 | Alasco |  |
SCENE I.
Day-break—the entrance of a cavern—a Peasant armed with a pike, as on guard—a shrill whistle is heard to sound at a distance—the Guard looks out eagerly, and answers by a corresponding signal—a number of Peasants armed with different weapons are immediately seen in the distance, winding down among the rocks— they enter at the front of the stage, headed by two of their chiefs, Conrad and Malinski.CONRAD
(speaking to one of the Peasants.)
Call in the scouts—
By Heaven, the moon's a prodigal to-night,
And showers her silver lavishly.
MALINSKI.
'Tis the dawn
That breaks above the hill.
2
Why, what's the hour?
MALINSKI.
Four, by the Abbey clock.
CONRAD.
Then we again
Have loiter'd at our sport.—But who comes here,
Outstripping haste?
[Enter a scout, hastily.
“Why, comrade, if thy news
“Should wear but half the importance of thy face,
“We must have a gazette for it. If thou'st breath,
“Proclaim.”
SCOUT.
As posted on the hill I stood,
Close housed within the hollow of an oak,
I heard a rustling in the brake below me;
When, on the instant, flashing from a cloud,
The moon cut sharp upon the forest wall
The shadow of a man; crouching he seemed,
And stole his cautious way, as if he knew
The place no solitude: I darted forth,
And at a venture sent this trusty pike
Upon the search before me;—it fell short;
When he, up-springing at the noise, flew off,
And bounding o'er the crumbled fence, escaped me.
3
A spy, no doubt, of Hohendahl's.
CONRAD.
“No matter;
“We can't so smother a fire but it will smoke,
“Or some sharp nose shall snuff it in the wind.”
Canst throw a guess at him?
SCOUT.
His sudden flight,
Baffling all near approach, concealed him from me;
But at the moment, Rudolph crossed my mind,
The Baron's game-keeper.
MALINSKI.
'Twas he, most likely.
CONRAD.
Well, let him to the Baron with his tale!
The flame has spread beyond his power to quench,
And soon shall scorch him.
But now, my friends and comrades, to your homes!
And though your wrongs are throbbing at your hearts,
Repress the impatient spirit, and await
The hour of vengeance, now so near at hand.
What little skill the patriot sword requires,
4
Those deeper tactics, well contrived to work
The mere machine of mercenary war,
We shall not need, whose hearts are in the fray,—
Who for ourselves, our homes, our country, fight,
And feel in every blow, we strike for freedom.
Bestow your weapons safe within the cave,
And then disperse in silence.
[They place their arms within the cave, and disperse. Conrad and Malinski remain.
CONRAD.
Now, my friend,
Our project ripens—every district round
Has answered, “Ready;” and when next we meet
In our cave-cabinet, we fix the fate
Of Poland. Are the leaders summoned?
MALINSKI.
All.
“'Twould seem the governor is on the alert,
“And doubtless his inspector will, to-night,
“Report us fit for service.
CONRAD.
“If he does,
“We'll justify his praise, and prove our mettle.”
5
But where's our chief, Alasco? “If we rest
“On him, as our best guide in this great enterprize,”
It seems full time he shew himself amongst us.
CONRAD.
You'll find the Count Alasco at his post,
When fit occasion serves, or danger calls him.
MALINSKI.
“Why, truly, not to dwell on cramps or tooth-aches,
Methinks some dangers hang about our heads,
In these chill midnight hatchings of revolt,
Which 'twould become his chivalry to share,
For lack of nobler peril.
CONRAD.
You sneer, Malinski,
And grow cynical; but let your wit be wise—
I am Alasco's friend.
MALINSKI.
Why, so am I.—
I trust we 're all his friends. But to be plain,
His absence grows mysterious—'tis remarked,
And breeds distrust in our confederates.
CONRAD.
Distrust! Of whom?
MALINSKI.
Of him—of you—of me.
Once give suspicion wing—she flies at random.
