Chef Ragozzi. With pomp of words beyond a soldier's cunning,
And shrugs and wrinkled brow, he smiles and whispers!
Talks in dark words of women's fancies; hints 55
That 'twere a useless and a cruel zeal
To rob a dying man of any hope,
However vain, that soothes him: and, in fine,
Denies all chance of offspring from the Queen.

Raab Kiuprili. The venomous snake! My heel was on its head, 60
And (fool!) I did not crush it!

Chef Ragozzi. Nay, he fears
Zapolya will not long survive her husband.

Raab Kiuprili. Manifest treason! Even this brief delay
Half makes me an accomplice——(If he live,) [Is moving toward the palace.
If he but live and know me, all may——

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?