Yes; and metThe assembled huntsmen!
Lord Rudolph. Was there no word given?
Casimir. The word for me was this: — The royal Leopard
Chases thy milk-white dedicated Hind. 10
Lord Rudolph. Your answer?
Casimir. As the word proves false or true
Will Casimir cross the hunt, or join the huntsmen!
Lord Rudolph. The event redeemed their pledge?
Casimir. It did, and
therefore
Have I sent back both pledge and invitation.
The spotless Hind hath fled to them for shelter, 15
And bears with her my seal of fellowship! [They take hands.
Lord Rudolph. But Emerick! how when you reported to him
Sarolta’s disappearance, and the flight
Of Bethlen with his guards?
Casimir. O he received it
As evidence of their mutual guilt. In fine, 20
With cozening warmth condoled with, and dismissed me.
Lord Rudolph. I entered as the door was closing on you:
His eye was fixed, yet seemed to follow you, —
With such a look of hate, and scorn and triumph,
As if he had you in the toils already, 25
And were then choosing where to stab you first.
But hush! draw back!
Casimir. This nook is at the furthest
From any beaten track.
Lord Rudolph. There! mark them!
[Points to where LASKA and PESTALUTZ cross the Stage.
Casimir. Laska!
Lord Rudolph. One of the two I recognized this morning;
His name is Pestalutz: a trusty ruffian 30
Whose face is prologue still to some dark murder.
Beware no stratagem, no trick of message,
Dispart you from your servants.
Casimir (aside). I deserve it.
The comrade of that ruffian is my servant:
The one I trusted most and most preferred. 35
But we must part. What makes the king so late?
It was his wont to be an early stirrer.
Lord Rudolph. And his main policy.
To enthral the sluggard nature in ourselves
Is, in good truth, the better half of the secret
To enthral the world: for the will governs all. 40
See, the sky lowers! the cross-winds waywardly
Chase the fantastic masses of the clouds
With a wild mockery of the coming hunt!
Casimir. Mark yonder mass! I make it wear the shape
Of a huge ram that butts with head depressed. 45
Lord Rudolph (smiling). Belike, some stray sheep of the oozy
flock,
Which, if bards lie not, the Sea-shepherds tend,
Glaucus or Proteus. But my fancy shapes it
A monster couchant on a rocky shelf.
Casimir. Mark too the edges of the lurid mass — 50
Restless, as if some idly-vexing Sprite,
On swift wing coasting by, with tetchy hand
Pluck’d at the ringlets of the vaporous Fleece.
These are sure signs of conflict nigh at hand,
And elemental war!
[A single trumpet heard at some distance.
Lord Rudolph. That single blast 55
Announces that the tyrant’s pawing courser
Neighs at the gate. [Trumpets.
Hark! now the king comes forth!
For ever ‘midst this crash of horns and clarions
He mounts his steed, which proudly rears an-end
While he looks round at ease, and scans the crowd, 60
Vain of his stately form and horsemanship!
I must away! my absence may be noticed.
Casimir. Oft as thou canst, essay to lead the hunt
Hard by the forest-skirts; and ere high noon
Expect our sworn confederates from Temeswar. 65
I trust, ere yet this clouded sun slopes westward,
That Emerick’s death, or Casimir’s, will appease
The manes of Zapolya and Kiuprili! [Exit RUDOLPH.
The traitor, Laska! ——
And yet Sarolta, simple, inexperienced, 70
Could see him as he was, and often warned me.
Whence learned she this? — O she was innocent!
And to be innocent is Nature’s wisdom!
The fledge-dove knows the prowlers of the air,
Feared soon as seen, and flutters back to shelter. 75
And the young steed recoils upon his haunches,
The never-yet-seen adder’s hiss first heard.
O surer than Suspicion’s hundred eyes
Is that fine sense, which to the pure in heart,
By mere oppugnancy of their own goodness, 80
Reveals the approach of evil. Casimir!
