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Enter BLACKTHORN, half-dressed as Owlspiegle.
Black. Here am I-Blackthorn in the upper half,
Much at your service; but my nether parts
Are goblinized and Owlspiegled. I had much ado
To get these trankums on. I judge Lord Erick
Kept no good house, and starved his quondam barber.
Kat. Peace, ass, and hide you-Gullcrammer is
coming;

He left the hall before, but then took fright,
And e'en sneak'd back. The Lady Flora lights him-
Trim occupation for her ladyship!

Had you seen Leonard, when she left the hall
On such fine errand!

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Put on your spectacles, And try if you can read it at this distance, For you shall come no nearer.

[ture,

Black. But is there nothing, then, save rank imposIn all these tales of goblinry at Devorgoil? [ing

Kat. My aunt's grave lord thinks otherwise, supposThat his great name so interests the Heavens, That miracles must needs bespeak its fallI would that I were in a lowly cottage Beneath the greenwood, on its walls no armour To court the levin-bolt

Black. And a kind husband, Katleen, To ward such dangers as must needs come nigh.— My father's cottage stands so low and lone, That you would think it solitude itself;

The greenwood shields it from the northern blast, And, in the woodbine round its latticed casement, The linnet's sure to build the earliest nest

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Flo. (smiling.) Kind Master Gullcrammer, How can you ask me aught so unbecoming?

Gull. Oh, fie, fie, fie !-Believe me, Mistress Flora, 'Tis not for that—but being guided through Such dreary galleries, stairs, and suites of rooms, To this same cubicle, I'm somewhat loath To bid adieu to pleasant company.

Flo. A flattering compliment !-In plain truth you are frighten'd.

Gull. What! frighten'd?-I-I-am not timorous. Flo. Perhaps you've heard this is our haunted chamber?

But then it is our best-Your Reverence knows,
That in all tales which turn upon a ghost,
Your traveller belated has the luck
To enjoy the haunted room—it is a rule :—
To some it were a hardship, but to you,
Who are a scholar, and not timorous--
Gull. I did not say I was not timorous,
I said I was not temerarious.-
I'll to the hall again.

Flo.
You'll do your pleasure.
But you have somehow moved my father's anger,
And
you had better meet our playful Owlspiegle-
So is our goblin call'd—than face Lord Oswald.
Gull. Owlspiegle?—

It is an uncouth and outlandish name,
And in mine ear sounds fiendish.

Flo. Hush, hush, hush!

[merry spirit;

Perhaps he hears us now-(in an under tone)—A None of your elves that pinch folks black and blue, For lack of cleanliness.

Gull. As for that, Mistress Flora,

My taffeta doublet hath been duly brush'd,
My shirt hebdomadal put on this morning.

As ghostly hours approach. I'll to my bed
E'en in my taffeta doublet, shrink my head

Flo. Why, you need fear no goblins. But this Beneath the clothes-leave the lamp burning there,

Owlspiegle

Is of another class;-yet has his frolics;

Cuts hair, trims beards, and plays amid his antics

The office of a sinful mortal barber.

Such is at least the rumour.

Gull. He will not cut my clothes, or scar my face,

Or draw my blood?

Flo.

Enormities like these

Were never charged against him.

[Sets it on the table. [He lays aside his cloak, and brushes it, as from habit, starting at every moment; ties a napkin over his head; then shrinks beneath the bedclothes. He starts once or twice, and at length seems to go to sleep. A bell tolls ONE. He leaps up in his bed.

And trust to fate the issue.

Gull. I had just coax'd myself to sweet forgetfulness, And that confounded bell-I hate all bells,

Gull. And, Mistress Flora, would you smile on me, Except a dinner bell-and yet I lie, too,— If, prick'd by the fond hope of your approval,

I should endure this venture?

Flo.

I shall have cause to smile.

Gull.

I do hope

Well! in that hope
I will embrace the achievement for thy sake.

