Page:Keats - Poetical Works, DeWolfe, 1884.djvu/387

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OTHO THE GREAT.
371
Upon my marriage-day, and scandalize My joys with such opprobrious surprise? Wife! Why dost linger on that syllable. As if it were some demon's name pronounced To summon harmful lightning, and make yawn The sleepy thunder? Hast no sense of fear? No ounce of man in thy mortality? Tremble! for, at my nod, the sharpen'd axe Will make thy bold tongue quiver to the roots, Those gray lids wink, and thou not know it, monk!
 Ethelbert. O, poor deceived Prince! I pity thee! Great Otho! I claim justice—
 Ludolph.Thou shalt have't! Thine arms from forth a pulpit of hot fire Shall sprawl distracted! O that that dull cowl Were some most sensitive portion of thy life, That I might give it to my hounds to tear! Thy girdle some fine zealous-pained nerve To girth my saddle! And those devil's beads Each one a life, that I might, every day, Crush one with Vulcan's hammer!
 Otho.Peace, my son; You far outstrip my spleen in this affair. Let us be calm, and hear the abbot's plea For this intrusion.
 Ludolph.I am silent, sire.
 Otho. Conrad, see all depart not wanted here. [Exeunt Knights, Ladies, &c.  Ludolph be calm. Ethelbert, peace awhile. This mystery demands an audience Of a just judge, and that will Otho be.
 Ludolph. Why has he time to breathe another word?
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