Nay, do not thus regard me, good my lord! De Mon. (in a hasty, broken voice.) Art thou Man. No, sir, the Lady Jane is on her way; She is not far behind. De Mon. (tossing his arm over his head in an It must not be.-Run and prevent her coming. Out of the pale of social kindred cast; Tell her De Monfort far from hence is gone Ne'er to return again. Fly, tell her this; Enter JANE DE MONFORT, bursting into the chamber, (De Monfort turns away his head and hides his And thou too, Freberg: call it not unkind. 'De Monfort turns round and looks sorrowfully And in the rougher path of ripen'd years And terrible the storm that gathers o'er us; Which severs thee from nature, shall unloose In the terrific face of armed law; Yea, on the scaffold, if it needs must be, De Mon. (looking at her with admiration.) I thought to sink beneath this load of ill, I thought to sink in abject wretchedness: Jane. Yes, thou art noble still. De Mon. With thee I am; who were not so with But ah! my sister, short will be the term.` Far as the spotless purity of virtue Is from the murderer's guilt, far shall we be. Jane. The God who made thee is a God of mercy; De Mon. (shaking his head.) No, no! this blood! this blood! Jane. Yes, e'en the sin of blood may be forgiven, Jane. Ay, give thy sorrow vent; here mayst When humble penitence hath once atoned. thou weep. De Mon. (in broken accents.) O! this, my sister, makes me feel again The kindness of affection. My mind has in a dreadful storm been tost; Jane. I know thy sufferings: leave thy sorrow Thou art with one who never did upbraid; De Mon. Ah! sayst thou so? no, no; it should (Shrinking from her.) I am a foul and bloody mur derer, De Mon. (eagerly.) What, after terms of length- Imprison'd anguish of tormented spirits, Into the blessed family of the good Admittance have? Think'st thou that this may be? (Jane is silent, and looks sorrowfully upon him; De Mon. Ha! dost thou pray for me? Heaven hear thy prayer! For such embrace unmeet: O leave me! leave me! I fain would kneel.-Alas! I dare not do it. Disgrace and public shame abide me now; To noble worth like thine ?-I have no name- (She takes his hand, and grasping it firmly, Jane. De Monfort, hand in hand we have enjoy'd The playful term of infancy together; Jane. Not so all by th' Almighty Father form'd, (She kneels and prays to herself; he kneels by De Mon. Hear'st thou that noise? They come to interrupt us. Jane. (moving towards a side door.) Then let us enter here. De Mon. Well, I am ready, sir. De Mon. (catching hold of her with a look of horror.) Not there-not there-the corpse (Approaching Jane, whom the Abbess is endeavouring to comfort, but to no purpose.) Jane. What, lies he there?-Unhappy Rezen-Ah! wherefore thus! most honour'd and most dear? velt? Shrink not at the accoutrements of ill, De Mon. A sudden thought has come across my Daring the thing itself. mind; How came it not before? Unhappy Rezenvelt! Sayst thou but this? (Endeavouring to look cheerful.) Wilt thou permit me with a gyved hand? (She gives her hand, which he raises to his lips.) Jane. What should I say? he was an honest This was my proudest office. man; I still have thought him such, as such lament him. It hath a meaning. [EXEUNT, De Monfort leading out Jane. SCENE V.-AN APARTMENT IN THE CONVENT, OPEN- Enter another Monk, who, on perceiving him, stops till (Pointing to De Monfort.) Is Jane. A stranger uncondemn'd? this cannot be. 1st Off. As yet, indeed, he is by law unjudged, But is so far condemn'd by circumstance, That law, or custom sacred held as law, Doth fully warrant us, and it must be. Jane. Nay, say not so; he has no power t' escape: Distress hath bound him with a heavy chain ; There is no need of yours. 1st Off. We must perform our office. Jane. O! do not offer this indignity! 1st Off. Is it indignity in sacred law 1st Monk. How is the prisoner? 2d Monk. (pointing to the door.) He is within, 1st Monk. 2d Monk. Yes, with heroic courage, for a while To bind a murderer? (To 2d Officer.) Come, do thy God grant his pains be short! De Mon. (to Jane.) Stand thou erect in native Is wrapp'd in sable clouds; the chill blast sounds dignity; And bend to none on earth the suppliant knee, And, if they are too light, bring heavier chains. Like dismal lamentations. Ay, who knows (A long pause, whilst they put irons upon him. 1st Off. I have it, too, in charge to move you hence, (To De Monfort.) Into another chamber more secure. mercy, (A groan heard within.) 1st Monk. It is the dying man. (Another groan.) (Listening at the door.) 2d Monk. God grant him rest! I hear him struggling in the gripe of death. O pitecus heaven! (Goes from the door.) Enter Brother THOMAS from the chamber. How now, good brother? Enter MANUEL and JEROME. Man. (pointing.) Here, my good Jerome, here's a piteous sight. Jer. A piteous sight! yet I will look upon him: I'll see his face in death. Alas, alas! Thom. Retire, my friends. O many a bed of I've seen him move a noble gentleman; death With all its pangs and horrors I have seen, I would move hence, but I am weak and faint: (Leans on second Monk: a pause.) Enter BERNARD from the chamber. 