The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Volume Iii Part 128

No, not fulfilled. The work is but begun: Courage and concord firm, we need them both; For, be a.s.sured, the king will make all speed, To avenge his Viceroy's death, and reinstate, By force of arms, the tyrant we've expell'd.

MELCH.

Why let him come, with all his armaments!

The foe's expelled that press'd us from within; The foe without we are prepared to meet?

RUODI.

The pa.s.ses to our Cantons are but few; These with our bodies we will block, we will!

BAUM.

Knit are we by a league will ne'er be rent, And all his armies shall not make us quail.

[_Enter_ RoSSELMANN _and_ STAUFFACHER.]

RoSSELMANN (_speaking as he enters_).

These are the awful judgments of the Lord!

PEASANT.

What is the matter?

RoSSELMANN.

In what times we live!

FuRST.

Say on, what is't? Ha, Werner, is it you?

What tidings?

PEASANT.

What's the matter?

RoSSELMANN.

Hear and wonder!

STAUFF.

We are released from one great cause of dread.

RoSSEL.

The Emperor is murdered.

FuRST.

Gracious Heaven!

[PEASANTS _rise up and throng round_ STAUFFACHER.]

ALL.

Murder'd!--the Emp'ror? What! The Emp'ror! Hear!

MELCH.

Impossible! How came you by the news?

STAUFF.

'Tis true! Near Bruck, by the a.s.sa.s.sin's hand, King Albert fell. A most trustworthy man, John Muller, from Schaffhausen, brought the news.

FuRST.

Who dared commit so horrible a deed?

STAUFF.

The doer makes the deed more dreadful still; It was his nephew, his own brother's son, Duke John of Austria, who struck the blow.

MELCH.

What drove him to so dire a parricide?

STAUFF.

The Emp'ror kept his patrimony back, Despite his urgent importunities; 'Twas said, he meant to keep it for himself, And with a mitre to appease the duke.

However this may be, the duke gave ear To the ill counsel of his friends in arms; And with the n.o.ble lords, Von Eschenbach, Von Tegerfeld, Von Wart and Palm, resolved, Since his demands for justice were despised, With his own hands to take revenge at least.

FuRST.

But say--the dreadful deed, how was it done?

STAUFF.

The king was riding down from Stein to Baden.

Upon his way to join the court at Rheinfeld-- With him a train of high-born gentlemen, And the young Princes John and Leopold; And when they'd reach'd the ferry of the Reuss, The a.s.sa.s.sins forced their way into the boat, To separate the Emperor from his suite.

His highness landed, and was riding on Across a fresh plough'd field--where once, they say, A mighty city stood in Pagan times-- With Habsburg's ancient turrets full in sight, That was the cradle of his princely race.

When Duke John plunged a dagger in his throat, Palm ran him thro' the body with his lance, And Eschenbach, to end him, clove his skull; So down he sank, all weltering in his blood, On his own soil, by his own kinsmen slain.

Those on the opposite bank beheld the deed, But, parted by the stream, could only raise An unavailing cry of loud lament.

A poor old woman, sitting by the way, Raised him, and on her breast he bled to death.

MELCH.