HUG. Noble sir, how shall I tell what has hap- made all Germany shudder. And thou hast counpened? ROD. What? HUG. Martin has escaped. ROD. Villain, thy life shall pay it! (Strikes at HrGo-is held by WOLFSTEIN.) WOLF. Hold, hold, Count Roderic! Hugo may be blameless. ? ROD. Reckless slave! how came he to escape HUG. Under the disguise of a monk's habit, whom by your orders we brought to confess him. ROD. Has he been long gone? HUG. An hour and more since he passed our sentinels, disguised as the chaplain of Aspen: but he walked so slowly and feebly, I think he cannot yet have reached the posts of the enemy. ROD. Where is the treacherous priest? HUG. He waits his doom not far from hence. [Exit HUGO. ROD. Drag him hither. The miscreant that snatched the morsel of vengeance from the lion of Maltingen, shall expire under torture. Re-enter Hugo, with BERTRAM and Attendants. ROD. Villain! what tempted thee, under the garb of a minister of religion, to steal a criminal from the hand of justice? BER. I am no villain, Count Roderic; and I only aided the escape of one wounded wretch whom thou didst mean to kill basely. ROD. Liar and slave! thou hast assisted a murderer, upon whom justice had sacred claims. teracted it-thou, the brother of the murdered Arnolf? BER. Can this be so, Wolfstein ? WOLF. I heard Martin confess the murder. ROD. What, in the name of evil, brought thee here? BER. I am the last of my race. When I was outlawed, as thou knowest, the lands of Ebers dorf, my rightful inheritance, were declared forfeited, and the Emperor bestowed them upon | Rudiger when he married Isabella. I attempted to defend my domain, but Rudiger-Hell thank him for it-enforced the ban against me at the head of his vassals, and I was constrained to fly. Since then I have warred against the Saracens in Spain and Palestine. ROD. But why didst thou return to a land where death attends thy being discovered ? BER. Impatience urged me to see once more the land of my nativity, and the towers of Ebersdorf. I came there yesterday, under the name of the minstrel Minhold. ROD. And what prevailed on thee to undertake to deliver Martin? BER. George, though I told not my name, engaged to procure the recall of the ban; besides, he told me Martin's life was in danger, and I accounted the old villain to be the last remaining follower of our house. But, as God shall judge me, the tale of horror thou hast mentioned I could 1 not have even suspected. Report ran, that my brother died of the plague. WOLF. Raised for the purpose, doubtless, of preventing attendance upon his sick-bed, and an inspection of his body. BER. My vengeance shall be dreadful as its cause! The usurpers of my inheritance, the robbers of my honor, the murderers of my brother, shall be cut off, root and branch! ROD. Thou art, then, welcome here; especially if thou art still a true brother to our invisible order. BER. I am. ROD. There is a meeting this night on the business of thy brother's death. Some are now come. I must dispatch them in pursuit of Martin. Enter HUGO. HUG. The foes advance, sir knight. ROD. Back! back to the ruins! Come with,us, Bertram; on the road thou shalt hear the dreadful history. [Exeunt. From the opposite side enter GEORGE, HENRY, WICKERD, CONRAD, and Soldiers. GEO. No news of Martin yet? WIC. None, sir knight. GEO. Nor of the minstrel? WIC. None. GEO. Then he has betrayed me, or is prisoner misery either way. Begone, and search the wood, Wickerd. [Exeunt WICKERD and followers. HEN. Still this dreadful gloom on thy brow, brother? GEO. Ay! what else? HEN. Shall I guess? GEO. I charge thee, no! HEN. I must. Thou art one of the secret judges. GEO. Dost thou know what the discovery has cost thee? HEN. I care not. GEO. He who discovers any part of our mystery must himself become one of our number. HEN. How so? GEO. If he does not consent, his secrecy will be speedily ensured by his death. To that we are sworn-take thy choice! HEN. Well, are you not banded in secret to punish those offenders whom the sword of justice cannot reach, or who are shielded from its stroke by the buckler of power? GEO. Such is indeed the purpose of our fraternity; but the end is pursued through paths dark, intricate, and slippery with blood. Who is he that shall tread