Page:Czecho-Slovak Student Life, Volume 18.djvu/426
The Rival Banners.
A Drama in Three Acts. Written for the Student Life by the Rev. Augustine Studeny, O.S.B.
Synopsis of play thus far.
HE play begins with the reading of the ultimatum which the Council of the Crusade, stationned near the Holy Land, has prepared for the Sultan of Egypt. Kenneth, one of the Crusade princes, takes the document to the Moslem king.
An aversion to the supremacy of Richard develops among the Crusade princes, Leopold of Austria leading the opposition. A secret plot, headed by Amaury and Conrad, who vie with Guy de Lusignan for the throne of Jerusalem, is also afoot.
King Richard, who is abed with fever, is displeased with the procrastination and idleness of the princes, but Archbishop Baldwin points out to him that his illness is causing the delay.
Kenneth is unsuccessful with the Sultan and returns. At the Grotto of Engaddi he meets a Saracen physician, Adonbec el Hakim, who informs him that he is sent by the Sultan to cure Richard of his fever, so that they could meet in military combat. Theodoric, a hermit of the desert, warns Kenneth of treason within the camp of the Crusaders,
And his suspicion is verified, for we find Conrad and Amaury conspiring against their leader, Richard, attempting to produce sufficient opposition to Richard, so as to force him to abandon the Crusade and return to England. During their discourse, however, Amaury discovers that Conrad himself is desirous of the throne of Jerusalem and that he intends to secure it for himself, despite the will and fate of the others.
Meanwhile, Kenneth visits Richard’s quarters and Introduces the Moslem physician to the fevered king. Conrad and Amaury enter the pavilion to forestall accomplishment of the cure, but are thwarted by the king, who takes the potion Sir Hakim prepares for him and falls asleep. Now continue with the play.)
ACT II.
Scene 3. (At the Terrace of the Standards. The Banners of the leaders of the Crusade are arranged in a row, with the banner of England in the middle and higher than the others. Discover Leopold, Conrad, Henry, Baldwin, Amaury, a Minstrel, Soldiers, and Attendants.)
BLONDEL: (Singing.)
Where the Red-cross legions gather?
Best of horse-men, best of horses,
Highest head and fairest feather.
CON.: Bravo, Sir Minstrel! Hoch lebe der Herzog Leopold!
AMAU: Friends, long live the princely Leopold!
ALL: Long live Leopold!
CON.: My gracious lord, the glory of your valor at Iconium and at Acre has spread throughout the Christian camp, aye, and has even penetrated into the ranks of the Moslems. I dare say, if there is one name at which the infidels start in fear, it is the name of the heroic Archduke of Austria—the opinion of the King of England notwithstanding.
BLONDEL:
Still her banner rises highest;
Ask as well the strong-winged eagle,
Why to heaven he soars the nighest.
AMAU.: The eagle is the cognizance of our noble lord—of his royal grace I should say—and the eagle, of all the feathered tribe, flies nighest the sun.
CON.: Aye, but for the nonce the lion hath taken a spring above the eagle.
LEO.: How mean you, my lord?
AMAU.: The lord Marquis will pardon me, if I seem to contradict him, but a lion cannot fly above the eagle because the lion hath no wings.
CON.: Forsooth; except the Lion of England! That beast now takes precedence of all, fish or fowl, none daring to gainsay.
HENRY: Come, come, my lords; ’tis idle talk that may lead to mischief. I say, neither has France, nor Austria, nor Montserrat, nor Champagne