University of Virginia Library

Scene the Second.

A Cavern outside the Ramparts.
Conspirators.
Con.
He comes not. Hence.

Con.
Stay, comrades! wherefore dread
In Mirovitz, delay? you, who so oft
Witness'd his valour, first to mount the breach,
Or singly scale the fortress?

Con.
Hark, some step
Approaches. Comrades! on your guard: be watchful!
Nearer it hastens: on your guard, I say—
Now boldly challenge.

[They draw their swords.
Mirovitz and Feodor enter.
Con.
Friend or foe? advance not.

Feo.
'Tis Mirovitz.

Miro.
Put up your swords, brave comrades!
Say, are all present? Theodore, I see,
Norkots, and Ostralof, and brave Nagotzin.
I greet thee, bold Truwarotz, Sulskoi, too,
And Voronetz, who never fled from man.

Feo.
Behold them, brave, determin'd; speak thy will.

Miro.
My will! not so: 'tis loyalty, 'tis honour
Points out their path. Comrades, the prisoner, Ivan,
Is Russia's rightful Emperor. 'Tis your king
Claims vengeance. By his wrongs, his woes, I urge you:
Recall to mind, the day which hail'd him monarch,
Saw him a helpless prisoner; call to mind,
How, on from fort to fort, they dragg'd their victim,
Ere to this spot accurst, this last abode
Of horror and despair, Rimuni doom'd him
As one entomb'd alive, in yon drear cell
To moulder limb by limb. No beam of day
Ere glimmers on the cell that hears his groan:
And, till renown'd Naritzin here held charge,
'Tis known to all—the fierce barbarians tortur'd
His tender limbs. The sentinels on watch,
Tho' us'd to blood and groans of horrid death,
Have quak'd to hear his night-shriek.

Con.
We will free him.
Fix thou the hour.

Miro.
First, yield me patient hearing.
You all revere Naritzin.

Con.
Yes—as children
Honour a father.

Miro.
You would shed your blood
To rescue him from wrong.

Con.
Most willingly.

Miro.
Naritzin cannot brook such deep disgrace.
Thus wrong'd by her. Her—on whose brow his hand
Once fix'd the crown! if fam'd Naritzin join us,
The realm would rise in arms.

Con.
Lead to Naritzin—

Miro.
[stopping him.]
Yet stay.
Say, brave associates, if the lord Naritzin
Decline our proffer'd aid, are all resolv'd
To free their sov'reign?

Con.
We will rescue Ivan,
Or bravely perish. On—

Miro.
Yet—ere we speed,
Pledge we a soldier's faith, a soldier's honour,
That in this cave, ere night-fall, once again
We meet, to fix the hour, and give to each
Fit charge and separate station.

Cons.
Yes—ere night-fall,
Here we will meet. To thee we freely pledge
A soldier's honour. Lead us forth.

Miro.
Brave comrades,
I lead where glory summons: fearless follow.

[Exeunt.