[She is going.
Yet, stay, stay, stay!-on second thoughts I will not―
I've thought on it, and will the mortal cudgel
Rather endure than face the ghostly razor!
Your crab-tree's tough but blunt,—your razor' po-
But as the proverb goes, 'tis cruel sharp. [lish'd,
I'll to thy father, and unto his pleasure
Submit these destined shoulders.

Flo.
But you shall not,
Believe me, sir, you shall not; he is desperate,
And better far be trimm'd by ghost or goblin,
Than by my sire in anger; there are stores
Of hidden treasure, too, and Heaven knows what,
Buried among these ruins-you shall stay.
(Apart.) And if indeed there be such sprite as Owls-
And, lacking him, that thy fear plague thee not
Worse than a goblin, I have miss'd my purpose,
Which else stands good in either case.

night, sir.

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[piegle,

-Good

[Exit, and double-locks the door. Gull. Nay, hold ye, hold!-Nay, gentle Mistress Flora,

Wherefore this ceremony?-She has lock'd me in,
And left me to the goblin!—(Listening.)-So, so, so!
I hear her light foot trip to such a distance,
That I believe the castle's breadth divides me
From human company. I'm ill at ease-
But if this citadel (laying his hand on his stomach)
were better victual'd,

It would be better mann'd.

She has a footstep light, and taper ankle.

[Sits down and drinks.

[Chuckles.

Aha! that ankle! yet, confound it too,
But for those charms Melchisedek had been
Sung in his bed at Mucklewhame—I say,
Confound her footstep, and her instep too,
To use a cobbler's phrase.-There I was quaint.
Now, what to do in this vile circumstance,
To watch or go to bed, I can't determine;
Were I a-bed, the ghost might catch me napping,
And if I watch, my terrors will increase

I love the bell that soon shall tell the parish
Of Gabblegoose, Melchisedek's incumbent―
And shall the future minister of Gabblegoose,
Whom his parishioners will soon require
To exorcise their ghosts, detect their witches,
Lie shivering in his bed for a pert goblin,
Whom, be he switch'd or cocktailed, horn'd or poll'd,
A few tight Hebrew words will soon send packing?
Tush! I will rouse the parson up within me,
And bid defiance- -(A distant noise.) In the name of
Heaven,
[rashness!
What sounds are these!-O Lord! this comes of
[Draws his head down under the bed-clothes.

Duet without, between OWLSPIEGLE and COCKLEDEMOY.

OWLSPIEGLE.

Cockledemoy!

My boy, my boy

COCKLEDEMOY.

Here, father, here.

OWLSPIEGLE.

Now the pole-star's red and burning,
And the witch's spindle turning,
Appear, appear!

Gull. (who has again raised himself, and listened
with great terror to the Duet.) I have heard of
the devil's dam before,

But never of his child. Now, Heaven deliver me!
The Papists have the better of us there,—

They have their Latin prayers, cut and dried,

And pat for such occasion—I can think
On nought but the vernacular.

OWLSPIEGLE.
Cockledemoy!
My boy, my boy,

We'll sport us here

COCKLEDEMOY.

Our gambols play,
Like elve and fay;

OWLSPIEGLE.

And domineer,

BOTH.

Laugh, frolic, and frisk, till the morning appear.

COCKLEDEMOY.

Lift latch-open clasp

Shoot bolt-and burst hasp!

[The door opens with violence.

Enter BLACKTHORN as OWLSPIEGLE, fantastically dressed as a Spanish Barber, tall, thin, emaciated, and ghostly; KATLEEN as COCKLEDEMOY, attends as his Page. All their manners, tones, and motions, are fantastic, as those of Goblins. They make two or three times the circuit of the Room, without seeming to see GULLCRAMMER. They then resume their Chant, or Recitative.

OWLSPIEGLE.

Cock ledemoy!

My boy, my boy,

What wilt thou do that will give thee joy? Wilt thou ride on the midnight owl?

