flee!Gone! Seized perhaps? Oh no, let me not perish
Despairing of Heaven’s justice! Faint, disarmed,
Each sinew powerless; senseless rock, sustain me!
Thou art parcel of my native land!
A sword! 225
Ha! and my sword! Zapolya hath escaped,
The murderers are baffled, and there lives
An Andreas to avenge Kiuprili’s fall! —
There was a time, when this dear sword did flash
As dreadful as the storm-fire from mine arm — 230
I can scarce raise it now — yet come, fell tyrant!
And bring with thee my shame and bitter anguish,
To end his work and thine! Kiuprili now
Can take the deathblow as a soldier should.
[Re-enter BATHORY, with the dead body of PESTALUTZ.
Old Bathory. Poor tool and victim of another’s guilt! 235
Thou follow’st heavily: a reluctant weight!
Good truth, it is an undeservéd honour
That in Zapolya and Kiuprili’s cave
A wretch like thee should find a burial-place.
‘Tis he! — In Andreas’ and Zapolya’s name 240
Follow me, reverend form! Thou need’st not speak,
For thou canst be no other than Kiuprili.
Kiuprili. And are they safe? [Noise without.
Old Bathory. Conceal yourself, my lord!
I will mislead them!
Kiuprili. Is Zapolya safe?
Old Bathory. I doubt it not; but haste, haste, I conjure
you! [Enter CASIMIR. 245
Casimir. Monster!
Thou shalt not now escape me!
Old Bathory. Stop, lord Casimir!
It is no monster.
Casimir. Art thou too a traitor?
Is this the place where Emerick’s murderers lurk?
Say where is he that, tricked in this disguise, 250
First lured me on, then scared my dastard followers?
Thou must have seen him. Say where is th’ assassin?
Old Bathory. There lies the assassin! slain by that same sword
That was descending on his curst employer,
When entering thou beheld’st Sarolta rescued! 255
Casimir. Strange providence! what then was he who fled me?
Thy looks speak fearful things! Whither, old man!
Would thy hand point me?
Old Bathory. Casimir, to thy father.
Casimir. The curse! the curse! Open and swallow me,
Unsteady earth! Fall, dizzy rocks! and hide me! 260
Old Bathory. Speak, speak, my lord!
Kiuprili. Bid him fulfil his work!
Casimir. Thou art Heaven’s immediate minister, dread spirit!
O for sweet mercy, take some other form,
And save me from perdition and despair!
Old Bathory. He lives!
Casimir. Lives! A father’s curse can never die! 265
Kiuprili. O Casimir! Casimir!
Old Bathory. Look! he doth forgive you!
Hark! ‘tis the tyrant’s voice. [EMERICK’S voice without.
Casimir. I kneel, I kneel!
Retract thy curse! O, by my mother’s ashes,
Have pity on thy self-abhorring child!
If not for me, yet for my innocent wife, 270
Yet for my country’s sake, give my arm strength,
Permitting me again to call thee father!
Kiuprili. Son, I forgive thee! Take thy father’s sword;
When thou shalt lift it in thy country’s cause,
In that same instant doth thy father bless thee! 275
[Enter EMERICK.
Emerick. Fools! Cowards! follow — or by Hell I’ll make you
Find reason to fear Emerick, more than all
The mummer-fiends that ever masqueraded
As gods or wood-nymphs! —
Ha! ‘tis done then!
Our necessary villain hath proved faithful, 280
And there lies Casimir, and our last fears!
Well! — Aye, well! ——
And is it not well? For though grafted on us,
And filled too with our sap, the deadly power
Of the parent poison-tree lurked in its fibres: 285
There was too much of Raab Kiuprili in him:
The old enemy looked at me in his face,
E’en when his words did flatter me with duty.
Enter CASIMIR and BATHORY.
Old Bathory (aside). This way they come!
Casimir (aside). Hold them in check
awhile,
The path is narrow! Rudolph will assist thee. 290
Emerick (aside). And ere I ring the alarum of my sorrow,
I’ll scan that face once more, and murmur — Here
Lies Casimir, the last of the Kiuprilis!
