Lord Byron - Delphi Poets Series

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by Lord Byron


  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.

  Gab. I can’t help that. 200

  But let the consequence alight on him

  Who feels himself the guilty one amongst us.

  I speak to 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.

  Ulr. (looks at his father, and says,) Let the man go on!

  Gab. I am unarmed, Count, bid your son lay down

  His sabre.

  Ulr. (offers it to him contemptuously). Take it.

  Gab. No, sir, ‘tis enough

  That we are both unarmed — I would not choose

  To wear a steel which may be stained with more 210

  Blood than came there in battle.

  Ulr. (casts the sabre from him in contempt). It — or some

  Such other weapon in my hand — spared yours

  Once, when disarmed and at my mercy.

  Gab. True —

  I have not forgotten it: you spared me for

  Your own especial purpose — to sustain

  An ignominy not my own.

  Ulr. 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; 220

  Let him continue.

  Gab. I will not detain you,

  By speaking of myself much: I began

  Life early — and am what the world has made me.

  At Frankfort on the Oder, where I passed

  A winter in obscurity, it was

  My chance at several places of resort

  (Which I frequented sometimes, but not often)

  To hear related a strange circumstance

  In February last. A martial force,

  Sent by the state, had, after strong resistance, 230

  Secured a band of desperate men, supposed

  Marauders from the hostile camp. — They proved,

  However, not to be so — but banditti,

  Whom either accident or enterprise

  Had carried from their usual haunt — the forests

  Which skirt Bohemia — even into Lusatia.

  Many amongst them were reported of

  High rank — and martial law slept for a time.

  At last they were escorted o’er the frontiers,

  And placed beneath the civil jurisdiction 240

  Of the free town of Frankfort. Of their fate

  I know no more.

  Sieg. And what is this to Ulric?

  Gab. Amongst them there was said to be one man

  Of wonderful endowments: — birth and fortune,

  Youth, strength, and beauty, almost superhuman,

  And courage as unrivalled, were proclaimed

  His by the public rumour; and his sway,

  Not only over his associates, but

  His judges, was attributed to witchcraft,

  Such was his influence: — I have no great faith 250

  In any magic save that of the mine —

  I therefore deemed him wealthy. — But my soul

  Was roused with various feelings to seek out

  This prodigy, if only to behold him.

  Sieg. And did you so?

  Gab. You’ll hear. Chance favoured me:

  A popular affray in the public square

  Drew crowds together — it was one of those

  Occasions where men’s souls look out of them,

  And show them as they are — even in their faces:

  The moment my eye met his, I exclaimed, 260

  “This is the man!” though he was then, as since,

  With the nobles of the city. I felt sure

  I had not erred, and watched him long and nearly;

  I noted down his form — his gesture — features,

  Stature, and bearing — and amidst them all,

  ‘Midst every natural and acquired distinction,

  I could discern, methought, the assassin’s eye

  And gladiator’s heart.

  Ulr. (smiling).The tale sounds well.

  Gab. And may sound better. — He appeared to me

  One of those beings to whom Fortune bends, 270

  As she doth to the daring — and on whom

  The fates of others oft depend; besides,

  An indescribable sensation drew me

  Near to this man, as if my point of fortune

  Was to be fixed by him. — There I was wrong.

  Sieg. And may not be right now.

  Gab. I followed him,

  Solicited his notice — and obtained it —

  Though not his friendship: — it was his intention

  To leave the city privately — we left it

  Together — and together we arrived 280

  In the poor town where Werner was concealed,

  And Stralenheim was succoured — — Now we are on

  The verge — dare you hear further?

  Sieg. I must do so —

  Or I have heard too much.

  Gab. I saw in you

  A man above his station — and if not

  So high, as now I find you, in my then

  Conceptions, ‘twas that I had rarely seen

  Men such as you appeared in height of mind,

  In the most high of worldly rank; you were

  Poor, even to all save rags: I would have shared 290

  My purse, though slender, with you — you refused it.

  Sieg. Doth my refusal make a debt to you,

  That thus you urge it?

  Gab. Still you owe me something,

  Though not for that; and I owed you my safety,

  At least my seeming safety, when the slaves

  Of Stralenheim pursued me on the grounds

  That I had robbed him.

