Page images
PDF
EPUB

And yet he's used to this!—The mutterer !——

Smite him!

ARNOLD. My lord!

GESLER. How durst he pray?

Enough

The storm should talk of death!—How durst he pray?

Sees he not heaven is deaf?-It may shew mercy;

But none to us!-You see!-It waxes fiercer

And fiercer! Heaven abandon its own likeness
To the disposal of the savage elements!
GEORGE. My lord! my lord!-

GESLER. Speak, slave.

GEORGE. One man alone

Can save us. He's acquainted with each shoal

And inlet of the lake.

GESLER. Where is he?

GEORGE. There!

(pointing to Tell.)

In chains, my lord.

Set him at liberty!

Each moment lost, lets go a chance of life.

The storm's not fairly on as yet—

Its fury 's all to come! You hear, my lord,

What roar and crashing are a-head.

GESLER. Take off his chains!

(Tell is lifted by the soldiers from the bottom of the

boat, and his chains taken off.)

TELL. Give me the helm-you do not trim the boat;

She's far too light a-head.

A steady stroke, and strong!

There-there-lie to 't.

Let all beside

Lie flat, to shew less surface to the wind;

(To Gesler) Heed not the storm, my lord! No stranger 't is

To me.

GESLER. And fear you not those waves?
TELL. Not I!-

We're old acquaintance. Many a time we've met.
Welcome! How do you, friends? And are you glad
To see me once again, with limbs at large?
Free as your own you throw about you thus,
In reckless wantonness?-Ay, jostle me!
I know 't is all in kindness.

GESLER. Why the waves

Seem subject to him!-Now we 're making way.

I will reward thee. -(thunder) What a peal was

there!

TELL. Nothing, my lord! A rough-tongued friend of

mine,

No more. You know me, do you?-We have talked
Before together; (lightning). Come you too, my keen
And hot ey'd comrade-Come you too, to take
A look at me? Look on!-and if those bright
And restless orbs of thine flash on me now
With gratulation, how will they flame anon!
(Tell directs the boat towards a rock.)

GESLER. Why turn you?

TELL. See, my lord, that wave

Rolls foaming towards us! We must shun its stroke! (Tell seizes his bow and quiver, which lie at the head of the boat, and springs on the rock.)

Liberty!

The man that follows me

Rushes on certain death!-Exit.

GESLER. Pursue the traitor!—

(Gesler and his party land, and follow Tell.)

[blocks in formation]

TELL. I have the speed of them—

They cannot scale this cliff. Once on its top,
Though the fleet chamois did lack their speed
I'd mock the chase!—(Tell climbs the cliff.)
Arnold and soldiers enter.

ARNOLD. We cannot follow him!

GESLER. (Without.) Why do you pause? where are your arrows, Slaves,

They can overtake him!-Send them after him.

TELL. Look to your master first.-Tyrant! take that For Melctal's eyes!

(Gesler, transfixed with the arrow, staggers in, and falls dead into the arms of Arnold.)

MELCTAL, thou art revenged!

Liberty!

Exit Tell.

LINES,

WRITTEN BENEATH A PORTRAIT OF THE MARCHIONESS OF SALISBURY, BY SIR THOMAS LAWRENCE.

BY JAMES SHERIDAN KNOWLES.

Ir breathes, a mild convincing dignity;

There's what worth is, and what rank ought to be;
Pride that will turn from what wounds virtue's eye;
Blandness, that beckons Merit to come nigh;
A tenderness, that where it twines doth cleave;
A bounteousness, that ever joys to give;
A peace, the blessed calm of soul-content;
A frankness, that discourseth what is meant !
A grace and beauty, born of heart and mind;
A face and person not such gifts behind!
'Tis Lawrence! Yes, the master-hand is there,
Skilled to perpetuate all that's great and fair!

[blocks in formation]

THE perfume of a lily pure, the lunar rainbow's light, The faint farewell of parting day, fast fading into

night;

The whispered sorrows of a friend, still softening as they flow,

The gentle murmur of a kiss, which lovers only know;

II.

The texture of that seven-hued scarf, from dying tempests won,

Which like a gorgeous trophy hangs, around the joyous

sun;

The thrill a long mute voice inspires-a youthful

virgin's vow,

And the first dream whose blissfulness flits o'er an

infant's brow;

« PreviousContinue »