Jest not! What is the tenor of thy words? Lord of K. Philip of Maine did ask thy hand in marriage, Which I refused; thence rose this civil contest. Nobler than now! His name had not a stain! Lord of K. A sordid, penniless lord, without One that was as a proverb and a jest A needy lord, that in a threadbare jerkin Came as a wooer! And now that he has gained Ida. Because he hath laid waste this wretched land; Hath shown himself a fierce, revengeful man, And is thy deadly, cruel enemy! The time is gone for ever when I loved him! My gracious father, hear I cast him forth from my sincerest heart Lord of K. By whate'er love thou borest to my mother- Lord of K. Out with thee!-thou art hateful to my sight! Thou lovedst that most beggarly, vile man! Then consent And here she dwelt! Here passed her beautiful life! Breathes through the room! Ambition, hate, and Lord of K. I would retain my power by winning Have here no entrance: did I then believe Enter GASTON. Gast. My noble lord, 't were pity your sweet In this fair lady's chamber should be broken- Phil. Ha! a capitulation of this sort? Gast. Your noble prisoner offers his fair daughter, Do you say thus — You that are lord already of this realm! Is it for him to give as pleaseth him, Phil. I swore that he should offer me his daughter! No, Phil. To hear you talk! Gast. Gold is less precious than the passing mo ments. Phil Promise the citizens whate'er they ask. Gast. Ay, ay, I'll promise them! I'faith, you know Performance is a very different matter! Phil. We shall not be so over-nice 'bout that! Gast. Poison or steel will make us sure of him! Besides, this man is craftier than you are- Will give you up to them as a peace-offering. by inches. And steer you through the storm-but hear me on! In the great square, with such sad pomp of woe Of vengeance upon you, save you will promise Phil. What are you mumbling o'er? Let us away, I'll clasp my bride before the set of day! [They go out together. SCENE IV. Apartment in the tower Ida and Bertha. Berth. Oh do not yield unto this bloody man- To meet the man who was so dear to me! Enter PHILIP, magnificently apparelled. Phil. Now do we meet without reproach or fear In this long document. [aside.] But I'll not show 't: Not as we parted, my own gentle Ida! Here they require "that felon-traitor, Gaston, To be brought to condign punishment for 's sins!" Ida. No, no, we do not meet as last we parted: Thou art not such as when we parted last That I must still oppose my father's will! Though thou wert poor, clothed but in humble weeds; I would have ta'en thee, spite the world's reproach. Fickle woman! For how hast thou fulfilled this glorious vision How been protector of the ignorant people? No-henceforth we are widely separate- Ida. Philip, thou wilt not-dar'st not kill my father! Phil. How dare I not? As yet I have not found The deed I dare not do! Ida. Perfidious man! Phil. I risked my life to save thy father's, Philip! Phil. It was a woman's act- thus do not men! Ida. Oh how does guilt put out each virtuou spark, Stifle each generous, noble sentiment! Phil. Now for a little season, we will part When next we meet, my hands shall yet be redder! [He goes out Ida. Hence, hence! What may be done, shall ye be done We will not fall without a dying struggle Where's Bertha, Segbert, good Count Nicholas ? [She goes into the inner room ACT V. SCENE I. The ruins of a mill, surrounded with wood. Enter MOTHER SCHWARTZ, HANS CLEF, ROLAND and many others. Roland. It neither shall be this man, neither that Hast thou not shed their blood? Outraged their That shall be tyrant o'er us! What's this Philip homes Ida. Name not revenge, Heaven be our shield - But I have done with tears; they moved not heaven, Thy tender mercies, like kind angels' wings, Thou shalt pour in sweet balm! 1st Man. "T was from a mangled corpse I took But where is Gaston? he, the ready tool that kerchief! Mother S. My son! my son! But back, tears, to Ha! here he comes! your source I will shed blood, not tears! Roland. Gast. Those ancient friends of his? 2d Man. Is clean against him now. The general feeling They swear he gave save his own! Hans. And that he did! We 're sure enough of Of one foe ere another takes the field! that! Phil. Thou hast access unto the tower. Go thou, 2d Man. Gaston, they say 's the very fiend himself- Poison or steel, use thou the surer means! All saw his horrid doings yesternight There is hope! Roland. 4th Man. I know it well; yet 't will be dangerous, More inaccessible from tumbled crags And fallen masonry than heretofore. Mother S. Our wrongs can force through rocks of adamant. Roland. "T will suit our purpose; now let all disperse, And when eve comes we will again asemble. [They disperse severally. SCENE II. Evening-the gallery of the castle - Philip pacing about, in deep thought. On, on unto the topmost verge of power; Gast. Nay, 't will be tenfold vengeance from thy That counsellest my son to these bad deeds! And, but for her, thy father had been dead! Whose hate was 't doomed thee to the gal- Hence! hence! thou dost not know, for urgently Lord of M. While you stand dallying thus. Away, old man! [They go out together After a short time re-enter PHILIP. I did not quail, nor did my heart upbraid me, When thousands lay beneath my conquering step, And from the helmet-crown unto the heel I was dyed crimson; why then faints my soul, Trembling and drooping 'neath a mountain's weight Of miserable remorse for one man's blood? — Ne'er till this moment, when my debt is paid, When I have conquered my great enemy, Quailed I, or wished undone aught that was done! But hark! What sounds are these-quick, coming Here, here, we miserably shall die by fire! steps, And hurried voices? Am I grown a coward? Enter GASTON. Philip! Philip! now is a time for action : Gast. The disaffected thousands from the fields Are on the walls- - within the very castle! Phil. How got they an access? Gast. Even as thou didst; By the old rock-path. Hundreds more have enteredThe portals have they fired; and hark their criesVengeance and blood! Phil. Hence; draw the soldiers out, And man the walls. Strike every villain down That sets his foot within the castle gate. Gast. They fight with us for every inch of ground; They are within the walls-1 the place is fired; Accursed knaves, born for the gibbet-tree! Phil. [drawing his sword.] I'll teach them what the cry of vengeance meaneth! [He rushes out- Gaston follows him. A confused noise, and yelling cries are heard approaching, and a rabble force their way in, with torches in their hands. Man. Down with the billets! Here! here! Fire these hangings! [They hurl furniture into the middle of the gallery, tear down pictures and hangings, which they pile together and set fire to. Enter MOTHER SCHWARTZ, with other women, covered with dust and blood. Mother S. Spare not for fire! Now for a funeral pile, To celebrate, my son, thy memory! They shall say, this was for the woman's son! Out with ye, are ye plundering? Give me blood! He whom I seek is hence! Come, come with me! [She snatches up a firebrand and rushes out of the gallery; the women follow her, bearing off booty. The gallery is filled with smoke and flames. Oh, Ida, vain thy prayer!- they have no mercy – Ida. Nay, despair not; I do believe some power will save us yet! On earth there is no goodness! Some one comes! Ida. Is good Lord Kronberg safe? Of peril and alarm! Will you confide Unto Lord Kronberg's cell! Where lies my father? [They wrap themselves in their cloaks and SCENE IV. Another part of the castle- citizens stand with Lord Kronberg's body on a bier. 1st Citizen. Name not his faults. I knew him when a boy; I was his favourite playmate; in those years 4th Citizen. I remember, Ay, there was a lady, Fair as an angel, full of truth and kindness- 5th Citizen. Haste, haste! the way is clear! The About the northern tower. O woful night - |