By patient scrutiny, we may discover

Whether they merit death, or should be placed
In care of the physicians.

[Exeunt OTHO and Nobles, ALBERT following. Con. My guards, ho!

Erm.

Albert, wilt thou follow there? 245

Wilt thou creep dastardly behind his back,
And shrink away from a weak woman's eye?
Turn, thou court-Janus! thou forget'st thyself;
Here is the duke, waiting with open arms,

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[Enter Guards. To thank thee; here congratulate each other; Wring hands; embrace; and say how lucky 'twas That I, by happy chance, hit the right man Of all the world to trust in.

Alb.

Trust! to me!

Con. (aside). He is the sole one in this mystery. Erm. Well, I give up, and save my prayers for

Heaven!.

You, who could do this deed, would ne'er relent,

Though, at my words, the hollow prison-vaults
Would groan for pity.

Con.

Manacle them both!

Eth. I know it-it must be-I see it all!

Albert, thou art the minion!

Erm.

Ah! too plain

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Con. Silence! Gag up their mouths! I cannot bear More of this brawling. That the Emperor

Had placed you in some other custody!

Bring them away.

[Exeunt all but Albert.

Alb. Though my name perish from the book of honour,

Almost before the recent ink is dry,
And be no more remember'd after death,
Than any drummer's in the muster-roll;
Yet shall I season high my sudden fall
With triumph o'er that evil-witted duke!
He shall feel what it is to have the hand
Of a man drowning, on his hateful throat.

Enter GERSA and SIGIFred.

Ger. What discord is at ferment in this house?
Sig. We are without conjecture; not a soul

We met could answer any certainty.

Ger. Young Ludolph, like a fiery arrow, shot By us.

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Sig. The Emperor, with cross'd arms, in thought. Ger. In one room music, in another sadness, Perplexity everywhere!

AURANTHE and CONRAD discovered.

Con. Well, well, I know what ugly jeopardy
We are caged in; you need not pester that
Into my ears. Prythee, let me be spared
A foolish tongue, that I may bethink me

Of remedies with some deliberation.
You cannot doubt but 'tis in Albert's power

To crush or save us?

Aur.

No, I cannot doubt.

He has, assure yourself, by some strange means,
My secret; which I ever hid from him,

Knowing his mawkish honesty.

Con.

Cursed slave!

Aur. Aye, I could almost curse him now myself.
Wretched impediment! Evil genius!

A glue upon my wings, that cannot spread,
When they should span the provinces! A snake,
A scorpion, sprawling on the first gold step,
Conducting to the throne, high canopied.

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15

Con. You would not hear my counsel, when his life Might have been trodden out, all sure and hush'd ; Now the dull animal forsooth must be

Intreated, managed! When can you contrive
The interview he demands?

Aur.

As speedily

It must be done as my brib'd woman can
Unseen conduct him to me; but I fear
'Twill be impossible, while the broad day
Comes through the panes with persecuting glare.
Methinks, if 't now were night I could intrigue
With darkness, bring the stars to second me,
And settle all this trouble.

Con.

Nonsense! Child!

See him immediately; why not now?

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25

Aur. Do you forget that even the senseless door

posts

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Are on the watch and gape through all the house?
How many whisperers there are about,

Hungry for evidence to ruin me ;

Men I have spurn'd, and women I have taunted?
Besides, the foolish prince sends, minute whiles,
His pages so they tell me to enquire

After my health, entreating, if I please,
To see me.

Con.

Well, suppose this Albert here;

What is your power with him?

Aur.

He should be

My echo, my taught parrot! but I fear
He will be cur enough to bark at me;
Have his own say; read me some silly creed
'Bout shame and pity.

Con.

What will you do then?

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40

Aur. What I shall do, I know not what I would Cannot be done; for see, this chamber-floor

Will not yield to the pick-axe and the spade,

Here is no quiet depth of hollow ground.

Con. Sister, you have grown sensible and wise, Seconding, ere I speak it, what is now,

I hope, resolv'd between us.

Aur.

Say, what is't?

Con. You need not be his sexton too: a man
May carry that with him shall make him die
Elsewhere, give that to him; pretend the while
You will to-morrow succumb to his wishes,

Be what they may, and send him from the Castle
On some fool's errand; let his latest groan
Frighten the wolves!

VOL. II.

Τ

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50

55

Alas! he must not die!

Aur.

Con. Would you were both hearsed up in stifling

lead!

Detested

Conrad, hold! I would not bear

Aur.

The little thunder of your fretful tongue,
Tho' I alone were taken in these toils,

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And you could free me; but remember, sir,
You live alone in my security:

So keep your wits at work, for your own sake,
Not mine, and be more mannerly.

Con.

Thou wasp!

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If my domains were emptied of these folk,
And I had thee to starve-

Aur.

O, marvellous !

But Conrad, now be gone; the host is look'd for;
Cringe to the Emperor, entertain the Lords,
And, do ye mind, above all things, proclaim
My sickness, with a brother's sadden'd eye,
Condoling with Prince Ludolph. In fit time
Return to me.

Con.

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I leave you to your thoughts. [Exit. Aur. (sola). Down, down, proud temper ! down, Auranthe's pride!

Why do I anger him when I should kneel?
Conrad! Albert! help! help! What can I do?
O wretched woman! lost, wreck'd, swallow'd up,
Accursed, blasted! O, thou golden Crown,
Orbing along the serene firmament

Of a wide empire, like a glowing moon;
And thou, bright sceptre ! lustrous in my eyes,—

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