  Sieg. I concealed you — I,

  Whom and whose house you arraign, reviving viper!

  Gab. I accuse no man — save in my defence.

  You, Count, have made yourself accuser — judge: 300

  Your hall’s my court, your heart is my tribunal.

  Be just, and I’ll be merciful!

  Sieg. You merciful? —

  You! Base calumniator!

  Gab. I. ‘Twill rest

  With me at last to be so. You concealed me —

  In secret passages known to yourself,

  You said, and to none else. At dead of night,

  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 310

  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!

  Gab. 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 — —

  [He pauses from agitation.

  Gab. No,

  He, whom you dare not name, nor even I 320

  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.

  Gab. 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, 330

  The door of which was half ajar, I saw

  A man who washed his bloody hands, and oft

  With stern and anxious glance gazed back upon —

  The bleeding body — but it moved no more.

  Sieg. Oh! God of fathers!

  Gab. I beheld his features

  As I see yours — but yours they were not, though

  Resembling them — behold them in Count Ulric’s!

  Distinct as I beheld them, though the expression

  Is not now what it then was! — but it was so

  When I first charged him with the crime — so lately. 340

  Sieg. This is so —

  Gab. (interrupting him). Nay — but hear me to the end!

  Now you must do so. — I conceived myself

  Betrayed by you and him (for now I saw

  There was some tie between you) into this

  Pretended den of refuge, to become

  The victim of your guilt; and my first thought

  Was vengeance: but though armed with a short poniard

  (Having left my sword without), I was no match

  For him at any time, as had been proved

  That morning — either in address or force. 350

  I turned and fled — i’ the dark: chance rather than

  Skill made me gain the secret door of the hall,

  And thence the chamber where you slept: if I

  Had found you waking, Heaven alone can tell

  What vengeance and suspicion might have prompted;

  But ne’er slept guilt as Werner slept that night.

  Sieg. And yet I had horrid dreams! and such brief sleep,

  The stars had not gone down when I awoke.

  Why didst thou spare me? I dreamt of my father —

  And now my dream is out!

  Gab. ‘Tis not my fault, 360

  If I have read it. — Well! I fled and hid me —

  Chance led me here after so many moons —

  And showed me Werner in Count Siegendorf!

  Werner, whom I had sought in huts in vain,

  Inhabited the palace of a sovereign!

  You sought me and have found me — now you know

  My secret, and may weigh its worth.

  Sieg. (after a pause).Indeed!

  Gab. Is it revenge or justice which inspires

  Your meditation?

  Sieg. Neither — I was weighing

  The value of your secret.

  Gab. You shall know it 370

  At once: — When you were poor, and I, though poor,

  Rich enough to relieve such poverty

  As might have envied mine, I offered you

  My purse — you would not share it: — I’ll be franker

  With you: you are wealthy, noble, trusted by

  The imperial powers — you understand me?

  Sieg. Yes.

  Gab. Not quite. You think me venal, and scarce true:

  ‘Tis no less true, however, that my fortunes

  Have made me both at present. You shall aid me:

  I would have aided you — and also have 380

  Been somewhat damaged in my name to save

  Yours and your son’s. Weigh well what I have said.

  Sieg. Dare you await the event of a few minutes’

  Deliberation?

  Gab. (casts his eyes on Ulric, who is

  leaning against a pillar). If I should do so?

  Sieg. I pledge my life for yours. Withdraw into

  This tower.[Opens a turret-door.

  Gab. (hesitatingly). This is the second safe asylum

  You have offered me.

  Sieg. And was not the first so?

  Gab. I know not that even now — but will approve

  The second. I have still a further shield. —

  I did not enter Prague alone; and should I 390

  Be put to rest with Stralenheim, there are

  Some tongues without will wag in my behalf.

  Be brief in your decision!

  Sieg. I will be so. —

  My word is sacred and irrevocable

  Within these walls, but it extends no further.

  Gab. I’ll take it for so much.

  Sieg. (points to Ulric’s sabre, still upon the ground).

  Take also that —

  I saw you eye it eagerly, and him

  Distrustfully.

  Gab. (takes up the sabre). I will; and so provide

  To sell my life — not cheaply.

  [Gabor goes into the turret, which Siegendorf closes.

