Samuel Coleridge - The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Glycine, knowing all thy thoughts engrossed

In thy new office of king’s fool and knave,

Foreseeing thou’lt forget with thine own hand

To make due penance for the wrongs thou’st caused her, 185

For thy soul’s safety, doth consent to take it

From Bethlen’s cudgel’ — thus. [Beats him off.

Off! scoundrel! off!

[LASKA runs away.

Old Bathory. The sudden swelling of this shallow dastard

Tells of a recent storm: the first disruption

Of the black cloud that hangs and threatens o’er us. 190

Bethlen. E’en this reproves my loitering. Say where lies

The oratory?

Old Bathory. Ascend yon flight of stairs!

Midway the corridor a silver lamp

Hangs o’er the entrance of Sarolta’s chamber,

And facing it, the low arched oratory! 195

Me thou’lt find watching at the outward gate:

For a petard might burst the bars, unheard

By the drenched porter, and Sarolta hourly

Expects Lord Casimir, spite of Emerick’s message!

Bethlen. There I will meet you! And till then good-night! 200

Dear good old man, good-night!

Old Bathory. O yet one moment!

What I repelled, when it did seem my own,

I cling to, now ‘tis parting — call me father!

It can not now mislead thee. O my son,

Ere yet our tongues have learnt another name, 205

Bethlen! — say ‘Father’ to me!

Bethlen. Now, and for ever

My father! other sire than thou, on earth

I never had, a dearer could not have!

From the base earth you raised me to your arms,

And I would leap from off a throne, and kneeling, 210

Ask Heaven’s blessing from thy lips. My father!

Bathory. Go! Go! [Exit BETHLEN.

May every star now shining over us,

Be as an angel’s eye, to watch and guard him! [Exit BATHORY.

Scene changes to a splendid Bedchamber, hung with tapestry.

SAROLTA and an Attendant.

Attendant. We all did love her, madam!

Sarolta. She deserved it!

Luckless Glycine! rash, unhappy girl! 215

‘Twas the first time she e’er deceived me.

Attendant. She was in love, and had she not died thus,

With grief for Bethlen’s loss, and fear of Laska,

She would have pined herself to death at home.

Sarolta. Has the youth’s father come back from his search? 220

Attendant. He never will, I fear me. O dear lady!

That Laska did so triumph o’er the old man —

It was quite cruel—’You’ll be sure,’ said he,

‘To meet with part at least of your son Bethlen,

Or the war-wolf must have a quick digestion! 225

Go! Search the wood by all means! Go! I pray you!’

Sarolta. Inhuman wretch!

Attendant. And old Bathory answered

With a sad smile, ‘It is a witch’s prayer,

And may Heaven read it backwards.’ Though she was rash,

‘Twas a small fault for such a punishment! 230

Sarolta. Nay! ‘twas my grief, and not my anger spoke.

Small fault indeed! but leave me, my poor girl!

I feel a weight that only prayer can lighten.

[Exit Attendant.

O they were innocent, and yet have perished

In their May of life; and Vice grows old in triumph. 235

Is it Mercy’s hand, that for the bad man holds

Life’s closing gate? ——

Still passing thence petitionary Hours

To woo the obdurate spirit to repentance?

Or would this dullness tell me, that there is 240

Guilt too enormous to be duly punished,

Save by increase of guilt? The Powers of Evil

Are jealous claimants. Guilt too hath its ordeal,

And Hell its own probation! — Merciful Heaven,

Rather than this, pour down upon thy suppliant 245

Disease, and agony, and comfortless want!

O send us forth to wander on, unsheltered!

Make our food bitter with despiséd tears!

Let viperous scorn hiss at us as we pass!

Yea, let us sink down at our enemy’s gate, 250

And beg forgiveness and a morsel of bread!

With all the heaviest worldly visitations

Let the dire father’s curse that hovers o’er us

Work out its dread fulfilment, and the spirit

Of wronged Kiuprili be appeased. But only, 255

Only, O merciful in vengeance! let not

That plague turn inward on my Casimir’s soul!

Scare thence the fiend Ambition, and restore him

To his own heart! O save him! Save my husband!

[During the latter part of this speech EMERICK comes

forward from his hiding-place. SAROLTA seeing

him, without recognising him.

In such a shape a father’s curse should come. 260

Emerick (advancing). Fear not.

Sarolta. Who art thou? Robber? Traitor?

Emerick. Friend!

Who in good hour hath startled these dark fancies,

Rapacious traitors, that would fain depose

Joy, love, and beauty, from their natural thrones:

Those lips, those angel eyes, that regal forehead. 265

Sarolta. Strengthen me, Heaven! I must not seem afraid!

[Aside.

The king to-night then deigns to play the masker.

What seeks your Majesty?

Emerick. Sarolta’s love;

And Emerick’s power lies prostrate at her feet.

Sarolta. Heaven guard the sovereign’s power from such

debasement! 270

Far rather, Sire, let it descend in vengeance

On the base villain, on the faithless slave

Who dared unbar the doors of these retirements!

For whom? Has Casimir deserved this insult?

O my misgiving heart! If — if — from Heaven 275

Yet not from you, Lord Emerick!

Emerick. Chiefly from me.

Has he not like an ingrate robbed my court

Of Beauty’s star, and kept my heart in darkness?

First then on him I will administer justice —

If not in mercy, yet in love and rapture. 280

[Seizes her.

Sarolta. Help! Treason! Help!

Emerick. Call louder! Scream again!

Here’s none can hear you!

Sarolta. Hear me, hear me, Heaven!

Emerick. Nay, why this rage? Who best deserves you? Casimir,

Emerick’s bought implement, the jealous slave

That mews you up with bolts and bars? or Emerick 285

Who proffers you a throne? Nay, mine you shall be.

Hence with this fond resistance! Yield; then live

This month a widow, and the next a queen!

Sarolta. Yet, yet for one brief moment [Struggling.

Unhand me, I conjure you.

[She throws him off, and rushes towards a toilet.

EMERICK follows, and as she takes a dagger,

he grasps it in her hand.

Emerick. Ha! Ha! a dagger; 290

A seemly ornament for a lady’s casket!

‘Tis held, devotion is akin to love,

But yours is tragic! Love in war! It charms me,

And makes your beauty worth a king’s embraces!

[During this speech BETHLEN enters armed.

Bethlen. Ruffian, forbear! Turn, turn and front my sword! 295

Emerick. Pish! who is this?

Sarolta. O sleepless eye of Heaven!

A blest, a blessed spirit! Whence camest thou?

May I still call thee Bethlen?

Bethlen. Ever, lady,

Your faithful soldier!

Emerick. Insolent slave! Depart

Know’st thou not me?

Bethlen. I know thou art a villain 300

And coward! That thy devilish purpose marks thee!

What else, this lady must instruct my sword!

Sarolta. Monster, retire! O touch him not, thou blest one!

This is the hour that fiends and damnéd spirits

Do walk the earth, and take what form they list! 305

Yon devil hath assumed a king’s!

Bethlen. Usurped it!

Emerick. The king will play the devil with thee indeed!

But that I mean to hear thee howl on the rack,

I would debase this sword, and lay thee prostrate

At this thy paramour’s feet; then drag her forth 310

Stained with adulterous blood, and —

— mark you, traitress!