COCKLEDEMOY.

No; for the weather is stormy and foul.

OWLSPIEGLE.

Cockledemoy!

My boy, my boy,

What wilt thou do that can give thee joy?

With a needle for a sword, and a thimble for a hat, Wilt thou fight a traverse with the castle cat?

COCKLEDEMOY.

Oh, no! she has claws, and I like not that.

Gull. I see the devil is a doating father, And spoils his children-'tis the surest way

To make cursed imps of them. They see me not— What will they think on next? It must be own'd, They have a dainty choice of occupations.

OWLSPIEGLE.

Cockledemoy!

My boy, my boy,

What shall we do that can give thee joy? Shall we go seek for a cuckoo's nest?

COCKLEDEMOY.

That's best, that's best!

BOTH.

About, about,

Like an elvish scout,

The cuckoo's a gull, and we'll soon find him out. [They search the room with mops and mows. At length COCKLEDEMOY jumps on the bed. GULLCRAMMER raises himself half up, supporting himself by his hands. COCKLEDEMOY does the same, and grins at him, then skips from the bed, and runs to OWLSPIEGle.

COCKLEDEMOY.

I've found the nest,

And in it a guest,

With a sable cloak and a taffeta vest;

He must be wash'd, and trimm'd, and dress'd, To please the eyes he loves the best.

OWLSPIEGLE.

That's best, that's best.

BOTH.

He must be shaved, and trimm'd, and dress'd,
To please the eyes he loves the best.

[They arrange shaving things on the table,
and sing as they prepare them.

BOTH.

Know that all of the humbug, the bite, and the buz, Of the make-believe world, becomes forfeit to us.

OWLSPIEGLE (sharpening his razor.) The sword this is made of was lost in a fray By a fop, who first bullied and then ran away; And the strap, from the hide of a lame racer, sold By Lord Match, to his friend, for some hundreds in gold.

BOTH.

For all of the humbug, the bite, and the buz,

Of the make-believe world, becomes forfeit to us.

COCKLEDEMOY (placing the napkin.)

And this cambric napkin, so white and so fair,
At an usurer's funeral I stole from the heir.

[Drops something from a vial, as
going to make suds.

This dewdrop I caught from one eye of his mother,
Which wept while she ogled the parson with t'other.

BOTH.

For all of the humbug, the bite, and the buz,

Of the make-believe world, becomes forfeit to us.

OWLSPIEGLE (arranging the lather and the basin.)

My soap-ball is of the mild alkali made,

Which the soft dedicator employs in his trade;
And it froths with the pith of a promise, that's sworn
By a lover at night, and forgot on the morn.

BOTH.

For all of the humbug. the bite, and the buz,
Of the make-believe world, becomes forfeit to us.

Halloo, halloo,

The blackcock crew,

Thrice shriek'd hath the owl, thrice croak'd hath the raven, Here, ho! Master Gullcrammer, rise and be shaven !

Da kapo.

Gull. (who has been observing them.) I'll pluck a spirit up; they're merry goblins,

And will deal mildly. I will soothe their humour; Besides, my beard lacks trimming.

[He rises from his bed, and advances with great
symptoms of trepidation, but affecting an air
of composure. The Goblins receive him with
fantastic ceremony.

Gentlemen, 'tis your will I should be trimm'd-
E'en do your pleasure.

(They point to a seat—he sits.)
Think, howsoe'er,

Of me as one who hates to see his blood;
Therefore I do beseech you, signior,

Be gentle in your craft. I know those barbers,
One would have harrows driven across his visnomy,
Rather than they should touch it with a razor.

OWLSPIEGLE shaves GULLCRAMMER, while COCKLEDEMOY sings.

Father never started hair,

Shaved too close, or left too bare-
Father's razor slips as glib

As from courtly tongue a fib.

Whiskers, mustache, he can trim in

Fashion meet to please the women;

Sharp's his blade, perfumed his lather,

Happy those are trimm'd by father!

