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To a maiden's eye familiarized to licence.—
But these men, Laska-

Laska (aside).

Yes, now 'tis coming.

Sarolta. Brutal aggressors first, then baffled dastards,
That they have sought to piece out their revenge
With a tale of words lured from the lips of anger
Stamps them most dangerous; and till I want
Fit means for wicked ends, we shall not need
Their services. Discharge them! You, Bathory!
Are henceforth of my household! I shall place you
Near my own person. When your son returns,
Present him to us!

Old Bathory.

Ha! what strangers here!
1 What business have they in an old man's eye?
Your goodness, lady-and it came so sudden
I can not-must not-let you be deceived.
I have yet another tale, but-

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[Then to SAROLTA aside. not for all ears!

Sarolta. I oft have passed your cottage, and still praised Its beauty, and that trim orchard-plot, whose blossoms The gusts of April showered aslant its thatch. Come, you shall show it me! And, while you bid it Farewell, be not ashamed that I should witness The oil of gladness glittering on the water Of an ebbing grief.

170

[BATHORY shows her into his cottage.

Laska (alone). Vexation! baffled! school'd!
Ho! Laska! wake! why? what can all this mean?
She sent away that cockatrice in anger!

Oh the false witch! It is too plain, she loves him.
And now, the old man near my lady's person,
She'll see this Bethlen hourly!

175

[LASKA Alings himself into the seat. GLYCINE peeps in. Glycine. Laska! Laska!

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1 This line was borrowed unconsciously from the Excursion. ['Why should a tear be in an old man's eye?' Excursion, Bk. I, 1. 598 (1814).] Refers (i. e. 'strangers' in 1. 163) to the tears which he feels starting in his eye. The following line was borrowed from Mr. Wordsworth's Excursion. 1817, 1828, 1829.

174 Of an ebbing grief. [BATHORY bowing, shows, &c. 1817, 1828, 1829, 179 She'll see... .. hourly. [LASKA... peeps in timidly. 1817, 1828, 1829. 180 Laska (surlily). Gone. 1817, 1828, 1829.

Glycine.

Is he returned?

180

[LASKA starts up.

Have you yet seen him?

Has the seat stung you, Laska?

Laska. No, serpent! no; 'tis you that sting me; you! What! you would cling to him again?

Glycine.

Laska.

Whom?

Bethlen! Bethlen!

185

Yes; gaze as if your very eyes embraced him!
Ha! you forget the scene of yesterday!

Mute ere he came, but then-Out on your screams,
And your pretended fears!

Glycine.

Your fears, at least.

Were real, Laska! or your trembling limbs

And white cheeks played the hypocrites most vilely!

Laska. I fear! whom? what?

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190

I know what I should fear,

My own conscience,

For having fed my jealousy and envy
With a plot, made out of other men's revenges,
Against a brave and innocent young man's life!
Yet, yet, pray tell me!

Laska.

You will know too soon.

195

Glycine. Would I could find my lady! though she chid me

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Nay now, I have marred the verse: well! this one questionLaska. Are you not bound to me by your own promise? And is it not as plain

Glycine.

Halt! that's two questions.

Laska. Pshaw! Is it not as plain as impudence,

That you're in love with this young swaggering beggar, 205 Bethlen Bathory? When he was accused,

Why pressed you forward? Why did you defend him?

181 Is he returned? [LASKA starts up from his seat. 1817, 1828, 1829. 188 Your 1817, 1828, 1829. 191 I should] I should 1817, 1828, 1829. 207 you: you 1817,

196 Laska (malignantly). You, &c. 1817, 1828, 1829. 1828, 1829.

Glycine. Question meet question: that's a woman's privilege, Why, Laska, did you urge Lord Casimir

To make my lady force that promise from me?
Laska. So then, you say, Lady Sarolta forced you?
Glycine. Could I look up to her dear countenance,
And say her nay? As far back as I wot of
All her commands were gracious, sweet requests.
How could it be then, but that her requests
Must needs have sounded to me as commands?
And as for love, had I a score of loves,

I'd keep them all for my dear, kind, good mistress.
Laska. Not one for Bethlen?

Glycine.
Oh! that's a different thing.
To be sure he's brave, and handsome, and so pious
To his good old father. But for loving him—.
Nay, there, indeed you are mistaken, Laska!
Poor youth! I rather think I grieve for him;
For I sigh so deeply when I think of him!
And if I see him, the tears come in my eyes,
And my heart beats; and all because I dreamt
That the war-wolf' had gored him as he hunted
In the haunted forest!

Laska.

You dare own all this?

Your lady will not warrant promise-breach.

210

215

220

225

Mine, pampered Miss! you shall be; and I'll make you 230
Grieve for him with a vengeance. Odd's, my fingers
Tingle already!

[Makes threatening signs.

