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!
Hell! ‘tis Pestalutz!
Casimir (coming forward). Yes, thou ingrate Emerick!
‘Tis Pestalutz! ‘tis thy trusty murderer! 295
To quell thee more, see Raab Kiuprili’s sword!
Emerick. Curses on it and thee! Think’st thou that petty omen
Dare whisper fear to Emerick’s destiny?
Ho! Treason! Treason!
Casimir. Then have at thee, tyrant!
[They fight. EMERICK falls.
Emerick. Betrayed and baffled 300
By mine own tool! —— Oh! [Dies.
Casimir. Hear, hear, my Father!
Thou should’st have witnessed thine own deed. O Father,
Wake from that envious swoon! The tyrant’s fallen!
Thy sword hath conquered! As I lifted it
Thy blessing did indeed descend upon me; 305
Dislodging the dread curse. It flew forth from me
And lighted on the tyrant!
Enter RUDOLPH, BATHORY, and Attendants.
Rudolph and Bathory. Friends! friends to Casimir!
Casimir. Rejoice, Illyrians! the usurper’s fallen.
Rudolph. So perish tyrants! so end usurpation! 310
Casimir. Bear hence the body, and move slowly on!
One moment ——
Devoted to a joy, that bears no witness,
I follow you, and we will greet our countrymen
With the two best and fullest gifts of heaven — 315
A tyrant fallen, a patriot chief restored!
[CASIMIR enters the Cavern.
SCENE. — Chamber in CASIMIR’S Castle. Confederates discovered.
First Confederate. It cannot but succeed, friends. From this palace
E’en to the wood, our messengers are posted
With such short interspace, that fast as sound
Can travel to us, we shall learn the event! 320
Enter another Confederate.
What tidings from Temeswar?
Second Confederate. With one voice
Th’ assembled chieftains have deposed the tyrant:
He is proclaimed the public enemy,
And the protection of the law withdrawn.
First Confederate. Just doom for him, who governs without law! 325
Is it known on whom the sov’reignty will fall?
Second Confederate. Nothing is yet decided: but report
Points to Lord Casimir. The grateful memory