it till the author is no more! (RUDIGER at- RUD. (still held.) Cowardly villains, let me RUD. Oh! let me go-let me but try to stop, her blood, and I will forgive all. ROD. Drag him off and detain him. The voice of lamentation must not disturb the stern deliberation of justice. RUD. Bloodhound of Maltingen! Well beseems thee thy base revenge! The marks of my son's lance are still on thy craven crest! Vengeance on the band of ye! [RUDIGER is dragged off to the sacristy. ROD. Brethren, we stand discovered! What is to be done to him who shall descry our mystery? ELDEST JUDGE. He must become a brother of our order, or die! ROD. This man will never join us! cannot put his hands into ours, which are He stained with the blood of his wife and son: he must therefore die! (Murmurs in the assembly.) Brethren! I wonder not at your reluctance; but the man is powerful, has friends and allies to buckler his cause. over with us, and with our order, unless the It is laws are obeyed. (Fainter murmurs.) Besides, have we not sworn a deadly oath to execute these statutes? (A dead silence.) Take to thee the steel and the cord (to the eldest judge.) ELDEST JUDGE. He has done no evil-he was the companion of my battle--I will not! ROD. (to another.) Do thou-and succeed to the rank of him who has disobeyed. Remember your oath! (Member takes the dagger, and goes irresolutely forward; looks into the sacristy, and comes back.) MEM. He has fainted-fainted in anguish for his wife and his son; the bloody ground is strewed with his white hairs, torn by those hands that have fought for Christendom. I will not be your butcher. (Throws down the dagger.) BER. Irresolute and perjured! the robber of my inheritance, the author of my exile, shall die! ROD. Thanks, Bertram. Execute the doom -secure the safety of the holy tribunal ! [BERTRAM seizes the dagger, and is about to rush into the sacristy, when three loud knocks are heard at the door. ALL. Hold! Hold! [The Duke of BAVARIA, attended by many Members of the Invisible Tribunal, enters, dressed in a scarlet mantle trimmed with ermine, and wearing a ducal crown. He carries a rod in his hand.-All rise.-A murmur among the Members, who whisper to each other, "The Duke," "The Chief," &c. ROD. The Duke of Bavaria ! I am lost. HEN. (who enters with the Duke.) Gracious Heaven! RUD. (from sacristy.) Henry-it is thy voice -save me! [HENRY rushes into the serials. the seat which thou hast dishonoured.- ROD. Chief among our circles, I have but acted according to our laws. of our statutes, and woe am I that they do with treachery-thou art my liege lord-but accept thy challenge! in the lists-there lies my gage. not. (TO RODERIC.) (Curtain slowly falls.) Woodfall & Kinder, Printers, Milford Lane, Strand, London, W.C. |