---

Скачать книгу

---

Is this his mother?

      Raab Kiuprili. She would fain believe it,

       Weak though the proofs be. Hope draws towards itself

       The flame with which it kindles. [Horn heard without.

       To the cavern!

       Quick! quick!

      Glycine. Perchance some huntsmen of the king’s. 160

      Raab Kiuprili. Emerick?

      Glycine. He came this morning —

      [They retire to the cavern, bearing ZAPOLYA. Then enter

       BETHLEN, armed with a boar-spear.

      Bethlen. I had a glimpse

       Of some fierce shape; and but that Fancy often

       Is Nature’s intermeddler, and cries halves

       With the outward sight, I should believe I saw it

       Bear off some human prey. O my preserver! 165

       Bathory! Father! Yes, thou deserv’st that name!

       Thou did’st not mock me! These are blessed findings!

       The secret cypher of my destiny [Looking at his signet.

       Stands here inscribed: it is the seal of fate!

       Ha! — Had ever monster fitting lair, ‘tis yonder! 170

       Thou yawning den, I well remember thee!

       Mine eyes deceived me not. Heaven leads me on!

       Now for a blast, loud as a king’s defiance,

       To rouse the monster couchant o’er his ravine!

      [Blows the horn — then a pause.

      Another blast! and with another swell 175

       To you, ye charméd watchers of this wood!

       If haply I have come, the rightful heir

       Of vengeance: if in me survive the spirits

       Of those, whose guiltless blood flowed streaming here!

      [Blows again louder.

      Still silent? Is the monster gorged? Heaven shield me! 180

       Thou, faithful spear! be both my torch and guide.

      [As BETHLEN is about to enter, KIUPRILI speaks from the

       cavern unseen.

      Raab Kiuprili. Withdraw thy foot! Retract thine idle spear,

       And wait obedient!

      Bethlen. Ha! What art thou? speak!

      Raab Kiuprili (still unseen). Avengers!

      Bethlen. By a dying mother’s pangs

       E’en such am I. Receive me!

      Raab Kiuprili (still unseen). Wait! Beware! 185

       At thy first step, thou treadest upon the light,

       Thenceforth must darkling flow, and sink in darkness!

      Bethlen. Ha! see my boar-spear trembles like a reed! —

       Oh, fool! mine eyes are duped by my own shuddering. —

       Those piléd thoughts, built up in solitude, 190

       Year following year, that pressed upon my heart

       As on the altar of some unknown God,

       Then, as if touched by fire from heaven descending.

       Blazed up within me at a father’s name —

       Do they desert me now? — at my last trial? 195

       Voice of command! and thou, O hidden Light!

       I have obeyed! Declare ye by what name

       I dare invoke you! Tell what sacrifice

       Will make you gracious.

      Raab Kiuprili (still unseen). Patience! Truth! Obedience!

       Be thy whole soul transparent! so the Light, 200

       Thou seekest, may enshrine itself within thee!

       Thy name?

      Bethlen. Ask rather the poor roaming savage,

       Whose infancy no holy rite had blest,

       To him, perchance, rude spoil or ghastly trophy,

       In chase or battle won, have given a name. 205

       I have none — but like a dog have answered

       To the chance sound which he that fed me, called me.

      Raab Kiuprili (still unseen). Thy birthplace?

      Bethlen. Deluding spirits!

       Do ye mock me?

       Question the Night! Bid Darkness tell its birthplace?

       Yet hear! Within yon old oak’s hollow trunk, 210

       Where the bats cling, have I surveyed my cradle!

       The mother-falcon hath her nest above it,

       And in it the wolf litters! —— I invoke you,

       Tell me, ye secret ones! if ye beheld me

       As I stood there, like one who having delved 215

       For hidden gold hath found a talisman,

       O tell! what rights, what offices of duty

       This signet doth command? What rebel spirits

       Owe homage to its Lord?

      Raab Kiuprili (still unseen). More, guiltier, mightier,

       Than thou mayest summon! Wait the destined hour! 220

      Bethlen. O yet again, and with more clamorous prayer,

       I importune ye! Mock me no more with shadows!

       This sable mantle — tell, dread voice! did this

       Enwrap one fatherless!

      Zapolya (unseen). One fatherless!

      Bethlen. A sweeter voice! — A voice of love and pity! 225

       Was it the softened echo of mine own?

       Sad echo! but the hope it kill’d was sickly,

       And ere it died it had been mourned as dead!

       One other hope yet lives within my soul:

       Quick let me ask! — while yet this stifling fear, 230

       This stop of the heart, leaves utterance! — Are — are these

       The sole remains of her that gave me life?

       Have I a mother? [ZAPOLYA rushes out to embrace him.

       Ha!

      Zapolya. My son! my son!

       A wretched — Oh no, no! a blest — a happy mother!

      [They embrace. KIUPRILI and GLYCINE come forward and the

       curtain drops.

      [Before 90] Glycine (fearfully). 1817, 1828, 1829.

       returns, having recovered herself. 1817, 1828, 1829.

      [Before 118] Raab Kiuprili (repeats the word). 1817, 1828, 1829.

      Human? [Then sternly.

      1817, 1828, 1829.

      Glycine. And of Lord Casimir —

      Raab Kiuprili (aside). O agony! my son.

      Erased [? by S. T. C. in copy of 1817.]

       S. T. C. in copy of 1817].

      [Before 225] Bethlen (starting). 1817, 1828, 1829.

      [ZAPOLYA … him.

      BETHLEN starts. Ha!

      Zapolya

---

Скачать книгу