LUDOLPH.

I do believe you.
No, 'twas not to make
A father his son's debtor, or to heal
His deep heart-sickness for a rebel child.
'Twas done in memory of my boyish days,
Poor cancel for his kindness to my youth,
For all his calming of my childish griefs,
And all his smiles upon my merriment.

No, not a thousand foughten fields could sponge
Those days paternal from my memory,
Though now upon my head he heaps disgrace.

SIGIFRED.

My Prince, you think too harshly—

LUDOLPH.

Can I so?

Hath he not gall'd my spirit to the quick?
And with a sullen rigour obstinate

Pour'd out a phial of wrath upon my faults?
Hunted me as the Tartar does the boar,
Driven me to the very edge o' the world,
And almost put a price upon my head?

SIGIFRED.

Remember how he spar'd the rebel lords.

LUDOLPH.

Yes, yes, I know he hath a noble nature

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That cannot trample on the fallen. But his

Is not the only proud heart in his realm.

He hath wrong'd me, and I have done him wrong;
He hath lov'd me, and I have shown him kindness;
We should be almost equal.

SIGIFRED.

Yet, for all this,

I would you had appear'd among those lords,

And ta'en his favour.

LUDOLPH.

Ha! till now I thought

My friend had held poor Ludolph's honour dear.
What! would you have me sue before his throne
And kiss the courtier's missal, its silk steps?
Or hug the golden housings of his steed,
Amid a camp, whose steeled swarms I dar'd
But yesterday? And, at the trumpet sound,
Bow like some unknown mercenary's flag,
And lick the soiled grass? No, no, my friend,
I would not, I, be pardon'd in the heap,
And bless indemnity with all that scum,-

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Those men I mean, who on my shoulders propp'd
Their weak rebellion, winning me with lies,
And pitying forsooth my many wrongs;
Poor self-deceived wretches, who must think
Each one himself a king in embryo,

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Because some dozen vassals cry'd—my lord!
Cowards, who never knew their little hearts,
Till flurried danger held the mirror up,

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And then they own'd themselves without a blush,
Curling, like spaniels, round my father's feet.
Such things deserted me and are forgiven,
While I, least guilty, am an outcast still,
And will be, for I love such fair disgrace.

SIGIFRED.

I know the clear truth; so would Otho see,

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For he is just and noble. Fain would I

Be pleader for you

LUDOLPH.

He'll hear none of it;

You know his temper, hot, proud, obstinate;
Endanger not yourself so uselessly.

I will encounter his thwart spleen myself,

To-day, at the Duke Conrad's, where he keeps
His crowded state after the victory.

There will I be, a most unwelcome guest,

And parley with him, as a son should do,
Who doubly loathes a father's tyranny;
Tell him how feeble is that tyranny;
How the relationship of father and son
Is no more valid than a silken leash
Where lions tug adverse, if love grow not
From interchanged love through many years.
Aye, and those turreted Franconian walls,
Like to a jealous casket, hold my pearl-
My fair Auranthe! Yes, I will be there.

SIGIFRED.

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Be not so rash; wait till his wrath shall pass,
Until his royal spirit softly ebbs

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Self-influenced; then, in his morning dreams
He will forgive thee, and awake in grief
To have not thy good morrow.

LUDOLPH.

Yes, to-day

I must be there, while her young pulses beat
Among the new-plum'd minions of the war.
Have you seen her of late? No? Auranthe,
Franconia's fair sister, 'tis I mean.

She should be paler for my troublous days-
And there it is my father's iron lips

Have sworn divorcement 'twixt me and my right.

SIGIFRED (aside).

Auranthe! I had hop'd this whim had pass'd.

LUDOLPH.

And, Sigifred, with all his love of justice,
When will he take that grandchild in his arms,
That, by my love I swear, shall soon be his?
This reconcilement is impossible,

For see-but who are these?

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SIGIFRED.

They are messengers

From our great emperor; to you, I doubt not,
For couriers are abroad to seek you out.

Enter THEODORE and GONFRED.

THEODORE.

Seeing so many vigilant eyes explore
The province to invite your highness back
To your high dignities, we are too happy.

GONFRED.

We have no eloquence to colour justly
The emperor's anxious wishes.

LUDOLPH.

Go. I follow you.

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[Exeunt THEODORE and GONFRED.

I play the prude: it is but venturing—

Why should he be so earnest? Come, my friend,
Let us to Friedburg castle.

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ACT II.

SCENE I.-An Ante-chamber in the Castle.

Enter LUDOLPH and SIGIFRED.

LUDOLPH.

No more advices, no more cautioning;

I leave it all to fate-to any thing!

I cannot square my conduct to time, place,
Or circumstance; to me 'tis all a mist!

I say no more.

SIGIFRED.

LUDOLPH.

It seems I am to wait

Here in the ante-room ;-that may be a trifle.
You see now how I dance attendance here,
Without that tyrant temper, you so blame,
Snapping the rein. You have medicin'd met
With good advices; and I here remain,
In this most honourable ante-room,
Your patient scholar.

SIGIFRED.

Do not wrong me, Prince.

By Heavens, I'd rather kiss Duke Conrad's slipper,
When in the morning he doth yawn with pride,
Than see you humbled but a half-degree!

Truth is, the Emperor would fain dismiss

The nobles ere he sees you.

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