Oft as thou canst, essay to lead the hunt
Hard by the forest-skirts; and ere high noon
Expect our sworn confederates from Temeswar.
I trust, ere yet this clouded sun slopes westward,
That Emerick's death, or Casimir's, will appease
The manes of Zapolya and Kiuprili!

And call down blessings from the wealth of Heaven
Upon thy honour'd head? When thou last saw'st me
I would full fain have knelt to thee, and could not,
Thou dear old man! How oft since then in dreams
Have I done worship to thee, as an angel
Bearing my helpless babe upon thy wings!

OLD BATHORY.

O he was born to honour! Gallant deeds
And perilous hath he wrought since yester-eve.
Now from Temeswar (for to him was trusted
A life, save thine, the dearest) he hastes hither-

ZAPOLYA.

Lady Sarolta mean'st thou?

OLD BATHORY.

She is safe.

The traitor, Laska!——

And yet Sarolta, simple, inexperienced,
Could see him as he was, and often warn'd me.
Whence learn'd she this?-O she was innocent!
And to be innocent is nature's wisdom!

The fledge-dove knows the prowlers of the air,
Fear'd soon as seen, and flutters back to shelter.
And the young steed recoils upon his haunches,
The never-yet-seen adder's hiss first heard.
O surer than suspicion's hundred eyes
Is that fine sense, which to the pure in heart,
By mere oppugnancy of their own goodness,
Reveals the approach of evil. Casimir!

O fool! O parricide! through yon wood didst thou,
With fire and sword, pursue a patriot father,
A widow and an orphan. Darest thou then
(Curse-laden wretch), put forth these hands to raise
The ark, all sacred, of thy country's cause!
Look down in pity on thy son, Kiuprili;
And let this deep abhorrence of his crime,

Your son

ZAPOLYA. Hark! Is it he? OLD BATHORY.

I hear a voice

Too hoarse for Bethlen's! 'T was his scheme and hope,
Long ere the hunters could approach the forest,
To have led you hence.-Retire.

ZA POLYA.

O life of terrors !

OLD BATHORY.

In the cave's mouth we have such 'vantage ground
That even this old arm-

[Exeunt ZAPOLYA and BATHORY into the Cave.

Enter LASKA and PESTALUTZ.

LASKA.

Not a step further!

PESTALUTZ.

Dastard! was this your promise to the king?

Mother! Queen!

Whom Laska saw the war-wolf tear in pieces?

LASKA (throwing down a bow and arrows).

OLD BATHORY.

GLYCINE.

Ha! weapons here? Then, Bethlen, thy Glycine
Will die with thee or save thee!

[She seizes them and rushes out. BATHORY following her. Lively and irregular Music, and Peasants with hunting-spears cross the stage, singing chorally.

CHORAL SONG.

Up, up! ye dames, ye lasses gay!
To the meadows trip away.

"T is you must tend the flocks this morn,
And scare the small birds from the corn.
Not a soul at home may stay:
For the shepherds must go
With lance and bow

To hunt the wolf in the woods to-day.

Leave the hearth and leave the house To the cricket and the mouse:

ANDREAS.

[Triumphantly.

Stop, thou revered one! Lest we offend the jealous destinies By shouts ere victory. Deem it then thy duty To pay this homage, when 't is mine to claim it.

Yon 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 armour,
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.

BAAB 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.
A sword!

Ha! and my sword! Zapolya hath escaped,
The murderers are baffled, and there lives
An Andreas to avenge Kiuprili's fall!-
There was a time, when this dear sword did flash
As dreadful as the storm-fire from mine arms:
I can scarce raise it now- -yet come, fell tyrant!
And bring with thee my shame and bitter anguish,
To end his work and thine! Kiuprili now
Can take the death-blow as a soldier should.

CASIMIR.

Monster!

Stop, lord Casimir!

Art thou too a traitor?

Is this the place where Emerick's murderers lurk?
Say where is he that, trick'd in this disguise,
First lured me on, then scared my dastard followers?
Thou must have seen him. Say where is th' assassin?

OLD BATHORY (pointing to the body of PESTALUTZ).
There lies the assassin! slain by that same sword
That was descending on his curst employer,
When entering thou beheld'st Sarolta rescued!

CASIMIR.

I kneel, I kneel! Retract thy curse! O, by my mother's ashes, Have pity on thy self-abhorring child! If not for me, yet for my innocent wife, Yet for my country's sake, give my arm strength, Permitting me again to call thee father!

KIUPRILI.

Son, I forgive thee! Take thy father's sword;
When thou shalt lift it in thy country's cause,
In that same instant doth thy father bless thee!
[KIUPRILI and CASIMIR embrace; they all retire to
the Cavern supporting KIUPRILI. CASIMIR as by
accident drops his robe, and BATHORY throws
it over the body of PESTALUTZ.
EMERICK (entering).

Fools! Cowards! follow-or by Hell I'll make you
Find reason to fear Emerick, more than all
The mummer-fiends that ever masqueraded
As gods or wood-nymphs!-

[Then sees the body of PESTALUTZ, covered by CASI-
MIR'S cloak.)

Thy blessing did indeed descend upon me;
Dislodging the dread curse. It flew forth from me
And lighted on the tyrant!

Enter RUDOLPH, BATHORY, and Attendants.
RUDOLPH and BATHORY (entering)."

Friends! friends to Casimir!

CASIMIR.

