BUTLER. He must not live. GORDON. And _you_ can do the deed! BUTLER. Either you or I. This morning was his last. GORDON. You would assassinate him! BUTLER. 'Tis my purpose. GORDON. Who leans with his whole confidence upon you! BUTLER. Such is his evil destiny! GORDON. Your General! The sacred person of your General! BUTLER. My General he _has been_. GORDON. That 'tis only A "_has been_" washes out no villiany. And without judgment pass'd? BUTLER. The execution Is here instead of judgment. GORDON. This were murder, Not justice. The most guilty should be heard. BUTLER. His guilt is clear, the Emperor has pass'd judgment, And we but execute his will. GORDON. We should not Hurry to realize a bloody sentence; A word may be recall'd, a life can never be. BUTLER. Dispatch in service pleases sovereigns. GORDON. No honest man's ambitious to press forward To the hangman's service. BUTLER. And no brave man loses His color at a daring enterprise. GORDON. A brave man hazards life, but not his conscience. BUTLER. What then? Shall he go forth anew to kindle The unextinguishable flame of war? GORDON. Seize him, and hold him prisoner--do not kill him. BUTLER. Had not the Emperor's army been defeated, I might have done so.--But 'tis now past by. GORDON. O, wherefore open'd I the stronghold to him? BUTLER. His destiny and not the place destroys him. GORDON. Upon these ramparts, as beseem'd a soldier, I had fallen, defending the Emperor's citadel! BUTLER. Yes, and a thousand gallant men have perish'd. GORDON. Doing their duty--that adorns the man! But murder's a black deed, and nature curses it. BUTLER (_brings out a paper_). Here is the manifesto which commands us To gain possession of his person. See-- It is addressed to you as well as me. Are you content to take the consequences, If through our fault he escape to the enemy? GORDON. I?--Gracious God! BUTLER. Take it on yourself Come of it what may; on you I lay it. GORDON. O God in heaven! BUTLER. Can you advise aught else Wherewith to execute the Emperor's purpose? Say if you can. For I desire his fall, Not his destruction. GORDON. Merciful heaven! what must be I see as clear as you. Yet still the heart Within my bosom beats with other feelings! BUTLER. Mine is of harder stuff! Necessity In her rough school hath steel'd me. And this Illo, And Terzky likewise, they must not survive him. GORDON. I feel no pang for these. Their own bad hearts Impell'd them, not the influence of the stars. 'Twas they who strew'd the seeds of evil passions In his calm breast, and with officious villiany Water'd and nursed the pois'nous plants. May they Receive their earnests to the uttermost mite! BUTLER.