The Works of Lord Byron Complete in One Volume

Throng round him as a leader: with me I have to offer humbly this donation
He hath no confidence! Ah! can I hope it In masses for his spirit.
After-what! doth my father's curse descend
Even to my child? Or is the Hungarian near
To shed more blood,or-oh! if it should be!
Spirit of Stralenheim, dost thou walk these
walls

To wither him and his-who, though they
slew not,

Unlatch'd the door of death for thee?
'Twas not

Our fault,nor is our sin: thou wert our foe,
And yet I spared thee when my own De-

struction

Slept with thee, to awake with thine awaken-
ing,

And only took-accursed Gold! thou liest
Like poison in my hands; I dare not use thee,
Nor part from thee; thou comest in such a
guise,

Methinks thou wouldst contaminate all
hands

Like mine. Yet I have done, to atone for thee,

Thou villanous Gold! and thy dead master's
doom,

Though he died not by me or mine, as much
As if he were my brother! I have ta'en
His orphan Ida-cherish'd her as one
Who will be mine.

Enter an ATTENDANT.

Attendant. The Abbot, if it please
Your Excellency, whom you sent for, waits
Upon you.
[Exit Attendant.

Enter the PRIOR ALBERT.
Prior Albert. Peace be with these walls
and all

Within them!

Siegend. Welcome, welcome,holy Father! And may thy prayer be heard! - all men have need

Of such, and I—

Prior Albert. Have the first claim to all The prayers of our community. Our convent, Erected by your ancestors, is still Protected by their children.

Siegend. Yes, good Father
Continue daily orisons for us

In these dim days of heresies and blood,
Though the schismatic Swede, Gustavus, is
Gone home.

Prior Albert. To the endless home of
unbelievers,

Where there is everlasting wail and woe,
Gnashing of teeth,and tears of blood, and fire
Eternal, and the worm which dieth not!
Siegend. True, Father: and to avert
those pangs from one,
Who, though of our most faultless, holy
church,

Yet died without its last and dearest offices,
Which smoothe the soul through purga-
torial pains,

[Siegendorf offers the gold which he had taken from Stralenheim. Prior Albert. Count, if I Receive it, 'tis because I know too well Refusal would offend you. Be assured The largess shall be only dealt in alms, And every mass no less sung for the dead. Our house needs no donations, thanks to yours,

Which has of old endow'd it; but to you And yours in all meet things 'tis fit we obey.

For whom shall mass be said?

Siegend. (faltering) For-for-the dead.
Prior Albert. His name?
Siegend. 'Tis from a Soul, and not a
Name,

I would avert perdition.

We will pray

Prior Albert. I meant not
To pry into your secret.
For one unknown, the same as for the
proudest.

Siegend. Secret! I have none; but Father,
he who's gone

Might have one; or, in short, he did be-
queath-

No, not bequeath-but I bestow this sum
For pious purposes.

Prior Albert. A proper deed

In the behalf of our departed friends.
Siegend. But he, who's gone, was not
my friend, but foe,

The deadliest and the staunchest.
Prior Albert. Better still!

To employ our means to obtain heaven for
the souls

Of our dead enemies, is worthy those
Who can forgive them living.

Siegend. But I did not

Forgive this man. I loathed him to the last,
As he did me. I do not love him now,
But-

Prior Albert. 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!

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

Siegend. No matter whose of this be
sure that he

Who own'd it never more will need it, save
In that which it may purchase from your
altars:
Tis yours, or theirs.

Prior Albert. Is there no blood upon it?
Siegend. No: but there's worse than
blood-eternal shame!

Prior Albert. Did he who own'd it die
in his bed?
Siegend. Alas! he did.

revenge,

Prior Albert. Son! you relapse into | A cloud upon your thoughts. This were to be Too sensitive. Take comfort, and forget Such things, and leave Remorse unto the guilty. [Exeunt.

If you regret your enemy's bloodless death.
Siegend. His death was fathomlessly
deep in blood.

Prior Albert. You said he died in his
bed, not battle.
Siegend. He

Died, I scarce know-but-he was stabb'd
i' the dark,

And now you have it — perish'd on his pillow
By a cut-throat! - you may look

upon me!

I am not the man.

that point,

I'll meet your eye on

As I can one day God's.

Prior Albert. Nor did he die

By means, or men, or instrument of yours? Siegend. No! by the God who sees and

strikes!

Prior Albert. Nor know you Who slew him?

Siegend. I could only guess at one, And he to me a stranger, unconnected, As unemploy'd. Except by one day's knowledge,

I never saw the man who was suspected Prior Albert. Then you are free from guilt. Siegend. (eagerly) Oh! am I?-say! Prior Albert. You have said so, and know best.

