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A savage wood. At one side a cavern, overhung with ivy. ZAPOLYA and

RAAB KIUPRILI discovered: both, but especially the latter, in rude and

savage garments.

Raab Kiuprili. Heard you then aught while I was slumbering?

Zapolya. Nothing.

Only your face became convulsed. We miserable!

Is heaven’s last mercy fled? Is sleep grown treacherous?

Raab Kiuprili. O for a sleep, for sleep itself to rest in!

I dream’d I had met with food beneath a tree, 5

And I was seeking you, when all at once

My feet became entangled in a net:

Still more entangled as in rage I tore it.

At length I freed myself, had sight of you,

But as I hastened eagerly, again 10

I found my frame encumbered: a huge serpent

Twined round my chest, but tightest round my throat.

Zapolya. Alas! ‘twas lack of food: for hunger chokes!

Raab Kiuprili. And now I saw you by a shrivelled child

Strangely pursued. You did not fly, yet neither 15

Touched 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.

‘Twas some dry branch

Dropt of itself! Oh, he went forth so rashly,

Took no food with him — only his arms and boar-spear! 95

What if I leave these cakes, this cruse of wine,

Here by this cave, and seek him with the rest?

Raab Kiuprili (unseen). Leave them and flee!

Glycine (shrieks, then recovering.) Where are you?

Raab Kiuprili (still unseen.) Leave them!

Glycine. ‘Tis Glycine!

Speak to me, Bethlen! speak in your own voice! 100

All silent! — If this were the war-wolf’s den!

‘Twas not his voice! —

[GLYCINE leaves the provisions, and exit. KIUPRILI comes

forward, seizes them and carries them into the

cavern. GLYCINE returns.

Glycine. Shame! Nothing hurt me!

If some fierce beast have gored him, he must needs

Speak with a strange voice. Wounds cause thirst and hoarseness!

Speak, Bethlen! or but moan. St — St —— No — Bethlen! 105

If I turn back and he should be found dead here,

[She creeps nearer and nearer to the cavern.

I should go mad! — Again!—’Twas my own heart!

Hush, coward heart! better beat loud with fear,

Than break with shame and anguish!

[As she approaches to enter the cavern, KIUPRILI stops

her. GLYCINE shrieks.

Saints protect me!

Raab Kiuprili. Swear then by all thy hopes, by all thy fears — 110

Glycine. Save me!

Raab Kiuprili. Swear secrecy and silence!

Glycine. I swear!

Raab Kiuprili. Tell what thou art, and what thou seekest?

Glycine. Only

A harmless orphan youth, to bring him food —

Raab Kiuprili. Wherefore in this wood?

Glycine. Alas! it was his purpose —

Raab Kiuprili. With what intention came he? Would’st thou save

him, 115

Hide nothing!

Glycine. Save him! O forgive his rashness!

He is good, and did not know that thou wert human!

Raab Kiuprili. Human?

With what design?

Glycine. To kill thee, or

If that thou wert a spirit, to compel thee

By prayers, and with the shedding of his blood, 120

To make disclosure of his parentage.

But most of all —

Zapolya (rushing out from the cavern). Heaven’s blessing on thee!

Speak!

Glycine. Whether his mother live, or perished here!