them with safety Accursed be the hour in which I entered the labyrinth, and doubly accursed that, in which thou too must lose the cheerful sunshine of a soul without a mystery! HEN. Yet for thy sake will I be a member. GEO. Henry, thou didst rise this morning a free No one could say to thee, "Why dost thou so?" Thou layest thee down to-night the veriest slave that ever tugged at an oar-the slave of men whose actions will appear to thee savage and incomprehensible, and whom thou must aid against the world, upon peril of thy throat. man. HEN. Be it so. I will share your lot. GEO. Alas, Henry! Heaven forbid! But since HEN. Once thou thoughtest me worthy of thy thou hast by a hasty word fettered thyself, I will friendship. avail myself of thy bondage. Mount thy fleetest steed, and hie thee this very night to the Duke of Bavaria. He is chief and paramount of our chapter. Show him this signet and this letter; tell him that matters will be this night discussed concerning the house of Aspen. Bid him speed him to the assembly, for he well knows the president is our deadly foe. He will admit thee a member of our holy body. HEN. Who is the foe whom you dread? GEO. Young man, the first duty thou must learn is implicit and blind obedience. HEN. Well! I shall soon return and see thee ous; and, should we not meet again, take my blessing and this embrace-and this-(embraces him warmly.) And now haste to the duke. (Exit HENRY.) Poor youth, thou little knowest what thou hast undertaken. But if Martin has escaped, and if the duke arrives, they will not dare to proceed without proof. Re-enter WICKERD and followers. WIC. We have made a follower of Maltingen prisoner, Baron George, who reports that Martin has escaped. GEO. Joy! joy! such joy as I can now feel! Set him free for the good news-and, Wickerd, keep a good watch in this spot all night. Send out scouts to find Martin, lest he should not be able to reach Ebersdorf. WIC. I shall, noble sir. [The kettle-drums and trumpets flourish as for setting the watch: the scene closes. band. Leave me, leave me, Gertrude. I follow in a moment. (Exit GERTRUDE.) Ay, there he lies! forgetful alike of his crimes and injuries! Insensible, as if this chapel had never rung with my shrieks, or the castle resounded to his parting groans! When shall I sleep so soundly? (4 she gazes on the monument, a figure muffled in black appears from behind it.) Merciful God! is it a vision, such as has haunted my couch (It ap proaches: she goes on with mingled terror and resolution.) Ghastly phantom, art thou the restless spirit of one who died in agony, or art thou the mysterious being that must guide me to the preence of the avengers of blood? (Figure bends its head and beckons.)-To-morrow! To-morrow! I cannot follow thee now! (Figure shows a dagger from beneath its cloak.) Compulsion! I understand thee: I will follow. (She follows the figure a little way; he turns and wraps a black veil round her head, and takes her hand: then both ereunt behind the monument.) SCENE II. The chapel at Ebersdorf, an ancient Gothic building. ISABELLA is discovered rising from before the altar, near. on which burn two tapers. ISA. I cannot pray. Terror and guilt have stifled devotion. The heart must be at ease-the hands must be pure when they are lifted to Heaven. Midnight is the hour of summons: it is now How can I pray, when I go resolved to deny a crime which every drop of my blood could not wash away! And my son! Oh! he will fall the victim of my crime! Arnolf! Arnolf! thou art dreadfully avenged! (Tap at the door.) The footstep of my dreadful guide. (Tap again.) My courage is no more. (Enter GERTRUDE by the door.) Gertrude is it only thou? (embraces her.) GER. Dear aunt, leave this awful place; it chills my very blood. My uncle sent me to call you to the hall. ISA. Who is in the hall? GER. Only Reynold and the family, with whom my uncle is making merry. ISA. Sawest thou no strange faces? ISA. Art thou sure of that? Is George there? GER. No, nor Henry; both have ridden out. I think they might have staid one day at least. But come, aunt, I hate this place; it reminds me of my dream. See, yonder was the spot where methought they were burying you alive, below yon monument (pointing.) Isa. (starting.) The