A thrilling pleasantness, which send a glow My throne again. Reign! Reign! I have forgot Alb. Boy! boy! Cling not about me thus. Theo. Thou wilt have mercy; Thy heart is softening. Alb. "Tis too late. To reign, And he at liberty! I am a child Myself, that, won by this child's gentleness, I seemed to waver. Boy, thy fate is fixed! Thyself hast said it. Thou'rt a prisoner, And for thy whole life long; a caged bird. For I would root out hope and fear, and plant Rest thee content. No harm shall happen thee. (Exit Alberto.) Theo. Content! Oh mockery of grief! content! Was't not enough to take away my crown, To mew me up here in a living tomb, Cut off from human ties; but my jailer Must bid me be content! Would I were dead! Forgive me, heaven, for my impatience! As hermits use through the long silent hours. Merrily! Happy fool, it had forgot Blithe liberty! But man, though he should drag To hear his own sad voice, cannot forget He wants that blessed gift. SELECTION VIII. ATHELWOLD-EDWIN-PILGRIM.-Mason. Athelwold. Banish me! No. I'll die. For why should life Remain a lonely lodger in that breast Which honor leaves deserted? Idle breath! Thou canst not fill such vacancy. Begone. Pilgrim. Oh shame to fortitude! Shame to that manly passion, which inspires Athel. And but o'er noble breasts; Pil. Forbear, forbear; Think what a sea of deep perdition whelms And let the thought restrain thine impious hand. Athel. I was once Yes, I was once, I have his royal word for it, A man of such tried faith, such steady honor, Sating the lust of slander; and my wife, Edwin. Stay, my dearest master; Athel. I mean it, slave, And wouldst thou hinder me? Ed. Yes, sir, I hold 'Tis duty to my king, and love to you, Athel. What! thou traitor!- Upon whose breast I cast this load of misery, Ye venerable fathers of this wood, Who oft have cooled beneath your arching shades Ed. See, thou Pilgrim, How horror shades his brow; how fixed his eye; Pil. Edwin, 'tis ever thus With noble minds, if chance they slide to folly; Of their severe repentance. SELECTION IX. CASWALLON-FITZ-EDWARD.-Walker. Caswallon. Off.-I have strength in this unwearied arm(Recognizing his son.) Ha! is it thou? Fitz-Edward. Turn not away.-One word Upon my knees I beg it. Cas. Let it be A brief one, then.-What wouldst thou? Fitz-Ed. Oh, my father! The tempest that my slighted speech foretold, Cas. And 'tis this To tell me this, that thou art here-to vaunt Fitz-Ed. No.-I come To break thy commerce with the midnight wolf- That flow from man's communion with his kind:- Cas. Beware-beware. If I thought that-thou knowest my temper-hence, Fitz-Ed. Oh, I must, and thou Must hear me, too.-Enough of constancy- -Is not all lost ?-and thou Cas. Patience-oh, patience, heart!- The common doom ?—oh, idle all.There now Is left thee but one way to save thyself :- Thy bosom-I must speak it-'tis submission. Cas. Heaven!-are thy thunders idle?—and thou, earth That yet endurest his tread!-thou wilt not part Beneath him, and deep hide his infamy! Cas. No-thou blot On the pure 'scutcheon of thy noble fathers— Thor shalt not plume thee in my fall, nor show me With "Lo! my work, and there the untamable !"– "Tis not within thy hate's extremest bound Away, weak heart ' In upright conscious honesty, I stand And shake thy loose aspersions from my soul, As lightly as the falcon from her wing The dews of evening. Cas. I will not hear thee.-Hence. Fitz-Ed. Obdurate man, bow thy proud spirit down, If ta'en thou diest.-Submit, and thou shalt live ::(Imploringly upon his knees.) Beloved father! By heaven's whole host, I will not see thee lost! (Starting up resolvedly.) No-if thou scorn to yield, I'll instant hence, And to the troops that now beset thee round, Reveal the secret of thy lurking place. Cas. Reveal!-betray me to- ? But no-thou art Caswallon's son, and thus far he will trust thee. Fitz-Ed. Oh, agony of heart! Cas. (Going.) Nay, follow not. Attempt to stay me, and a father's curse Cling to thy soul, and hold thee lost for ever! (Exit.) It fell not-'tis not that that rages here. That misery still is spared me. He is gone! SELECTION X. VERNER-TELL-PIERRE-THEODORE-SARNEM-MICHAEL SOLDIERS AND PEOPLE.-Knowles. (The people have gathered to one side, and look in the opposite direction with apprehension and trouble.) Verner. Now Tell observe the people. Tell. Ha! they please me now-I like them now-their looks Are just in season. |