As I removed the seal, the heavy arm

Dropt from the couch aslant, and the stiff finger
Seemed pointing at my feet. Provident Heaven!
Lo, I was standing on the secret door,

Which, through a long descent where all sound

perishes,

Led out beyond the palace. Well I knew it
But Andreas framed it not! He was no tyrant!
CHEF RAGOZZI.

Haste madam! Let me take this precious burden!
[he kneels as he takes the child.

ZA POLYA.

Take him? And if we be pursued, I charge thee,
Flee thou and leave me! Flee and save thy king!

[then as going off, she looks back on the palace.
Thou tyrant's den, be called no more a palace!
The orphan's angel at the throne of heaven
Stands up against thee, and there hover o'er thee
A Queen's, a Mother's, and a Widow's curse.
Henceforth a dragon's haunt, fear and suspicion
Stand sentry at thy portals! Faith and honour,
Driven from the throne, shall leave the attainted

nation:

And, for the iniquity that houses in thee,

False glory, thirst of blood, and lust of rapine,

(Fateful conjunction of malignant planets)

Shall shoot their blastments on the land. The fathers
Henceforth shall have no joy in their young men,

And when they cry: Lo! a male child is born!
The mother shall make answer with a groan.
For bloody usurpation, like a vulture,
Shall clog its beak within Illyria's heart.
Remorseless slaves of a remorseless tyrant,
They shall be mocked with sounds of liberty,
And liberty shall be proclaimed alone

To thee, O Fire! O Pestilence! O Sword!

Till Vengeance hath her fill.-And thou, snatched. hence,

(Again to the infant.) Poor friendless fugitive! with mother's wailing,

Offspring of Royal Andreas, shalt return

With trump and timbrel-clang, and popular shout

In triumph to the palace of thy fathers!

[Exeunt.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS.

Men.

OLD BATHORY

....

A Mountaineer.

BETHLEN BATHORY. The Young Prince Andreas, supposed Son

of Old Bathory.

LORD RUDOLPH.... A Courtier, but friend to the Queen's party.

LASKA.....

PESTALUTZ..

Steward to Casimir, betrothed to Glycine. ..An Assassin, in Emerick's employ.

Women.

LADY SAROLTA..... Wife of Lord Casimir.

GLYCINE

.Orphan Daughter of Chef Ragozzi.

Between the flight of the Queen, and the civil war which immediately followed, and in which Emerick remained the victor, a space of twenty years is supposed to have elapsed.