Ser. His servant told me so. De Mon. And at what hour? Ser. He 'parts from Amberg by the fall of eve. Save you, my lord! how changed your countenance is! Are you not well? De Mon. Yes, I am well: begone, And wait my orders by the city wall: I'll that way bend, and speak to thee again. [EXIT Servant. (De Monfort walks rapidly two or three times across the stage; then seizes his dagger from the wall; looks steadfastly at its point, and EXIT hastily.) SCENE III-MOONLIGHT. A WILD PATH IN A WOOD, SHADED WITH TREES. Enter DE MONFORT, with a strong expression of disquiet, mixed with fear, upon his face, looking behind him, and bending his ear to the ground, as if he listened to something. I've leant my back against some knotted oak, And loudly mimick'd him, till to my call He answer would return, and through the gloom, Between me and the star-bespangled sky, Yon sailing cloud beats on its dusky length! A hollow murmuring wind sounds through the trees; I hear it from afar; this bodes a storm. I must not linger here (A bell heard at some distance.) The convent bell. "Tis distant still: it tells their hour of prayer. It sends a solemn sound upon the breeze, De Mon. How hollow groans the earth beneath That, to a fearful superstitious mind, my tread! Is there an echo here? Methinks it sounds As though some heavy footstep follow'd me I will advance no farther. Deep settled shadows rest across the path, That midst the murky darkness I might strike; As though they pass'd not; nor impress the mind (An owl is heard screaming near him.) (Starting.) What sound is that? (Listens, and the owl cries again.) It is the screech owl's cry. Foul bird of night! what spirit guides thee here? Art thou instinctive drawn to scenes of horror? I've heard of this. (Pauses and listens.) How those fall'n leaves so rustle on the path, With whispering noise, as though the earth around me Did utter secret things! The distant river too, bears to mine ear A dismal wailing. O mysterious night! Thou art not silent; many tongues hast thou. A distant gathering blast sounds through the wood, I'd lift my hand and strike! but this pale light, Enter REZENVELT, and continues his way slowly from the bottom of the stage: as he advances to the front, the owl screams, he stops and listens, and the owl screams again. Rez. Ha! does the night-bird greet me on my way? How much his hooting is in harmony With such a scene as this! I like it well. Oft when a boy, at the still twilight hour, In such a scene, would like a death-knell come. [EXIT. ACT V. SCENE I. THE INSIDE OF A CONVENT CHAPEL, OF OLD GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE, ALMOST DARK: TWO TORCHES ONLY ARE SEEN AT A DISTANCE, BURNING OVER A NEWLY-COVERED GRAVE. LIGHTNING 18 SEEN FLASHING THROUGH THE WINDOWS, AND THUNDER HEARD, WITH THE SOUND OF WIND BEATING UPON THE BUILDING. Enter two MONKS. 1st Monk. The storm increases: hark how dismally It howls along the cloisters. How goes time? 2d Monk. It is the hour: I hear them near at hand: And when the solemn requiem has been sung For the departed sister, we'll retire. 1st Monk. See, the procession enters: let us join. (The organ strikes up a solemn prelude.) Enter a procession of Nuss, with the ABBESS, bearing torches. After compassing the grave twice, and remaining there some time, the organ plays a grand dirge, whilst they stand round the grave. THE BURIAL. Departed soul, whose poor remains Let HIM. in might and mercy dread, To sug with holy saints his everlasting praise! Departed soul, who in this earthly scene Hast our lowly sister been, Swift be thy way to where the blessed dwell! Until we meet thee there, farewell' farewell' Enter a young PENSIONER, with a wild, terrified look, her hair and dress al scattered, an! rushes forward amongst them. Abb. Why comest thou here, with such disorder'd looks, To break upon our sad solemnity? Pen. O! I did hear through the receding blast, Pen. O no, for twice it call'd, so loudly call'd, O! it will never from my mind depart! Abb. Where didst thou hear it? Turning my feeble lantern from the wind, Its light upon a dreadful visage gleam'd, Which paused and look'd upon me as it pass'd. In the higher cells, Such horror-strain'd features, never yet As now a window, open'd by the storm, 1st Monk. I wish our brother Bernard were ar- He is upon his way. Abb. Be not alarm'd; it still may be deception. "Tis meet we finish our solemnity, Nor show neglect unto the honour'd dead. (Gives a sign, and the organ plays again: just as it ceases a loud knocking is heard without.), Abb. Ha! who may this be? hush! (Knocking heard again.) 