COUNTESS (greatly astonished.) What means Your Gracious Majesty?

KING.

(Who has taken out his tablets, and written on them in great haste--does not regard her, and speaks furiously.)--Let all the doors be closed! Such base ingrat.i.tude shall not go unpunished!--Give over your mirth! Ho! My guards! (Drums immediately sound.) My guards!

(Presto! Enter HAROLD, CORPORAL, and GRENADIERS, in great haste. The KING hands HAROLD his orders, and rushes out in a towering pa.s.sion. Enter WEDGEWOOD. All the guests are thrown into great confusion. Re-enter KARL.)

HAROLD (promptly.) Count Laniska, stand forth!

COUNT.

What is your business with me, Harold?

HAROLD.

You are our prisoner.

OMNES.

Prisoner?

KARL (aside.) Now I triumph!

COUNT.

Under whose orders do you act?

HAROLD.

Those of the king.

OMNES.

The king!

HAROLD.

Sophia Mansfield!

ALBERT.

What of her?

HAROLD.

She must away with us to the castle of Spandau.

SOPHIA.

O Heaven, support me!

COUNT (drawing his sword.) Touch her at your peril, Harold!

ALBERT.

This is madness! Give me your sword! (Wrests it from him, and give it to HAROLD.) Of what are they accused?

HAROLD.

Of ingrat.i.tude and treason!

OMNES.

Treason!

FINALE.

COUNT.

Treason!

OMNES.

Treason!

COUNT.

It can not be!

Of treason who accuses me?

HAROLD.

The king himself!--These orders read! (Hands paper to COUNT.)

OMNES.

The king himself!

COUNT (looking at the papers.) 'Tis true indeed!

SOPHIA.

Oh, what a fearful change is here!

KARL (aside.) I triumph now!--my vengeance fear!

(SOPHIA and LANISKA are made prisoners.)

OMNES.

The king's commands let all obey!

COUNT and SOPHIA.

We must obey!

SOPHIA.

Oh, how my trusting heart is grieved!--

COUNT.

Our royal master is deceived!

No traitor I!--My loyal heart Spurns with disdain so base a part!

SOPHIA.

How vainly Fortune smiled on me!

SOPHIA and COUNT.

Oh, give me death or liberty!

KARL.