your weakness

Ulr

If they were near him, Enter WERNER as Count SIEGENDORR. He could not die neglected or alone.

Ida. Alas! what is a menial to a death-bed, Ulr. My father, I salute you, and it grieves me When the dim eye rolls vainly round for what With such brief greeting.-You have heard ou It loves ?--They say he died of a fever.

bugle; Ulr.

Say! The vassals wait. It was so

Sieg.

So let them.--You forget
Ida.
I sometimes dream otherwise.

To-morrow is the appointed festival
Ulr. All dreams are false.

In Prague for peace restored. You are apt to follow Ida.

And yet I see him as The chase with such an ardor as will scarce I see you.

Permit you to return to-day, or if Ulr. Where?

Return'd, too much fatigued to join to-morrow Ida.

In sleep-I see him lie The nobles in our marshall'd ranks. Pale, bleeding, and a man with a raised knife

Ulr.

You, count, Beside him.

Will well supply the place of both I am not Ulr. But you do not see his face? A lover of these pageantries. Ida. (looking at him.) No! Oh, my God! do Sieg.

No, Ulric: you?

It were not well that you alone of all Ulr.

Why do you ask ? Our young nobilityIda. Because you look as if you saw a murderer! Ida.

And far the noblest Ulr. (agitatedly.) Ida, this is mere childishness; In aspect and demeanor.

Sieg. (to Ida.) True, dear child, Infects me, to my shame; but as all feelings Though somewhat frankly said for a fair damsel, Of yours are common to me, it affects me. But, Ulric, recollect too our position, Prithee, sweet child, change

So lately reinstated in our honors: Ida.

Child, indeed! I have Believe me, 'twould be mark'd in any house, Full fifteen summers !

(A bugle sounds. But most in ours, that one should be found wantRod. Hark, my lord, the bugle!

ing Ida. (peevishly to RODOLPn.) Why need you tell At such a time and place. Besides, the Heaven him that? Can he not hear it

Which gave us back our own, in the same moment Without your echo?

It spread its peace o'er all, hath double claims Rod.

Pardon me, fair baroness! On us for thanksgiving: first, for our country; Ida. I will not pardon you, unless you earn it And next, that we are here to share its blessings. By aiding me in my dissuasion of

Ulr. (aside.) Devout, too! well, sir, I obey at Count Ulric from the chase to-day.

( Then aloud to a Servant.) Rod.

You will not, Ludwig, dismiss the train without! (Ezit LUDWIG. Lady, need aid of mine.

Ida.

And so
Ulr.
I must not now

You yield at once to him what I for hours
Forego it.

Might supplicate in vain.
Ida. But you shall !

Sieg. (smiling.) You are not jealous
Ulr.
Shall !

Of me, I trust, my pretty rebel! who
Ida.

Yes, or be Would sanction disobedience against all
No true knight.-Come, dear Ulric! yield to me Except thyself? But fear not: thou shalt rule him
In this, for this one day: the day looks heavy, Hereafter with a fonder sway and firmer.
And you are turn'd so pale and ill.

Ida. But I should like to govern now.
You jest.
Sieg.

You shall,
Ida. Indeed I do not :-ask of Rodolph. Your harp, which by the way awaits you with
Rod.

Truly, The countess in her chamber. She complains My lord, within this quarter of an hour

That you are a sad truant to your music: You have changed more than e'er I saw you change She attends you.

Ida. Then good morrow, my kind kinsman: Ülr. 'Tis nothing; but if 'twere, the air Ulric, you'll come and hear me? Would soon restore me. I'm the true chameleon, Ulr.

By and by And live but on the atmosphere: your feasts

Ida. Be sure I'll sound it better than your bugles; In castle halls, and social banquets, nurse not Then pray you be as punctual to its notes: My spirit-I'm a forester and a breather

I'll play you King Gustavus' march. of the sweet mountain-tops, where I love all

Ulr.

And why not The eagle loves.

Old Tilly's?
Ida.
Except his prey, I hope.

