Rapacious traitors, that would fain deposeJoy, love, and beauty, from their natural thrones:
Those lips, those angel eyes, that regal forehead. 265
Sarolta. Strengthen me, Heaven! I must not seem afraid!
[Aside.
The king to-night then deigns to play the masker.
What seeks your Majesty?
Emerick. Sarolta’s love;
And Emerick’s power lies prostrate at her feet.
Sarolta. Heaven guard the sovereign’s power from such
debasement! 270
Far rather, Sire, let it descend in vengeance
On the base villain, on the faithless slave
Who dared unbar the doors of these retirements!
For whom? Has Casimir deserved this insult?
O my misgiving heart! If — if — from Heaven 275
Yet not from you, Lord Emerick!
Emerick. Chiefly from me.
Has he not like an ingrate robbed my court
Of Beauty’s star, and kept my heart in darkness?
First then on him I will administer justice —
If not in mercy, yet in love and rapture. 280
[Seizes her.
Sarolta. Help! Treason! Help!
Emerick. Call louder! Scream again!
Here’s none can hear you!
Sarolta. Hear me, hear me, Heaven!
Emerick. Nay, why this rage? Who best deserves you? Casimir,
Emerick’s bought implement, the jealous slave
That mews you up with bolts and bars? or Emerick 285
Who proffers you a throne? Nay, mine you shall be.
Hence with this fond resistance! Yield; then live
This month a widow, and the next a queen!
Sarolta. Yet, yet for one brief moment [Struggling.
Unhand me, I conjure you.
[She throws him off, and rushes towards a toilet.
EMERICK follows, and as she takes a dagger,
he grasps it in her hand.
Emerick. Ha! Ha! a dagger; 290
A seemly ornament for a lady’s casket!
‘Tis held, devotion is akin to love,
But yours is tragic! Love in war! It charms me,
And makes your beauty worth a king’s embraces!
[During this speech BETHLEN enters armed.
Bethlen. Ruffian, forbear! Turn, turn and front my sword! 295
Emerick. Pish! who is this?
Sarolta. O sleepless eye of Heaven!
A blest, a blessed spirit! Whence camest thou?
May I still call thee Bethlen?
Bethlen. Ever, lady,
Your faithful soldier!
Emerick. Insolent slave! Depart
Know’st thou not me?
Bethlen. I know thou art a villain 300
And coward! That thy devilish purpose marks thee!
What else, this lady must instruct my sword!
Sarolta. Monster, retire! O touch him not, thou blest one!
This is the hour that fiends and damnéd spirits
Do walk the earth, and take what form they list! 305
Yon devil hath assumed a king’s!
Bethlen. Usurped it!
Emerick. The king will play the devil with thee indeed!
But that I mean to hear thee howl on the rack,
I would debase this sword, and lay thee prostrate
At this thy paramour’s feet; then drag her forth 310
Stained with adulterous blood, and —
— mark you, traitress!
Strumpeted first, then turned adrift to beggary!
Thou prayed’st for’t too.
Sarolta. Thou art so fiendish wicked,
That in thy blasphemies I scarce hear thy threats!
Bethlen. Lady, be calm! fear not this king of the buskin! 315
A king? Oh laughter! A king Bajazet!
That from some vagrant actor’s tiring-room,
Hath stolen at once his speech and crown!
Emerick. Ah! treason!
Thou hast been lessoned and tricked up for this!
As surely as the wax on thy death-warrant 320
Shall take the impression of this royal signet,
So plain thy face hath ta’en the mask of rebel!
[BETHLEN seizes EMERICK’S hand and eagerly observes the
signet.
Bethlen. It must be so! ‘Tis e’en the counterpart!
But with a foul usurping cypher on it!
The light hath flashed from Heaven, and I must follow it! 325
O curst usurper! O thou brother-murderer!
That mad’st a star-bright queen a fugitive widow!
Who fill’st the land with curses, being thyself
All curses in one tyrant! see and tremble!
This is Kiuprili’s sword that now hangs o’er thee! 330
