as since,

With the nobles of the city. I felt sure I had not err'd, and watch'd him long and nearly:

I noted down his form-his gesture-fea- | tures,

Stature and bearing- and amidst them all, 'Midst every natural and acquired distinction,

I could discern, methought, the assassin's eye And gladiator's heart.

Ulric (smiling). The tale sounds well.
Gabor. And may sound better. He
appear'd to me

One of those beings to whom Fortune bends
As she doth to the Daring-and on whom
The Fates of others oft depend; besides,
An indescribable sensation drew me
Near to this man, as if my Point of Fortune
Was to be fixed by him.-There I was wrong.
Siegend. And may not be right now.
Gabor. I follow'd him,
Solicited his notice- and obtain'd it-
Though not his friendship:-it was his
intention

To leave the city privately-we left it
Together-and together we arrived

In the poor town where Werner was conceal'd,

And Stralenheim was succour'd- Now we

are on

The verge dare you hear further?
Siegend. I must do so-

Or I have heard too much.

Gabor. I saw in you

A man above his station-and if not
So high, as now I find you, in my then
Conceptions-'twas that I had rarely seen
Men such as you appear'd in height of mind,
In the most high of worldly rank; you were
Poor-even to all save rags-I would have
shared

My purse, though slender, with you-yon refused it.

Siegend. Doth my refusal make a debt to you, That thus you urge it?

Gabor. Still you owe me something, Though not for that-and I owed you my safety,

At least my seeming safety-when the slaves Of Stralenheim pursued me on the grounds That I had robb'd him.

Siegend. I conceal'd you -1, Whom, and whose house, you arraign, reviving viper!

Gabor. I accuse no man-save in my defence.

You, Count! have made yourself accuserjudge

Your hall's my court, your heart is my tribunal.

Be just, and I'll be merciful.
Siegend. You merciful!
You! Base calumniator!

Gabor. I. "Twill rest

With me at last to be so. You conceal'd me—
In secret passages known to yourself,
You said, and to none else. At dead of night,
Weary with watching in the dark, and
dubious

Of tracing back my way- I saw a glimmer Through distant crannies of a twinkling light.

I follow'd it, and reach'd a door--a secret Portal which open'd to the chamber, where, With cautious hand and slow, having first

undone

He, whom you dare not name-nor even I Scarce dare to recollect-was not then in The chamber.

upon

For him at any time, as had been proved That morning - either in address or force. I turn'd, and fled-i' the dark: Chance, rather than

Skill, made me gain the secret door of the hall,

And thence the chamber where you slept if I

'Had found you waking, Heaven alone can tell

What Vengeance and Suspicion might have prompted;

But ne'er slept Guilt as Werner slept that night.

Siegend. And yet I had horrid dreams! and such brief sleep

With you; you are wealthy, noble, trusted by The Imperial powers-You understand me? Siegend. Yes.—

Gabor. Not quite. You think me venal, and scarce true:

'Tis no less true, however, that my fortunes Have made me both at present; you shall aid me,

I would have aided you-and also have Been somewhat damaged in my name to save Yours and your son's. Weigh well what I have said.

Siegend. Dare you await the event of a few minutes' Deliberation?

Gabor (casts his eyes on Ulric, who is
leaning against a pillar).
If I should do so?
Siegend. I pledge my life for yours.
Withdraw into

This tower.

[Opens a turret-door. Gabor (hesitatingly). This is the second safe asylum

You have offer'd me.

Siegend. And was not the first so? Gabor. I know not that even now-but will approve

The second. I have still a further shield.— I did not enter Prague alone-and should I Be put to rest with Stralenheim-there are Some tongues without will wag in my behalf. Be brief in your decision!

Siegend. I will be so.

My word is sacred and irrevocable Within these walls, but it extends no further. Gabor. I'll take it for so much. Siegend. (points to Ulric's sabre, still upon the ground).