Ida. Not that monster's! I should think Ulr. Sweet Ida, wish me a fair chase, and I My harp-strings rang with groans, and not with Will bring you six boars' heads for trophies home.

music, Ida. And will you not stay, then? You shall not Could aught of his sound on it:--but come quickly i

Your mother will be eager to receive you. Come! I will sing to you.

(Ezt los Ulr.

Ida, you scarcely Sieg. Ulric, I wish to speak with you alone. Will make a soldier's wife.

Ulr. My time's your vassal.-
Ida.
I do not wish

aside to RODOLPH.) Rodolph, hence! and do To be so; for I trust these wars are over,

As I directed; and by his best speed And you will live in peace on your domains. And readiest means let Rosenberg reply.

once.

Ulr.

In years.

go!

Rod. Count Siegendorf, command you aught? I am Your sabre in his heart! But mine survives bound

The wound. Upon a journey past the frontier.

Ulr. You err. My nature is not given Sieg. (starts.) 1

Ah!

To outward fondling; how should it be so, Where ? on what frontier ?

After twelve years' divorcement from my parents ? Rod. The Silesian, on

Sieg. And did not I too pass those twelve torn My way-Yaside to ULRIC)-Where shall I say?

years Ulr. (aside to RODOLPH.) To Hamburgh. In a like absence? But 'tis vain to urge you

(Aside to himself.) That Nature was never call'd back by remonstrance. Word will I think put a firm padlock on

Let's change the theme. I wish you to consider His further inquisition.

That these young violent nobles of high name, Rod.

Count, to Hamburgh. But dark deeds, (ay, the darkest, if all Rumor Sieg. (agitated.) Hamburgh! No, I have nought Reports be true,) with whom thou consortest, to do there, nor

Will lead thee Am aught connected with that city. Then

Ulr. (impatiently.) I'll be led by no man. God speed you!

Sieg.

Nor Rod. Fare ye well, Count Siegendorf ! Be leader of such, I would hope: at once

[Exit RODOLPH. To wean thee from the perils of thy youth
Sieg. Ulric, this man, who has just departed, is And haughty spirit, I have thought it well
One of those strange companions whom I fain That thou shouldst wed the lady Ida-more
Would reason with you on.

As thou appear'st to love her.
Ulr.
My lord, he is
Ulr.

I have said
Noble by birth, of one of the first houses

I will obey your orders, were they to In Saxony.

Unite with Hecate-can a son say more? Sieg. I talk not of his birth,

Sieg. He says too much in saying this. It is not
But of his bearing. Men speak lightly of him. The nature of thine age, nor of thy blood,
Ulr. So they will do of most men. Even the Nor of thy temperament, to talk so coolly,
monarch

Or act so carelessly, in that which is
Is not fenced from his chamberlain's slander, or The bloom or blight of all men's happiness,
The sneer of the last courtier whom he has made (For Glory's pillow is but restless, if
Great and ungrateful.

Love lay not down his cheek there :) some strong
Sieg.
If I must be plain,

bias, The world speaks more than lightly of this Rodoph : Some master fiend is in thy service to They say he is leagued with the black bands " Misrule the mortal who believes him slave, who still

And makes his every thought subservient; else Ravage the frontier.

Thou’dst say at once "I love young Ida, and Ulr.

And will you believe Will wed her ;” or, “I love her not, and all The world?

The powers of earth shall never make me."-So Sieg. In this case-yes.

Would I have answer'd.
Ulr.

In any case
Ulr.

Sir, you wed for love. I thought you knew it better than to take

Sieg. I did, and it has been my only refuge An accusation for a sentence.

In many miseries. Sieg.

Son!

Ulr.

Which miseries I understand you: you refer to-but

Had never been but for this love-match. My destiny has so involved about me

Sieg.

Still Her spider web, that I can only flutter

Against your age and nature! Who at twenty Like the poor fly, but break it not. Take heed, E'er answer'd thus till now? Ulric; you have seen to what the passions led me: Ulr.

