[Looking towards the dungeon. This man's the property of him who best Can feel his crimes. I have resigned a privi Her. Fallen am I, and worn out, a useless Man; | And smothered all that's man in me?-away!- Mar. Do not fear; Your words are precious to my ears; go on. Her. You will forgive me, but my heart runs Heaven is just; Your piety would not miss its due reward; Where none but those who trampled on my rights Seemed to remember me. To the wide world I bore her, in my arms; her looks won pity: She was my Raven in the wilderness, And brought me food. Have I not cause to love her? Mar. Yes. Her. More than ever Parent loved a Child? Mar. Yes, yes. Her. I will not murmur, merciful God! I will not murmur; blasted as I have been. Thou hast left me ears to hear my Daugr's Ost. Herbert confusion! (aside). Here it is, my Friend, [Presents the Horn. A charming beverage for you to carouse, This bitter night. Her. Ha! Oswald! ten bright crosses I would have given, not many minutes gone, To have heard your voice. Ostu. Your couch, I fear. good Baron, Has been but comfortless; and yet that place, When the tempestuous wind first drove us hither, Felt warm as a wren's nest. You'd better turn And under covert rest till break of day, Or till the storm abate. (To MARMADUKE aside). He has restored you. No doubt you have been nobly entertained? But soft-how came he forth? The Nightmare Conscience Has driven him out of harbour? You have guessed right. I believe The trees renew their murmur: Come, let us house together. [OSWALD conducts him to the dungeon. Osw. (returns). Had I not Esteemed you worthy to conduct the affair To its most fit conclusion, do you think I would so long have struggled with my Nature, lege; It now becomes my duty to resume it. Ost. Of doubt is insupportable. Pity, the facts Mar. Osw. Justice-isthere not thunder in the word? Shall it be law to stab the petty robber Who aims but at our purse; and shall this Parricide Mar. Worse is he far, far worse (if foul dishonour [Taking MARMADUKE's sword and giving it to Osw. him. To Clifford's arms he would have led His Victim-haply to this desolate house. Mar. advancing to the dungeon). It must be ended!Softly; do not rouse him; He will deny it to the last. He lies Within the Vault, a spear's length to the left. [MARMADUKE descends to the dungeon. (Alone.) The Villains rose in mutiny to destroy me: I could have quelled the Cowards, but this Must needs step in, and save my life. The look it: 'Twas this that put it in my thoughts-that countenance His staff-his figure-Murder!-what, of We kill a worn-out horse, and who but women Then shatter the delusion, break it up And set him free. What follows? I have learned That things will work to ends the slaves o' the world Do never dream of. I have been what heThis Boy-when he comes forth with bloody hands Might envy, and am now,- but he shall know What I am now [Goes and listens at the dungeon. Praying or parleying?-tut! Is he not eyeless? He has been half dead These fifteen years— Enter female Beggar with two or three of her Companions. 'Turning abruptly). "Ha! speak—what Thing art thou? Recognises her). Heavens! my good friend! To her. Beg. Forgive me, gracious Sir!Osw. (to her companions). Begone, ye Slaves, or I will raise a whirlwind And send ye dancing to the clouds, like leaves [They retire affrighted. Beg. Indeed we meant no harm; we lodge sometimes You a protector of humanity! Mar. 'Twas dark-dark as the grave; yet did I see, Saw him his face turned toward me; and I tell thee Idonea's filial countenance was there [Sinks exhausted. Osw. (to himself). Now may I perish if this turn do more Than make me change my course. Been most presumptuous. We have indeed There is guilt in Else could so strong a mind have ever known Must never come before a mortal judgment-seat, Mar. Think not of that! 'tis over-we are safe. Osw. (as if to himself, yet speaking aloud. The truth is hideous, but how stifle it? [Turning to MARMADUKE. Give me your sword-nay, here are stones and fragments. The least of which would beat out a man's brains: Or you might drive your head against that wall. Blown to you from a trumpet. [The sound of a horn is heard. What! dogged like thieves! Enter WALLACE and LACY, &c. Lacy. You are found at last, thanks to the vagrant Troop For not misleading us. Lacy. Work on her nature, and so turn compassion 'Tis too horrible; Osw. (looking at WALLACE). That subtle Oswald, what say you to it? Greybeard I'd rather see my father's ghost. Lacy to MARMADUKE). My Captain, Belike We come by order of the Band. As, in these long commotions, have been seized. Mar. Lacy! we look But at the surfaces of things; we hear Driven out in troops to want and nakedness; Lacy. Hew him down, And fling him to the ravens. Mar. But his aspect It is so meek, his countenance so venerable. Wal. (with an appearance of mistrust. But how, what say you, Oswald? Lacy (at the same moment), Stab him, were it Before the Altar. Mar. What, if he were sick, Tottering upon the very