2d Monk. (to Bern.) How is your penitent? Bern. He is with HIM who made him; HIM, who knows The soul of man: before whose awful presence (Bell tolls.) The dismal sound! Retire and pray for the blood-stain'd soul: And when with vexing passion undisturb'd, (Lifts up in mistake the cloth from the body of (Drops the cloth again.) Man. That is the murder'd corpse; here lies De Monfort. (Going to uncover the other body.) Jer. (turning away his head.) No, no! I cannot look upon him now. Man. Didst thou not come to see him? Bern. (To Jer.) Well dost thou show the abhorrence nature feels For deeds of blood, and I commend thee well. May heaven have mercy on him! (Bell tolls again.) For one, who, from the hand of fellow man, [EXEUNT. SCENE VI.-A HALL OR LARGE ROOM IN THE CON VENT. THE BODIES OF DE MONFORT AND REZENVELT ARE DISCOVERED LAID OUT UPON A LOW TABLE OR PLATFORM, COVERED WITH BLACK. FREBERG, BERNARD, ABBESS, MONKS, AND NUNS ATTENDING. Hath felt such cruelty. (Uncovering the body of Rezenvelt.) This is the murder'd corse: (Uncovering the body of De Monfort) Here lies the murderer. What think'st thou here? Abb. (to Freb.) Here must they lie, my lord, With the last dreadful conflict of despair, until we know Respecting this the order of the law. Freb. And you have wisely done, my reverend mother. (Goes to the table, and looks at the bodies, but without uncovering them.) Unhappy men! ye, both in nature rich, So fix'd in horrid strength. See those knit brows; those hollow sunken eyes; The sharpen'd nose, with nostrils all distent; That writhed mouth, where yet the teeth appear, In agony, to gnash the nether lip. Think'st thou, less painful than the murderer's knife Was such a death as this Ay, and how changed too those matted locks! Jer. Merciful heaven! his hair is grisly grown, Changed to white age, that was, but too days since, Black as the raven's plume. How may this be? Bern. Such change, from violent conflict of the mind, Will sometimes come. Jer. Alas, alas! most wretched! Whom heaven commands to love? Low are ye Thou wert too good to do a cruel deed, laid: And so it kill'd thee. Thou hast suffer'd for it. God rest thy soul! I needs must touch thy hand, And bid thee long farewell. (Laying his hand on De Monfort.) Bern. Draw back, draw back; see where the lady comes. Enter JANE DE MONFORT. (Freberg, who has been for some time retired by himself to the bottom of the stage, now steps forward to lead her in, but checks himself on seeing the fixed sorrow of her countenance, and draws back respectfully. Jane advances to the table, and looks attentively at the covered bodies. Manuel points out the body of Dr Monfort, and she gives a gentle inclination of the head, to signify that she understands him. She then bends tenderly over it, without speaking. Man. (to Jane, as she raises her head.) O, madam! my good lord. Jane. Well says thy love, my good and faithful But we must mourn in silence. Man. Alas! the times that I have follow'd him! Thou hast loved him, and I'll remember thee. Man. Nay, by the living God! where'er you are, but (Throwing himself at her feet.) Jane. (raising him.) Well, then! be thou my servant, and my friend. Art thou, good Jerome, too, in kindness come? age: Man. (to Off.) Hold thy unrighteous tongue, or Nor, in the presence of this honour'd dame, 1st Off. I am an officer on duty call'd, Do as thou wilt: Jane. I thank your courtesy: thanks, thanks to My reverend mother, and ye honour'd maids; Would I could serve you with a young man's And now I have a sad request to make, strength! I'd spend my life for you. Jane. Freb. In every sensible and generous breast Jane. Nay, Freberg, Freberg! grieve me not, He to whose ear my praise most welcome was, The voice of praise was wont to name us both; (Covers her face with her hands, and bursts into Into our hands he straight must be consign'd. The prison that awaits him is the grave. Enter SULPICIUS and ORCERES by opposite sides. Sul. So soon return'd !--I read not in thy face 1st Off. Ha! say'st thou so? there is foul play in Aught to encourage or depress my wishes. this. How is it, noble friend? Orc. E'en as it was e'er I received my mission. Cordenius Maro is on public duty; I have not seen him.-When he knows your offer Shape their first circles in the sunny air. Orc, Methinks I see him now! A face with blushes mantling to the brow, Sul. His face, indeed, as I have heard thee say, As tenderness gives way to exultation! Sul. Art thou so well convinced- To all my wealth, had I suspected sooner, Orc. Thou scarcely know'st! Say certainly thou dost not. He is, to honest right, as simply true Sul. But is the public duty very urgent, Orc. The punishment of those poor Nazarenes, Who, in defiance of imperial power, To their forbidden faith and rites adhere Sul. A stubborn contumacy unaccountable! But be it what it may, or good or ill, Sul. Cease; here comes Portia, with a careless face: She knows not yet the happiness that waits her. I knew not you were here; but yet I guess Orc. How can it fail, fair Portia, so commended? Por. That tune, my father, Which you so oft have tried to recollect; SONG. The storm is gathering far and wide, Yon mortal hero must abide. Power on earth, and power in air, And so, indeed, thou takest thy stand, Orc. The picture of some very noble hero Sul. So it should seem; one of the days of old. Por. And why of olden days? There liveth now The very man-a man-I mean to say, There may be found amongst our Roman youth, One, who in form and feelings may compare With him whose lofty virtues these few lines So well describe. Orc. Thou mean'st the lofty Gorbus. Por. Out on the noisy braggart! Arms without He hath, indeed, well burnish'd and well plumed, But the poor soul, within, is pluck'd and bare, Like any homely thing. Org. Sertorius Galba then? For if he hath no lack of courage, certes, |