Did you not warn me Twenty long years of misery and famine

Against your own example? Quench'd them not-twenty thousand more, per- Sieg.

Boyish sophist! chance,

In a word, do you love, or love not, Ida ?
Hereafter (or even here in moments which

Ulr. What matters it, if I am ready to
Might date for years, did Anguish make the dial) Obey you in espousing her ?
May not obliterate or expiate

Sieg.

As far The madness and dishonor of an instant.

As you feel, nothing, but all life for her. Ulric, be warn'd by a father !—I was not

She's young-all beautiful-adores you—is By mine, and you behold me!

Endow'd with qualities to give happiness, Ulr.

I behold

Such as rounds common life into a dream
The prosperous and beloved Siegendorf,

Of something which your poets cannot paint,
Lord of a prince's appanage, and honor'd And (if it were not wisdom to love virtue)
By those he rules and those he ranks with. For which Philosophy might barter wisdom;
Sieg.

Ah! And giving so much happiness, deserves
Why wilt thou call me prosperous, while I fear A little in return. I would not have her
For thee? eloved, when thou lovest me not! Break her heart for a man who has none to break ·
all hearts but one may beat in kindness for me Or wither on her stalk like some pale rose
But if my son's is cold !

Deserted by the bird she thought a nightingale, Ulr.

1 Who dare say that? According to the Orient tale. She is Sieg. None else but I, who see it feel it-keener Ulr. The daughter of dead Stralenheim, your foe: Than would your adversary, who dared say so, I'll wed her, ne'ertheless, though, to say truth,

7

Just now I am not violently transported

Thou villainous gold! and thy dead master's doom In favor of such unions.

Though he died not by me or mine, as much Sieg.

But she loves you. As if he were my brother! I have ta'en Ulr. And I love her, and therefore would think His orphan Ida-cherish'd her as one twice.

Who will be mine.
Sieg. Alas! Love never did so.
Ulr.
Then 'tis time

Enter an Attendant.
He should begin, and take the bandage from

Att.

The abbot, if it please His eyes, and look before he leaps : till now Your excellency, whom you sent for, waits He hath ta'en a jump i' the dark.

Upon you.

[Exit Attendant Sieg.

But you consent?
Ulr. I did and do.

Enter the PRIOR ALBERT.
Sieg.
Then fix the day.

Prior. Peace be with these walls, and all
Ulr.

'Tis usual, Within them! And certes courteous, to leave that to the lady. Sieg. Welcome, welcome, holy father! Sieg. I will engage for her.

And may thy prayer be heard !-all men have need Ulr.

So will not I of such, and iFor any woman; and as what I fix,

Prior.

Have the first claim to all I fain would see unshaken, when she gives The prayers of our community, Our convent, Her ansver, I'll give mine.

Erected by your ancestors, is still Sieg.

But 'tis your office Protected by their children. To woo.

Sieg.

Yes, good father;
Ulr. Count, 'tis a marriage of your making, Continue daily orisons for us
So be it of your wooing; but to please you In these dim days of heresies and blood,
I will now pay my duty to my mother,

Though the schismatic Swede, Gustavus, is
With whom, you know the lady Ida is.-

Gone home.
What would you have? You have forbid my stirring Prior. To the endless home of unbelievers,
For manly sports beyond the castle walls, Where there is everlasting wail and wo,
And I obey; you bid me turn a chamberer, Gnashing of teeth, and tears of blood, and fire
To pick up gloves, and fans, and knitting-needles, Eternal, and the worm which dieth not!
And list to songs and tunes, and watch for smiles, Sieg. True, father; and to avert those pangs from
And smile at pretty prattle, and look into

me,
The eyes of feminine, as though they were Who, though of our most faultless holy church,
The stars receding early to our wish

Yet died without its last and dearest offices,
Upon the dawn of a world-winning battle- Which smooth the soul through purgatorial pains,
What can a son or man do more? (Exit ULRIC. I have to offer humbly this donation
Sieg. (solus.)

