?’ 455

       And all this too for nothing! a poor nothing!

       Merely to play the underling in the murder

       Of my best friend Kiuprili! His own son — monstrous!

       Tyrant! I owe thee thanks, and in good hour

       Will I repay thee, for that thou thought’st me too 460

       A serviceable villain. Could I now

       But gain some sure intelligence of the queen:

       Heaven bless and guard her!

      Zapolya (coming forward). Art thou not Ragozzi?

      Chef Ragozzi. The Queen! Now then the miracle is full! 465

       I see heaven’s wisdom is an overmatch

       For the devil’s cunning. This way, madam, haste!

      Zapolya. Stay! Oh, no! Forgive me if I wrong thee!

       This is thy sovereign’s child: Oh, pity us,

       And be not treacherous! [Kneeling.

      Chef Ragozzi (raising her). Madam! For mercy’s sake! 470

      Zapolya. But tyrants have a hundred eyes and arms!

      Chef Ragozzi. Take courage, madam! ‘Twere too horrible,

       (I can not do’t) to swear I’m not a monster! —

       Scarce had I barr’d the door on Raab Kiuprili —

      Zapolya. Kiuprili! How?

      Chef Ragozzi. There is not time to tell it, — 475

       The tyrant called me to him, praised my zeal —

       (And be assured I overtopt his cunning

       And seemed right zealous.) But time wastes: In fine,

       Bids me dispatch my trustiest friends, as couriers

       With letters to the army. The thought at once 480

       Flashed on me. I disguised my prisoner —

      Zapolya. What, Raab Kiuprili?

      Chef Ragozzi. Yes! my noble general!

       I sent him off, with Emerick’s own pacquet,

       Haste, and post haste — Prepared to follow him ——

      Zapolya. Ah, how? Is it joy or fear? My limbs seem sinking! — 485

      Chef Ragozzi (supporting her). Heaven still befriends us. I have

       left my charger,

       A gentle beast and fleet, and my boy’s mule,

       One that can shoot a precipice like a bird,

       Just where the wood begins to climb the mountains.

       The course we’ll thread will mock the tyrant’s guesses, 490

       Or scare the followers. Ere we reach the main road

       The Lord Kiuprili will have sent a troop

       To escort me. Oh, thrice happy when he finds

       The treasure which I convoy!

      Zapolya. One brief moment,

       That praying for strength I may have strength. This babe, 495

       Heaven’s eye is on it, and its innocence

       Is, as a prophet’s prayer, strong and prevailing!

       Through thee, dear babe, the inspiring thought possessed me,

       When the loud clamor rose, and all the palace

       Emptied itself — (They sought my life, Ragozzi!) 500

       Like a swift shadow gliding, I made way

       To the deserted chamber of my lord. — [Then to the infant.

       And thou didst kiss thy father’s lifeless lips,

       And in thy helpless hand, sweet slumberer!

       Still clasp’st the signet of thy royalty. 505

       As I removed the seal, the heavy arm

       Dropt from the couch aslant, and the stiff finger

       Seemed pointing at my feet. Provident Heaven!

       Lo, I was standing on the secret door,

       Which, through a long descent where all sound perishes, 510

       Led out beyond the palace. Well I knew it ——

       But Andreas framed it not! He was no tyrant!

      Chef Ragozzi. Haste, madam! Let me take this precious burden!

      [He kneels as he takes the child.

      Zapolya. Take him! And if we be pursued, I charge thee,

       Flee thou and leave me! Flee and save thy king! 515

      [Then as going off, she looks back on the palace.

      Thou tyrant’s den, be called no more a palace!

       The orphan’s angel at the throne of heaven

       Stands up against thee, and there hover o’er thee

       A Queen’s, a Mother’s, and a Widow’s curse.

       Henceforth a dragon’s haunt, fear and suspicion 520

       Stand sentry at thy portals! Faith and honour,

       Driven from the throne, shall leave the attainted nation:

       And, for the iniquity that houses in thee,

       False glory, thirst of blood, and lust of rapine,

       (Fateful conjunction of malignant planets) 525

       Shall shoot their blastments on the land. The fathers

       Henceforth shall have no joy in their young men,

       And when they cry: Lo! a male child is born!

       The mother shall make answer with a groan.

       For bloody usurpation, like a vulture, 530

       Shall clog its beak within Illyria’s heart.

       Remorseless

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