Gob don. We should not Hurry to realize a bloody sentence. A word may be recall'd, a life can never be. but i. e. ft. Dispatch in service pleases sovereigns. Gondon. No honest man 's ambitious to press forward To the hangman's service. But Le R. And no brave man loses His colour at a daring enterprise. GOR don. A brave man hazards life, but not his conscience. but LER. What then Shall he go forth anew to kindle The unextinguishable flame of war? Go Roon. Seize him, and hold him prisoner—do not kill him! BUTLett. Had not the Emperor's army been defeated, I might have done so.-But "t is now past by. Goft do N. O, wherefore open'd I the strong-hold to him? - But Len. His destiny and not the place destroys him. Goa don. Upon these ramparts, as beseem'd a soldier, I had fallen, defending the Emperor's citadel ! but len. Yes! and a thousand gallant men have perish'd Gott Don. Doing their duty—that adorns the man! But murder's a black deed, and nature curses it. butler (brings out a paper). Here is the manifesto which commands us To gain possession of his person. See— It is addressed to you as well as me. Are you content to take the consequences, If through our fault he escape to the enemy? Gondon. I?—Gracious God! - but Lea. Take it on yourself. Come of it what it may, on you I lay it. Gofado N. O God in heaven! attlen. Can you advise aught else Wherewith to execute the Emperor's purpose? Say if you can. For I desire his fall, Not his destruction. Gondon. Merciful heaven! what must be I see as clear as you. Yet still the heart Within my bosom beats with other feelings! Botlert. Mine is of harder stuff! Necessity In her rough school hath steel'd me. And this Illo And Tertsky likewise, they must not survive him. Goa dox. I feel no pang for these. Their own bad hearts Impell'd them, not the influence of the stars. 'T was they who strew'd the sceds of evil passions In his calm breast, and with officious villany

water'd and nursed the pois'nous plants. May they Receive their earnests to the uttermost mite!

Butlers.
And their death shall precede his!
We meant to have taken them alive this evening
Amid the merry-making of a feast,
And keep them prisoners in the citadels.
But this makes shorter work. I go this instant
To give the necessary orders.

SCENE WII.

To these enter Illo and Tearsky.

tentsky. Our luck is on the turn. To-morrow come The Swedes—twelve thousand gallant warriors, Illo! Then straightways for Vienna. Cheerily, friend! What! meet such news with such a moody face 2 ILL0. It lies with us at present to prescribe Laws, and take vengeance on those worthless traitors, Those skulking cowards that deserted us; One has already done his bitter penance, The Piccolonini: be his the fate Of all who wish us evil! This flies sure To the old man's heart; he has his whole life long Fretted and toil'd to raise his ancient house From a Count's title to the name of Prince; And now must seek a grave for his only son. buri. Eit. 'T was pity, though! A youth of such heroic And gentle temperament! The Duke himself, 'T was easily seen, how near it went to his heart. Ji, L0. Hark ye, old friend! That is the very point That never pleased me in our General– He ever gave the preference to the Italians. Yea, at this very moment, by my soul! He'd gladly see us all dead ten times over, Could he thereby recal his friend to life. triarsk. Y. Hush, hush! Let the dead rest! This evening's business Is, who can fairly drink the other down— Your regiment, Illo! gives the entertainment. Come! we will keep a merry carnival— The night for once be day, and mid full glasses Will we expect the Swedish avant-garde. I L Lo. Yes, let us be of good cheer for to-day, For there 's hot work before us, friends! This sword Shall have no rest, till it be bathed to the hilt In Austrian blood. con pox. Shame, shame! what talk is this, My Lord Field Marshal? Wherefore foam you so Against your Emperor? Rutlett. Hope not too much From this first victory. Bethink you, sirs! How rapidly the wheel of Fortune turns; The Emperor still is formidably strong. 1L.Lo. The Emperor has soldiers, no commander, For this King Ferdinand of Ilungary Is but a tyro. Galas ! Ile's no luck,

but Len. You know not. Ask not! Wherefore should it happen, That the Swedes gain'd the victory, and hasten With such forced marches hitherward 2 Fain would I Have given him to the Emperor's mercy.—Gordon : I do not wish his blood–But I must ransom The honour of my word, it lies in pledge— And he must die, or—— [Passionately grasping Gordon's hand. Listen then, and know! I am dishonour'd if the Duke escape us. Gondon. O! to save such a man—— Butler. What Gordon. It is wortli A sacrifice.—Come, friend Be noble-minded ! Our own heart, and not other men's opinions, Forms our true honour. burlea (with a cold and haughty air). He is a great Lord, This Duke—and I am but of mean importance. This is what you would say? Wherein concerns it The world at large, you mean to hint to me, Whether the man of low extraction keeps Or blemishes his honour— So that the man of princely rank he saved. We all do stamp our value on ourselves. The price we challenge for ourselves is given us. There does not live on earth the man so station'd, That I despise myself compared with him. Man is made great or little by his own will; Because I am true to mine, therefore he dies. Gondon. I am endeavouring to move a rock. Thou hadst a mother, yet no human feelings. I cannot hinder you, but may some God

Rescue him from you! [Exit Gondon.

