The gay, delusive show, so long maintained Till I had found and searched thee to the soul. Per. Still must I wonder; for so dark a cloud Doug. O, deeper than thou think'st I've read thy heart. To me, when none else heard thee, seemed the voice Per. O, partial friendship! Doug. Yet had I never guessed your brooded purpose.Rememberest thou the regent's masque? the birth night? Per. Well. Doug. That night you glittered through the crowded halls, Gay and capricious as a sprite of air. Apollo rapt us when you touched the lyre; One bed received us. Soon your moaning voice 66 "O, Percy! Percy! Hotspur! O, my father! Upbraid me not! hide, hide those ghastly wounds! Per. Heavens! Doug. "Tis true:-and more than I can now remember. Per. And never speak of it? Doug. Inly I burned; But honor, pride, forbade. Pilfer from dreams! Thou knew'st the ear, arm, life of Douglas, thine Per. And long ago I had disclosed to thee My troubled bosom; but my enterprise So rife with peril seemed-to hearts less touched, How could I justify the deed to Heaven? How to thine aged sire? Armed proof I stand, To fate: come what will come-the wide earth bears Doug. The heart of Douglas beats not with thy blood; In justice, truth, or Heaven, if it forsake thee. Per. Douglas, thy friendship is my choicest treasure ;Has been a radiant star on my dark way; And never did I doubt thy zeal to serve me. Per. Let Heaven be witness there! The thought of bringing down thy father's hairs Palsy my soul, and cripple all my powers. Doug. So!-have I wandered o'er the hills for this? Per. I would not wound thee, Douglas, well thou know'st; But thus to hazard on a desperate cast Thy golden fortunes— Doug. Cursed be the blood within me, Plagues and the grave o'ertake me, if I leave thee; Per. For thy father's sake Doug. Peace! I'd not go if staying here would strew His hoar hairs in the tomb-not stir, by Heaven! Must I toss counters? sum the odds of life, When honor points the way?-When was the blood Of Douglas precious in a noble cause? Per. Nay, hear me, hear me, Doug. Talk to me Douglas Of dangers? Death and shame! Is not my race As high, as ancient, and as proud as thine? Per. I've done. Doug. By Heaven, it grieves me, Harry Percy, Preaching such craven arguments to me. Now tell me how thou stand'st; thy cause how prospered. What has been done? What projects are afoot? Acquaint me quickly. Per. Gently; lest some busy ear Be near us. Little have I yet to tell thee. Doug. A keeper of his chase thy garb bespeaks. Roll down their reverend beards, and genuine love Doug. I long To press the sons, and tell them what a lord Lives yet to rule them. Per. When first I mixed among them, oft I struck, Encouraged thus, I sought its latent seeds, There, to high strains, the minstrel harp I tuned, When their brave fathers, scorning to be slaves, And shared his triumphs in the festal hall. Doug. That lulled them, as the north wind does the sea Per. From man to man, from house to house, like fire, The kindling impulse flew; till every hind, Scarce conscious why, handles his targe and bow; Still talks of change; starts if the banished name By chance he hears; and supplicates his saint, Doug. What lack we? Spread The warlike ensign. On the border side, Two hundred veteran spears await your summons. Doug. Sinews of the house; Ready to tread in every track of Douglas. By stealth I drew them in from distant points, And hid amidst a wood in Chevy-Chace. Per. 0, Douglas! Douglas! even such a friend, For death or life, was thy great sire to mine. Doug. Straight, let us turn our trumpets to the hills; Declare aloud thy name and wrongs; in swarms Call down the warlike tenantry, and teach Aspiring Neville fatal is the day The Percy and the Douglas lead in arms. Per. If he were all-Remember haughty Henry, The nephew of his wife, whose word could speed A veteran army to his kinsman's aid. Doug. Come one, come all; leave us to welcome them [Exit Douglas. Per. Too long, too long a huntsman, Arthur comes, When others danced, struck the glad wire, or caught Brooding o'er wrongs that haunted me for vengeance. My birth-right home. Halls founded by my sires To S**** weeping.-ANONYMOUS. WHY shouldst thou weep? No cause hast thou No care has marked that polished brow, Nor dimmed thy radiant eye. Why shouldst thou weep? Around thee glows The purple light of youth, And all thy looks the calm disclose Of innocence and truth. Nay, weep not while thy sun shines bright, And cloudless is thy day, While past and present joys unite To cheer thee on thy way; While fond companions round thee move, And friends, whose looks of anxious love Nay, weep not now: reserve thy tears When thou, alas! no more canst see, The friends who ever looked on thee When some, thy fond companions now, View thee with anger-darkening brow, Or some, the faithful of that band, Bless thee with faltering breath, While from their lips thy trembling hand Nay, weep not now: reserve thy tears When, through the gradual lapse of years, When Memory a wavering light And Hope no longer veils from sight |