seizes us; may it hold him until his white bones, washed by the rain, bleached by the sun, shall clatter against the crag, the sport and booty of the winds!”
Mahulena.—Hold! Be silent! She said that of him?
Vratko.—And threw the key into the abyss, where it fell at my feet. O maiden, thou white as the moon, thou good as mother earth—see, here is that key!
Mahulena (Snatching tt from his hand).—O treasure, thou most precious to me of all things beneath the heavens, so firmly, firmly will I clasp thee to my heart that thou wilt enter my bosom, and nevermore shall anyone tear thee from me unless he tear out my heart along with thee!—(Swoons.)
Vratko.—Mahulena, come to thyself! Open thine eyes; if thy sorrow did not torture thee to death, shall thy joy slay thee? Open thine eyes, for his salvation! Ah, now thy breath is returning to thee!
Mahulena.—Vratko, Vratko, who will repay thee for this? Here, here is the key! I am dizzy . . . (Hides the key in her robe.) Vratko, I embrace thy knees . . . (Throws herself at his feet.)
Vratko (Weeping).—Thou dost put me to shame! Arise! Come to thy senses! I have only made amends for my transgression! Thou knowest what treachery I wrought unconsciously! And now I have helped to save him! And they themselves called me into the garden, on account of those guests—there is so much work here—and have sent me to cut flowers . . . and so I could speak with thee! . . . Be discreet and seek to to discover whither they have led him . . .
Mahulena.—O, I shall be as cunning as a bird, which, when caught, escapes from the cage! And Vratko—thou wilt be as my brother! I shall be a sister to thee!
Vratko.—O, speak not so! . . . But now thou must depart before anyone comes . . .
Mahulena.—Then go, Vratko! We shall meet again! I thank thee, dear soul! (Vratko goes out.) Where shall I hide with this precious treasure? Yet I dare not hide; now I must stay with them and observe! Does my joy not stand traitorously written on my forehead? O, my sweet joy! Radúz! I shall save thee; thou shalt see thy home; there thou shalt forget thy sorrows . . . Why am I suddenly sad even in this joy? Ah, he will depart! . . . Then anew sorrow will enter my heart. . . . But vanish, unhappy thought! There is time
