University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

A Hall in Baron Hohendahl 's Castle.
Enter the Baron, Swartsburg , Officers and Attendants.
HOHENDAHL.
To blame! you're all to blame! more zealous service
Had used a better speed, and pounced upon him.

SWARTSBURG.
My Lord, we used all diligence, but he
Was absent on suspicion of our purpose.

HOHENDAHL.
“I tell thee, Swartsburg, there's within these walls,
“Some treasonous leak that lets out all our counsels.
“He must have had some wind of our intent,
“To foil it thus, and with such sweeping haste,
“Withdraw him, and his household from our grasp.
“You say they all escaped you.

SWARTSBURG.
“All, my Lord!
“We found his halls dispeopled—half dismantled.
“In every room, Disorder's hurried hand
“Had scattered round her spoils,—no life appeared—
“So absolute—so blank the solitude.
“We thought, at first, 'twas studied, and took guard
“Against an ambush.”

HOHENDAHL.
Curse upon his caution!
By Heaven! this daring Count Alasco galls me,—
Baffled—disgraced—surprised upon my post!—
Braved in the very jaws of my authority,
By a base rabble!—what boots it me I say!
“That you've made war upon his empty walls,
“And sacked his cellars, till your reeling wrath,
“Turned all around to smoking desolation,
“Since he has escaped my vengeance?—Other means
“Must reach him. Where's Rudolpho?

SWARTSBURG.
“He has paid
“His forfeit in a game he loved too well.
“'Twould seem, that in some desperate scuffle foiled,
“His tyger spirit failed him.

HOHENDAHL.
“Is he dead?

SWARTSBURG.
“E'en so! we found him in the forest slain,
“With one of his assistants lying near;
“Both pierced with many wounds.

HOHENDAHL.
“Then his attack
“On Walsingham has failed! (aside)
Some forest fray,
“With his old enemy. I feel his loss:
“He was a genuine blood hound, fierce and faithful!

SWARTSBURG.
“His savage nature stirred up many foes.”
But were it not well, my Lord, to sound th' alarm,
And reinforce the guard?

HOHENDAHL.
What wouldst thou, Swartsburg?
Are we not here,—aroused from our first sleep,
Like monks at matins, yawning on our posts,
To satisfy thy fears?

SWARTSBURG.
My fears, my Lord!
Precaution is not fear, but vigilance,
“A virtue not unworthy of a soldier.”
The movements I've reported speak some danger.

HOHENDAHL.
Movements! “what movements have in Swartsburg roused
“This vaunted soldier's virtue?

SWARTSBURG.
“Such as mark
“Too plain, th' approach of tumult: as we passed,
“We could perceive each village broad awake,
“As in mid day—lights glimmered to and fro,
“And bustle hurried on from house to house,—
“Low murmurs filled the air—as every wind
“Were whispering in the startled ear of night,
“The unusual agitation: beacons blazed
“On every hill—while, from the horizon's line,
“As if in concert kindled, sudden stars
“Shot forth their answering fires: as morning neared,
“Commotion heaved around us, like a sea,
“That wave o'er wave impelled, seemed rushing on,
“To break against our bulwarks.

HOHENDAHL.
“Then shall our bulwarks dash them back again!”
By Heaven! it shames me Swartsburg that a soldier,
Who knows the face of danger, and has braved
Its most appalling aspect, should thus swell,
To such a perilous shape and magnitude,
This plough-tail tumult—this insurgency
Of hostile boors, and mobs in martial movement:
I know the slaves are mutinous, and love
A riot dearly—mischief is their element,
And plunder the sole privilege they desire;
But when our bull-dogs bark, they're soon sent scampering.
Enter a Guard in haste.
Well, Sir! the news!

GUARD.
My Lord, reports have reached
The outer guard, that all the peasantry
Are up in arms.

HOHENDAHL.
In arms, thou slave, in arms!
What! flourishing their flails, and shouldering pitch-forks!
Thou lookest in no small dread of those dire instruments.
Enter a Second Guard .
What! rumours still of war!—come, Sir, your tale!

SECOND GUARD.
My Lord! the rebel standard has been raised:
Ere dawn, th' insurgents met in multitudes,
Behind the abbey church; a scout reports,
That they've already seized the arsenal,
And led by Count Alasco, now in force,
Are marching on the castle.

HOHENDAHL.
Seized the arsenal!
Why this is well!—this looks like business, Swartsburg!
Perdition catch the cowards, who could yield
To such assailants!—Sir, there's treachery here,
As well as tumult.—Seized the arsenal have they?
Ring loud the alarum—call out all the guards;
Although they come unasked, we'll forth to welcome them.
By Heaven! we'll lash these raggamuffins home,
And score them such a reckoning on their backs,
As they shall long remember o'er their cups,
To pay for this day's frolic.

[Exeunt.