Take also thatsaw you eye it eagerly, and him

father

And now my dream is out!

Gabor. Tis not my fault,

If I have read it.- Well! I fled and hid me-
Chance led me here after so many moons—
And show'd me Werner in Count Siegendorf!
Werner, whom I had sought in huts in vain,
Inhabited the palace of a Sovereign!
You sought me, and have found me-now
you know

My secret, and may weigh its worth.
Sicgend. (after a pause) Indeed!

Gabor. Is it Revenge or Justice which
inspires

Your meditation?

Siegend. Neither-I was weighing The value of your secret.

Gabor. You shall know it

At once - when you were poor, and I, though

poor,

Rich enough to relieve such poverty
As might have envied mine, I offer'd you
My purse you would not share it :-I'll
be franker

Gabor (takes up the sabre). I will; and so provide

To sell my life-not cheaply.

[Gabor goes into the turret, which Siegendorf closes.

Siegend. (advances to Ulric) Now, Count Ulric!

For son I dare not call thee-What sayst thou?

Ulric. His tale is true.
Siegend. True, monster!
Ulric. Most true, father;

And you did well to listen to it: what
We know, we can provide against. He must
Be silenced.

Siegend. Ay, with half of my domains; And with the other half, could he and thou Unsay this villany.

When we met in the garden, what except Discovery in the act could make me know His death? Or had the Prince's household been

Then summon'd, would the cry for the police Been left to such a stranger? Or should I Have loiter'd on the way? Or could you, Werner,

The object of the Baron's hate and fears, Have fled-unless by many an hour before Suspicion woke? I sought and fathom'd youDoubting if you were false or feeble; I Perceived you were the latter; and yet so Confiding have I found you, that I doubted At times your weakness.

Siegend. Parricide! no less

Than common stabber! What deed of my life,

Or thought of mine, could make you deem me fit

For your accomplice?

Ulric. Father, do not raise

The devil you cannot lay, between us. This
Is time for union and for action, not
For family-disputes. While you were tor-
tured

Could I be calm? Think you that I have heard

This fellow's tale without some feeling? you Have taught me feeling for you and myself; For whom or what else did you ever teach it? Siegend. Oh! my dead father's curse!

'tis working now.

Ulric. Let it work on! the grave will keep it down!

Ashes are feeble foes: it is more easy
To baffle such, than countermine a mole,
Which winds its blind but living path
beneath you.

Yet hear me still!-If you condemn me, yet Remember who hath taught me once too often

To listen to him! Who proclaim'd to me That there were crimes made venial by the occasion?

That passion was our nature? that the goods

Of heaven waited on the goods of fortune?
Who show'd me his humanity secured
By his nerves only? Who deprived me of
All power to vindicate myself and race
In open day? By his disgrace which stamp'd
(It might be) bastardy on me, and on
Himself a felon's brand! The man who is
At once both warm and weak, invites to
deeds

He longs to do, but dare not. Is it strange
That I should act what you could think?
We have done

With right and wrong; and now must only ponder

Upon effects, not causes. Stralenheim, Whose life I saved,from impulse,as,unknown, I would have saved a peasant's or a dog's,

I slew,

Was a rock in our way, which I cut through,
As doth the bolt, because it stood between us
And our true destination—but not idly.
As stranger I preserved him, and he owed me
His life; when due, I but resumed the debt.
He, you, and I stood o'er a gulf, wherein
I have plunged our enemy. You kindled
first

The torch you show'd the path: now trace me that

Of safety-or let me!

Siegend. I have done with life!

Ulric. Let us have done with that which cankers life

Familiar feuds and vain recriminations
Of things which cannot be undone. We have
No more to learn or hide: I know no fear,
And have within these very walls men
who

(Although you know them not) dare venture all things.

You stand high with the state; what passes here

Will not excite her too great curiosity: Keep your own secret, keep a steady eye, Stir not, and speak not;-leave the rest

It seems: I might have guess'd as much. Oh fool!

