Samuel Coleridge - The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

For the devil’s cunning. This way, madam, haste!

Zapolya. Stay! Oh, no! Forgive me if I wrong thee!

This is thy sovereign’s child: Oh, pity us,

And be not treacherous! [Kneeling.

Chef Ragozzi (raising her). Madam! For mercy’s sake! 470

Zapolya. But tyrants have a hundred eyes and arms!

Chef Ragozzi. Take courage, madam! ‘Twere too horrible,

(I can not do’t) to swear I’m not a monster! —

Scarce had I barr’d the door on Raab Kiuprili —

Zapolya. Kiuprili! How?

Chef Ragozzi. There is not time to tell it, — 475

The tyrant called me to him, praised my zeal —

(And be assured I overtopt his cunning

And seemed right zealous.) But time wastes: In fine,

Bids me dispatch my trustiest friends, as couriers

With letters to the army. The thought at once 480

Flashed on me. I disguised my prisoner —

Zapolya. What, Raab Kiuprili?

Chef Ragozzi. Yes! my noble general!

I sent him off, with Emerick’s own pacquet,

Haste, and post haste — Prepared to follow him ——

Zapolya. Ah, how? Is it joy or fear? My limbs seem sinking! — 485

Chef Ragozzi (supporting her). Heaven still befriends us. I have

left my charger,

A gentle beast and fleet, and my boy’s mule,

One that can shoot a precipice like a bird,

Just where the wood begins to climb the mountains.

The course we’ll thread will mock the tyrant’s guesses, 490

Or scare the followers. Ere we reach the main road

The Lord Kiuprili will have sent a troop

To escort me. Oh, thrice happy when he finds

The treasure which I convoy!

Zapolya. One brief moment,

That praying for strength I may have strength. This babe, 495

Heaven’s eye is on it, and its innocence

Is, as a prophet’s prayer, strong and prevailing!

Through thee, dear babe, the inspiring thought possessed me,

When the loud clamor rose, and all the palace

Emptied itself — (They sought my life, Ragozzi!) 500

Like a swift shadow gliding, I made way

To the deserted chamber of my lord. — [Then to the infant.

And thou didst kiss thy father’s lifeless lips,

And in thy helpless hand, sweet slumberer!

Still clasp’st the signet of thy royalty. 505

As I removed the seal, the heavy arm

Dropt from the couch aslant, and the stiff finger

Seemed pointing at my feet. Provident Heaven!

Lo, I was standing on the secret door,

Which, through a long descent where all sound perishes, 510

Led out beyond the palace. Well I knew it ——

But Andreas framed it not! He was no tyrant!

Chef Ragozzi. Haste, madam! Let me take this precious burden!

[He kneels as he takes the child.

Zapolya. Take him! And if we be pursued, I charge thee,

Flee thou and leave me! Flee and save thy king! 515

[Then as going off, she looks back on the palace.

Thou tyrant’s den, be called no more a palace!

The orphan’s angel at the throne of heaven

Stands up against thee, and there hover o’er thee

A Queen’s, a Mother’s, and a Widow’s curse.

Henceforth a dragon’s haunt, fear and suspicion 520

Stand sentry at thy portals! Faith and honour,

Driven from the throne, shall leave the attainted nation:

And, for the iniquity that houses in thee,

False glory, thirst of blood, and lust of rapine,

(Fateful conjunction of malignant planets) 525

Shall shoot their blastments on the land. The fathers

Henceforth shall have no joy in their young men,

And when they cry: Lo! a male child is born!

The mother shall make answer with a groan.

For bloody usurpation, like a vulture, 530

Shall clog its beak within Illyria’s heart.

Remorseless slaves of a remorseless tyrant,

They shall be mocked with sounds of liberty,

And liberty shall be proclaimed alone

To thee, O Fire! O Pestilence! O Sword! 535

Till Vengeance hath her fill. — And thou, snatched hence,

Poor friendless fugitive! with mother’s wailing,

Offspring of Royal Andreas, shalt return,

With trump and timbrel-clang, and popular shout,

In triumph to the palace of thy fathers! [Exeunt.

1828, 1829.

[Before 30] Raab Kiuprili (his hand to his heart). 1817, 1828, 1829.

All —— [Then, in a subdued and saddened voice.

1817, 1828, 1829.

[Before 103] Raab Kiuprili (looking forwards anxiously). 1817, 1828,

1829.

Bought like themselves! [During this conversation music is heard,

first solemn and funereal, and then

changing to spirited and triumphal.

1817, 1828, 1829.

… I applaud, Ragozzi! [Musing to himself — then —

1817, 1828, 1829.

[After 172] [During the last four lines, enter LORD CASIMIR, with

expressions of anger and alarm. 1817, 1828, 1829.

[After 174] [Starts — then approaching with timid respect. 1817, 1828,

1829.

[Before 177] Casimir (with reverence). 1817, 1828, 1829.

[Before 192] Casimir (struggling with his passion). 1817, 1828, 1829.

They BOASTED not their baseness. [Starts, and draws his sword.

1817, 1828, 1829.

Kiuprili? Ha! —— [With lowered voice, at the same time with one

hand making, &c.

1817, 1828, 1829.

[After 230] [Music … Palace. — During which time EMERICK and

KIUPRILI regard each other stedfastly. 1817, 1828, 1829.

1829.

[Before 298] Raab Kiuprili (sternly). 1817, 1828, 1829.

[Before 343] Raab Kiuprili (in a somewhat suppressed voice). 1817,

1828, 1829.

[Before 351] Raab Kiuprili (aloud: he and Emerick standing at

equidistance from the Palace and the Guard-house). 1817, 1828, 1829.

[Before 375] Raab Kiuprili (aloud). 1817, 1828, 1829.

[After 426] [Exit CASIMIR in agitation. 1817, 1828, 1829.

[Before 433] Scene changes to another view, namely the back, &c. 1817,

1828, 1829.

[Before 451] [She starts back — and enter, &c. 1817, 1828, 1829.

1829.

[Before 464] Zapolya (coming fearfully forward). 1817, 1828, 1829.

[After 536] [Again to the infant. 1817, 1828, 1829.

[After 540] END OF THE PRELUDE. 1817.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

OLD BATHORY, a Mountaineer.

BETHLEN BATHORY, the young Prince Andreas, supposed son of Old

BATHORY.

LORD RUDOLPH, a Courtier, but friend to the Queen’s party.

LASKA, Steward to CASIMIR, betrothed to GLYCINE.

PESTALUTZ, an Assassin, in EMERICK’S employ.

LADY SAROLTA, Wife of LORD CASIMIR.

GLYCINE, Orphan Daughter of CHEF RAGOZZI.

Between the flight of the Queen, and the civil war which immediately

followed, and in which EMERICK remained the victor, a space of twenty

years is supposed to have elapsed.

USURPATION ENDED; OR, SHE COMES AGAIN

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

A Mountainous Country. BATHORY’S Dwelling at the end of the Stage.

Enter LADY SAROLTA and GLYCINE.

Glycine. Well then! our round of charity is finished.

Rest, Madam! You breathe quick.

Sarolta. What, tired, Glycine?

No delicate court-dame, but a mountaineer

By choice no less than birth, I gladly use

The good strength Nature gave me.

Glycine. That last cottage 5

Is built as if an eagle or a raven

Had chosen it for her nest.

Sarolta. So many are

The sufferings which no human aid can reach,

It needs must be a duty doubly sweet

To heal the few we can. Well! let us rest. 10

Glycine. There? [Pointing to BATHORY’S dwelling.