SCENE ix.

burlen (alone). I treasured my good name all my life long; The Duke has cheated me of life's best jewel, So that I blush before this poor weak Gordon! Ile prizes above all his fealty; His conscious soul accuses him of nothing; In opposition to his own soft heart He subjugates himself to an iron duty. Me in a weaker moment passion warp'd; I stand beside him, and must feel myself The worse man of the two. What, though the world Is ignorant of my purposed treason, yet One man does know it, and can prove it too— High-minded Piccolomini! There lives the man who can dishonour me! This ignominy blood alone can cleanse! Duke Friedland, thou or I—Into my own hands Fortune delivers me—The dearest thing a man has is

himself.

(The curtain drops.)

ACT IV. SCENE i. Scene—Butler's Chamber. Butler, MAjon, and GERALDIN.

but len. Find me twelve strong Dragoons, arm them with pikes, For there must be no firing—— Conceal them somewhere near the banquet-room, And soon as the dessert is served up, rush all in And cry—Who is loyal to the Emperor? I will overturn the table—while you attack Illo and Tertsky, and dispatch them both. The castle-palace is well barr'd and guarded, That no intelligence of this proceeding May make its way to the Duke.—Go instantly; Have you yet sent for Captain Devereux And the Macdonald –— GE RA LDiN. They'll be here anon. [Exit Geraldin. Butler. Here's no room for delay. The citizens Declare for him, a dizzy drunken spirit Possesses the whole town. They see in the Duke A Prince of peace, a founder of new ages And golden times. Arms too have been given out By the town-council, and a hundred citizens Have volunteer'd themselves to stand on guard. Dispatch then be the word. For enemies Threaten us from without and from within.

SCENE ii.

Butlen, CAPTAIN DevEReux, and MacDonald.

MAC doNALn. Here we are, General. Develarux. What's to be the watchword? - But Len. Long live the Emperor! both (recoiling). How 1 But Leh. Live the House of Austria! deveale Ux. Have we not sworn fidelity to Friedland? Macdo NALix. Have we not march'd to this place to protect him? BUTLeitt. Protect a traitor, and his country's enemy! DEVEREUX. Why, yes! in his name you administer'd Our oath. Macdox Ald, And followed him yourself to Egra. biort.r.t. I did it the more surely to destroy him. draw enri X. So then Macino-Alto.

Well, for the present Ye must remain honest and faithful soldiers. DEWEREUx. We wish no other. pistlert. Aye, and make your fortunes. MAcdox Ali). That is still better. Bijtler. Listen! both. We attend. Butlett. It is the Emperor's will and ordinance To seize the person of the Prince-Duke Friedland, Alive or dead. Devereux. It runs so in the letter. m.A.cdow. Ald. Alive or dead—these were the very words. butleta. And he shall be rewarded from the State In land asyl gold, who proffers aid thereto. deven elix. Ay! that sounds well. The words sound always well That travel hither from the Court. Yes! yes! We know already what Court-words import. A golden chain perhaps in sign of favour, Or an old charger, or a parchment patent, And such like.—The Prince-Duke pays better.

Macdox Alix.
Yes,

The Duke's a splendid paymaster.

Butlein.

All over with that, my friends! His lucky stars are set. Macdox Ald.

And is that certain 7

Butlett.

You have my word for it. develt toux. His lucky fortunes all past by ? But L.E.R. For ever : He is as poor as we.

Macdonald. As poor as we? Devereux. Macdonald, we'll desert him. butler. We'll descrt him? Full twenty thousand have done that already; We must do more, my countrymen! In short— We—we must kill him. both (starting back). Kill him : BUTLee. Yes! must kill him; And for that purpose have I chosen you. both. Us! buttlen. You, Captain Devereux, and thee Macdonald. deveaeux (after a pause). Chuse you some other. but Leh. what? art dastardly? Thou, with full thirty lives to answer for— Thou conscientious of a sudden!

Dr. wereux.
Nay,

To assassinate our Lord and General—

MAUDONALD.
To whom we've sworn a soldier's oath—

but LER.
The oath

Is null, for Friedland is a traitor.

devee eux. No, no! it is too bad!

MAcdox Ald.