Too much! In masses for his spirit.
Too much of duty and too little love!

[SIEGENDORF offers the gold which he had taken He pays me in the coin he owes me not:

from STRALENHEIM. For such has been my wayward fate, I could not Prior.

Count, if I
Fulfil a parent's duties by his side

Receive it, 'tis because I know too well
Till now; but love he owes me, for my thoughts Refusal would offend you. Be assured
Ne'er left him, nor my eyes long'd without tears The largess shall be only dealt in alms,
To see my child again, and now I have found him! And every mass no less sung for the dead.
But how !-obedient, but with coldness; duteous Our house needs no donations, thanks to yours,
In my sight, but with carelessness; mysterious, Which has of old endow'd it; but from you
Abstracted distant-much given to long absence, And yours in all meet things 'tis fit we obey.
And where-none know-in league with the most For whom shall mass be said ?
riotous

Sieg. (faltering.)

For-for-the dead.
Of our young nobles; though, to do him justice, Prior. His name?
He never stoops down to their vulgar pleasures Sieg.

'Tis from a soul, and not a name,
Yet there's some tie between them which I cannot I would avert perdition.
Unravel. They look up to him--consult him- Prior.

I meant not
Throng round him as a leader : but with me To pry into your secret. We will pray
He hath no confidence! Ah! can I hope it For one unknown, the same as for the proudest.
After--what! doth my father's curse descend Sieg. Secret! I have none; but, father, he who's
Even to my child? Or is the Hungarian near

gone
To shed more blood ? or-oh! if it should be ! Might have one; or, in short, he did bequeath-
Spirit of Stralenheim, dost thou walk these walls No, not bequeath-But I bestow this sum
To wither him and his-who, though they slew not, For pious purposes.
Unlatch'd the door of death for thee ? 'Twas not Prior.

A proper deed
Our fault, nor is our sin : thou wert our foe, In the behalf of our departed friends.
And yet I spared thee when my own destruction Sieg. But he who's gone was not my friend, but
Slept with thee, to awake with thine awakening!

foe,
And only took-Accursed gold! thou liest The deadliest and the staunchest.
Like poison in my hands; I dare not use thee, Prior.

Better still !
Nor part from thee; thou camest in such a guise, To employ our means to obtain heaven for the soule
Methinks thou wouldst contaminate all hands of our dead enemies is worthy those
Like mine. Yet I have done, to atone for thee, Who can forgive them living.

Sieg.

Sreg.

But I did not For bloodshed stopt, let blood you shed not rise Forgive this man. I loathed him to the last, A cloud upon your thoughts. This were to be As he did me. I do not love him now,

Too sensitive. Take comfort, and forget But

Such things, and leave remorse unto the guilty
Prior. Best of all! for this is pure religion ;
You fain would rescue him you hate from hell-
An evangelical compassion--with
Your own gold too !

Father, 'tis not my gold.
Prior. Whose then ? You said it was no legacy.

ACT V.
Sieg. No matter whose of this be sure, that he
Who own'd it never more will need it, save

SCENE I.
In that which it may purchase from your altars :
'Tis yours, or theirs.

A large and magnificent Gothic Hall in the Castle or Prior.

Is there no blood upon it ? Siegendorf, decorated with Trophies, Banners, and Sieg. No: but there's worse than blood-eternal Arms of that family.

shame! Prior. Did he who own'd it die in his bed?

Enter ARNHEIM and Meister, Attendants of Count

SIEGEN DORF. Sieg.

Alas! He did.

Arn. Be quick! the count will soon return: the Prior. Son! you relapse into revenge,

ladies If you regret your enemy's bloodless death. Already are at the portal. Have you sent Sieg. His death was fathomlessly deep in blood. The messengers in search of him he seeks for? Prior. You said he died in his bed, not battle. Meis. I have, in all directions, over Prague, Sieg.

He As far as the man's dress and figure could Died, I scarce know-but-he was stabb'd i' the By your description track him. The devil take dark.