verge of life, Lacy. Blind, say you? Osw. (coming forward). Are we Men, A thing dependent for its casual birth Wisdom, if Justice speak the word, beats down Spares not the worm. The giant and the worm She weighs them in one scale. The wiles of first woman, And craft of age, seducing reason, Admitting no resistance, bends alike The feeble and the strong. She needs not here Her bonds and chains, which make the mighty feeble. -We recognise in this old Man a victim Lacy. By heaven, his words are reason! His countenance is meek and venerable; How! what? your Idonea? Mar. He is the Man to whom the Maiden-pure Was to be yielded up. Lacy. Now, by the head Of my own child, this Man must die; my hand, Mar. (to LACY). I love the Father in thee. Where Souls are self-defended, free to grow Osw. Before the Camp, and would that best and wisest Of every country might be present. There, His crime shall be proclaimed; and for the rest It shall be done as Wisdom shall decide: Meanwhile, do you two hasten back and see That all is well prepared. Wal. We will obey you. (Aside). But softly! we must look a little nearer. Mar. Tell where you found us. At some [Exeunt. future time I will explain the cause. Of which I heard them speak, but that I fancy Farewell! Gentle pilgrims, St Cuthbert speed you on your holy errand. [Exeunt ONEA and Pilgrims. SCENE, a desviate Moor. OSWALD (alone). Osw. Carry him to the Camp! Yes, to the Oh, Wisdom! a most wise resolve! and then, We'll not insult thy majesty by time, And all particulars that dull brains require Is in all natures a strange spectacle; In some a hideous one-hem! shall I stop? No.-Thoughts and feelings will sink deep, but then They have no substance. Pass but a few minutes, And something shall be done which Memory Ay, prove that when two peas matter Worthy the hearing. Fool was I to dream The blind Man She is tight willing-strange if she were rot!They say, Lord Clifford is a savage man ; But, faith, to see him in his silken tunic, Fitting his low voice to the minstrel's harp, There's witchery in't. I never knew a maid That could withstand it. True," continued he, "When we arranged the affair, she wept a little (Not the less welcome to my Lord for that) And said, 'My Father he will have it so.' Mar. I am your hearer. This I caught, and more That may not be retold to any ear. The obstinate bolt of a small iron door Detained them near the gateway of the Castle. By a dim lantern's light I saw that wreaths Of flowers were in their hands, as if designed For festive decoration; and they said, With brutal laughter and most foul allusion, That they should share the banquet with their Lord And his new Favourite. Mar. Osw. Misery!- I knew How you would be disturbed by this dire news, And therefore chose this solitary Moor, Here to impart the tale, of which, last night, I strove to ease my mind, when our two Comrades, Commissioned by the Band, burst in upon us. Mar. Last night, when moved to lift the avenging steel, I did believe all things were shadows-yea, Till that same star summoned me back again. One a King, But have they not a world of common ground Osw. Troth, I begin to think so. Mar. Now for the corner-stone of my philosophy: I would not give a denier for the man Who, on such provocation as this earth That creeps along the bells of the crisp heather. Of God's parental mercies-with Idonea Mar aside-looking at HERBERT). And I have loved this Man! and she hath loved him! And I loved her, and she loves the Lord Clifford! And there it ends;-if this be not enough To make mankind merry for evermore, Then plain it is as day, that eyes were made For a wise purpose-verily to weep with! [Looking round. A pretty prospect this, a masterpiece Of Nature, finished with most curious skill! (To HERBERT). Good Baron, have you ever practised tillage? Pray tell me what this land is worth by the acre? Her. How glad I am to hear your voice! I know not Wherein I have offended you :-last night About your own; but for these two hours past Yields, could not chuck his babe beneath the Have roused all Nature up against him chin, And send it with a fillip to its grave. In faith, a pleasant scheme; But take your sword along with you, for that Might in such neighbourhood find seemly use.But first, how wash our hands of this old Man? Mar. Oh yes, that mole, that viper in the path; Plague on my memory, him I had forgotten. Ost. You know we left him sitting-see him yonder. pshaw ! Her. For mercy's sake, is nobody in sight? No traveller, peasant, herdsman? Mar. Not a soul: Here is a tree, ragged, and bent, and bare, That turns its goat's-beard flakes of pea-green moss From the stern breathing of the rough sea-wind; Mar. Her. Lost Man! if thou have any close-pent guilt Pressing upon thy heart, and this the hour A bold word from you! They have snapped her from the stem--Poh! let her lie Besoiled with mire, and let the houseless snail Feed on her leaves. You knew her well-ay, there, Old Man! you were a very Lynx, you knew The worm was in her C |