I will provide against

Aught that can touch you. No one knows you here
As heir of Siegendorf: if Idenstein
Suspects, 'tis but suspicion, and he is

A fool: his folly shall have such employment,
Too, that the unknown Werner shall give way
To nearer thoughts of self. The laws (if c'er
Laws reach'd this village) are all in abeyance
With the late general war of thirty years,
Or crush'd, or rising slowly from the dust,
To which the march of armies trampled them.
Stralenheim, although noble, is unheeded
Here, save as such—without lands, influence,
Save what hath perish'd with him.
Few prolong
A week beyond their funeral rites their sway
O'er men, unless by relatives, whose interest
Is roused such is not here the case; he died
Alone, unknown, -a solitary grave,
Obscure as his deserts, without a scutcheon,
Is all he'll have, or wants. If I discover
The assassin, 't will be well-if not, believe me
None else; though all the full-fed train of menials
May howl above his ashes (as they did
Around him in his danger on the Oder),
Will no more stir a finger now than then.

Hence! hence! I must not hear your answer. —

Look !

The stars are almost faded, and the grey
Begins to grizzle the black hair of night.
You shall not answer: -Pardon me that I
Am peremptory; 't is your son that speaks,
Your long-lost, late-found son.-Let's call my mo-

ther!

Softly and swiftly step, and leave the rest
To me: I'll answer for the event as far
As regards you, and that is the chief point,
As my first duty, which shall be observed.
We'll meet in Castle Siegendorf-once more
Our banners shall be glorious! Think of that
Alone, and leave all other thoughts to me,
Whose youth may better battle with them. Hence !
And may your age be happy!--I will kiss

My mother once more, then Heaven's speed be with you!

Wer. This counsel's safe-but is it honourable ? Ulr. To save a father is a child's chief honour.

[Excunt.

Count Ulric for a well-supported pride,
Which awes, but yet offends not? in the field,
Who like him with his spear in hand, when, gnashing
His tusks, and ripping up from right to left
The howling hounds, the boar makes for the thicket?
Who backs a horse, or bears a hawk, or wears
A sword like him? Whose plume nods knightlier?
Hen. No one's, I grant you. Do not fear, if war
Be long in coming, he is of that kind
Will make it for himself, if he hath not
Already done as much.

Eric.

What do you mean? Hen. You can't deny his train of followers

(But few our native fellow vassals born

Eric. I will, upon what you have said.
Hen. I assure you I meant nothing,—a mere sport
Of words, no more; besides, had it been otherwise,
He is to espouse the gentle Baroness,

Ida of Stralenheim, the late baron's heiress;
And she, no doubt, will soften whatsoever
Of fierceness the late long intestine wars
Have given all natures, and most unto those
Who were born in them, and bred up upon
The knees of Homicide; sprinkled, as it were,
With blood even at their baptism. Prithee, peace
On all that I have said!

I had forgotten.
-let it be the grey, then,
Old Ziska he has not been out this fortnight.
Eric. He shall be straight caparison'd. How many
Of your immediate retainers shall
Escort you?

Ulr.
I leave that to Weilburg, our
Master of the horse.

Rod.

Ulr.

[Exit ERIC.

Rodolph!

My lord!

The news

Is awkward from the-(RODOLPH points to HENRICK.)

Loiter you here?

Hen.

How now, Henrick? why

For your commands, my lord. Ur. Go to my father, and present my duty, And learn if he would aught with me before

Ulr.

As well as on that night

We will not speak of that until We can repeat the same with like success: And when you have join'd, give Rosenberg this letter. [Gives a letter. Add further, that I have sent this slight addition To our force with you and Wolffe, as herald of My coming, though I could but spare them ill At this time, as my father loves to keep Full numbers of retainers round the castle, Until this marriage, and its feasts and fooleries, Are rung out with its peal of nuptial nonsense. Rod. I thought you loved the lady Ida? Ulr.

I do so- but it follows not from that

Why,

I would bind in my youth and glorious years,
So brief and burning, with a lady's zone,
Although 't were that of Venus; but I love her,
As woman should be loved, fairly and solely.
Rod. And constantly?
Ulr.

I think so; for I love

Nought else. But I have not the time to pause
Upon these gewgaws of the heart. Great things
We have to do ere long. Speed! speed! good Rodolph!
Rod. On my return, however, I shall find
The Baroness Ida lost in Countess Siegendorf?
Ulr. Perhaps my father wishes it; and sooth
"T is no bad policy: this union with
The last bud of the rival branch at once
Unites the future and destroys the past.
Rod. Adieu.

Ulr.
Yet hold-we had better keep together
Until the chase begins; then draw thou off,
And do as I have said.

About his death-and even the place of it

Is scarcely known.

Ulr.

Some obscure village on The Saxon or Silesian frontier. Rod.

He

Has left no testament-no farewell words?
Ulr. I am neither confessor nor notary,
So cannot say.
Rod.

Ah! here's the lady Ida.

Enter IDA STRALENHEIM. I
Ulr. You are early, my sweet cousin!
Ida.

