Page:Poet Lore, volume 26, 1915.djvu/338

 (From the side of the castle and three musketeers pass beneath the balcony.) Why did that base being cause all this horror which is falling upon me.

Karmín.—All in order?

Jeroným.—All quiet and peaceful!

Karmín (Passes with musketeers around balcony).—Just be watchful, Master Jeroným,—you are standing in the most dangerous position. (They go away.)

Jeroným.—And the most scorching!

Výrava (Steps out at the left carrying a gun. is with him).—So he is here, you say, and it is possible to talk with him?

Bětuška.—Quietly, they are just going away. It would go ill with you if you happened to get into their way.

Výrava.—Go away from here, girl, I must talk with him alone—alone! And if I risk my life, it is not necessary for any peril to hang over you.

Bětuška.—I will go away—but you, too, will go away and you’ll not bring Jeronym with you.

Výrava.—Ho, ho!

Bětuška.—You will not bring him!

Výrava.—What do you know? ( vanishes. crosses the balcony and gazes intently up towards the sky.)

Výrava (After a while).—Jeroným!

Jeroným.—Is it a dream? Or an illusion? That was my father’s voice!

Výrava.—Jeroným! Jeroným!

Jeroným.—For the loving God! (Looks around from the balcony on all sides to see whether anyone was near.) Father, how dare you venture here?

Výrava.—I am not afraid. I come for you. I have a gun for protection. I have been expecting you and you let me wait in anxiety. You did not come. So I’ve come for you.

Jeroným.—For me?

Výrava.—For you. You surely know about the uprising. There are already over four hundred of us assembled. From