And never found thy likeness-Speak to me !
Look on the fiends around-they feel for me:
I fear them not, and feel for thee alone-
Speak to me! though it be in wrath ;-but say-
I reck not what-but let me hear thee once-
This once-once more!

PHANTOM OF ASTARTE. Manfred!

MAN.

Say on, say on

I live but in the sound—it is thy voice!

PHAN. Manfred! To-morrow ends thine earthly ills.

Farewell:

MAN. Yet one word more—am I forgiven?

PHAN. Farewell!

MAN.

PHAN. Farewell!

Say, shall we meet again ?

MAN. One word for mercy! Say, thou lovest me. PHAN. Manfred!

[The Spirit of ASTARTE disappears.

NEM.

She's gone, and will not be recall'd;

Her words will be fulfill'd. Return to the earth.

A SPIRIT. He is convulsed.-This is to be a mortal

And seek the things beyond mortality.

ANOTHER SPIRIT. Yet, see, he mastereth himself,

and makes

His torture tributary to his will.

Had he been one of us, he would have made

An awful spirit.

NEM.

Hast thou further question

Of our great sovereign, or his worshippers?

MAN. None.

NEM.

Then for a time farewell.

MAN. We meet then! Where? On the earth ?— Even as thou wilt: and for the grace accorded

I now depart a debtor. Fare ye well!

(Scene closes.)

[Exit MANFRED.

END OF ACT SECOND.

ACT III.

SCENE I.

A Hall in the Castle of Manfred.

MANFRED and HERMAN.

MAN. What is the hour?

HER. It wants but one till sunset,

And promises a lovely twilight.

There is a calm upon me—

Thou may'st retire.

MAN. (alone.)
Inexplicable stillness! which till now
Did not belong to what I knew of life.
If that I did not know philosophy
To be of all our vanities the motliest,
The merest word that ever fool'd the ear

From out the schoolman's jargon, I should deem

The golden secret, the sought "Kalon," found,
And seated in my soul. It will not last,
But it is well to have known it, though but once :
It hath enlarged my thoughts with a new sense,
And I within my tablets would note down
That there is such a feeling. Who is there?
Re-enter HERMAN.

HER. My lord, the abbot of St. Maurice craves To greet your presence.

Enter the ABBOT OF ST. MAURICE.

ABBOT. Peace be with Count Manfred!

MAN. Thanks, holy father! welcome to these

walls;

Thy presence honours them, and blesseth those Who dwell within them.

Аввот.

Would it were so, Count!

But I would fain confer with thee alone.

MAN. Herman, retire. What would my reverend guest?

ABBOT. Thus, without prelude:-Age and zeal,

my office,

And good intent, must plead my privilege;

Our near, though not acquainted neighbourhood, May also be my herald. Rumours strange,

And of unholy nature, are abroad,

And busy with thy name; a noble name
For centuries; may he who bears it now
Transmit it unimpair'd!

MAN.

Proceed,-I listen.

ABBOT. 'Tis said thou holdest converse with the

things

Which are forbidden to the search of man;
That with the dwellers of the dark abodes,
The many evil and unheavenly spirits

Which walk the valley of the shade of death,
Thou communest. I know that with mankind,
Thy fellows in creation, thou dost rarely
Exchange thy thoughts, and that thy solitude
Is as an anchorite's, were it but holy.

MAN. And what are they who do avouch these

things?

ABBOT. My pious brethren

santry

the scared pea

Even thy own vassals-who do look on thee
With most unquiet eyes. Thy life's in peril.
MAN. Take it.

ABBOT. I come to save, and not destroy

I would not pry into thy secret soul;