E'en where I long.

(Enter BALASSI; RODNA startled, turns round, and exclaims,)

What is it you Balassi?

From the army?

BA.
Waradin has joined in battle.
Ro. Ha! Have they fought?
BA.

And beat the enemy;
And put him to the rout with dreadful slaughter.
Lord Bankban, wounded in the heat of action,
Brings the despatches from the Prince, who has
thrown

Up his command, and hied him none knows whither.

Ro. I did forecast as much. (Aside.) He'll keep his

BA.

Ro.

oath,

Or say he do not, I have the peoples' voice...
Marshal and Palatine! And absolute power!
Must I rest there? It irks me, . . may be not!
(TO BALASSI.) Have you yet, Sirrah, buzzed in
the royal ear

How that the soldiery hail'd Lord Waradin, King?
Is she advised thus?

Requested audience.

I have already

Then what hope hath she,

Save in my guidance? I espy a course

Out of her strong belief shall serve to marshal
Her to her ruin.. me to Empire! and...
Hark! there. Withdraw a little.. stay without:
I may require your aid.

(Exit BALASSI.)

It is my saint!

(Enter LADY BANKBAN.)

L. B. Hist! hist! Silence

Is vice-roy here. I know he keeps no Court.
I'll mate with him, who is the mighty shadow
Which represents my Prince; on whose return
Th' Invisible shall burst his spell, and straight

F

Deliver up his title in my person

Unto the gracious hands of Andreas.

Ro. (Apart.)

Her tire should be a diadem, and not

The lily beaming through those raven tresses.
Yet sweetly does the milkwhite blossom sleep ·
Upon their lustre, like a silver cloud

Floating alone upon the midnight Heavens.
L. B. He will be back to-morrow. 'Las this
Las this span
Of time is all composed of such to-morrows,
Which lure the loving pilgrim on and on,
Until at length he finds his goal where only
All blessed union is, since, living here,

Though the Divinity may pour down blessings,
We are Fortune's antics still.

Ro. What music flows not from her parted lips?
What perfume surfeits the luxurious wind,
If not her breathing? If that arm be white,
Marmoreal rocks hewn in the Parian earth
Are spotted. She has wept of late, and still
Delicious dews hang trembling on her lids,
Rejecting the bright flashes of her eyes,
Whose heat will drink them soon.

(TO LADY B.)

My pensive cousin. (He attempts to take her hand, she draws herself up with an air stately and surprised, looking steadfastly in his face.)

L. B. Away! away! Who art thou?

Ro.

Your betrothed.

L. B. In faith, in faith, that can in no sort be.
Thou hast a name?

Ro

(Apart.)

(A pause: RODNA's eyes sink beneath the inquiring gaze of LADY BANKBAN.) How fair! how passing fair! I swear she looks more lovely than the star That shines at eventide, more holy than The silver-shafted moon; and her keen glance, Which doth anatomize me nerve by nerve,

Dazing my fleshy sense till every fibre

Slacken its hold, darts quickening and eternal

As bright Hyperion's ray; or rather sure,
The god has gathered there his luminous beams,
The atoms of his element, and taught
Those fixed imperishable orbs to glow

With active light. Although their fastened gaze
Parch up the principle of life within me,
And lay me bare in her so stern regard,

I can behold no other sun . . . I'm blinded!

L. B. Thy name?

Ro.

...

It matters not. this feverish state

Of being is insupportable

L. B. Thy name?

Ro.

I'll rouse me.

...

My love!

She is but a girl.

I'll bend her stubborn will to my embraces.
My name is Rodna!

L. B. (Recoiling from him with a piercing look of terror.)

Ro.

Thou art mad to own it;

And dost put fire into my ears, and blood
Into my eyes. All things spread out around
Blush like a hell; and thou stand'st in the midst,
The very fiend incarnate.

Ah, thou Siren!

Thy scorns do prick me on

(Goes to the door through which LADY BANKBAN entered, the lock of which he secures.)

I will make sure, And if thy tongue were in the thunder's mouth "Twould murmur only like an innocent sleep Beyond this barrier. Thus, at thy feet L. B. (Agitated, with a half-suppressed scream.) Reptile!.. Lord Rodna!. dare not touch me, or. Ro. Thine eyes may shake their flashes; I am charmed As the green bay against them, Mistress, and, Lest aught outspeed my purpose, thus forthwith Secure thee spite of thunder.

Stay my Lord...

A moment... Have I then no friend in Heaven? Ro. If so he's too far off; Religious Fools

May shake at him.

F 2

L. B.

Ro.

I stand up thus then, Atheist !

In Heaven's high name, who to my righteous

prayer

Hath sent a friend.

L. B. Behold that friend!

How! Give him to my gaze.

(Snatching a dagger from the vest of RODNA, and raising it.) "Tis Death!

(RODNA recoils some paces.) But move a step,

Yea, do but cast a look t' insult me, and

This steel shall take acquaintance with my blood. Ro. Come, thou art mad.

L. B.

But stir, and I am nothing. Ro. Beshrew me! Not so good a thing fair Lady. Nothing were better than the shame my tongue Shall stick upon thy memory.

L. B.

What dost mean? What shame were greater than to parley with thee? Retire my Lord, I choose to be alone.

Ro. (Apart.) Balassi is a likely man, . . so be it. I hear his step without: Then Fortune hail! (To her.) What shame were greater?

will blazon it,

Why, I

I caught thee clasped unlawfully, with one
Who waits at hand, in vile adultery,

And that thou smote thyself in thy despair.
Thus shall thy end be scand'lous, and thy being
The scoff of thousands not yet born, who'll make
Lascivious comments on thee, so thy name

To the loud world shall be a stale mouth'd jest,
And have immortal life.

L. B.
Ro. I've said.. a tool of mine.

L. B.

"Who waits at hand"?

There's no such villain.

Ro. That thou shalt judge thyself.

(Goes to the door, which he unbolts.) What ho Balassi !

Come forth, and take thy place in th' slaughtered

arms

Of this coy dame.

L. B.

Now aid me Heaven, and rise

Up in thy strength my heart!

Ro.

Dost hear? Balassi !

Hither! and wrench my dagger from this lady.
(Enter BALASSI, who endeavours to intercept
LADY BANKBAN.)

L. B. This blow is all that's left to free my honor.
(She aims at BALASSI, who staggers, and after-
wards, as she is rushing out, enter Lord BANK-
BAN, faint, trembling, and bloody.)

My Husband! Save me! Oh for this, I love thee!

LADY B. sinks in his arms insensible. Having placed her on a couch, BANKBAN advances towards RODNA.)

Ro. By hell! Count Bankban!

BA. (Sternly.)

...

Giant ravisher!
Wouldst make defeat of my dear Countess' honor?
Though now this arm of mine do something lack
Its native pith. may be fordone with age,
Or... mercy help me!.. loss of blood in battle,
It yet hath puissance left forsooth, to chase
Away from me a stain, . . yea hath it, and
I challenge satisfaction.

Ro. (Scoffingly.)

BA.

Ro.

Cry ye mercy!

Thou'dst fain pass for a man.

What! dare you mock,
And yet afraid to draw? I will proclaim you,
Faint as I am. What do you here in Buda,
You, my Lord Marshal, safe from blows and
glory?

You practise on men's wives, yet I must tell you,
Are as far from vent'ring aught i' th' way of peril,
As honor is from shame.

Put up Sir Bridegroom! BA. If you've not glued your rapier in its case,

Release it.

You are priv'l'ged.

Ro.
BA. (Indignantly.)

Spawn o' the state!

That on the swell and current of these times