Like to incarnate Molochs, feed on ours,
Until 'tis time to give them to the tombs
Which they have made so populous.-Oh world!
Oh men! what are ye, and our best designs,
That we must work by crime to punish crime?

And slay as if Death had but this one gate,
When a few years would make the sword superfluous?
And I, upon the verge of th' unknown realm,

Yet send so many heralds on before me?—

I must not ponder this.

[A pause.

Hark! was there not

A murmur as of distant voices, and

The tramp of feet in martial unison?

What phantoms even of sound our wishes raise !
It cannot be the signal hath not rung-
Why pauses it? My nephew's messenger
Should be upon his way to me, and he

Himself perhaps even now draws grating back
Upon its ponderous hinge the steep tower portal,
Where swings the sullen huge oracular bell,
Which never knells but for a princely death,
Or for a state in peril, pealing forth
Tremendous bodements; let it do its office,
And be this peal its awfullest and last.

Sound till the strong tower rock!-What! silent still?

I would go forth, but that my post is here,

To be the centre of re-union to

The oft discordant elements which form

Leagues of this nature, and to keep compact
The wavering or the weak, in case of conflict;
For if they should do battle, 'twill be here,
Within the palace, that the strife will thicken;
Then here must be my station, as becomes
The master-mover. -Hark! he comes-he comes,
My nephew, brave Bertuccio's messenger.-
What tidings? Is he marching? hath he sped?———
They here!—all's lost-yet will I make an effort.

Enter a SIGNOR of the Night (5), with Guards, &c. &c.

SIGNOR OF THE NIGHT.

Doge, I arrest thee of high treason!

DOGE.

Me!

Thy prince, of treason?-Who are they that dare
Cloak their own treason under such an order?

SIGNOR OF THE NIGHT (showing his order.)
Behold my order from the assembled Ten.

DOGE.

And where are they, and why assembled ? no
Such council can be lawful, till the prince
Preside there, and that duty's mine: on thine
I charge thee, give me way, or marshal me
To the council chamber.

SIGNOR OF THE NIGHT.

Duke! it may not be;

Nor are they in the wonted Hall of Council,
But sitting in the convent of Saint Saviour's.

DOGE.

You dare to disobey me then?

SIGNOR OF THE NIGHT.

I serve

The state, and needs must serve it faithfully;
My warrant is the will of those who rule it.

DOGE.

And till that warrant has my signature
It is illegal, and, as now applied,

Rebellious-Hast thou weigh'd well thy life's worth,
That thus you dare assume a lawless function?

SIGNOR OF THE NIGHT.

"Tis not my office to reply, but act—

I am placed here as guard upon thy person,
And not as judge to hear or to decide.

DOGE (aside.)

I must gain time-So that the storm-bell sound

All may be well yet.-Kinsman, speed-speed-speed !— Our fate is trembling in the balance, and

Woe to the vanquish'd! be they prince and people,

Or slaves and senate

[The great bell of Saint Mark's tolls.

Lo! it sounds-it tolls!

DOGE (aloud.)

Hark, Signor of the Night! and you, ye hirelings,

Who wield your mercenary staves in fear,

It is your knell Swell on, thou lusty peal!

Now, knaves, what ransom for your lives?

SIGNOR OF THE NIGHT.

Confusion!

Stand to your arms, and guard the door-all's lost
Unless that fearful bell be silenced soon.

The officer hath miss'd his path or purpose,

Or met some unforeseen and hideous obstacle.
Anselmo, with thy company proceed

Straight to the tower; the rest remain with me.

DOGE.

[Exit part of the Guard.

Wretch! if thou wouldst have thy vile life, implore it;

It is not now a lease of sixty seconds.

Ay, send thy miserable ruffians forth;
They never shall return.

SIGNOR OF THE NIGHT.

So let it be!

They die then in their duty, as will I.

DOGE.

Fool! the high eagle flies at nobler game
Than thou and thy base myrmidons,—live on,
So thou provok'st not peril by resistance,
And learn (if souls so much. obscured can bear
To gaze upon the sunbeams) to be free.

SIGNOR OF THE NIGHT.

And learn thou to be captive-It hath ceased,

[The bell ceases to toll, The traitorous signal, which was to have set The bloodhound mob on their patrician preyThe knell hath rung, but it is not the senate's! DOGE (after a pause.)

All's silent, and all's lost!

SIGNOR OF THE NIGHT.

Now, Doge, denounce me

As rebel slave of a revolted council!

Have I not done my duty?

DOGE.

Peace, thou thing!

Thou hast done a worthy deed, and earn'd the price
Of blood, and they who use thee will reward thee.
But thou wert sent to watch, and not to prate,
As thou said'st even now-then do thine office,
But let it be in silence, as behoves thee,
Since, though thy prisoner, I am thy prince.

SIGNOR OF THE NIGHT.

I did not mean to fail in the respect

Due to your rank: in this I shall obey you.
DOGE (aside.)

There now is nothing left me save to die;

And yet how near success! I would have fallen,
And proudly, in the hour of triumph, but

To miss it thus!

Enter other SIGNORS OF THE NIGHT, with BERTUCCIO FALIERO prisoner.

SECOND SIGNOR.

We took him in the act

Of issuing from the tower, where, at his order,

As delegated from the Doge, the signal

Had thus begun to sound.