I recognize the lessons ye have given.
Yes, this is how, corrupting guileless youth,
Ye both improve the freedom ye enjoy,
Inciting them to hatred and wild rage,
Until they shudder but to hear my name.
Jehosheba-

Can our misfortunes be concealed from them?

All the world knows them; are they not thy boast? Athaliah

Yea; with just wrath, that I am proud to own,
My parents on my offspring I avenged.
Could I see sire and brother massacred,
My mother from the palace roof cast down,
And the same day beheaded all at once
(Oh, horror!) fourscore princes of the blood;
And all to avenge a pack of prophets slain,
Whose dangerous frenzies Jezebel had curbed?
Have queens no heart, daughters no filial love,
That I should act the coward and the slave,
Too pitiful to cope with savages,

By rendering death for death, and blow for blow?
David's posterity from me received

Treatment no worse than had my father's sons!
Where should I be to-day, had I not quelled

All weakness and a mother's tenderness,

Had not this hand of mine like water shed

My own heart's blood, and boldly checked your plots?

Your god has vowed implacable revenge;

Snapt is the link between thine house and mine,

David and all his offspring I abhor,

Tho' born of mine own blood I own them not.

Jehosheba

Thy plans have prospered. Let God see, and judge! Athaliah

Your god, forsooth, your only refuge left,

What will become of his predictions now?
Let him present you with that promised King,
That Son of David, waited for so long, -
We meet again. Farewell. I go content:
I wished to see, and I have seen.

Abner [to JEHOSHEBA]

I undertook to keep, I thus resign.

Jehosheba [to JEHOIADA]

The trust

[Exit.

My lord, didst hear the Queen's presumptuous words? Jehoiada

I heard them all, and felt for thee the while.

These Levites were with me ready to aid
Or perish with you, such was our resolve.

[To JOASH, embracing him.

May God watch o'er thee, child, whose courage bore,
Just now, such noble witness to His Name.

Thy service, Abner, has been well discharged:

I shall expect thee at th' appointed hour.

I must return, this impious murderess

Has stained my vision, and disturbed my prayers;
The very pavement that her feet have trod

My hands shall sprinkle o'er with cleansing blood.

SIGISMUND.1

BY CALDERON.

(From "Life is a Dream": translated by Denis Florence MacCarthy.)

[PEDRO CALDEron de la BaRCA, one of the chief poets of Spain, was born in Madrid, January 17, 1600; died there May 25, 1681. He received his schooling at a Jesuits' college in Madrid; studied history, philosophy, and law at Salamanca; and served ten years in the army in Milan and the Netherlands. He was then summoned to Madrid by Philip IV., a prince fond of theatrical amusements, and was appointed director of the court theater. In 1651 he entered the priesthood, but notwithstanding his religious duties continued to write for the stage, besides which he composed many "autos sacramentales," or the Corpus Christi plays, performed annually in the cathedrals of Toledo, Seville, and Granada. According to his own account he wrote one hundred and eleven plays, among which are: "The Fairy Lady," ""Tis Better than it Was," "The Mock Astrologer," "The Wonder-working Magician," "The Devotion of the Cross," "The Constant Prince," "Life is a Dream," "No Magic like Love."]

SIGISMUND, Prince of Poland, has from his childhood been held in prison, it having been foretold that he would dethrone his father BASILIUS. To try his temper, he is taken asleep to the palace, and awakes to find himself no longer a captive but acknowledged Prince of Poland. His violent conduct justifies the former precautions, and after a day of royalty he is carried back to prison, again asleep.

Scene: The Prison. SIGISMUND, as at first, clothed in skins, chained, and lying on the ground; CLOTALDO, his guardian; CLARIN (who has accidentally learned his story); and Servants.

Where his day-its pride being o'er,
Finds its end too.

By permission of Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co.

Servant

As before

With the chain his feet are bound.
Clarin Never from that sleep profound
Wake, O Sigismund! or rise
To behold with wondering eyes
All thy glorious life o'erthrown,
Like a shadow that hath flown,
Like a bright brief flame that dies!

Clotaldo

One who can so wisely make

Such reflections on this case
Should have ample time and space,
Even for the Solon's sake,

To discuss it. [To the Servants.] Him you'll take
To this cell here, and keep bound!

Clotaldo

Try to kill my father? No!

Did I from the window throw

That unlucky Icarus? [Acts of Sigismund.]

Is my drink somniferous?

Do I dream? Then why be pent?

'Tis a clarion's punishment.

Clarin- Then a horn of low degree,

Yea! a cornet I will be,

A safe silent instrument.

[They take him away. King BASILIUS enters. SIGISMUND still asleep.

Basilius Wretched prince! unhappy fate!
Birth by baneful stars watched o'er!
Go and wake him cautiously!

Now that strength and force lie chained
By the opiate he hath drained.
Muttering something restlessly,
See, he lies!

Let's listen! he

Clotaldo

Basilius

May some few clear words repeat.

Sigismund [speaking in his sleep]

Clotaldo

Basilius

Clotaldo

Basilius

Sigismund

Perfect Prince is he whose heat
Smites the tyrant where he stands!
Yea! Clotaldo by my hands
Dies; my sire shall kiss my feet.
Death he threatens in his rage.
Outrage vile he doth intend.
He my life hath sworn to end.
He has vowed to insult my age.

On the mighty world's great stage,
'Mid the admiring nations' cheer,
Valor mine! that has no peer,
Enter thou: the slave so shunned
Now shall reign Prince Sigismund,
And his sire his wrath shall fear-
But, ah me! where am I? O!

Basilius [to CLOTALDO]

Sigismund

Clotaldo

Sigismund

Me I must not let him see.
Listening I close by will be;
What you have to do you know.

Can it possibly be so?

Is the truth not what it seemed?

Am I chained and unredeemed?

Art not thou my lifelong tomb?

[He wakes.

[He retires.

Dark old tower! Yes! what a doom!
God! what wondrous things I've dreamed.
Now in this delusive play

Must my special part be taken.

Is it not full time to waken?

Yes! to waken well it may.

Clotaldo Wilt thou sleep the livelong day?

Since we gazing from below

Saw the eagle sailing slow,

Sigismund

Clotaldo

Sigismund

Since such thoughts my memory fill,
That it seems I'm dreaming still.
Nor is this a great mistake:
Since, if dreams could phantoms make
Things of actual substance seem,
I things seen may phantoms deem.
Thus, a double harvest reaping,
I can see when I am sleeping,
And when waking I can dream.
What you may have dreamed of, say!
If I thought it only seemed,

I would tell not what I dreamed;
But what I beheld I may.

I awoke, and lo! I lay
(Cruel and delusive thing!)

In a bed whose covering,

Bright with blooms from rosy bowers,
Seemed a tapestry of flowers
Woven by the hand of Spring.
Then a crowd of nobles came,
Who addressed me by the name
Of their Prince, presenting me
Gems and robes, on bended knee.
Calm soon left me; and my frame
Thrilled with joy to hear thee tell
Of the fate that me befell,

For, though now in this dark den
I was Prince of Poland then.
Doubtless you repaid me well?
Sigismund No! not well: for, calling thee

Clotaldo

Traitor vile, in furious strife
Twice I strove to take thy life.
But why all this rage 'gainst me?
I was master, and would be

Well revenged on foe and friend.
Love one woman could defend

[A woman had checked his waking savageness.]

That at least for truth I deem.

All else ended like a dream;

That alone can never end.