The second act opens with the queen junior stating her assurance, that if she lives much longer she will die, and that when she is quite dead, she will hate Martinuzzi[3].  As, however, she means to hate when she is deceased, she will make the most of her time while alive, by devoting herself to courtship and Castaldo:  for a very tender love-scene ensues, at the end of which the lady elopes, to leave the lover a clear stage for some half-dozen minutes’ ecstatics, appropriately ended by his arrest, ordered by Martinuzzi.  Why, it is not stated, the officer not even producing the copy of a writ.

    [3] “Czerina. When I am dead—­which will be soon—­I feel,
        If I much longer on my throne remain,
        I shall abhor the name of Martinuzzi.”

In the next scene, Isabella is visited by Rupert, who disinterestedly presents the dowager with the papers for nothing, which he was before offered an odd castle and snug estate for, by Martinuzzi.  This is accounted for on no other supposition, than the proverbial gallantry of gentlemen from Warsaw.

Martinuzzi, possessing a ward whom he is anxious should wed the queen, opens the third act by declaring he will “precipitate the match,” and so the author considerately sends Czerina to him, to talk the matter over.  But the young lady gets into a passion, and the Cardinal declares he can make nothing of her, in the following passage:—­

  “Fool!  I can make thee nothing but a laugh.”

A sentiment to which the audience gave a most vociferous echo.  The damsel is angry that she may not have the man she has chosen, and threatens to faint, but defers that operation till her lover’s arms are near enough to receive her; which they happen to be just in time, for Martinuzzi retires and Castaldo comes on. Czerina, to be quite sure, exclaims, “Are these thy arms?” (sic) and finally faints in the lover’s embrace, so as to exhibit a picturesque cuddle.

Queen Isabella is discovered, in the second scene of this act, perusing the much vaunted “papers” with intense interest.  Unluckily Castaldo chooses that moment to complain, that Martinuzzi will not let him marry her rival.  The queen, being by no means a temperate person, and wondering at his impudence in telling her such a tale, raves thus:—­

  “My soul’s on fire I’m choked, and seem to perish;
  But will suppress my scream”

Probably for fear of compromising Castaldo, who is alone with her; and she ends the act by requesting the Austrian to murder Martinuzzi; to which he is so obliging as to consent, the more so, as an order comes from the Secretary of State for foreign affairs, of his own government, to “cut off” (sic) the Regent.

The fourth act is enlivened by a masquerade and a murder.  The gentleman from Warsaw having abused the hospitality of his host by getting drunk, is punished by one of Martinuzzi’s attendants with a mortal stab; and having, in the agonies of death, made a careful survey of all the sofas in the apartment, suits himself with the softest, and dies in great comfort.