  Sieg. (advances to Ulric).Now, Count Ulric!

  For son I dare not call thee — What say’st thou? 400

  Ulr. His tale is true.

  Sieg. True, monster!

  Ulr. Most true, father!

  And you did well to listen to it: what

  We know, we can provide against. He must

  Be silenced.

  Sieg. Aye, with half of my domains;

  And with the other half, could he and thou

  Unsay this villany.

  Ulr. It is no time

  For trifling or dissembling. I have said

  His story’s true; and he too must be silenced.

  Sieg. How so?

  Ulr. As Stralenheim is. Are you so dull

  As never to have hit on this before? 410

  When we met in the garden, what except

  Discovery in the act could make me know

  His death? Or had the Prince’s household been

  Then summoned, would the cry for the police

  Been left to such a stranger? Or should I

  Have loitered on the way? Or could you, Werner,

  The object of the Baron’s hate and fears,

  Have fled, unless by many an hour before

  Suspicion woke? I sought and fathomed you,

  Doubting if you were false or feeble: I 420

  Perceived you were the latter: and yet so

  Confiding have I found you, that I doubted

  At times your weakness.

  Sieg. Parricide! no less

  Than common stabber! What deed of my life,

  Or thought of mine, could make you deem me fit

  For your accomplice?

  Ulr. Father, do not raise

  The devil you cannot lay between us. This

  Is time for union and for action, not

  For family disputes. While you were tortured,

  Could I be calm? Think you that I have heard 430

  This fellow’s tale without some feeling? — You

  Have taught me feeling for you and myself;

  For whom or what else did you ever teach it?

  Sieg. Oh! my dead father’s curse! ‘tis working now.

  Ulr. Let it work on! the grave will keep it down!

  Ashes are feeble foes: it is more easy

  To baffle such, than countermine a mole,

  Which winds its blind but living path beneath you.

  Yet hear me still! — If you condemn me, yet,

  Rem
ember who hath taught me once too often 440

  To listen to him! Who proclaimed to me

  That there were crimes made venial by the occasion?

  That passion was our nature? that the goods

  Of Heaven waited on the goods of fortune?

  Who showed me his humanity secured

  By his nerves only? Who deprived me of

  All power to vindicate myself and race

  In open day? By his disgrace which stamped

  (It might be) bastardy on me, and on

  Himself — a felon’s brand! The man who is 450

  At once both warm and weak invites to deeds

  He longs to do, but dare not. Is it strange

  That I should act what you could think? We have done

  With right and wrong; and now must only ponder

  Upon effects, not causes. Stralenheim,

  Whose life I saved from impulse, as unknown,

  I would have saved a peasant’s or a dog’s, I slew

  Known as our foe — but not from vengeance. He

  Was a rock in our way which I cut through,

  As doth the bolt, because it stood between us 460

  And our true destination — but not idly.

  As stranger I preserved him, and he owed me

  His life: when due, I but resumed the debt.

  He, you, and I stood o’er a gulf wherein

  I have plunged our enemy. You kindled first

  The torch — you showed the path; now trace me that

  Of safety — or let me!

  Sieg. I have done with life!

  Ulr. Let us have done with that which cankers life —

  Familiar feuds and vain recriminations

  Of things which cannot be undone. We have 470

  No more to learn or hide: I know no fear,

  And have within these very walls men who

  (Although you know them not) dare venture all things.

  You stand high with the state; what passes here

  Will not excite her too great curiosity:

  Keep your own secret, keep a steady eye,

  Stir not, and speak not; — leave the rest to me:

  We must have no third babblers thrust between us.

  [Exit Ulric.

  Sieg. (solus). Am I awake? are these my father’s halls?

  And you — my son? My son! mine! I who have ever 480

  Abhorred both mystery and blood, and yet

  Am plunged into the deepest hell of both!

  I must be speedy, or more will be shed —

  The Hungarian’s! — Ulric — he hath partisans,

  It seems: I might have guessed as much. Oh fool!

  Wolves prowl in company. He hath the key

  (As I too) of the opposite door which leads

  Into the turret. Now then! or once more

  To be the father of fresh crimes, no less

  Than of the criminal! Ho! Gabor! Gabor! 490

 

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