Rejoice, Illyrians! the usurper's fallen.

RUDOLPH.

So perish tyrants! so end usurpation!

CASIMIR.

Bear hence the body, and move slowly on!

One moment-

Devoted to a joy, that bears no witness,

I follow you, and we will greet our countrymen
With the two best and fullest gifts of heaven-
A tyrant fallen, a patriot chief restored!

[Exeunt CASIMIR into the Cavern. The rest on
the opposite side.

Scene changes to a splendid Chamber in CASIMIR'S Castle. CONFEDERATES discovered.

FIRST CONFEDERATE.

It cannot but succeed, friends. From this palace
E'en to the wood, our messengers are posted
With such short interspace, that fast as sound
Can travel to us, we shall learn the event!
Enter another CONFEDERATE.
What tidings from Temeswar ?

SECOND CONFEDERATE.

With one voice

Th' assembled chieftains have deposed the tyrant;
He is proclaim'd the public enemy,
And the protection of the law withdrawn.

FIRST CONFEDERATE.

Just doom for him, who governs without law! Is it known on whom the sov'reignty will fall?

SECOND CONFEDERATE.

Nothing is yet decided: but report
Points to Lord Casimir. The grateful memory

Of his renown'd father-

Enter SAROLTA.

Hail to Sarolta! SAROLTA.

Confederate friends! I bring to you a joy
Worthy our noble cause! Kiuprili lives,
And from his obscure exile, hath return'd
To bless our country. More and greater tidings
Might I disclose; but that a woman's voice
Would mar the wonderous tale. Wait we for him,
The partner of the glory-Raab Kiuprili;
For he alone is worthy to announce it.
[Shouts of « Kiuprili, Kiuprili!» and «The Tyrant's
fallen!» without. Then enter KIUPRILI, CASIMIR,
RUDOLPH, BATHORY, and Attendants, after the
clamour has subsided.

RAAB KIUPRILI.

Spare yet your joy, my friends! A higher waits you:
Behold your Queen!

Enter from opposite side, ZAPOLYA and ANDREAS royally attired, with GLYCINE.

CONFEDERATES.

Comes she from heaven to bless us?

OTHER CONFEDERATES.

It is! it is!

ZAPOLYA.

Heaven's work of grace is full!

Kiuprili, thou art safe!

RAAB KIUPRILI.

Royal Zapolya!

To the heavenly powers, pay we our duty first;
Who not alone preserved thee, but for thee
And for our country, the one precious branch
Of Andreas' royal house. O countrymen,

Behold your King! And thank our country's genius, That the same means which have preserved our sovereign,

Have likewise reared him worthier of the throne
By virtue than by birth. The undoubted proofs
Pledged by his royal mother, and this old man
(Whose name henceforth be dear to all Illyrians),
We haste to lay before the assembled council.

ALL.

Hail Andreas! Hail, Illyria's rightful king!

ANDREAS.

Supported thus, O friends! 't were cowardice
Unworthy of a royal birth, to shrink

From the appointed charge. Yet, while we wait
The awful sanction of convened Illyria,

In this brief while, O let me feel myself

The child, the friend, the debtor!-Heroic mother!--
But what can breath add to that sacred name?
Kiuprili! gift of Providence, to teach us
That loyalty is but the public form

Of the sublimest friendship, let my youth
Climb round thee, as the vine around its elm:
Thou my support and I thy faithful fruitage.

My heart is full, and these poor words express not
They are but an art to check its overswelling.
Bathory! shrink not from my filial arms!

Now, and from henceforth thou shalt not forbid me To call thee father! And dare I forget

The powerful intercession of thy virtue,
Lady Sarolta? Still acknowledge me
Thy faithful soldier!—But what invocation
Shall my full soul address to thee, Glycine?
Thou sword, that leap'st forth from a bed of roses!
Thou falcon-hearted dove?

ZAPOLYA.

Hear that from me, son!

For ere she lived, her father saved thy life, Thine, and thy fugitive mother's!

CASIMIR.

Chef Ragozzi!

O shame upon my head! I would have given her To a base slave!

ZAPOLYA.

Heaven overruled thy purpose,

And sent an angel (Pointing to SAROLTA) to thy house to guard her!

Thou precious bark! freighted with all our treasures!
[TO ANDREAS.

The sports of tempests, and yet ne'er the victim,
How many may claim salvage in thee!

(Pointing to GLYCINE.) Take her, son! A queen that brings with her a richer dowry Than orient kings can give!

SAROLTA.

A banquet waits!— On this auspicious day, for some few hours I claim to be your hostess. Scenes so awful With flashing light, force wisdom on us all! E'en women at the distaff hence may see, That bad men may rebel, but ne'er be free; May whisper, when the waves of faction foam, None love their country, but who love their home; For freedom can with those alone abide, Who wear the golden chain, with honest pride, Of love and duty, at their own fire-side: While mad ambition ever doth caress Its own sure fate, in its own restlessness!

PREFACE.

was not prevented by absolute differences of idiom; but I am conscious, that in two or three short passages I have been guilty of dilating the original; and, from anxiety to give the full meaning, have weakened the force. In the metre I have availed myself of no other liberties than those which Schiller had permitted to himself, except the occasional breaking-up of the line by the substitution of a trochee for an iambic; of which liberty so frequent in our tragedies, I find no instance in these dramas.

S. T. COLERIDGE.