Strangely pursued. You did not fly, yet neither 15Touched you the ground, methought, but close above it
Did seem to shoot yourself along the air,
And as you passed me, turned your face and shrieked.
Zapolya. I did in truth send forth a feeble shriek,
Scarce knowing why. Perhaps the mock’d sense craved 20
To hear the scream, which you but seemed to utter.
For your whole face looked like a mask of torture!
Yet a child’s image doth indeed pursue me
Shrivelled with toil and penury!
Raab Kiuprili. Nay! what ails you?
Zapolya. A wondrous faintness there comes stealing o’er me. 25
Is it Death’s lengthening shadow, who comes onward,
Life’s setting sun behind him?
Raab Kiuprili. Cheerly! The dusk
Will quickly shroud us. Ere the moon be up,
Trust me I’ll bring thee food!
Zapolya. Hunger’s tooth has
Gnawn itself blunt. O, I could queen it well 30
O’er my own sorrows as my rightful subjects.
But wherefore, O revered Kiuprili! wherefore
Did my importunate prayers, my hopes and fancies,
Force thee from thy secure though sad retreat?
Would that my tongue had then cloven to my mouth! 35
But Heaven is just! With tears I conquered thee,
And not a tear is left me to repent with!
Had’st thou not done already — had’st thou not
Suffered — oh, more than e’er man feigned of friendship?
Raab Kiuprili. Yet be thou comforted! What! had’st thou faith 40
When I turned back incredulous? ‘Twas thy light
That kindled mine. And shall it now go out,
And leave thy soul in darkness? Yet look up,
And think thou see’st thy sainted lord commissioned
And on his way to aid us! Whence those late dreams, 45
Which after such long interval of hopeless
And silent resignation all at once
Night after night commanded thy return
Hither? and still presented in clear vision
This wood as in a scene? this very cavern? 50
Thou darest not doubt that Heaven’s especial hand
Worked in those signs. The hour of thy deliverance
Is on the stroke: — for misery can not add
Grief to thy griefs, or patience to thy sufferance!
Zapolya. Can not! Oh, what if thou wert taken from me? 55
Nay, thou said’st well: for that and death were one.
Life’s grief is at its height indeed; the hard
Necessity of this inhuman state
Hath made our deeds inhuman as our vestments.
Housed in this wild wood, with wild usages, 60
Danger our guest, and famine at our portal —
Wolf-like to prowl in the shepherd’s fold by night!
At once for food and safety to affrighten
The traveller from his road —
[GLYCINE is heard singing without.
Raab Kiuprili. Hark! heard you not
A distant chaunt? 65
SONG
By GLYCINE
A sunny shaft did I behold,
From sky to earth it slanted:
And poised therein a bird so bold —
Sweet bird, thou wert enchanted!
He sank, he rose, he twinkled, he trolled 70
Within that shaft of sunny mist;
His eyes of fire, his beak of gold,
All else of amethyst!
And thus he sang: ‘Adieu! adieu!
Love’s dreams prove seldom true. 75
The blossoms, they make no delay:
The sparkling dewdrops will not stay.
Sweet month of May,
We must away;
Far, far away! 80
To-day! to-day!’
Zapolya. Sure ‘tis some blest spirit!
For since thou slew’st the usurper’s emissary
That plunged upon us, a more than mortal fear
Is as a wall, that wards off the beleaguerer 85
And starves the poor besieged. [Song again.
Raab Kiuprili. It is a maiden’s voice! quick to the cave!
Zapolya. Hark! her voice falters! [Exit ZAPOLYA.
Raab Kiuprili. She must not enter
The cavern, else I will remain unseen!
[KIUPRILI retires to one side of the stage. GLYCINE
enters singing.
Glycine. A savage place! saints shield me! Bethlen! Bethlen! 90
Not here? — There’s no one here! I’ll sing again!
[Sings again.
If I do not hear my own voice, I shall fancy
Voices in all chance sounds! [Starts.