Gull. That's a good boy. I love to hear a child Stand for his father, if he were the devil.

[He motions to rise. Craving your pardon, sir.-What! sit again?

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COCKLEDEMOY (sings as before.)

Hair-breadth 'scapes, and hair-breadth snares,
Hare-brain'd follies, ventures, cares,

Part when father clips your hairs.

If there is a hero frantic,

Or a lover too romantic;

If threescore seeks second spouse,

Or fourteen lists lover's vows,

. Bring them here-for a Scotch boddle,
Owlspiegle shall trim their noddle.

They take the napkin from about GULLCRAMMER'S neck. He makes bows of acknowledgment, which they return fantastically, and sing— Thrice crow'd hath the blackcock, thrice croak'd hath the raven, And Master Melchisedek Gullcrammer's shaven!

Gull. My friends, you are too musical for me; But though I cannot cope with you in song, I would, in humble prose, enquire of you, If that you will permit me to acquit Even with the barber's pence the barber's service? [They shake their heads. Or if there is aught else that I can do for you, Sweet Master Owlspiegle, or your loving child, The hopeful Cockle'moy?

COCKLEDEMOY.

Sir, you have been trimm'd of late,
Smooth's your chin, and bald your pate;
Lest cold rheums should work you harm,
Here's a cap to keep you warm.

Gull. Welcome, as Fortunatus' wishing cap,
For 'twas a cap that I was wishing for.
(There I was quaint in spite of mortal terror.)

[As he puts on the cap, a pair of ass's ears disengage themselves. Upon my faith, it is a dainty head-dress, And might become an alderman!-Thanks, sweet Thou'rt a considerate youth. [Monsieur,

[Both Goblins bow with ceremony to GULLCRAM-
MER, who returns their salutation. OWLS-
PIEGLE descends by the trap-door, COCKLEDE-
MOY springs out at window.

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She has four wings and strength enow,
And her long body has room for two.

Gull. Cockledemoy now is a naughty bratWould have the poor old stiff-rumped devil, his father, Peril his fiendish neck. All boys are thoughts.

SONG.

Which way didst thou take?

COCKLEDEMOY.

I have fall'n in the lake

Help, father, for Beelzebub's sake.

Gull. The imp is drown'd,-a strange death for a devil,

O, may all boys take warning, and be civil;
Respect their loving sires, endure a chiding,
Nor roam by night on dragonflies a-riding!

COCKLEDEMOY (sings.)

Now merrily, merrily, row 1 to shore,
My bark is a bean-shell, a straw for an oar.
OWLSPIEGLE (sings.)

My life, my joy, My Cockledemoy!

Gull. I can bear this no longer-thus children are spoil'd.

Master Owlspiegle, hoy!

[Strikes into the tune.

He deserves to be whipp'd, little Cockledemoy!

[Their voices are heard as if dying away. Gull. They're gone!-Now, am I scared, or am I not? I think the very desperate ecstasy

Of fear has given me courage. This is strange now.
When they were here, I was not half so frighten'd
As now they're gone-they were a sort of company.
What a strange thing is use-A horn, a claw,
The tip of a fiend's tail, was wont to scare me.
Now am I with the devil hand and glove;
His soap has lather'd, and his razor shaved me;
I've joined him in a catch, kept time and tune,
Could dine with him, nor ask for a long spoon;
And if I keep not better company,
What will become of me when I shall die?

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In these wild halls while playing feigned goblins,
That we may meet with real ones?

Kat.

Not a jot.
My spirit is too light, my heart too bold,
To fear a visit from the other world.

Black. But is not this the place, the very hall,
In which men say that Oswald's grandfather,
The black Lord Erick, walks his penance round?
Credit me, Katleen, these half-moulder'd columns
Have in their ruin something very fiendish,
And, if you'll take an honest friend's advice,
The sooner that you change their shatter'd splendour
For the snug cottage that I told you of,
Believe me, it will prove the blither dwelling.
Kat. If I e'er see that cottage, honest Blackthorn,
Believe me, it shall be from other motive
Than fear of Erick's spectre.