These revels and processions! All the pleasure And now you have it-perish'd on his pillow (If such there be) must fall to the spectators. By a cut-throat !-Ay!-you may look upon me! I'm sure none doth to us who make the show, I am not the man. I'll meet your eye on that point Arn. Go to! my lady countess comes. As I can one day God's.

Meis.

I'd rather Prior. Nor did he die,

Ride a day's hunting on an outworn jade,
By means, or men, or instrument of yours? Than follow in the train of a great men

Sieg. No! by the God who sees and strikes ! In these dull pageantries.
Prior.

Nor know you
Att.

Begone! and rail
Who slew him?

Within.

(Exeunt. Sieg. I could only guess at one,

Enter the COUNTESS JOSEPHINE SIEGENDORF and And he to me a stranger, unconnected,

IDA STRALENHEIM.
As unemploy'd. Except by one day's knowledge
I never saw the man who was suspected.

Jos. Well, Heaven be praised, the show is over! Prior. Then you are free from guilt.

Ida. How can you say so! never have I dreamt Sieg. (eagerly.)

Oh! am I?-say! Of aught so beautiful. The flowers, the boughs, Prior. You have said so, and know best. The banners, and the nobles, and the knights, Sieg.

Father! I have spoken The gems, the robes, the plumes, the happy faces, The truth, and nought but truth, if not the whole : The coursers, and the incense, and the sun Yet say I am not guilty! for the blood

Streaming through the stain'd windows, even the Of this man weighs on me, as if I shed it,

tombs, Though, by the Power who abhorreth human blood Which look'd so calm, and the celestial hymns, I did not !--nay once spared it, when I might Which seem'd as if they rather came from heaven And could-ay, perhaps, should (if our self-safety

Than mounted there. The bursting organ's peal Be e'er excusable in such defences

Rolling on high like harmonious thunder ; Against the attack of over-potent foes :)

The white robes and the lifted eyes; the world But pray for him, for me, and all my house ; At peace! and all at peace with one another ! Por, as I said, though I be innocent,

Oh, my sweet mother! [Embracing JCSEPHIXR. I know not why, a like remorse is on me,

Jos.

My beloved child ! As if he had fallen by me or mine. Pray for me, For such, I trust, thou shalt be shortly. Father ! I have pray'd myself in vain.

Ida.

Oh! Prior.

I will. I am so already. Feel how my heart beats !
Be comforted ! You are innocent, and should Jos. It does, my love ; and never may it throb
Be calm as innocence.

With aught more bitter.
Sieg.
But calmness is not

Ida.

Never shall it do so! Always the attribute of innocence.

How should it? What should make us grieve? I I feel it is not.

hate Prior. But it will be so,

To hear of sorrow: how can we be sad, When the mind gathers by its truth within it. Who love each other so entirely? You, Remember the great festival to-morrow,

The count, and Ulric, and your daughter Ida. In which you rank amidst our chiefest nobles, Jos. Poor child! as well as your brave son; and smooth your aspect;

Ida.

Do you pity me? Nor in the general orison of thanks

Jos.

No; but I envy And that in sorrow, not in the world's sense

Ulr.

Your wisk is granted. Of the universal vice, if one vice be

Behold me More general than another.

Sieg. I have seen the murderer. Ida.

I'll not hear

Ulr. Whom? Where? A word against a world which still contains

Sieg. The Hungarian, who slew Stralenheim You and my Ulric. Did you ever see

Ulr. You dream. Aught like him? How he tower'd among them all! Sieg.

I live! and as I live, I saw him How all eyes follow'd him! The flowers fell faster- Heard him! he dared to utter even my name. Rain's from each lattice at his feet, methought,

Ulr. What name? Than before all the rest : and where he trod

Sieg.

Werner! 'twas mine. I dare be sworn that they grow still, nor e'er

Ulr.

It must be so; Will wither.

No more: forget it.
Jos.
You will spoil him, little flatterer, Sieg.

