“Sate he upon the throne, slept he within the bridal chamber, knelt he at the altar, I would sacrifice the wretch, to the Ghost of the betrayed—”
“To thy knees, to thy knees, and take the oath of vengeance.”
“I kneel, father, I kneel. The oath, the oath!”
“What manner of oath dost thou hold most sacred? Wilt swear by the Cross, by the Holy Trinity, by the Death of the Incarnate, or by the awful existence of God?”
“By my mother’s name.”
“Place the cross to thy lips, raise thy hands to heaven. Swear—by the Holy Cross, by the Awful Trinity, by the Incarnate God—by thy Mother’s Name—that when thy eye first beholds the wronger and the ravisher, thy dagger shall seek his heart.”
“I swear—I swear!”
“Though he sate on the throne, though he slept within the bridal chamber, though he knelt beside the altar!”
“I swear—I swear!”
And the hollow echoes of the Red-Chamber gave back the echo—“Swear—swear!”