monument of my first hus FRANK. Yes, up to the hemlock marsh. It is a stormy night; the moon shone on the Wolfshill, and on the dead bodies with which to-day's work has covered it. We heard the spirit of the house of Maltingen wailing over the slaughter of its adherents: I durst go no farther. WIC. Hen-hearted rascal! The spirit of some old raven, who was picking their bones. CON. Nay, Wickerd; the churchmen say there are such things. FRANK. Ay; and Father Ludovic told us last sermon, how the devil twisted the neck of ten farmers at Kletterbach, who refused to pay Peter's pence. WIC. Yes, some church devil, no doubt. FRANK. Nay, old Reynold says, that in passing, by midnight, near the old chapel at our castle, he saw it all lighted up, and heard a chorus of voices sing the funeral service. ANOTHER SOLDIER. Father Ludovic heard the same. WIC. Hear me, ye hare-livered boys! Can you look death in the face in battle, and dread such nursery bugbears? Old Reynold saw his vision in the strength of the grape. As for the chaplain, far be it from me to name the spirit which visits him; but I know what I know, when I found him confessing Bertrand's pretty Agnes in the chestnut grove. CON. But, Wickerd, though I have often heard of strange tales which I could not credit, yet there is one in our family so well attested, that I almost believe it. Shall I tell it you? ALL SOLDIERS. Do! do tell it, gentle Conrad. WIC. And I will take t'other sup of Rhenish to fence against the horrors of the tale. CON. It is about my own uncle and godfather, Albert of Horsheim. WIC. I have seen him-he was a gallant warrior. Though thou art Lord Henry's page, I shall teach thee who commands this party. ALL SOLDIERS. Peace, peace, good Wickerd: let Conrad proceed. CON. Where was I? FRANK. About the mirror. CON. True. My uncle beheld in the mirror the reflection of a human face distorted and covered with blood. A voice pronounced articulately, "It is yet time." As the words were spoken, my uncle discerned in the ghastly visage the features of his own father. SOLDIER. Hush! By St. Francis, I heard a groan. (They start up all but WICKERD.) WIC. The croaking of a frog, who has caught cold in this bitter night, and sings rather more hoarsely than usual. FRANK. Wickerd, thou art surely no Christian. (They sit down, and close round the fire.) CON. Well-my uncle called up his attendants, and they searched every nook of the chamber, but found nothing. So they covered the mirror with a cloth, and Albert was left alone; but hardly had he closed his eyes when the same voice proclaimed, "It is now too late;" the covering was drawn aside, and he saw the figure FRANK. Merciful Virgin! It comes. (All rise.) CON. See yon figure coming from the thicket! Enter MARTIN, in the monk's dress, much disordered: his face is very pale and his steps slow. WIC. (levelling his pike.) Man or devil, which thou wilt, thou shalt feel cold iron, if thou budgest a foot nearer. (MARTIN stops.) Who art thou? What dost thou seek? MAR. To warm myself at your fire. It is deadly cold. WIC. See there, ye cravens, your apparition is a poor benighted monk: sit down, father. (They CON. Well he was long absent in the Bohe-place MARTIN by the fire.) By heaven, it is Martin mian wars. In an expedition he was benighted, and came to a lone house on the edge of a forest: he and his followers knocked repeatedly for entrance in vain. They forced the door, but found no inhabitants. FRANK. And they made good their quarters? Cox. They did: and Albert retired to rest in an upper chamber. Opposite to the bed on which he threw himself was a large mirror. At midnight he was awaked by deep groans: he cast his eyes upon the mirror, and saw FRANK Sacred Heaven! Heard you nothing? WIC. Ay, the wind among the wither'd leaves. Go on, Conrad. Your uncle was a wise man. CON. That's more than gray hairs can make other folks. WIC. Ha! stripling, art thou so malapert? -our Martin! Martin, how fares it with thee? MAR. Did you see him too? MAR. No! my first master, Arnolf of Ebersdorf. MAR. He passed me but now in the wood, mounted upon his old black steed; its nostrils breathed smoke and flame; neither tree nor rock stopped him. He said, "Martin, thou wilt return this night to my service!" WIC. Wrap