Siegend. Father! I have spoken The truth, and nought but truth, if not the whole:

Yet say I am not guilty! for the blood
Of this man weighs on me, as if I shed it,
Though by the Power who abhorreth
human blood,

I did not!-nay, once spared it, when I might
And coulday, perhaps, should (if our
Self-Safety

Be e'er excusable in such defences
Against the attacks of over-potent foes);
But pray for him, for me, and all my house;
For, as I said, though I be innocent,

I know not why, a like Remorse is on me
As if he had fallen by me or mine. Pray

for me,

Father! I have pray'd myself in vain.

Prior Albert. I will.

Be comforted! You are innocent, and should
Be calm as Innocence.

Siegend.
But Calmness is not
Always the attribute of Innocence:
I feel it is not.

Prior Albert. But it will be so,
When the mind gathers up its truth within it.
Remember the great festival to-morrow,
In which you rank amidst our chiefest
nobles,

As well as your brave son; and smoothe your aspect;

Nor in the general orison of thanks For bloodshed stopt, let blood, you shed not, rise

ACT V.

SCENE I.—A large and magnificent Gothic
Hall in the Castle of Siegendorf, decorated
with Trophies, Banners and Arms of that
Family.

Enter ARNHEIM and MEISTER, Attendants
of COUNT SIEGENDORF.

Arnh. Be quick! the Count will soon
return the ladies

Already are at the portal. Have you sent
The messengers in search of him he seeks for?
Meister. I have, in all directions, over

Prague,

As far as the man's dress and figure could By your description track him. The devil take

These revels and processions! All the pleasure

(If such there be) must fall to the spectators.

I'm sure none doth to us who make the show.
Arnh. Go to! my Lady Countess comes.
Meister. I'd rather

Ride a day's hunting on an outworn jade,
Than follow in the train of a great man
In these dull pageantries.

Arnh. Begone! and rail
Within.

[Exeunt.

Enter the COUNTESS JOSEPHINE SIEGENDORF and IDA STRALENHEIM.

Josephine. Well, Heaven be praised, the show is over!

Ida. How can you say so! Never have I dreamt

Of anght so beautiful. The flowers, the boughs,

The banners, and the nobles,and the knights, The gems, the robes, the plumes, the happy faces,

The coursers, and the incense, and the sun Streaming through the stain'd windows; even the tombs,

Which look'd so calm, and the celestial hymns,

Which seem'd as if they rather came from heaven

Than mounted there; the bursting organ's peal

Rolling on high like an harmonious thunder; The white robes, and the lifted eyes; the world

At peace! and all at peace with one another! Oh, my sweet mother!

[Embracing Josephine. Josephine. My beloved child! For such, I trust, thou shalt be shortly.

thought,

Than before all the rest, and where he trod I dare be sworn that they grow still, nor e'er Will wither.

Josephine. You will spoil him, little flatterer,

If he should hear you.

Ida. But he never will.

I dare not say so much to him-I fear him. Josephine. Why so? he loves you well. Ida. But I can never

Shape my thoughts of him into words to him. Besides, he sometimes frightens me. Josephine. How so?

Ida. A cloud comes o'er his blue eyes suddenly,

Yet he says nothing.

Josephine. It is nothing: all men, Especially in these dark troublous times, Have much to think of.

Ida. But I cannot think

Of aught save him.

Josephine. Yet there are other men, In the world's eye, as goodly. There's, for instance,

The young Count Waldorf, who scarce once withdrew

His eyes from yours to-day.

Ida. I did not see him,

But Ulric. Did you not see at the moment When all knelt, and I wept? and yet methought

Through my fast tears, though they were thick and warm,

I saw him smiling on me.

Josephine. I could not

Ida. I thought too

Of Heaven, although I look'd on Ulric.
Josephine. Come,

Let us retire; they will be here anon
Expectant of the banquet. We will lay
Aside these nodding plumes and dragging
trains.

Ida. And, above all, these stiff and heavy jewels,

Which make my head and heart ache,as both throb

Beneath their glitter o'er my brow and zone. Dear mother, I am with you. [Exeunt.

Enter COUNT SIEGENDORF, in full dress, from the solemnity, and LUDWIG. Siegend. Is he not found? Ludwig. Strict search is making every where; and if

The man be in Prague, be sure he will be found.

Siegend. Where's Ulric?

Ludwig. He rode round the other way With some young nobles; but he left them

Siegend. I live! and as I live, I saw himHeard him! He dared to utter even my name. Ulric. What name?

Siegend. Werner! 'twas mine.
Ulric. It must be so
No more: forget it.

