Poems [66]
ALBERT. Place Karl in the witness-box.
(Enter KARL and HAROLD.)
SOLO and CHORUS.
KARL. What outrage more, at whose command Am I thus shackled and restrained?-- What mockery's this? In this free land The subject's rights should be maintained.
CHORUS. The traitor braves the king's command!
KARL. Those whom the lion would ensnare, Should of his reckless fangs beware! The forest-monarch, held at bay, Will turn and spring upon his prey!
CHORUS. Thus bold will guilt full oft appear!-- The sword of Justice let HIM fear!
WEDGEWOOD (as KARL is placed in the witness-box.) Silence in the court!
CHORUS. With mercy let justice To mortals be given; For Mercy and Justice Are twin-borne of heaven.
KARL. Why am I summoned here against my will?
ALBERT. You are here to answer, not to question, sirrah!
KARL. By what authority do YOU command my answers? In these realms the king alone commands.
KING (again forgetting himself.) That's true--that's very true--the king alone commands--
WEDGEWOOD (shaking his mallet at the KING.) What, Your Majesty--you will--will you?
KING. Oh, I have forgotten myself again! (Takes his seat.) Confound the fellow!
KARL (aside.) The king here? Then I have one friend at least on whom I may rely. (To KING.) Shall I--may I speak freely?
KING. The king has no authority now. (Pointing to the jury-box.) There are the sovereigns of the people, and to them you must appeal. (Aside.) What a situation for a monarch!
ALBERT (to KARL.) You know yon Saxon maid and the Count Laniska?
KARL. I do, and HATE the count!
ALBERT. Wherefore?
KARL. He has thwarted my designs!--No, no, I mean not THAT! I mean that I hate him because he plotted treason against the king, and wrote "Tyrant" upon the vase.
ALBERT. Did he write it?
KARL. He did--these eyes beheld him.
COUNT (aside.) The perjured caitiff!
SOPHIA. O Heaven, have mercy upon us!
COUNTESS. They are lost!
(COUNTESS leans on FREDERICA. The KING beckons to HAROLD, who goes to him. They engage in earnest conversation, occasionally pointing to KARL. HAROLD is supposed to be informing him of the arrest of KARL in SOPHIA's cell. KARL leaves the witness-box, and is about to retire, but is stopped by HAROLD.)
ALBERT. Call the German inn-keeper to the stand. [HANS is placed in the box.
KARL (aside.) I tremble with apprehension!
ALBERT (to HANS.) You deal in colors--do you not?
HANS. Yaw, mynherr.
ALBERT. Have you sold any in Berlin lately?
HANS. Yaw, mynheer; I sold some of der Prussian blue to der Hungarian overseer of der factory, who gave me monish to say notting about it. He tried der quality upon dis little scrap of baper, vich he forgot, and vich I kept, mit der intention of giving him back ven I saw him again. It is scrawled all over mit der word "Tyrant."
KARL (forgetting himself.) That paper's mine--give it me!
WEDGEWOOD (instantly snatching the paper and holding it up, exclaims in a loud tone) It's not convenient! (Hands the paper to ALBERT, who reads it to the JUDGES.)
ALBERT. An attempt to imitate the handwriting of the count. Compare it with the word upon the vase.
JUDGE. It is the same!
CHORUS. Huzza! huzza! etc.
WEDGEWOOD (forgetting himself, after the chorus has finished, shouts at the top of his voice,) Huzza!--(which the KING observing, rises to call him to order; when WEDGEWOOD, noticing the KING, places his hand upon his own mouth; and looking round, and holding his mallet in a threatening manner over KARL, who is silent by way of excusing his mistake, says)--But silence in the court! (The KING, shaking his finger at WEDGEWOOD, takes his seat; HANS leaves the box.)
ALBERT. Place that workman on the stand. (It is done.) Did you ever see this vase before?
WORKMAN. Yes, sir.
ALBERT. Where?
WORKMAN. I saw Karl receive it for the furnace, and I saw him marking upon it with a sharp instrument, which he suddenly hid in his bosom. (KARL feels for his dagger, and half draws it, looking at SOPHIA ferociously. SOPHIA observes