2d Monk. It is the knock of one in furious haste, Hush! hush! What footsteps come? Ha! brother Bernard. Enter BERNARD, bearing a lantern. Bern. It is the murderer. What way went it? Thom. I durst not look till I had pass'd it far. Then turning round, upon the rising bank, I saw, between me and the paly sky, A dusky form, tossing and agitated. I stopp'd to mark it; but, in truth, I found "Twas but a sapling bending to the wind, And so I onward hied, and look'd no more. 1st Monk. But we must look to't; we must follow it: 1st Monk. See, what a look he wears of stiffen'd Our duty so commands. (To 2d Monk.) Will you fear! Where hast thou been, good brother! Bern. I've seen a horrid sight! (All gathering round him and speaking at once.) I saw a murder'd corse, stretch'd on his back, Bern. go, brother? (Enter men, bearing the body of Rezen velt, covered with a white cloth, and set it down in the middle of the room: they then uncover it. De Monfort stands fixed and motionless with horror, only that a sudden shivering seems to pass over him when they uncover the corpse. The Abbess and Nuns shrink back and retire to some distance, all the rest fixing their eyes steadfastly upon De Monfort. A long pause.) Bern. (to De Mon.) Seest thou that lifeless corpse, those bloody wounds? See how he lies, who but so shortly since Bern. (without.) Open the door, I pray thee, Of sense, and motion, and humanity ! brother Thomas ; I cannot now unhand the prisoner. (All speak together, shrinking back from the door, and staring upon one another.) He is with them! (A folding door at the bottom of the stage is opened, and enter Bernard, Thomas, and the other two Monks, carrying lanterns in their hands and bringing in De Monfort. They are likewise followed by other Monks. As they lead forward De Monfort, the light is turned away, so that he is seen obscurely; but when they come to the front of the stage, they turn the light side of their lanterns on him at once, and his face is seen in all the strengthened horror of despair, with his hands and clothes bloody. Abbess and Nuns speak at once, and start back.) Holy saints be with us! Bern. (to Abb.) Behold the man of blood! Abb. Of misery too; I cannot look upon him. Bern. (to Nuns.) Nay, holy sisters, turn not thus away. Speak to him, if, perchance, he will regard you: For from his mouth we have no utterance heard, Save one deep groan and smother'd exclamation, When first we seized him. Abb. (to De Mon.) Most miserable man, how art thou thus? (Pauses.) Thy tongue is silent, but those bloody hands Do witness horrid things. What is thy name? De Mon. (roused, looks steadfastly at the Abbess for some time, then speaking in a short hurried voice.) I have no name. Abb. (to Bern.) Do it thyself; I'll speak to him O! what a heart had he who did this deed! 1st Monk. (looking at the body.) How hard those teeth against the lips are press'd, As though he struggled still! 2d Monk. The hands, too, clench'd: the last efforts of nature. (De Monfort still stands motionless. Brother Thomas then goes to the body, and raising up the head a little, turns it toward De Monfort.) Thom. Know'st thou this ghastly face? De Mon. (putting his hands before his face in violent perturbation.) O do not! do not! Veil it from my sight! Put me to any agony but this! Thom. Ha! dost thou then confess the dreadful deed ? Hast thou against the laws of awful Heaven Such horrid murder done? What fiend could tempt thee? (Pauses and looks steadfastly at De Monfort.) De Mon. I hear thy words, but do not hear their sense Hast thou not cover'd it? Bern. (to Thom.) Forbear, my brother, for thou seest right well He is not in a state to answer thee. Let us retire and leave him for a while. Bern. (to Monks, &c.) Come, let us all depart. Monk. If thou wilt stay e'en but a little while. [Monk covers the body, and EXIT. De Mon. (alone, looking at the covered body, but at a distance.) Alone with thee! but thou art nothing now. "Tis done, 'tis number'd with the things o'erpast; Would, would it were to come!- O that dire madness would unloose my thoughts, Methinks I feel him still.-What sound is that? swell. It moves again! I cannot suffer this Whate'er it be, I will uncover it. And seest thou not that motion of his hands? (A long pause. Manuel re-enters from the convent, and comes forward slowly with a sad countenance.) Is this the face of one who bears good tidings! (Runs to the corpse, and tears off the cloth in Enter ABBESS and several NUNS from the convent, who despair.) All still beneath. For, when between the trees, that abbey tower But breathe a little here; I'll go before, (Manuel goes and knocks at the gate.) He saw it not; he came not here himself. gather about her, and apply remedies. She recovers. 2d Nun. To lead her in. She seems in great distress. A thanks. EXEUNT, supporting Jane into the convent. SCENE IV.DE MONFORT IS DISCOVERED SITTING IN De Mon. O that I ne'er had known the light of That filmy darkness on mine eyes had hung, that my mind in mental darkness pent, (Pauses; then, in a calmer, sorrowful voice.) Enter MANUEL, who springs forward to his master, but Man. My lord, my master! O my dearest master! (De Monfort still looks at him without speaking." May, co 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 terriffic face of armed law; Yea, on the scaffold, if it needs must be, I never will forsake thee. 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; 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. I know thy sufferings: leave thy sorrow For dreadful fancies, like an armed host, free: Thou art with one who never did upbraid; Who mourns, who loves thee still. De Mon. Ah! sayst thou so? no, no; it should not be. (Shrinking from her.) I am a foul and bloody murderer, Have push'd me to despair. It is most horrible- For such embrace unmeet: Oleave 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. |