1st Knight. Was ever such a night?

Sigifred. What horrors more?
Things unbelieved one hour, so strange they are,
The next hour stamps with credit.

1st Knight. Your last news?

Gonfrid. After the page’s story of the death
Of Albert and Duke Conrad?

Sigifred. And the return
Of Ludolph with the Princess.

Gonfrid. No more, save
Prince Gersa’s freeing Abbot Ethelbert,
And the sweet lady, fair Erminia,
From prison.

1st Knight. Where are they now? Hast yet heard?

Gonfrid. With the sad Emperor they are closeted;
I saw the three pass slowly up the stairs,
The lady weeping, the old abbot cowled.

Sigifred. What next?

1st Knight. I hate to think on ’t.

Gonfrid. ’Tis with fate.

1st Knight. One while these proud towers are hushed as death

Gonfrid. The next our poor Prince fills the arched rooms
With ghastly ravings.

Sigifred. I do fear his brain.

Gonfrid. I will see more. Bear you so stout a heart?

[Exeunt into the Castle.

Scene IV.—A Cabinet, opening towards a Terrace.

Otho, Erminia, Ethelbert,and a Physician, discovered

Otho. O, my poor boy! My son! My son! My
Ludolph!
Have ye no comfort for me, ye physicians
Of the weak body and soul?

Ethelbert. ’Tis not in medicine,
Either of heaven or earth, to cure, unless
Fit time be chosen to administer.

Otho. A kind forbearance, holy abbot. Come,
Erminia; here, sit by me, gentle girl;
Give me thy hand; hast thou forgiven me?

Erminia. Would I were with the saints to pray for you!

Otho. Why will ye keep me from my darling child?

Physician. Forgive me, but he must not see thy face.

Otho. Is then a father’s countenance a Gorgon?
Hath it not comfort in it? Would it not
Console my poor boy, cheer him, heal his spirits?
Let me embrace him; let me speak to him;
I will! Who hinders me? Who’s Emperor?