Exeunt Nobles]

LUDOLPH Not the discoloured poisons of a fen,

Which he who breathes feels warning of his death,

Could taste so nauseous to the bodily sense

As these prodigious sycophants disgust

The soul’s fine palate.

CONRAD Princely Ludolph, hail!

Welcome, thou younger sceptre to the realm!

Strength to thy virgin crownet’s golden buds,

That they, against the winter of thy sire,

30

May burst, and swell, and flourish round thy brows,

Maturing to a weighty diadem!

Yet be that hour far off; and may he live,

Who waits for thee, as the chapped earth for rain.

Set my life’s star! I have lived long enough,

Since under my glad roof, propitiously,

Father and son each other re-possess.

LUDOLPH Fine wording, Duke! but words could never yet

Forestall the fates; have you not learnt that yet?

Let me look well – your features are the same;

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Your gait the same; your hair of the same shade;

As one I knew some passèd weeks ago,

Who sung far different notes into mine ears.

I have mine own particular comments on’t;

You have your own, perhaps.

CONRAD My gracious Prince,

All men may err. In truth I was deceived

In your great father’s nature, as you were.

Had I known that of him I have since known,

And what you soon will learn, I would have turned

My sword to my own throat, rather than held

50

Its threatening edge against a good King’s quiet:

Or with one word fevered you, gentle Prince,

Who seemed to me, as rugged times then went,

Indeed too much oppressed. May I be bold

To tell the Emperor you. will haste to him?

[Exit CONRAD]

LUDOLPH Your Dukedom’s privilege will grant so much.

He’s very close to Otho, a tight leech!

Your hand – I go. Ha! here the thunder comes

Sullen against the wind! If in two angry brows

My safety lies, then Sigifred, I’m safe.

[Enter OTHO and CONRAD]

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OTHO Will you make Titan play the lackey-page

To chattering pigmies? I would have you know

That such neglect of our high Majesty

Annuls all feel of kindred. What is son –

Or friend, or brother, or all ties of blood –

When the whole kingdom, centred in ourself,

Is rudely slighted? Who am I to wait?

By Peter’s chair! I have upon my tongue

A word to fright the proudest spirit here! –

Death! – and slow tortures to the hardy fool,

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Who dares take such large charter from our smiles!

Conrad, we would be private. Sigifred!

Off! And none pass this way on pain of death!

[Exeunt CONRAD and SIGIFRED]

LUDOLPH This was but half expected, my good sire,

Yet I am grieved at it, to the full height,

As though my hopes of favour had been whole.

OTHO How you indulge yourself! What can you hope for?

LUDOLPH Nothing, my liege; I have to hope for nothing.

I come to greet you as a loving son,

And then depart, if I may be so free,

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Seeing that blood of yours in my warm veins

Has not yet mitigated into milk.

OTHO What would you, sir?

LUDOLPH A lenient banishment;

So please you let me unmolested pass

This Conrad’s gates, to the wide air again.

I want no more. A rebel wants no more.

OTHO And shall I let a rebel loose again

To muster kites and eagles ’gainst my head?

No, obstinate boy, you shall be kept caged up,

Served with harsh food, with scum for Sunday-drink.

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LUDOLPH Indeed!

OTHO And chains too heavy for your life:

I’ll choose a gaoler, whose swart monstrous face

Shall be a hell to look upon, and she –

LUDOLPHHa!

OTHO Shall be your fair Auranthe.

LUDOLPH Amaze! Amaze!

OTHO Today you marry her.

LUDOLPH This is a sharp jest!

OTHO No. None at all. When have I said a lie?

LUDOLPH If I sleep not, I am a waking wretch.

OTHO Not a word more. Let me embrace my child.

LUDOLPH I dare not. ’Twould pollute so good a father!

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O heavy crime! that your son’s blinded eyes

Could not see all his parent’s love aright,

As now I see it. Be not kind to me –

Punish me not with favour.

OTHO Are you sure,

Ludolph, you have no saving plea in store?

LUDOLPH My father, none!

OTHO Then you astonish me.

LUDOLPH No, I have no plea. Disobedience,

Rebellion, obstinacy, blasphemy,

Are all my counsellors. If they can make

My crooked deeds show good and plausible,

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Then grant me loving pardon, but not else,

Good Gods! not else, in any way, my liege!

OTHO You are a most perplexing, noble boy.

LUDOLPH You not less a perplexing noble father.

OTHO Well, you shall have free passport through the gates.

Farewell!

LUDOLPH Farewell! and by these tears believe,

And still remember, I repent in pain

All my misdeeds!

OTHO Ludolph, I will! I will!

But, Ludolph, ere you go, I would inquire

If you, in all your wandering, ever met

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A certain Arab haunting in these parts.