Wolves prowl in company. He hath the key (As I too) of the opposite door which leads Into the turret. Now then! or once more To be the father of fresh crimes—no less Than of the criminal! Ho! Gabor! Gabor! [Exit into the turret, closing the door after him.

SCENE II.-The Interior of the Turret. GABOR and SIEGENDORF.

Gabor. Who calls? Siegend. I-Siegendorf! Take these, and fly!

Lose not a moment!

[Tears off a diamond-star and other jewels, and thrusts them into Gabor's hand.

Gabor. What am I to do With these?

Siegend. Whate'er you will: sell them, or hoard,

And prosper; but delay not—or you are lost!

Gabor. You pledged your honour for my safety!

Stegend. And

Must thus redeem it. Fly! I am not master, It seems, of my own castle-of my own Retainers-nay, even of these very walls, Or I would bid them fall and crush me! Fly! Or you will be slain by

Gabor. Is it even so?

Ulric. What! remain to be Denounced-dragg'd, it may be, in chains; and all

By your inherent weakness, half-humanity,
Selfish remorse, and temporising pity,
That sacrifices your whole race to save
A wretch to profit by our ruin! No, Count,
Henceforth you have no son!
Siegend. I never had one;

You sought this fatal interview!

Siegend. I did:

Let it not be more fatal still:-Begone!
Gabor. By the same path I enter'd?
Siegend. Yes; that's safe still :

But loiter not in Prague;-you do not

know

With whom you have to deal.

Gabor. I know too wellAnd knew it ere yourself, unhappy sire! Farewell! JExit Gabor. Siegend. (solus and listening) He hath clear'd the staircase. Ah! I hear The door sound loud behind him! He is safe! Safe! Oh, my father's spirit! - I am faint― [He leans down upon a stone-seat, near the wall of the Tower, in a drooping posture.

Enter ULRIC, with others armed, and with weapons drawn.

Ulric. Despatch!-he's there!
Ludwig. The Count, my Lord!
Ulric (recognising Siegendorf).

here, Sir!

You

ACT I

SCENE I-A Forest.

Enter ARNOLD and his mother BERTHA.
Bertha. OUT, hunchback!

Arnold. I was born so, mother!
Bertha. Out!

Thou Incubus! Thou Nightmare! Of seven

sons.

The sole abortion!

Arnold. Would that I had been 80, And never seen the light!

Bertha. I would so too!

But as thou hast -hence, hence-and do thy best.

That back of thine may bear its burthen; 'tis
More high, if not so broad as that of others.
Arnold. It bears its burthen;-but, my
heart! Will it

Sustain that which you lay upon it, mother?
I love, or at the least, I loved you: nothing,
Save you, in nature, can love aught like me.
You nursed me-do not kill me.
Bertha. Yes-I nursed thee,

As foolish hens at times hatch vipers, by Sitting upon strange eggs. Out, urchin, out! [Exit Bertha. Arnold (solus). Oh mother!-She is gone, and I must do

-

Her bidding; wearily but willingly I would fulfil it, could I only hope A kind word in return. What shall I do? [Arnold begins to cut wood: in doing this he wounds one of his hands. My labour for the day is over now. Accursed be this blood that flows so fast; For double curses will be my meed now At home. What home? I have no home, no kin,

No kind-not made like other creatures, or To share their sports or pleasures. Must I bleed too

knew not

From her who bore me, would still reconcile me

Even to this hateful aspect. Let me wash The wound.

They

[Arnold goes to a spring and stoops to wash his hand: he starts back. are right; and Nature's mirror

shows me

What she hath made me. I will not look on it

Again, and scarce dare think on't. Hideous wretch

That I am! The very waters mock me with My horrid shadow-like a demon placed Deep in the fountain to scare back the cattle From drinking therein. [He pauses. And shall I live on, A burthen to the earth, myself, and shame