of--
I'll see what I can do to save myself
Behind this rock, until the storm blows over.

(Skirmishes, shouts, firing, etc. After some time enter King
Basilio,
Astolfo, and Clotaldo)

KING.
The day is lost!

AST.
Do not despair--the rebels--

KING.
Alas! the vanquish'd only are the rebels.

CLOTALDO.
Ev'n if this battle lost us, 'tis but one
Gain'd on their side, if you not lost in it;
Another moment and too late: at once
Take horse, and to the capital, my liege,
Where in some safe and holy sanctuary
Save Poland in your person.

AST.
Be persuaded:
You know your son: have tasted of his temper;
At his first onset threatening unprovoked
The crime predicted for his last and worst.
How whetted now with such a taste of blood,
And thus far conquest!

KING.
Ay, and how he fought!
Oh how he fought, Astolfo; ranks of men
Falling as swathes of grass before the mower;
I could but pause to gaze at him, although,
Like the pale horseman of the Apocalypse,
Each moment brought him nearer--Yet I say,
I could but pause and gaze on him, and pray
Poland had such a warrior for her king.

AST.
The cry of triumph on the other side
Gains ground upon us here--there's but a moment
For you, my liege, to do, for me to speak,
Who back must to the field, and what man may
Do, to retrieve the fortune of the day.
(Firing.)

FIFE (falling forward, shot).
Oh, Lord, have mercy on me.

KING.
What a shriek--
Oh, some poor creature wounded in a cause
Perhaps not worth the loss of one poor life!--
So young too--and no soldier--

FIFE.
A poor lad,
Who choosing play at hide and seek with death,
Just hid where death just came to look for him;
For there's no place, I think, can keep him out,
Once he's his eye upon you. All grows dark--
You glitter finely too--Well--we are dreaming
But when the bullet's off--Heaven save the mark!
So tell my mister--mastress--
(Dies.)

KING.
Oh God! How this poor creature's ignorance
Confounds our so-call'd wisdom! Even now
When death has stopt his lips, the wound through which
His soul went out, still with its bloody tongue
Preaching how vain our struggle against fate!