Dear Ulric, if I do not interrupt you.
Why do you call me "cousin ?"
Ülr. (smiling).

Not too early,

Are we not so ? Ida. Yes, but I do not like the name; methinks It sounds so cold, as if you thought upon Our pedigree, and only weigh'd our blood. Ulr. (starting.)

Blood!

Ida. Why does yours start from your cheeks? Ulr. Ay ! doth it? Ida. It doth-but no! it rushes like a torrent Even to your brow again.

Ulr. (recovering himself). And if it fled, It only was because your presence sent it

Back to my heart, which beats for you, sweet cousin! Ida. "Cousin" again.

Dear Ulric, how I wish My father could but view my happiness, Which wants but this!

Ulr.

Ida.

Indeed!

You would have loved him,

He you; for the brave ever love each other:
His manner was a little cold, his spirit
Proud (as is birth's prerogative); but under [other!
This grave exterior- Would you had known cach
Had such as you been near him on his journey,
He had not died without a friend to soothe
His last and lonely moments.

Ulr.

Who says that?

You jest.

Truly,

Ida. Indeed I do not: ask of Rodolph.
Rod.

My lord, within this quarter of an hour

You have changed more than e'er I saw you change In years.

Ulr. 'Tis nothing; but if 't were, the air Would soon restore me. I'm the true chameleon, And live but on the atmosphere; your feasts In castle halls, and social banquets, nurse not My spirit-I'm a forester and breather Of the steep mountain-tops, where I love all The eagle loves.

Ida.

Except his prey, I hope.

It were not well that you alone of all Our young nobility.

Ida.

In aspect and demeanour. Sieg. (to IDA).

And far the noblest

True, dear child,

Though somewhat frankly said for a fair damsel.
But, Ulric, recollect too our position,

So lately reinstated in our honours.

Believe me, 't would be mark'd in any house,
But most in ours, that ONE should be found wanting
At such a time and place. Besides, the Heaven
Which gave us back our own, in the same moment
It spread its peace o'er all, hath double claims
On us for thanksgiving: first, for our country;
And next, that we are here to share its blessings.
Ulr. (aside). Devout, too! Well, sir, I obey at once.
(Then aloud to a Servant.)
Ludwig, dismiss the train without! [Exit LUDWIG.
Ida.
And so

You yield at once to him what I for hours
Might supplicate in vain.

Of me, I trust, my pretty rebel! who
Would sanction disobedience against all
Except thyself? But fear not; thou shalt rule him
Hereafter with a fonder sway and firmer.

You shall,

Ida. But I should like to govern now. Sieg. Your harp, which by the way awaits you with The countess in her chamber. She complains That you are a sad truant to your music: She attends you.

Not that monster's! I should think My harp-strings rang with groans, and not with music, Could aught of his sound on it: but come quickly; Your mother will be eager to receive you. Sieg. Ulric, I wish to speak with you alone. Ulr. My time's your vassal. (Aside to RODOLPH.)

[Exit.

Rodolph, hence! and do As I directed and by his best speed And readiest means let Rosenberg reply.

:

In a like absence ? But 't is vain to urge you -
Nature was never call'd back by remonstrance.
Let's change the theme. I wish you to consider
That these young violent nobles of high name,
But dark deeds (ay, the darkest, if all Rumour
Reports be true), with whom thou consortest,
Will lead thee.

Ulr. (impatiently). I'll be led by no man.
Sieg.

Be leader of such, I would hope at once
To wean thee from the perils of thy youth
And haughty spirit, I have thought it well
That thou shouldst wed the lady Ida-more
As thou appear'st to love her.
Ulr.

I have said

I will obey your orders, were they to
Unite with Hecate-can a son say more?
Sieg. He says too much in saying this.
The nature of thine age, nor of thy blood,
Nor of thy temperament, to talk so coolly,
Or act so carelessly, in that which is
The bloom or blight of all men's happiness
(For Glory's pillow is but restless if

Nor

It is not

Love lay not down his cheek there): some strong bias,
Some master fiend is in thy service to
Misrule the mortal who believes him slave,
And makes his every thought subservient; else
Thou 'dst say at once-"I love young Ida, and
Will wed her:" or, "I love her not, and all
The powers of earth shall never make me.'
Would I have answer'd.

So

Still

Who at twenty

Did you not warn me

Boyish sophist!

In a word, do you love, or love not, Ida? Ulr. What matters it, if I am ready to Obey you in espousing her?

As

you feel, nothing, but all life for her.
She's young-all beautiful-adores you-is
Endow'd with qualities to give happiness,
Such as rounds common life into a dream
Of something which your poets cannot paint,
And (if it were not wisdom to love virtue)
For which Philosophy might barter Wisdom;
And giving so much happiness, deserves

A little in return. I would not have her
Break her heart for a man who has none to break;
Or wither on her stalk like some pale rose
Deserted by the bird she thought a nightingale,
According to the Orient tale. She is

Ulr. The daughter of dead Stralenheim, your fot:
I'll wed her, ne'ertheless; though, to say truth,
Just now I am not violently transported

In favour of such unions.