If not all men: the universal rumor My own presence on the spot-the place tume And every speck of circumstance unite To fix the blot on you. Gab. And on me only? Pause ere you answer: is no other name, Save mine, stain'd in this business? Sieg Where is he? Beside you! [ULRIC rushes forward to attack GABOR; SIEGENDORF interposes. Sieg. Liar and fiend! but you shall not be slain; These walls are mine, and you are safe within them. [He turns to ULRIC. Ulric, repel this calumny, as I [ULRIC endeavors to compose himself. My God! you look- How? As on that dread night I came When we met in the garden. Sieg. Allow me to inquire who profited Ere I do so, By Stralenheim's death? Was 't I-as poor as ever; The baron lost in that last outrage neither A life which stood between the claims of others the To me than to my son. Trifling villain! Who play'st with thine own guilt! Of all that breathe Thon best dost know the innocence of him Gainst whom thy breath would blow thy bloody slander, But I will talk no further with a wretch, Further than justice asks. Answer at once, And without quibbling, to my charge. "Tis false! And how disprove it? Gab. Sieg. Who says so? Gab. I. of the murderer. Sieg Name him! Gab, By He If you mean me, I dare You I know the assassin Gab. [SIEGENDORF first looks at the Hungarian, and Ulr. (looks at his father and says) Let the man go on! Gab. I am unarm'd, count-bid your son lay down His sabre. Ulr. (offers it to him contemptuously.) The tale is doubtless worthy the relater. But is it of my father to hear further? [To SIEGENDORF. Sieg. (takes his son by the hand.) My son! I know my own innocence, and doubt not Of yours-but I have promised this man patience; Let him continue. Gab. I will not detain you My chance at several places of resort Sent by the state, had, after strong resistance, Had carried from their usual haunt-the forests Gab. Amongst them there was said to be one man Such was his influence:-I have no great faith I therefore deem'd him wealthy.-But my soul Chance favor'd me: A popular affray in the public square I had not err d, and watch'd him long and nearly; Ulr. (smiling.) The tale sounds well. Gab. And may sound better.-He appear'd to me One of those beings to whom Fortune bends As she doth to the daring-and ou whom The fates of others oft depend; besides, An indescribable sensation drew me Together, and together we arrived In the poor town where Werner was conceal'd, Or I have heard too much. I saw in you A man above his station-and if not Gab. Sieg. I conceal'd you-I, Whom and whose house you arraign, reviving viper. Gab. I accuse no man-save in my defence. You, count, have made yourself accuser-judge: Your hall 's my court, your heart is my tribunal. Be just, and I'll be merciful! Sieg. You! Base calumniator! You merciful! Gab. I. "Twill rest With me at last to be so. You conceal'd meIn secret passages known to yourself, You said, and to none else. At dead of night, Weary with watching in the dark, and dubious Of tracing back my way, I saw a glimmer, Through distant crannies, of a twinkling light: I follow'd it, and reach'd a door--a secret Portal-which open'd to the chamber, where, With cautious hand and slow, having first undone As much as made a crevice of the fastening, I look'd through and beheld a purple bed, And on it Stralenheim ! Sieg. (to ULRIC.) Then, my boy! thou art g less still Thou bad'st me say I was so once-Oh! now Gab. A man who wash'd his bloody hands, and oft With stern and anxious glance gazed back upon The bleeding body-but it moved no more. Sieg. Oh! God of fathers! Gab, interrupting him. Nay-but hear me to the Vee you must do so.-I conceived myself Betray'd by you and him for now I saw There was some tie between you) into this retended den of refuge, to become The victim of your guilt; and my first thought Vas vengeance: but though arm'd with a short poniard Having left my sword without I was no match turn'd, and fled-i' the dark: chance rather than The stars had not gone down when I awoke. "Tis not my fault. I have read it.-Well! I fled and hid meChance led me here after so many moonsad show'd me Werner in Count Siegendorf! Verner, whom I had sought in huts in vain, nhabited the palace of a sovereign! Teu sought me and have found me-now you know ly secret, and may weigh its worth. Sieg, after a pause.) Indeed! Gab. Is it revenge or justice which inspires our meditation? Sieg. Neither-I was weighing he value of your secret. Gab. You shall know it 1 once:-When you were poor, and I, though poor, ich enough to relieve such poverty smight have envied mine, I offer'd you ly purse-you would not share it :-I'll be franker ith you: you are wealthy, noble, trusted by he imperial powers-you understand me? Sieg, Yes. Gab. Not quite. You think me venal, and scarce true: Gab. I know not that even now-but will approve The second. I have still a further shield.I did not enter Prague alone; and should I Be put to rest with Stralenheim, there are Some tongues without will wag in my behalf. Be brief in your decision!' Sieg. Gab. (casts his eyes on ULRIC, who is leaning I will be so.