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Jaff. [Rising.] All, all, and more,

faults are numberless.

- much more, my

Pie. And wouldst thou have me live on terms like thine? Base, as thou'rt false

Jaff. [Returning.] No, 'tis to me that's granted; The safety of thy life was all I aimed at,

In recompense for faith and trust so broken.

Pie. I scorn it more, because preserved by thee;
And, as when first my foolish heart took pity
On thy misfortunes, sought thee in thy miseries,
Relieved thy wants, and raised thee from the state
Of wretchedness, in which thy fate had plunged thee,
To rank thee in my list of noble friends;
All I received, in surety for thy truth,

Were unregarded oaths, and this, this dagger,

Given with a worthless pledge, thou since hast stolen:
So I restore it back to thee again,

Swearing by all those powers which thou hast violated,
Never, from this cursed hour, to hold communion,
Friendship, or interest with thee, though our years
Were to exceed those limited the world.

Take it. [Throws down the dagger.] Farewell, for now I owe thee nothing.

Jaff. Say thou wilt live, then.

Pie. For my life, dispose it

Just as thou wilt, because 'tis what I'm tired with.

Jaff. O Pierre !

Pie. No more.

[Going.

Jaff. My eyes wont lose the sight of thee, [Following. But languish after thine, and ache with gazing.

Pie. Leave me. Nay, then, thus, thus I throw thee

from me;

And curses, great as is thy falsehood, catch thee!

WERNER.

OTWAY.

Enter COUNT SIEGENDORF, ULRIC his son, and Attendant.

Atten. A stranger to wait on

Your excellency.

Sieg. Who?

Atten. He gave no name.

Sieg. Admit him, ne'ertheless.

Ah!

[The attendant introduces GABOR, afterwards exit,

Gabor. "T is, then, Werner!

Sieg. [Haughtily.] The same you knew, sir, by that name; and you!

Gabor. [Looking round.] I recognise you both: father and son,

It seems. Count, I have heard that you, or yours,

Have lately been in search of me: I am here.

Sieg. I have sought you, and have found you: you are

charged,

(Your own heart may inform you why), with such

A crime as

[blocks in formation]

If not all men: the universal rumour

[He pauses.

My own presence on the spot-the place—the time—
And every speck of circumstance unite

To fix the blot on you.

Gabor. And on me only?

Pause ere you answer: is no other name

Save mine, stained in this business ?

Sieg. Trifling villain !

Who play'st with thine own guilt!

Of all that breathe

Thou best dost know the innocence of him

'Gainst whom thy breath would blow thy bloody slander;

But I will talk no further with a wretch,

Further than justice asks. Answer at once,

And without quibbling, to my charge.

Gabor. "T is false !

Sieg. Who says so?
Gabor. I.

Sieg. And how disprove it?

Gabor. By the presence of the murderer.

Sieg. Name him!

Gabor. He may have more names than one.

ship had so

Once on a time.

Sieg. If you mean me, I dare

Your utmost.

Gabor. You may do so, and in safety!

I know the assassin.

Sieg. Where is he?

Gabor. [Pointing to ULRIC.] Beside you!

Your lord

ULRIC rushes forward to attack GABOR; SIEGENDORF interposes.

Sieg. Liar and fiend! but you shall not be slain ; These walls are mine, and you are safe within them.

Ulric, repel this calumny, as I

[He turns to ULRIC.

Will do. I avow it is a growth so monstrous,
I could not deem it earth-born: but be calm;
It will refute itself. But touch him not.

[ULRIC endeavours to compose himself. Gabor. Look at him, Count, and then hear me.

Sieg. [First to GABOR, and then looking at ULRIC.] 1 hear

thee.

Heavens! you

Ulric. How?

look

Sieg. As on that dread night

When we met in the garden.

Ulric. [Composes himself.] It is nothing.

Gabor. Count, you are bound to hear me. I came hither Not seeking you, but sought. When I knelt down

Amidst the people in the church, I dreamed not

To find the beggared Werner in the seat

Of senators and princes; but you have called me,

And we have met.

Sieg. Go on, sir.

Gabor. Ere I do so,

Allow me to inquire who profited

By Stralenheim's death? Was 't I-as poor as ever;

And poorer by suspicion on my name!

The baron lost in that last outrage neither

Jewels nor gold; his life alone was sought,—
A life which stood between the claims of others
To honours and estates scarce less than princely.
Sieg. These hints, as vague as vain, attach no less
To me than to my son.

Gabor. I can't help that.

But let the consequence alight on him
Who feels himself the guilty one amongst us.
I speak of you, Count Siegendorf, because
I know you innocent, and deem you just.
But ere I can proceed-dare you protect me?
Dare you command me?

SIEGENDORF first looks at the Hungarian, and then at ULRIC, who has unbuckled his sabre, and is drawing lines with it on the floor-still in its sheath.

Ulric. [Looks at his father and says] Let the man go on! Gabor. I am unarmed, count-bid your son lay down His sabre.

Ulric. [Offers it to him contemptuously.] Take it.
Gabor. No, sir, 'tis enough

That we are both unarmed.—I would not choose
To wear a steel that may be stained with more
Blood than came there in battle.

Ulric. [Casts the sabre from him in contempt.]
It-or some

Such other weapon, in my hands—spared yours
Once when disarmed and at my mercy.

Gabor. True—

I have not forgotten it: you spared me for
Your own especial purpose-to sustain
An ignominy not my own.

Ulric. Proceed.

The tale is doubtless worthy the relater.

But is it of my father to hear further?

[To SIEGENDORF.

Sieg. [Takes his son by the hand.] My son! I know my

own innocence and doubt not

Of yours-but I have promised this man patience;
Let him continue.

Gabor. I accuse no man-save in my defence.
You, count, have made yourself accuser-judge:

Your hall 's my court, your heart is my tribunal.
Be just, and I'll be merciful!
Sieg. You merciful!

You! base calumniator!

Gabor. I. "Twill rest With me at last to be so.

You concealed me-
yourself,
At dead of night,

In secret passages known to
You said, and to none else.
Weary with watching in the dark, and dubious
Of tracing back my way, I saw a glimmer,
Through distant crannies, of a twinkling light:
I followed it, and reached a door-a secret
Portal-which opened to the chamber, where,
With cautious hand and slow, having first undone
As much as made a crevice of the fastening,
I looked through and beheld a purple bed,
And on it Stralenheim

Sieg. Asleep. And yet

You slew him!-Wretch !

Gabor. He was already slain,

And bleeding like a sacrifice. My own
Blood became ice.

Sieg. But he was all alone!

You saw none else? You did not see the

Gabor. No,

[He pauses from agitation.

He, whom you dare not name, nor even I
Scarce dare to recollect, was not then in

The chamber.

Sieg. [To ULRIC.] Then, my boy! thou art guiltless

still

Thou bad'st me say I was so once-oh, now

Do thou as much!

Gabor. Be patient! I can not

Recede now, though it shake the very walls
Which frown above us. You remember-or
If not, your son does-that the locks were changed
Beneath HIS chief inspection, on the morn
Which led to this same night: how he had entered
He best knows-but within an antechamber,

The door of which was half ajar, I saw

A man who washed his bloody hands, and oft

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