Glycine (aside). Ha! Bethlen coming this way!

[GLYCINE then cries out.

Oh, save me! save me! Pray don't kill me, Laska!

Enter BETHLEN in a Hunting Dress.

Bethlen. What, beat a woman!

Laska (to Glycine).

O you cockatrice!

Do you chance to know 235

Bethlen. Unmanly dastard, hold!
Laska.

Who-I-am, Sir?-('Sdeath! how black he looks!)

1 For the best account of the War-wolf or Lycanthropus, see Drayton's Moon-calf, Chalmers' English Poets, vol. iv, p. 133.

211 forced 1817, 1828, 1829. 222 there 1817, 1828, 1829.

221 loving 223 grieve 1817, 1828,

209 you 1817, 1828, 1829. 1817, 1828, 1829. 1829. 1828, 1829.

Before 233 [GLYCINE then cries out as if afraid of being beaten. 1817, 235 Laska (pompously). Do you, &c. 1817, 1828, 1829.

Bethlen. I have started many strange beasts in my time, But none less like a man, than this before me

That lifts his hand against a timid female.

Laska. Bold youth! she's mine.
Glycine.

No, not my master yet, 240

But only is to be; and all, because
Two years ago my lady asked me, and

I promised her, not him; and if she'll let me,
I'll hate you, my lord's steward.

Bethlen.

Hush, Glycine!

Glycine. Yes, I do, Bethlen; for he just now brought 245 False witnesses to swear away your life:

Your life, and old Bathory's too.

Bethlen.

Bathory's!

Where is my father? Answer, or-Ha! gone!

[LASKA during this time retires from the Stage.

Glycine. Oh, heed not him! I saw you pressing onward,

And did but feign alarm.

It is your life they seek!

Bethlen.

Glycine.

Lady Sarolta even

Bethlen.

Dear gallant youth,

My life?

Alas,

She does not know me!

250

Glycine. Oh that she did! she could not then have spoken With such stern countenance. But though she spurn me, I will kneel, Bethlen

Not for me, Glycine!

255

Bethlen. What have I done? or whom have I offended? Glycine. Rash words, 'tis said, and treasonous of the king. [BETHLEN mutters to himself. Glycine (aside). So looks the statue, in our hall, o' the god, The shaft just flown that killed the serpent!

King!

Bethlen.
Glycine. Ah, often have I wished you were a king.
You would protect the helpless every where,

As you did us.

And I, too, should not then

Grieve for you, Bethlen, as I do; nor have

241 is 1817, 1828, 1829.

260

243 her: him: she'll 1817, 1828, 1829,

249 him 1817, 1828, 1829.

After 248 [LASKA during this time slinks off the Stage, using threatening gestures to GLYCINE. 1817, 1828, 1829.

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25 your

After 257 [BETHLEN mutters to himself indignantly.
Before 259 Bethlen (muttering aside). 1817, 1828,

265

The tears come in my eyes; nor dream bad dreams
That you were killed in the forest; and then Laska
Would have no right to rail at me, nor say
(Yes, the base man, he says,) that I-I love you.
Bethlen. Pretty Glycine! wert thou not betrothed-
But in good truth I know not what I speak.
This luckless morning I have been so haunted
With my own fancies, starting up like omens,
That I feel like one, who waking from a dream
Both asks and answers wildly.-But Bathory?
Glycine. Hist! 'tis my lady's step! She must not see you!
[BETHLEN retires.

270

Enter from the Cottage SAROLTA and BATHORY. Sarolta. Go, seek your son! I need not add, be speedy— 275 You here, Glycine? Exit BATHORY.

Glycine.

Pardon, pardon, Madam!
If you but saw the old man's son, you would not,
You could not have him harmed.

Sarolta.

Be calm, Glycine!

Glycine. No, I shall break my heart.
Sarolta.

Ha! is it so?

280

O strange and hidden power of sympathy,
That of like fates, though all unknown to each,

Dost make blind instincts, orphan's heart to orphan's
Drawing by dim disquiet!

Glycine.

Old Bathory

Sarolta, Seeks his brave son. Come, wipe away thy tears. Yes, in good truth, Glycine, this same Bethlen

Seems a most noble and deserving youth.
Glycine. My lady does not mock me?

Sarolta.

Has he not told thee?

Glycine.

285

Where is Laska?

Nothing. In his fear

Anger, I mean-stole off-I am so fluttered-
Left me abruptly—

Sarolta.

His shame excuses him!

He is somewhat hardly tasked; and in discharging
His own tools, cons a lesson for himself.

Bathory and the youth henceforward live
Safe in my lord's protection.

Glycine.

The saints bless you!

290

279 Glycine. No... heart. [Sobbing. Sarolta (taking her hand). Ha! &c. 1817, 1828, 1829.

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