The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume II Part 151

It is indeed a mighty sorcery 460 That doth enthral thy young heart, my poor girl, And what hath Laska told thee?

_Glycine._ Three days past A courier from the king did cross that wood; A wilful man, that armed himself on purpose: And never hath been heard of from that time! 465

[_Sound of horns without._

_Sarolta._ Hark! dost thou hear it!

_Glycine._ 'Tis the sound of horns!

Our huntsmen are not out!

_Sarolta._ Lord Casimir Would not come thus! [_Horns again._

_Glycine._ Still louder!

_Sarolta._ Haste we hence!

For I believe in part thy tale of terror!

But, trust me, 'tis the inner man transformed: 470 Beasts in the shape of men are worse than war-wolves.

[_SAROLTA and GLYCINE exeunt. Trumpets, &c. louder. Enter EMERICK, LORD RUDOLPH, LASKA, and_ Huntsmen _and_ Attendants.

_Rudolph._ A gallant chase, sire.

_Emerick._ Aye, but this new quarry That we last started seems worth all the rest.

[_then to Laska._

And you--excuse me--what's your name?

_Laska._ Whatever Your majesty may please.

_Emerick._ Nay, that's too late, man. 475 Say, what thy mother and thy G.o.dfather Were pleased to call thee.

_Laska._ Laska, my liege sovereign.

_Emerick._ Well, my liege subject, Laska! And you are Lord Casimir's steward?

_Laska._ And your majesty's creature.

_Emerick._ Two gentle dames made off at our approach. 480 Which was your lady?

_Laska_ My liege lord, the taller.

The other, please your grace, is her poor handmaid, Long since betrothed to me. But the maid's froward-- Yet would your grace but speak--

_Emerick._ Hum, master steward!

I am honoured with this sudden confidence. 485 Lead on. [_to Laska, then to Rudolph._ Lord Rudolph, you'll announce our coming.

Greet fair Sarolta from me, and entreat her To be our gentle hostess. Mark, you add How much we grieve, that business of the state Hath forced us to delay her lord's return. 490

_Lord Rudolph (aside)._ Lewd, ingrate tyrant! Yes, I will announce thee.

_Emerick._ Now onward all. [_Exeunt attendants._ A fair one, by my faith!

If her face rival but her gait and stature, My good friend Casimir had his reasons too.

'Her tender health, her vow of strict retirement, 495 Made early in the convent--His word pledged--'

All fictions, all! fictions of jealousy.

Well! If the mountain move not to the prophet, The prophet must to the mountain! In this Laska There's somewhat of the knave mixed up with dolt. 500 Through the transparence of the fool, methought, I saw (as I could lay my finger on it) The crocodile's eye, that peered up from the bottom.

This knave may do us service. Hot ambition Won me the husband. Now let vanity 505 And the resentment for a forced seclusion Decoy the wife! Let him be deemed the aggressor Whose cunning and distrust began the game! [_Exit._

FOOTNOTES:

[906:1] This line was borrowed unconsciously from the Excursion. ['Why should a tear be in an old man's eye?' _Excursion_, Bk. I, l. 598 (1814).]

Refers (i. e. 'strangers' in l. 163) to the tears which he feels starting in his eye. The following line was borrowed from Mr.

Wordsworth's Excursion. _1817_, _1828_, _1829_.

[908:1] For the best account of the War-wolf or Lycanthropus, see Drayton's _Moon-calf_, Chalmers' English Poets, vol. iv, p. 133.

[911:1]

In the English dramatic Iambic pentameter, a and hypera-catalectic, [_sic_] the arsis strengthened by the emphasis (in which our blank verse differs from the Greek Prosody, which acknowledges no influence from emphasis) and a.s.sisted by the following caesura, permits the licence of an amphimacer ? for a spondee : the intermediate ? being sucked up. Thus,

orphan: left:--

and still more easily an amphibrach for a spondee.

This oth | er fragment | thrown back, &c.

[MS. note by S. T. C. in copy of first Edition to lines 302 and 304. In the text 'orphan' and 'fragment' are marked with an accent.]

LINENOTES:

[11] [_Pointing to BATHORY'S dwelling. SAROLTA answering, points to where she then stands._

[56] _you_ 1817, 1828, 1829.

[After 74] [_Angry voices and clamour without._ 1817.

[Before 89] _Laska (pompously, as commencing a set speech)._ 1817, 1828, 1829.

[132] _Sarolta (speaks with affected anger)._ 1817, 1828, 1829.

[After 132] [_Exit GLYCINE, mournfully._ 1817, 1828, 1829.

[135] _us_ 1817, 1828, 1829.

[174]