LUDOLPH No, my good lord, I cannot say I did.

OTHO Make not your father blind before his time;

Nor let these arms paternal hunger more

For an embrace, to dull the appetite

Of my great love for thee, my supreme child!

Come close, and let me breathe into thine ear.

I knew you through disguise. You are the Arab!

You can’t deny it. [Embracing him]

LUDOLPHHappiest of days!

OTHO We’ll make it so.

LUDOLPH‘Stead of one fatted calf

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Ten hecatombs shall bellow out their last,

Smote ’twixt the horns by the death-stunning mace

Of Mars, and all the soldiery shall feast

Nobly as Nimrod’s masons, when the towers

Of Nineveh new kissed the parted clouds!

OTHO Large as a God speak out, where all is thine.

LUDOLPH Ay, father, but the fire in my sad breast

Is quenched with inward tears! I must rejoice

For you, whose wings so shadow over me

In tender victory, but for myself

140

I still must mourn. The fair Auranthe mine!

Too great a boon! I prithee let me ask

What more than I know of could so have changed

Your purpose touching her?

OTHO At a word, this:

In no deed did you give me more offence

Than your rejection of Erminia.

To my appalling, I saw too good proof

Of your keen-eyed suspicion – she is naught!

LUDOLPH You are convinced?

OTHO Ay, spite of her sweet looks.

O, that my brother’s daughter should so fall!

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Her fame has passed into the grosser lips

Of soldiers in their cups.

LUDOLPH’Tis very sad.

OTHO No more of her, Auranthe – Ludolph, come!

This marriage be the bond of endless peace! [Exeunt]

Scene 2 The Entrance of GERSA’S Tent in the Hungarian Camp.

[Enter ERMINIA]

ERMINIA Where! where! where shall I find a messenger?

A trusty soul? a good man in the camp?

Shall I go myself? Monstrous wickedness!

O cursed Conrad! devilish Auranthe!

Here is proof palpable as the bright sun!

O for a voice to reach the Emperor’s ears!

[Shouts in the Camp]

[Enter an Hungarian Captain]

CAPTAIN Fair prisoner, you hear those joyous shouts?

The king – ay, now our king – but still your slave,

Young Gersa, from a short captivity

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Has just returned. He bids me say, bright Dame,

That even the homage of his rangèd chiefs

Cures not his keen impatience to behold

Such beauty once again. What ails you, lady?

ERMINIA Say, is not that a German, yonder? There!

CAPTAIN Methinks by his stout bearing he should be –

Yes – it is Albert; a brave German knight,

And much in the Emperor’s favour.

ERMINIA I would fain

Inquire of friends and kinsfolk, how they fared

In these rough times. Brave soldier, as you pass

20 To royal Gersa with my humble thanks,

Will you send yonder knight to me?

CAPTAINI will. [Exit]

ERMINIA Yes, he was ever known to be a man

Frank, open, generous; Albert I may trust.

O proof! proof! proof! Albert’s an honest man;

Not Ethelbert the monk, if he were here,

Would I hold more trustworthy. Now!

[Enter ALBERT]

ALBERT Good Gods!

Lady Erminia! are you prisoner

In this beleaguered camp? Or are you here

Of your own will? You pleased to send for me.

30 By Venus, ’tis a pity I knew not

Your plight before and, by her son, I swear

To do you every service you can ask.

What would the fairest –?

ERMINIAAlbert, will you swear?

ALBERT I have. Well?

ERMINIAAlbert, you have fame to lose.

If men, in court and camp, lie not outright,

You should be, from a thousand, chosen forth

To do an honest deed. Shall I confide –?

ALBERT Ay, anything to me, fair creature. Do;

Dictate my task. Sweet woman –

ERMINIA Truce with that.

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You understand me not; and, in your speech,

I see how far the slander is abroad.

Without proof could you think me innocent?

ALBERT Lady, I should rejoice to know you so.

ERMINIA If you have any pity for a maid,

Suffering a daily death from evil tongues;

Any compassion for that Emperor’s niece,

Who, for your bright sword and clear honesty,

Lifted you from the crowd of common men

Into the lap of honour – save me, knight!

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ALBERT How? Make it clear; if it be possible,

I, by the banner of Saint Maurice, swear

To right you.

ERMINIA Possible! – Easy. O my heart!

This letter’s not so soiled but you may read it –

Possible! There – that letter! Read – read it.

[Gives him a letter]

ALBERT [reads it] ‘To the Duke Conrad. – Forget the threat you made at parting, and I will forget to send the Emperor letters and papers of yours I have become possessed of. His life is no trifle to me; his death you shall find none to yourself.’ [Speaks to himself] ’Tis me ()60() – my life that’s pleaded for! [Reads] ‘He, for his own sake, will be dumb as the grave.