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; You rush on instant death. Athel. I mean it, slave, And wouldst thou hinder me? 'Tis duty to my king, and love to you, Athel. What! thou traitor! Thy pardon, Edwin, I forgot myself; Upon whose breast I cast this load of misery, Ye venerable fathers of this wood, Who oft have cooled beneath your arching shades I will not long pollute ye; for I mean 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? The tempest that my slighted speech foretold, Cas. And 'tis this thee! 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- The kingly sway— Cas. Patience-oh, patience, heart!— Fitz-Ed. Nay, hear me on.-Is not all lost?—and thou Dost thou still singly labor to oppose The common doom?—oh, idle all.-There now Is left thee but one way to save thyself: But one-and I must speak it, howsoe'er 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! No-thou disdainest that such a rank pollution Should rest within thy bosom !—This to me !— Submission!-Breathes the recreant to confront Caswallon with such counsel ?-Yes-behold him!There with the uttered wish-the hateful hope Fresh reeking from his lips, he stands before meEndless disgrace!-a Cambrian, and—my son! Fitz-Ed. Yet-vet I will be patient. 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 !"— Fitz-Ed. Dreadful thought!— "Tis not within thy hate's extremest bound To think me so immeasurably base- 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, (Starting up resolvedly.) 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. Pierre. "Tis Sarnem. Theodore. What is that he brings with him? Theo. So could I!-My heart hath oft Leaped at the sight of it. What comes he now To do? (Sarnem enters with soldiers bearing Gesler's cap upon a po’e, which he fixes into the ground; the people looking on in silence and amazement.) Sarnem. Ye men of Altorf! Behold the emblem of your master's power Tell. Have I my hearing? Ver. Away! away! Tell. Or sight? They do it, Verner! Look!-Look! Have 1 the outline of that caitiff Who to the servile earth doth bend the crown His god did rear for him to heaven? Ver. Away, Before they mark us. Tell. No! no!—since I've tasted, I'll e'n feed on. A spirit's in me likes it. Sar. (Striking a person.) Bow lower, slave! Tell. Do you feel that blow-my flesh doth tingle with it. I would it had been I! Ver. You tremble, William; come-you must not stay. (Enter Michael through the crowd.) Sar. Bow, slave. |