6
The strong assurance of his heart and hand,
You've had from me; are you disposed to question it?
MALINSKI.
No; but 'twere well, if yet some farther proof
His presence had supplied, known as he is,
By close alliance linked with Walsingham,
That haughty Briton, who would forge for us,
The shackles his brave countrymen have scorned.
CONRAD.
Malinski, I perceive 'tis studied in you,
To deal out dark suspicions of Alasco
“You gather up surmises, odds and ends
“Of gossip tales, that sly Detraction drops
“In Envy's ear, to slur his shining worth,
“And burn, with caustic tongue, a slander on him;”
But mark me well;—by Heaven, I will not brook
A hint or hesitation of distrust,
To hang upon the honor of my friend.
MALINSKI.
Nay, hear me, Conrad.
CONRAD.
No, I'll hear no more;
You've dared to tell me you distrust Alasco.
7
Dared to tell you!
CONRAD.
Yes, dared!—another tongue
So daring had been answer'd by my sword.
If you doubt him, disband—disband at once,
And dream no more of freedom.
MALINSKI.
Come, you're hot,
Beyond the occasion here.
CONRAD.
Without his aid,
What are your hopes? Or have you hearts so bold,
To look an order'd battle in the face,
With your mob militant—your half-drill'd hordes,—
The raw materials merely of revolt,
With headlong zeal obstructing their own strength,
And scatter'd by the first rough blast of war
That rattles round their banners?
MALINSKI.
“Were the time
“At leisure, Conrad, for a private brawl,
“I might indulge your humour, and take up
“The quarrel your rough spirit would provoke;
“But now, no idle breeze shall ruffle me.”
I know Alasco's value to our cause,
8
Not in distrust, but jealous apprehension.
CONRAD.
A truce, then, with your doubts and deep conjectures,
Nor mutiny thus in murmurs 'gainst your chief.
Alasco is our country's pride and hope—
Her best—her last resource. “His life unfolds
“A glorious code of honor and high virtue,
“To fix the law of true nobility,
“And regulate the bearing of a prince.
MALINSKI.
“There is no need, my friend, to brandish thus
“Your zeal in his defence.” I own his worth,
“And never meant to question it.”
CONRAD.
“Your hand!”
I know I'm hasty when Alasco's touch'd;
He made me what I am—my mother nursed him;
With more than brother's love we grew together;
He shared with me his studies and his sports;
“Still cheer'd me in the sunshine of his fortunes,”
And from his follower, raised me to his friend.
“Nay, deeper still, Malinski, I am his debtor;
“The life I value little, but as pledged
“With thine in this last struggle for our country,
“His valour saved.
9
“How so?
CONRAD.
“Destined to camps,
“Since he could grasp a sword, I followed him
“With faithful step—the comrade of his choice—
“Through many a rough encounter, sharing still
“His heart and hope; but, in a skirmish once,
“A furious Cossack, charging with his pike,
“Unhorsed me ere I well could meet the shock:
“Stunn'd by the fall, and bleeding as I lay,
“The foe prepared to plunder and dispatch me;
“When, like a lion, springing to my aid,
“Alasco felled the savage at a blow,
“Withstood, till succour came, a storm of war,
“And bore me off in safety.
MALINSKI.
“Such a service
“Merits well your zeal; he's brave and generous.
CONRAD.
“Brave! I have known him in the ranks of war,
“Perform such feats, while yet a stripling boy,
“As but to think on, would have stirr'd the heart
“Of veteran valour. But let us hence, my friend;”—
The day of trial comes, to prove us all:
If we stand firm, Alasco will not fail;
Let us be men, we'll find in him a hero.
[Exeunt.
What little skill, &c.—Here our new licenser commences his operations; here the vigilant guardian of the public weal,—the judicious Dogberry of the new dramatic police, first springs the rattle of his function, and proceeds to “comprehend” such “auspicious” passages as the above, which he declares “flat burglary as ever was committed.”
| Alasco | |