Chef Ragozzi. Halt! [Stops him. 65
On pain of death, my Lord! am I commanded
To stop all ingress to the palace.

Raab Kiuprili. Thou!

Chef Ragozzi. No place, no name, no rank excepted—

Raab Kiuprili. Thou!

Chef Ragozzi. This life of mine, O take it, Lord Kiuprili!
I give it as a weapon to thy hands, [70]
Mine own no longer. Guardian of Illyria,
Useless to thee, 'tis worthless to myself.
Thou art the framer of my nobler being;
Nor does there live one virtue in my soul,
One honourable hope, but calls thee father. 75
Yet ere thou dost resolve, know that yon palace
Is guarded from within, that each access
Is thronged by armed conspirators, watched by ruffians
Pampered with gifts, and hot upon the spoil
Which that false promiser still trails before them. 80
I ask but this one boon—reserve my life
Till I can lose it for the realm and thee!

Raab Kiuprili. My heart is rent asunder. O my country,
O fallen Illyria, stand I here spell-bound?
Did my King love me? Did I earn his love? 85
Have we embraced as brothers would embrace?
Was I his arm, his thunder-bolt? And now
Must I, hag-ridden, pant as in a dream?
[[887]] Or, like an eagle, whose strong wings press up
Against a coiling serpent's folds, can I 90
Strike but for mockery, and with restless beak
Gore my own breast?—Ragozzi, thou art faithful?

Chef Ragozzi. Here before Heaven I dedicate my faith
To the royal line of Andreas.

Raab Kiuprili. Hark, Ragozzi!
Guilt is a timorous thing ere perpetration: 95
Despair alone makes wicked men be bold.
Come thou with me! They have heard my voice in flight,
Have faced round, terror-struck, and feared no longer
The whistling javelins of their fell pursuers.
Ha! what is this?
[Black flag displayed from the Tower of the Palace: a death-bell tolls, &c.
Vengeance of Heaven! He is dead. [100]

Chef Ragozzi. At length then 'tis announced. Alas! I fear,
That these black death-flags are but treason's signals.

Raab Kiuprili. A prophecy too soon fulfilled! See yonder!
O rank and ravenous wolves! the death-bell echoes
Still in the doleful air—and see! they come. 105