Who in good hour hath startled these dark fancies, Your faithful soldier! Joy, love, and beauty, from their natural thrones: Has he not like an ingrate robb'd my court Of Beauty's star, and kept my heart in darkness! First then on him I will administer justice Know'st thou not me? BETHLEN. Ever, lady, EMERICK. Insolent slave! Depart! Thou art so fiendish wicked, If not in mercy, yet in love and rapture. [Seizes her. That in thy blasphemies I scarce hear thy threats. SAROLTA. Help! Treason! Help! EMERICK. BETHLEN Lady, be calm! fear not this king of the buskin! Call louder! Scream again! Hath stolen at once his speech and crown! Here's none can hear you! SAROLTA. EMERICK. EMERICK. Ah! treason! Hear me, hear me, Heaven! Thou hast been lesson'd and trick'd up for this! Nay, why this rage? Who best deserves you? Casimir, LEN, who catching a sight of the signet, seizes his hand and eagerly observes the signet, then flings the hand back with indignant joy. BETHLEN. It must be so! "Tis e'en the counterpart! O curst usurper! O thou brother-murderer! Shoots lightnings at thee! Hark! in Andreas' name, CASIMIR. The king disarm'd too by a stranger! Speak! EMERICK. Deceived, dishonor'd lord! [Then to the Attendants. Hence with him to the dungeon! and to-morrow, Ere the sun rises,-hark! your heads or his! BETHLEN. Can Hell work miracles to mock Heaven's justice? EMERICK. As the word proves false or true, Who speaks to him dies! The traitor that has menaced Will Casimir cross the hunt, or join the huntsmen! His king, must not pollute the breathing air, CASIMIR (to BATHORY). Hence with him to the dungeon! [Exit BETHLEN, hurried off by BATHORY and Allendants. EMERICK. We hunt to-morrow in your upland forest: Thou (to CASIMIR) wilt attend us: and wilt then explain This sudden and most fortunate arrival. But Emerick! how when you reported to him [Exit EMERICK; manent CASIMIR and SAROLTA. Of Bethlen with his guards? SAROLTA. CASIMIR. O he received it My lord! my husband! look whose sword lies yonder! disarmed of by the Attendants. It is Kiuprili's; Casimir, 'tis thy father's! With cozening warmth condoled with, and dismiss'd me. LORD RUDOLPH. Yea, fell like Heaven's own lightnings on that Tar-I enter'd as the door was closing on you: And yet Sarolta, simple, inexperienced, The fledge-dove knows the prowlers of the air, O fool! O parricide! through yon wood didst thou, "Twas one of Satan's imps, that grinn'd, and threaten'd you For your most impudent hope to cheat his master! LASKA. BETHLEN. Was it then That timid eye, was it those maiden hands Pshaw! What, you think 'tis fear that makes me 'Twas a vision blazon'd on a cloud leave you? By lightning, shaped into a passionate scheme OLD BATHORY. [Clash of swords, and BETHLEN's voice heard from Hail Andreas! hail my king! behind the Scenes; GLYCINE enters alarmed; then, as seeing LASKA's bow and arrows. GLYCINE. Ha! weapons here? Then, Bethlen, thy Glycine Will die with thee or save thee! ANDREAS. [Triumphantly. Stop, thou revered one! Lest we offend the jealous destinies GLYCINE. [She seizes them and rushes out. BATHORY following CHORAL SONG. Up, up! ye dames, ye lasses gay! To the meadows trip away. "Tis you must tend the flocks this morn, To hunt the wolf in the woods to-day. Leave the hearth and leave the house To the cricket and the mouse: ZAPOLYA [Kneeling Raise her, son! O raise her to thine arms! she saved thy life, Upon thy heart, and with Heaven-guarded instinct ANDREAS. Dear maid! more dear thou canst not be! the rest GLYCINE. Hark! sure the hunt approaches. Re-enter BATHORY, with the dead body of PESTALUTZ. OLD BATHORY. [Horn without, and afterwards distant thunder. Poor tool and victim of another's guilt! OLD BATHORY. CASIMIR. Art thou too a traitor? Is this the place where Emerick's murderers lurk? CASIMIR. Yon bleeding corse, (pointing to PESTALUTZ's body) Strange providence! what then was he who fled me? may work us mischief still: Once seen, 't will rouse alarm and crowd the hunt From all parts towards this spot. Stript of its armor, I'll drag it hither. [Ezil BATHORY. After a while several Hunters cross the stage as scattered. Some time after, enter KIUPRILI in his disguise, fainting with fatigue, and as pursued. RAAB KIUPRILI (throwing off his disguise). Since Heaven alone can save me, Heaven alone Shall be my trust. [Then speaking as to ZAPOLYA in the Cavern. Haste! haste! Zapolya, flee! [He enters the Cavern, and then returns in alarm. Gone! Seized perhaps? Oh no, let me not perish Despairing of Heaven's justice! Faint, disarm'd, Each sinew powerless, senseless rock sustain me! Thou art parcel of my native land. [Then observing the sword. Ha! and my sword! Zapolya hath escaped, [BATHORY points to the Cavern, whence KIUPRILI advances. Thy looks speak fearful things! Whither, old man! Would thy hand point me? |