Siegend. Never! never! all

My destinies were woven in that name:
It will not be engraved upon my tomb,
But it may lead me there.

Ulric. To the point-the Hungarian?
Siegend. Listen! The church was

throng'd; the hymn was raised; "Te Deum" peal'd from Ñations, rather than From Choirs, in one great cry of "God be praised"

For one day's peace, after thrice ten dread

years,

Each bloodier than the former: I arose,
With all the nobles, and as I look'd down

Sce aught save Heaven, to which my eyes Along the lines of lifted faces,-from

were raised

Together with the people's.

Our banner'd and escutcheon'd gallery, I Saw, like a flash of lightning, (for I saw

Siegend. I look'd, as a dying soldier
Looks at a draught of water, for this man;
But still I saw him not; but in his stead-
Ulric. What in his stead?
Siegend. My eye for ever fell
Upon your dancing crest; the loftiest,
As on the loftiest and the loveliest head,
It rose the highest of the stream of plumes,
Which overflow'd the glittering streets of
Prague.

Ulric. What's this to the Hungarian?
Siegend. Much; for I

Had almost then forgot him in my son,
When just as the artillery ceased,and paused
The music, and the crowd embraced in lieu
Of shouting, I heard in a deep, low voice,
Distinct and keener far upon my ear
Than the late Cannon's Volume, this word-
"Werner!"

Gabor. 'Tis, then, Werner! Siegend. (haughtily). The same you knew, Sir, by that name; and you! Gabor (looking round). I recognise you both; father and son,

It seems. Count, I have heard that you, or yours,

Have lately been in search of me: I am here. Siegend. I have sought you, and have found you; you are charged (Your own heart may inform you why) [He pauses. Gabor. Give it utterance, and then I'll meet the consequences.

with such

A crime as

Siegend. You shall do so-
Unless-

Gabor. First, who accuses me?
Siegend. All things,

If not all men: the universal rumourMy own presence on the spot—the place — the time

And every speck of circumstance unite
To fix the blot on you.

Gabor. And on me only?
Pause ere you answer: Is no other name,
Save mine, stain'd in this business?
Siegend. Trifling villain!

Who play'st with thine own guilt! Of all that breathe

Thou best dost know the innocence of him 'Gainst whom thy breath would blow thy

bloody slander.

But I will talk no further with a wretch,
Further than Justice asks. Answer at once,
And without quibbling, to my charge.
Gabor. 'Tis false!

Siegend. Who says so?
Gabor. I.

Siegend. And how disprove it?
Gabor. By

The presence of the murderer.
Siegend. Name him!

Gabor. He

Gabor. You may do so, and in safety; I know the assasin.

Siegend. Where is he? Gabor (pointing to Ulric). Beside you! [Ulric rushes forward to attack Gabor; Siegendorf interposes. Siegend. Liar and fiend! but you shall not be slain; These walls are mine, and you are safe within them.

[He turns to Ulric. Ulric, repel this calumny, as I Will do. Tavow it is a growth so monstrous, I could not deem it earth-born : but,be calm; It will refute itself. But touch him not. [Ulric endeavours to compose himself. Gabor. Look at him, Count, and then

as ever;

And poorer by suspicion on my name.
The Baron lost in that last outrage neither
Jewels nor gold; his life alone was sought,
A life which stood between the claims of
others

To honours and estates, scarce less than princely.

Siegend. These hints, as vague as vain, attach no less

To me than to my son.

Gabor. I can't help that.

But let the consequence alight on him Who feels himself the guilty one amongst us. I speak to you, Count Siegendorf, because I know you innocent, and deem you just. But ere I can proceed — Dare you protect me!

Dare you command me?

The tale is doubtless worthy the relater. But is it of my father to hear further? [To Siegendorf. Siegend. (takes his son by the hand) My son! I know mine own innocence-and doubt not

Of yours but I have promised this man patience;

Let him continue.

Gabor. I will not detain you

By speaking of myself much; I began Life early-and am what the world has made me.

At Frankfort, on the Oder, where I pass'd
A winter in obscurity, it was
My chance at several places of resort
(Which I frequented sometimes, but not
often)

To hear related a strange circumstance,
In February last. A martial force,
Sent by the state, had, after strong resistance,
Secured a band of desperate men, supposed
Marauders from the hostile camp. They
proved,

However, not to be so-but banditti,
Whom either accident or enterprise
Had carried from their usual haunt-the

[Siegendorf first looks at the Hun-Of
garian, and then at Ulric, who
has unbuckled his sabre and is
drawing lines with it on the floor
- still in its sheath.

Ulric. (looks at his father and says)
Let the man go on!

And courage as unrivalled, were proclaim'd His by the public rumour; and his sway Not only over his associates but

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