Never! never ! all
If he should hear you.

My destinies were woven in that name:
Ida.
But he never will.

It will not be engraved upon my tomb,
I dare not say so much to him—I fear him But it may lead me there.
Jos. Why so ? he loves you well.

Ulr.

To the point-the Hungarian? Ida.

But I can never Sieg. Listen !—The church was throng'd; the Shape my thoughts of him into words to him.

hymn was raised; Besides, he sometimes frightens me.

" Te Deum” peal'd from nations, rather than Jos.

How so? From choirs, in one great cry of “God be praised" Ida. A cloud comes o'er his blue eyes suddenly, For one day's peace, after thrice ten dread years Yet he says nothing.

Each bloodier than the former: I arose, Jos.

It is nothing: all men, With all the nobles, and as I look'd down Especially in these dark troublous times,

Along the lines of lifted faces,-from Have much to think of.

Our banner'd and escutcheon'd gallery, I Ida.

But I cannot think Saw, like a flash of lightning, (for I saw Of aught save him.

A moment and no more,) what struck me sightless Jos.

Yet there are other men, To all else—the Hungarian's face ! I grew In the world's eye, as goodly. There's, for instance, Sick; and when I recover'd from the mist The young Count Waldorf, who scarce once withdrew Which curl'd about my senses, and again His eyes from yours to-day.

Look'd down, I saw him not. The thanksgiving Ida.

I did not see him, Was over, and we march'd back in procession. But Ulric. Did you not see at the moment

Ulr. Continue. When all knelt, and I wept: and yet methought, Sieg. When we reach'd the Muldau's bridge Through my fast tears, though they were thick and The joyous crowd above, the numberless warm,

Barks mann'd with revellers in their best garbs I saw him smiling on me.

Which shot along the glancing tide below,
Jos.
I could not

The decorated street, the long array,
See aught save heaven, to which my eyes were raised The clashing music, and the thundering
Together with the people's.

Of far artillery, which seem'd to bid Ida.

I thought too A long and loud farewell to its great doings, Of heaven, although I look'd on Ulric.

The standards o'er me, and the tramplings round, Jos.

Come, The roar of rushing thousands,-all-all could not Let us retire; they will be here anon

Chase this man from my mind, although my senses Expectant of the banquet. We will lay

No longer held him palpable. Aside these nodding plumes and dragging trains. Ulr.

You saw him Ida. And, above all, these stiff and heavy jewels, No more, then ? Which make my head and heart ache, as both throb Sieg.

I look'd as a dying soldier Beneath their glitter o'er my brow and zone. Looks at a draught of water, for this man; Dear mother, I am with you.

(Exeunt. But still I saw him not; but in his stead

Ulr. What in his stead ? Enter Count SIEGENDORF, in full dress, from the

Sieg.

My eye for ever fell solemnity, and LUDWIG.

Upon your dancing crest; the loftiest, Sieg.

Is he not found ? As on the loftiest and the loveliest head
Lud. Strict search is making every where; and if It rose the highest of the stream of plumes,
The man be in Prague, be sure he will be found. Which overflow'd the glittering streets of Prague.
Sieg. Where's Ulric ?

Ulr. What's this to the Hungarian ?
Lud.
He rode round the other way Sieg.

Much; for I
With some young nobles; but he left them soon; Had almost then forgot him in my son ;
And, if I err not, not a minute since

When just as the artillery ceased, and paused I heard his excellency, with his train,

The music, and the crowd embraced in lieu Galbɔp o'er the west drawbridge.

Of shouting, I heard in a deep, low voice,

Distinct and keener far upon my ear
Enter ULRIC, splendidly dressed.

Than the late cannon's volume, this word "Wer Sieg to LUDWIG.)

See they cease not
Their quest of him I have described. (Exit LUDWIG.)

Ulr. Uttered by-
Oh, Ulric!

Sieg. Him! I turn'd-and saw-and fell How have I long'd for thee!

Ulr. And wherefore? Were you seen?

ner!”