Blood, blood! Only hear on! Blood will fill your whole soul. She was of citizen birth, a German--but her look dissolved all the prejudices of aristocracy. With blushing modesty she received the bridal ring from my hand, and on the morrow I was to have led my AMELIA to the altar. (CHARLES rises suddenly.) In the midst of my intoxicating dream of happiness, and while our nuptials were preparing, an express summoned me to court. I obeyed the summons. Letters were shown me which I was said to have written, full of treasonable matter. I grew scarlet with indignation at such malice; they deprived me of my sword, thrust me into prison, and all my senses forsook me. (SCHWEITZER: And in the meantime--go on! I already scent the game.) There I lay a whole month, and knew not what was taking place. I was full of anxiety for my Amelia, who I was sure would suffer the pangs of death every moment in apprehension of my fate. At last the prime minister makes his appearance,--congratulates me in honey-sweet words on the establishment of my innocence,--reads to me a warrant of discharge,--and returns me my sword. I flew in triumph to my castle, to the arms of my Amelia, but she had disappeared! She had been carried off, it was said, at midnight, no one knew whither, and no eye had beheld her since. A suspicion instantly flashed across my mind. I rushed to the capital--I made inquiries at court--all eyes were upon me,--no one would give me information. At last I discovered her through a grated window of the palace--she threw me a small billet. (SCHWEITZER: Did I not say so?) Death and destruction! The contents were these! They had given her the choice between seeing me put to death, and becoming the mistress of the prince. In the struggle between honor and love she chose the latter, and (with a bitter smile) I was saved.

Kosinsky Monologue from The Robbers

Rehearse Kosinsky's monologue