[A rustling sound is heard.
Black.
I heard a rustling sound-
Upon my life, there's something in the hall,
Katleen, besides us two!

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A forester, and frighten'd! I am sorry
I gave the fool's-cap to poor Gullcrammer,
And let thy head go bare.

[The same rushing sound is repeated. Black. Why, are you mad, or hear you not the sound? Kat. And if I do, I take small heed of it.

Will you allow a maiden to be bolder
Than you, with beard on chin and sword at girdle?
Black. Nay, if I had my sword, I would not care;
Though I ne'er heard of master of defence,
So active at his weapon as to brave
The devil, or a ghost-See! see! see yonder!

[A Figure is imperfectly seen between
two of the pillars.

Partakes not the alarm.-If thou dost come in
Heaven's name,

In Heaven's name art thou welcome!

Pal. I come, by Heaven permitted. Quit this castle:
There is a fate on't-if for good or evil,
Brief space shall soon determine. In that fate,
If good, by lineage thou canst nothing claim;
If evil, much mayst suffer.-Leave these precincts.
Kat. Whate'er thou art, be answer'd-Know, I will
Desert the kinswoman who train'd my youth; [not
Know, that I will not quit my friend, my Flora;
Know, that I will not leave the aged man
Whose roof has shelter'd me. This is my resolve-
If evil come, I aid my friends to bear it;
If good, my part shall be to see them prosper,
A portion in their happiness from which
No fiend can bar me.
Pal.
Maid, before thy courage,
Firm built on innocence, even beings of nature
More powerful far than thine, give place and way;
Take then this key, and wait the event with courage.
[He drops the key.-He disappears gradually
-the moonlight failing at the same time.
Kat. (after a pause.) Whate'er it was, 'tis gone!
My head turns round-

I will haste,

The blood that lately fortified my heart
Now eddies in full torrent to my brain,
And makes wild work with reason.
If that my steps can bear me so far safe,
To living company. What if I meet it
Again in the long aisle, or vaulted passage?
And if I do, the strong support that bore me
Through this appalling interview, again
Shall strengthen and uphold me.

[As she steps forward she stumbles over the key. What's this? The key?-there may be mystery in't. I'll to my kinswomen, when this dizzy fit

Kat. There's something moves, that's certain, and Will give me leave to choose my way aright.

the moonlight,

Chased by the flitting gale, is too imperfect

To show its form; but, in the name of God,
I'll venture on it boldly.

Wilt thou so?

Black.
Were I alone, now, I were strongly tempted
To trust my heels for safety; but with thee,
Be it fiend or fairy, I'll take risk to meet it.

[She sits down exhausted.

Re-enter BLACKTHORN, with a drawn sword and torch.

Black. Katleen! What, Katleen !-What a wretch
was I

To leave her!-Katleen, I am weapon'd now,
And fear nor dog nor devil.—She replies not!

Kat. It stands full in our path, and we must pass it, Beast that I was-nay, worse than beast; the stag, Or tarry here all night.

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As timorous as he is, fights for his hind.
What's to be done?-I'll search this cursed castle
From dungeon to the battlements; if I find her not,
I'll fling me from the highest pinnacle-

Kat. (who has somewhat gathered her spirits, in con-
sequence of his entrance, comes behind and
touches him; he starts.)
Brave sir!
I'll spare you that rash leap-You're a bold woodsman!
Surely I hope that from this night henceforward
You'll never kill a hare, since you're akin to them;
OI could laugh—but that my head's so dizzy.
Black. Lean on me, Katleen-By my honest word,
I thought you close behind-I was surprised,
Not a jot frighten'd.

Kat. Thou art a fool to ask me to thy cottage,

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