- My word is sacred and irrevocable against a pillar.) If I should do so? Sieg. I pledge my life for yours. Withdraw into [Opens a turret door. Gab. (hesitatingly.) This is the second safe asylum is tower. u have offer'd me. Sieg. And was not the first so? Gab. I have yet an additional security-I did not enter gue a solitary individual; and there are tongues without will speak for me, although I should even share the fate Gab. I'll take it for so much. Sieg. points to ULRIC's sabre still upon the ground.) I saw you eye it eagerly, and him Gab. (takes up the sabre.) I will; and so provide To sell my life-not cheaply. [GABOR goes into the turret, which SIEGENDORF closes. Sieg. (adrances to ULRIC.) Now, Count Ulric! For son I dare not call thee-What say'st thou? Ulr. His tale is true. For trifling or dissembling. I have said As Stralenheim is. Are you so dull His death? Or had the prince's household been Have fled, unless by many an hour before Than common stabber! What deed of my life, Father, do not raise Sieg. Oh! my dead father's curse! 'tis working now. Ulr. Let it work on the grave will keep it down! Ashes are feeble foes: it is more easy To baffle such, than countermine a mole, of Stralenheim. Let your deliberation be short."-" Sieg. My promise is soleinn, sacred, irrevocable: it extends not however, beyond these walls."-LEE.] Yet hear me still!-If you condemn me, yet That there were crimes made venial by the occasion? By his nerves only? Who deprived me of That I should act what you could think? We have done With right and wrong; and now must only ponder I have plunged our enemy. You kindled first Sieg. I have done with life! Ulr. Let us have done with that which cankers life Familiar feuds and vain recriminations Of things which cannot be undone. We have And have within these very walls men who You stand high with the state; what passes here halls? And yon-my son? My son! mine! who have ever Let it not be more fatal still!-Begone! Gab. By the same path I enter'd? Sieg. And Yes; that's safe still: But loiter not in Prague ;-you do not know Gab. [Exit GABOR. Sieg. (solus and listening.) He hath clear'd the staircase. Ah! I hear The door sound loud behind him! He is safe! [He leans down upon a stone seat, near the wall Enter ULRIC, with others armed, and with weapons drawn. Ulr. Dispatch!--he's there! The count, my lord! [Exeunt all but SIEGENDORF and ULRIC. What's this? [Exit into the turret, closing the door after him. Will you then leave me? THE RIGHT HONORABLE FREDERICK, EARL OF CARLISLE, THE SECOND EDITION OF THESE POEMS IS INSCRIBED, PREFACE. Is submitting to the public eye the following collection, I have not only to combat the difficulties that writers of verse generally encounter, but may incur the charge of presumption for obtruding myself on the world, when, without doubt, I might be, at my age, more usefully employed. These productions are the fruits of the lighter hours of a young man who has lately completed his nineteenth year. As they bear the internal evidence of a boyish mind, this is, perhaps, unnecessary information. Some few were written during the disadvantages of 1 (First published in 1807 1 [Isabella, the daughter of William, fourth Lord Byron, (great-great uncle of the Poet,) became, in 1742, the wife of Henry, fourth Earl of Carlisle, and was the mother of the fifth Earl, to whom this dedication was addressed. This illness and depression of spirits: under the former influence, CHILDISH RECOLLECTIONS," in particular, were composed. This consideration, though it cannot excite the voice of praise, may at least arrest the arm of censure. A considerable portion of these poems has been privately printed, at the request and for the perusal of my friends. I am sensible that the partial and frequently injudicious admiration of a social circle is not the criterion by which poetical genius is to be estimated, yet," to do greatly," we must "dare greatly;" and I have hazarded my reputation and feelings in publishing this volume. "I have passed the Rubicon," and must stand or fall by the "cast of the lady was a poetess in her way. The Fairy's Answer to Mrs. Greville's "Prayer of Indifference," in Pearch's Collection, is usually ascribed to her.] 3 [This Preface was omitted in the second edition.] |