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CAPT。
No matterLook！The signal from the tower。
Prince Segismund！
SOL。 （from the tower）。
Prince Segismund！
CAPT。
All's well。 Clotaldo safe secured？
SOL。 （from the tower）。
Noby ill luck；
Instead of coming in； as we had look'd for；
He sprang on horse at once； and off at gallop。
CAPT。
To Court； no doubta blunder thatAnd yet
Perchance a blunder that may work as well
As better forethought。 Having no suspicion
So will he carry none where his not going
Were of itself suspicious。 But of those
Within； who side with us？
SOL。
Oh； one and all
To the last man； persuaded or compell'd。
CAPT。
Enough： whatever be to be retrieved
No moment to be lost。 For though Clotaldo
Have no revolt to tell of in the tower；
The capital will soon awake to ours；
And the King's force come blazing after us。
Where is the Prince？
SOL。
Within； so fast asleep
We woke him not ev'n striking off the chain
We had so cursedly help bind him with；
Not knowing what we did； but too ashamed
Not to undo ourselves what we had done。
CAPT。
No matter； nor by whosesoever hands；
Provided done。 Come； we will bring him forth
Out of that stony darkness here abroad；
Where air and sunshine sooner shall disperse
The sleepy fume which they have drugg'd him with。
（They enter the tower； and thence bring out Segismund asleep on a
pallet； and set him in the middle of the stage。）
CAPT。
Still； still so dead asleep； the very noise
And motion that we make in carrying him
Stirs not a leaf in all the living tree。
SOLDIERS。
If livingBut if by some inward blow
For ever and irrevocably fell'd
By what strikes deeper to the root than sleep？
He's dead！ He's dead！ They've kill'd him
Nohe breathes
And the heart beatsand now he breathes again
Deeply； as one about to shake away
The load of sleep。
CAPT。
Come； let us all kneel round；
And with a blast of warlike instruments；
And acclamation of all loyal hearts；
Rouse and restore him to his royal right；
From which no royal wrong shall drive him more。
（They all kneel round his bed： trumpets； drums； etc。）
SOLDIERS。
Segismund！ Segismund！ Prince Segismund！
King Segismund！ Down with Basilio！
Down with Astolfo！ Segismund our King！ etc。
He stares upon us wildly。 He cannot speak。
I said sodriv'n him mad。
Speak to him； Captain。
CAPTAIN。
Oh Royal Segismund； our Prince and King；
Look on uslisten to usanswer us；
Your faithful soldiery and subjects； now
About you kneeling； but on fire to rise
And cleave a passage through your enemies；
Until we seat you on your lawful throne。
For though your father； King Basilio；
Now King of Poland； jealous of the stars
That prophesy his setting with your rise；
Here holds you ignominiously eclipsed；
And would Astolfo； Duke of Muscovy；
Mount to the throne of Poland after him；
So will not we； your loyal soldiery
And subjects； neither those of us now first
Apprised of your existence and your right：
Nor those that hitherto deluded by
Allegiance false； their vizors now fling down；
And craving pardon on their knees with us
For that unconscious disloyalty；
Offer with us the service of their blood；
Not only we and they； but at our heels
The heart； if not the bulk； of Poland follows
To join their voices and their arms with ours；
In vindicating with our lives our own
Prince Segismund to Poland and her throne。
SOLDIERS。
Segismund； Segismund； Prince Segismund！
Our own King Segismund； etc。
（They all rise。）
SEG。
Again？ So soon？What； not yet done with me？
The sun is little higher up； I think；
Than when I last lay down；
To bury in the depth of your own sea
You that infest its shallows。
CAPT。
Sir！
SEG。
And now；
Not in a palace； not in the fine clothes
We all were in； but here； in the old place；
And in our old accoutrement
Only your vizors off； and lips unlock'd
To mock me with that idle title
CAPT。
Nay；
Indeed no idle title； but your own；
Then； now； and now for ever。 For； behold；
Ev'n as I speak； the mountain passes fill
And bristle with the advancing soldiery
That glitters in your rising glory； sir；
And； at our signal； echo to our cry；
'Segismund； King of Poland！' etc。
（Shouts； trumpets； etc。）
SEG。
Oh； how cheap
The muster of a countless host of shadows；
As impotent to do with as to keep！
All this they said beforeto softer music。
CAPT。
Soft music； sir； to what indeed were shadows；
That； following the sunshine of a Court；
Shall back be brought with itif shadows still；
Yet to substantial reckoning。
SEG。
They shall？
The white…hair'd and white…wanded chamberlain；
So busy with his wand toothe old King
That I was somewhat hard onhe had been
Hard upon meand the fine feather'd Prince
Who crow'd so loudmy cousin；and another；
Another cousin； we will not bear hard on
AndBut Clotaldo？
CAPT。
Fled； my lord； but close
Pursued； and then
SEG。
Then； as he fled before；
And after he had sworn it on his knees；
Came back to take mewhere I am！No more；
No more of this！ Away with you！ Begone！
Whether but visions of ambitious night
That morning ought to scatter； or grown out
Of night's proportions you invade the day
To scare me from my little wits yet left；
Begone！ I know I must be near awake；
Knowing I dream； or； if not at my voice；
Then vanish at the clapping of my hands；
Or take this foolish fellow for your sport：
Dressing me up in visionary glories；
Which the first air of waking consciousness
Scatters as fast as from the almander
That； waking one fine morning in full flower；
One rougher insurrection of the breeze
Of all her sudden honour disadorns
To the last blossom； and she stands again
The winter…naked scare…crow that she was！
CAPT。
I know not what to do； nor what to say；
With all this dreaming； I begin to doubt
They have driv'n him mad indeed； and he and we
Are lost together。
A SOLDIER （to Captain）。
Stay； stay； I remember
Hark in your ear a moment。
（Whispers。）
CAPT。
Sososo？
Oh； now indeed I do not wonder； sir；
Your senses dazzle under practices
Which treason； shrinking from its own device；
Would now persuade you only was a dream；
But waking was as absolute as this
You wake in now； as some who saw you then；
Prince as you were and are； can testify：
Not only saw； but under false allegiance
Laid hands upon
SOLDIER 1。
I； to my shame！
SOLDIER 2。
And I！
CAPT。
Who； to wipe out that shame； have been the first
To stir and lead usHark！
（Shouts； trumpets； etc。）
A SOLDIER。
Our forces； sir；
Challenging King Basilio's； now in sight；
And bearing down upon us。
CAPT。
Sir； you hear；
A little hesitation and delay；
And all is lostyour own right； and the lives
Of those who now maintain it at that cost；
With you all saved and won； without； all lost。
That former