Page:Poet Lore, volume 26, 1915.djvu/339

 Solnice, Dobruska, New Town and Skalice troops of armed people are marching hither. Before the first streaks of dawn, we will attack the castle and before day breaks, we shall be masters there where until now our tyrants ruled.

Jeroným.—Our nobles, our gracious nobility whom you taught me to respect, father, you now call our tyrants?

Výrava.—Not the nobility but those by whose advice the nobles act against us. And, perhaps, the nobles themselves. I have gotten over my former blindness.

Jeroným.—For God’s sake father—! And what do you ask of me?

Výrava.—I do not ask—I expect confidently that you will forsake a slavish, dishonorable service and that you will go away with me to your brothers. I waited for you and you did not come. So I set out for the castle hazarding my life to find you and bring you back with me. From that unhappy girl Bětuška, I learned that— —

Jeroným.—I cannot go away. I would be a traitor.

Výrava.—A traitor—traitor—and you forget how Karmín, that whip-lasher, Karmín, insulted me calling me a treacherous churl? Do you want to remain—do you want to leave your father defamed and unrevenged?

Jeroným.—That was Karmín’s work. But I can’t go against the nobility.

Výrava.—I am protecting the nobility. I will save the Earl and his whole family and guests from death. But Karmín and his catch-polls must fall and subjection and feudalism, according to the will of our gracious Emperor, must cease tomorrow.

Jeroným.—The Earl holds me in his favor, I promised the nobles fidelity and I will not break my word.

Výrava.—I am your father and to me first of all you owe obedience. I command you— —

Jeroným.—I cannot obey. I will not obey.

Výrava.—Jeroným! You will not obey?—But no, no, my ears deceive me. You cannot speak so—All of our people know that I have come here for you—Bětuška knows that I found you. Do you want to deliver me up to mockery, do you want me to return covered with disgrace to be forced to say to my neighbors, that you would not go with me—that you remained in the castle?

Jeroným.—I cannot, I cannot!