---

Скачать книгу

---

retirements!

       For whom? Has Casimir deserved this insult?

       O my misgiving heart! If — if — from Heaven 275

       Yet not from you, Lord Emerick!

      Emerick. Chiefly from me.

       Has he not like an ingrate robbed my court

       Of Beauty’s star, and kept my heart in darkness?

       First then on him I will administer justice —

       If not in mercy, yet in love and rapture. 280

      [Seizes her.

      Sarolta. Help! Treason! Help!

      Emerick. Call louder! Scream again!

       Here’s none can hear you!

      Sarolta. Hear me, hear me, Heaven!

      Emerick. Nay, why this rage? Who best deserves you? Casimir,

       Emerick’s bought implement, the jealous slave

       That mews you up with bolts and bars? or Emerick 285

       Who proffers you a throne? Nay, mine you shall be.

       Hence with this fond resistance! Yield; then live

       This month a widow, and the next a queen!

      Sarolta. Yet, yet for one brief moment [Struggling.

       Unhand me, I conjure you.

      [She throws him off, and rushes towards a toilet.

       EMERICK follows, and as she takes a dagger,

       he grasps it in her hand.

      Emerick. Ha! Ha! a dagger; 290

       A seemly ornament for a lady’s casket!

       ‘Tis held, devotion is akin to love,

       But yours is tragic! Love in war! It charms me,

       And makes your beauty worth a king’s embraces!

      [During this speech BETHLEN enters armed.

      Bethlen. Ruffian, forbear! Turn, turn and front my sword! 295

      Emerick. Pish! who is this?

      Sarolta. O sleepless eye of Heaven!

       A blest, a blessed spirit! Whence camest thou?

       May I still call thee Bethlen?

      Bethlen. Ever, lady,

       Your faithful soldier!

      Emerick. Insolent slave! Depart

       Know’st thou not me?

      Bethlen. I know thou art a villain 300

       And coward! That thy devilish purpose marks thee!

       What else, this lady must instruct my sword!

      Sarolta. Monster, retire! O touch him not, thou blest one!

       This is the hour that fiends and damnéd spirits

       Do walk the earth, and take what form they list! 305

       Yon devil hath assumed a king’s!

      Bethlen. Usurped it!

      Emerick. The king will play the devil with thee indeed!

       But that I mean to hear thee howl on the rack,

       I would debase this sword, and lay thee prostrate

       At this thy paramour’s feet; then drag her forth 310

       Stained with adulterous blood, and —

       — mark you, traitress!

       Strumpeted first, then turned adrift to beggary!

       Thou prayed’st for’t too.

      Sarolta. Thou art so fiendish wicked,

       That in thy blasphemies I scarce hear thy threats!

      Bethlen. Lady, be calm! fear not this king of the buskin! 315

       A king? Oh laughter! A king Bajazet!

       That from some vagrant actor’s tiring-room,

       Hath stolen at once his speech and crown!

      Emerick. Ah! treason!

       Thou hast been lessoned and tricked up for this!

       As surely as the wax on thy death-warrant 320

       Shall take the impression of this royal signet,

       So plain thy face hath ta’en the mask of rebel!

      [BETHLEN seizes EMERICK’S hand and eagerly observes the

       signet.

      Bethlen. It must be so! ‘Tis e’en the counterpart!

       But with a foul usurping cypher on it!

       The light hath flashed from Heaven, and I must follow it! 325

       O curst usurper! O thou brother-murderer!

       That mad’st a star-bright queen a fugitive widow!

       Who fill’st the land with curses, being thyself

       All curses in one tyrant! see and tremble!

       This is Kiuprili’s sword that now hangs o’er thee! 330

       Kiuprili’s blasting curse, that from its point

       Shoots lightnings at thee. Hark! in Andreas’ name,

       Heir of his vengeance, hell-hound! I defy thee.

      [They fight, and just as EMERICK is disarmed, in rush

       CASIMIR, OLD BATHORY, and Attendants. CASIMIR

       runs in between the combatants, and parts them;

       in the struggle BETHLEN’S sword is thrown down.

      Casimir. The king! disarmed too by a stranger! Speak!

       What may this mean?

      Emerick. Deceived, dishonored lord! 335

       Ask thou yon fair adultress! She will tell thee

       A tale, which would’st thou be both dupe and traitor,

       Thou wilt believe against thy friend and sovereign!

       Thou art present now, and a friend’s duty ceases:

       To thine own justice leave I thine own wrongs. 340

       Of half thy vengeance I perforce must rob thee,

       For that the sovereign claims. To thy allegiance

       I now commit this traitor and assassin.

      [Then to the Attendants.

      Hence with him to the dungeon! and tomorrow,

       Ere the sun rises, — Hark! your heads or his! 345

      Bethlen. Can Hell work miracles to mock Heaven’s justice?

      Emerick. Who speaks to him dies! The traitor that has menaced

       His king, must not pollute the breathing air,

       Even with a word!

      Casimir (to Bathory). Hence with him to the dungeon!

      [Exit BETHLEN, hurried off by BATHORY and Attendants.

      Emerick. We hunt tomorrow in your upland forest: 350

       Thou (to Casimir) wilt attend us: and wilt then explain

       This sudden and most fortunate arrival.

      [Exit EMERICK; Manent CASIMIR and SAROLTA.

      Sarolta. My lord! my husband! look whose sword lies yonder!

       It is Kiuprili’s, Casimir; ‘tis thy father’s!

       And wielded by a stripling’s arm, it baffled, 355

       Yea, fell like Heaven’s own lightnings on that Tarquin.

      Casimir.

---

Скачать книгу