He hath pursued long vigils in this tower, To draw conclusions absolute, of aught His studies tend to. To be sure, there is MANUEL. 'Twere dangerous; Content thyself with what thou knowest already. HER. Ah! Manuel! thou art elderly and wise, And couldst say much; thou hast dwelt within the castle How many years is 't? MANUEL. Ere Count Manfred's birth, I served his father, whom he nought resembles. MANUEL. I speak not Of features or of form, but mind and habits: Count Sigismund was proud,—but gay and free,— A warrior and a reveller; he dwelt not With books and solitude, nor made the night Merrier than day; he did not walk the rocks And forests like a wolf, nor turn aside From men and their delights. HER. Beshrew the hour, But those were jocund times! I would that such As if they had forgotten them. MANUEL. These walls Must change their chieftain first. Oh! I have seen Some strange things in them, Herman. HER. Come, be friendly; Relate me some to while away our watch: I've heard thee darkly speak of an event Which happen'd hereabouts, by this same tower. So like that it might be the same; the wind Count Manfred was, as now, within his tower,— And watchings-her, whom of all earthly things The lady Astarte, his Hush! who comes here? Enter the ABBOT. ABBOT. Where is your master? ABBOT. I must speak with him. MANUEL. 'Tis impossible; He is most private, and must not be thus Intruded on. Аввот. Upon myself I take The forfeit of my fault, if fault there be— Knock, and apprize the Count of my approach. SCENE IV. Interior of the Tower. MANFRED alone. MAN. The stars are forth, the moon above the tops Of the snow-shining mountains.-Beautiful! I linger yet with Nature, for the night Than that of man; and in her starry shade I learn'd the language of another world. The trees which grew along the broken arches Begun and died upon the gentle wind. While Cæsar's chambers, and the Augustan halls, Of rugged desolation, and fill'd up, As 'twere, anew, the gaps of centuries; Leaving that beautiful which still was so, And making that which was not, till the place With silent worship of the great of old!— The dead, but sceptred sovereigns, who still rule "Twas such a night! 'Tis strange that I recall it at this time; But I have found our thoughts take wildest flight |