Yes, by my soul! It is too bad. One has a conscience too— develtor.ux. If it were not our Chieftain, who so long Has issued the commands, and claim'd our duty. but Leit. Is that the objection? Dewee Eux. were it my own father, And the Emperor's service should demand it of me, It might be done perhaps—But we are soldiers, And to assassinate our Chief Commander, That is a sin, a foul abomination, From which no Monk or Confessor absolves us. du TL.E.R. I am your Pope, and give you absolution. Determine quickly! Devetteux. "Twill not do. MACDONALD. T wont do Butler. Well, off then! and—send Pestalutz to me. deveaeux (hesitates). The Pestalutz— - MAcDon Ald. What may you want with him? BUTLER. If you reject it, we can find enough— Dr.W.En EUx. Nay, if he must fall, we may earn the bounty

As well as any other. What think you, Brother Macdonald! *t actoo-Al-toWhy, if he must fall, And will fall, and it can't be otherwise, One would not give place to this Pestalutz. DevEartz (after some reflection). when do you purpose he should fall? El TLER. This night. to-morrow will the Swedes be at our gates. Lot-ta-lowYou take upon you all the consequences' BUTLERI take the whole upon me. lot.--a-UX. And it is The Emperor's will, his express absolute will? For we have instances, that folks may like The murder, and yet hang the murderer. but LEra. The manifesto says—alive or dead. Alive—"t is not possible—you sect it is not. Dravia tux. Well, dead then dead! But how can we come at him? The town is fill'd with Tertsky's soldiery. Macdox Alix. Ay! and then Terisky still remains, and lllo— Butlet. with these you shall begin—you understand me? draw ŁREU Y. How? And must they too perish! w but Lott. they the first. at Acnox Alto. Hear, Devereux! A bloody evening this. devron Eux. have you a man for that? Commission me– but Len. "t is given in trust to Major Geraldin; This is a carnival night, and there's a feast Given at the castle—there we shall surprise them, And hew them down. The Pestalutz, and Lesley have that commission-soon as that is finish'ddev to tael"w. Hear, General! It will be all one to youHarkye, let me exchange with Geraldin. but LER. Twill be the lesser danger with the Duke. dev EREux. Danger: the devil! what do you think me, General: 'T is the Duke's eye, and not his sword, I fear. but Lea. What can his eye do to thee? devineux. Death and hell! Thou know'st that I'm no milk-sop, General! But 'tis not eight days since the Duke did send me Twenty gold pieces for this good warm coat Which I have on! and then for him to see me Standing before him with the pike, his murderer, that eye of his looking upon this coatwhy—why—the devil fetch me! I'm no milk-sop! httle fa. The Duke presented thee this good warm coat, And thou, a needy wight, hast pangs of conscience

To run him through the body in return.
A coat that is far better and far warmer
Pid the Emperor give to him, the Prince's mantle.
How doth he thank the Emperor With revolt,
And treason.
Devetteux.
That is true. The devil take
Such thankers! I'll dispatch him.
But Lea.
And wouldst quiet
Thy conscience, thou hast nought to do but simply
Pull off the coat; so canst thou do the deed
With light heart and good spirits.
DevEREux.
You are right.
That did not strike me. I ll pull off the coat—
So there's an end of it.
M.Acdo NALD.
Yes, but there's another
Point to be thought of.
nutler.
And what's that, Macdonald 2
M. Acdox ALL).
What avails sword or dagger against him?
He is not to be wounded—he is—
burles (starting up).
What?
-acinox Aln.
Safe against shot, and stab and flash! Hard frozen,
Secured, and warranted by the black art!
His body is impenetrable, I tell you.
draw Eraeux.
In Inglestadt there was just such another:
His whole skin was the same as steel; at last
We were obliged to beat him down with gunstocks.
M.Actoon ALlo.
Hear what I'll do.
DEVER rux.
Well?
MACloon ALD.
In the cloister here
There's a Dominican, my countryman.
I'll make him dip my sword and pike for me
In holy water, and say over them
One of his strongest blessings. That's probatum!
Nothing can stand gainst that.
Butleta.
So do, Macdonald!
But now go and select from out the regiment
Twenty or thirty able-bodied fellows,
And let them take the oaths to the Emperor.
Then when it strikes eleven, when the first rounds
Are pass'd, conduct them silently as may be
To the house—I will myself be not far off.
idewhereux.
But how do we get through Hartschier and Gordon,
That stand on guard there in the inner chamber?
But Lea.
I have made myself acquainted with the place.
I lead you through a back-door that's defended
By one man only. Me my rank and office
Give access to the Duke at every hour.
I'll go before you—with one poniard-stroke
Cut Hartschier's windpipe, and nake way for you.
devett E.U.M.
And when we are there, by what means shall we gain