Of Beauty's star, and kept my heart in darkness! But 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, 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! We hunt to-morrow in your upland forest: Thou (to CASIMIR) wilt attend us and wilt then explain This sudden and most fortunate arrival. Your answer? LORD RUDOLPH. CASIMIR. As the word proves false or true, Will Casimir cross the hunt, or join the huntsinen! LORD RUDOLPH. The event redeem'd their pledge? CASIMIR. It did, and therefore Have I sent back both pledge and invitation. [They take hands, etc. LORD RUDOLPH. 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! [Pointing to the sword which BETHLEN had been As evidence of their mutual guilt: in fine, With cozening warmth condoled with, and dismiss'd disarmed of by the Attendants. It is Kiuprili's; Casimir, 'tis thy father's! me. LORD RUDOLPH. Yea, fell like Heaven's own lightnings on that Tar-I enter'd as the door was closing on you : His eye was fix'd, yet seem'd to follow you, [In an under voice. As if he had you in the toils already, The traitor, Laska! And yet Sarolta, simple, inexperienced, Is that fine sense, which to the pure in heart, O fool! O parricide! through yon wood didst thou, Unstain'd with selfish fears, be his atonement! [Exit CASIMIR. Scene changes to the mouth of a Cavern, as in Act II. ZAPOLYA and GLYCINE discovered. ZAPOLYA. Our friend is gone to seek some safer cave. GLYCINE. I shall know Bethlen at the furthest distance, [Exit GLYCINE. Enter OLD BATHORY, speaking as he enters. 'Twas one of Satan's imps, that grinn'd, and threaten'd you For your most impudent hope to cheat his master! LASKA. 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? [Starts and sees GLYCINE without. By Heaven! Glycine! By lightning, shaped into a passionate scheme The coward turn'd, and at the self-same instant Enter ZAPOLYA. ZAPOLYA. Bethlen! my child! and safe too! BETHLEN. Mother! Queen! Royal Zapolya! name me Andreas! So do the Gods who lanch the thunderbolt! ZAPOLYA. O Raab Kiuprili! Friend! Protector! Guide! Now, as you love the king, help me to seize her! In vain we trench'd the altar round with waters, [They run out after GLYCINE, and she shrieks with- A flash from Heaven hath touch'd the hidden incense— BETHLEN (hastily). out: then enter BATHORY from the Cavern. OLD BATHORY. Rest, lady, rest! I feel in every sinew A young man's strength returning! Which way went they? The shriek came thence. [Clash of swords, and BETHLEN's voice heard from 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! [She seizes them and rushes out. BATHORY following 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! Manet BATHORY. OLD BATHORY. You bleeding corse, (pointing to PESTALUTZ's body) 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. [Exit 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, Thou follow'st heavily: a reluctant weight! |