thy cloak around him, Francis; he is distracted with cold and pain. Dost thou not recollect me, old friend? MAR. Yes, you are the butler at Ebersdorf: you have the charge of the large gilded cup, embossed with the figures of the twelve apostles. It was the favorite goblet of my old master. CON. By our lady, Martin, thou must be distracted indeed, to think our master would intrust Wickerd with the care of the cellar. MAR. I know a face so like the apostate Judas on that cup. I have seen the likeness when I gazed on & mirror. Wic. Try to go to sleep, dear Martin; it will relieve thy brain. (Footsteps are heard in the wood.) To your arms. (They take their arms.) warmed his blood-stained hands-every element bore witness to his guilt. MAR. Conrad, good youth-lead me from hence, and I will show thee where, thirty years since, I deposited a mighty bribe, [Rises CON. Be patient, good Martin. WIC. And where was the miscreant seized? 1 MEM. On this very spot. WIC. Traitors, unloose your hold! 1 MEM. In the name of the Invisible Judges, I Enter two MEMBERS of the Invisible Tribunal, muf- charge ye, impede us not in our duty. fled in their cloaks. Cox. Stand! Who are you? 1 MEM. Travellers benighted in the wood. WIC. Are ye friends to Aspen or Maltingen? 1 MEM. We enter not into their quarrel: we are friends to the right. WIC. Then are ye friends to us, and welcome to pass the night by our fire. 2 MEM. Thanks. (They approach the fire, and regard MARTIN very earnestly.) CON. Hear ye any news abroad? 2 MEM. None; but that oppression and villany are rife and rank as ever. WIC. The old complaint. 1 MEM. NO! never did former age equal this in wickedness; and yet, as if the daily commission of enormities were not enough to blot the sun, every hour discovers crimes which have lain concealed for years. CON. Pity the Holy Tribunal should slumber in its office. 2 MEM. Young man, it slumbers not. When criminals are ripe for its vengeance, it falls like the bolt of Heaven. MAR. (attempting to rise.) Let me be gone. 1 MEM. Even now, we heard a tale of a villain, who, ungrateful as the frozen adder, stung the bosom that had warmed him into life. MAR. Conrad, bear me off; I would be away from these men. CON. Be at ease, and strive to sleep. MAR. Too well I know-I shall never sleep again. ? MEM. The wretch of whom we speak became, from revenge and lust of gain, the murderer of the master whose bread he did eat. WIC. Out upon the monster! 1 MEM. For nearly thirty years was he permitted to cumber the ground. The miscreant thought his crime was concealed; but the earth which groaned under his footsteps-the winds which passed over his unhallowed head-the stream which he polluted by his lips—the fire at which he [All sink their weapons, and stand mo tionless. MAR. Help! help! 1 MEM. Help him with your prayers! ACT V-SCENE I. The subterranean chapel of the Castle of Griefenhaus. It seems deserted, and in decay. There are four entrances, each defended by an iron portal, At each door stands a warder clothed in black, and masked, armed with a naked sword. During the whole scene they remain motionless on their posts. In the centre of the chapel is a ruinous altar, half sunk in the ground, on which lie a large book, a dagger, and a coil of ropes, beside two lighted tapers. Antique stone benches of different heights around the chapel. In the back scene is seen a dilapidated entrance into the sacristy, which is quite dark. Various Members of the Invisible Tribunal enter by the four different doors of the chapel. Each whispers something as he passes the Warder, which is answered by an inclination of the head. The costume of the Members is a long black robe capable of muffling the face: some wear it in this manner; others have their faces uncovered, unless on the entrance of a stranger: they place themselves in profound silence upon the stone benches. Enter COUNT RODERIC, dressed in a scarlet eloak of the same form with those of the other Members. He takes his place on the most elevated bench. ROD. Warders, secure the doors! (The doors are barred with great care.) Herald, do thy duty! [Members all rise-Herald stands by the altar. HER. Members of the Invisible Tribunal, who judge in secret, and avenge in secret, like the Deity, |