Chef Ragozzi. Sure Heaven befriends us. Well! he hath escaped!
O rare tune of a tyrant's promises
That can enchant the serpent treachery
From forth its lurking hole in the heart. 'Ragozzi!
O brave Ragozzi! Count! Commander! What not?' 455
And all this too for nothing! a poor nothing!
Merely to play the underling in the murder
Of my best friend Kiuprili! His own son—monstrous!
Tyrant! I owe thee thanks, and in good hour
Will I repay thee, for that thou thought'st me too [460]
A serviceable villain. Could I now
But gain some sure intelligence of the queen:
Heaven bless and guard her!
Zapolya (coming forward). Art thou not Ragozzi?
Chef Ragozzi. The Queen! Now then the miracle is full! 465
I see heaven's wisdom is an over-match
For the devil's cunning. This way, madam, haste!
Zapolya. Stay! Oh, no! Forgive me if I wrong thee!
This is thy sovereign's child: Oh, pity us,
And be not treacherous! [Kneeling.
Chef Ragozzi (raising her). Madam! For mercy's sake! 470
Zapolya. But tyrants have a hundred eyes and arms!
Chef Ragozzi. Take courage, madam! 'Twere too horrible,
(I can not do't) to swear I'm not a monster!—
Scarce had I barr'd the door on Raab Kiuprili—
Zapolya. Kiuprili! How?
Chef Ragozzi. There is not time to tell it,— 475
The tyrant called me to him, praised my zeal—
(And be assured I overtopt his cunning
And seemed right zealous.) But time wastes: In fine,
Bids me dispatch my trustiest friends, as couriers
With letters to the army. The thought at once [480]
Flashed on me. I disguised my prisoner—