Would, would it were to come!— What fated end, what darkly gathering cloud 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, 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! Freb. (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 First show'd its top, I saw your countenance change. But breathe a little here; I'll go before, And make inquiry at the nearest gate. (Manuel goes and knocks at the gate.) He saw it not; he came not here himself. gather about her, and apply remedies. She recovers. 1st Nun. The life returns again. 2d Nun. Yes, she revives. Abb. (to Freb.) Let me entreat this noble lady's leave To lead her in. She seems in great distress. EXEUNT, supporting Jane into the consent. De Mon. O that I ne'er had known the light of That filmy darkness on mine eyes had hung, (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.) Nay, do not thus regard me, good my lord! Man. No, sir, the Lady Jane is on her way; 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, and followed by FREBERG, ABBESS, and several NUNS. Jane. We must! we must! My brother, O my brother! (De Monfort turns away his head and hides his face with his arm. Jane stops short, and, making a great effort, turns to Freberg, and the others who followed her, and with an air of dignity stretches out her hand, beckoning them to retire. All retire but Freberg, who seems to hesitate.) And thou too, Freberg: call it not unkind. [EXIT Freberg, Jane and De Monfort only remain. Jane. My hapless Monfort! 'De Monfort turns round and looks sorrowfully upon her; she opens her arms to him, and he, rushing into them, hides his face upon her breast and weeps.) 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 thee? 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; Think upon this. 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; I've done a deed-But I am human still. 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 mur derer, Have push'd me to despair. It is most horrible- 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, speaks with a determined voice.) 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, May in their deepest misery call on him. Come, kneel with me, my brother. (She kneels and prays to herself; he kneels by her, and clasps his hands fervently, but speaks not. A noise of chains clanking is heard without, and they both rise.) 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.) Wiit 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. [EXEUNT, De Monfort leading out Jane. (De Monfort utters a deep groan.) | SCENE V.-AN APARTMENT IN THE CONVENT, OPENWhat means this heavy groan? De Mon. It hath a meaning. Enter ABBESS and MONKS, with two OFFICERS of justice carrying fetters in their hands to put upon DE MONFORT. Jane. (starting.) What men are these? 1st Off. Lady, we are the servants of the law, And bear with us a power, which doth constrain To bind with fetters this our prisoner. (Pointing to De Monfort.) 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 ING INTO ANOTHER ROOM, WHOSE LOW, ARCHED Enter another Monk, who, on perceiving him, stops till Is 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! work. Jane. Harsh are thy words, and stern thy har- Dark is thine eye; but all some pity have I do beseech thee! if thou art a man (Kneeling to him.) (De Monfort, roused at this, runs up to Jane, and raises her hastily from the ground: then stretches himself up proudly.) 1st Monk. How does the lady? 2d Monk. She sits and bears his head upon her It is a dark and fearful night: the moon 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. I hear him struggling in the gripe of death. (Goes from the door.) O pitecus heaven! 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: Thom. Retire, my friends. O many a bed of I'll see his face in death. Alas, alas! 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: May heaven have mercy on him! (Bell tolls again.) [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. I've seen him move a noble gentleman; (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. (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 De 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 Manuel; But we must mourn in silence. Man. Alas! the times that I have follow'd him! Jane. Forbear, my faithful Manuel. For this love Thou hast my grateful thanks; and here's my hand: Thou hast loved him, and I'll remember thee. Man. Nay, by the living God! where'er you are, but say not this! (Throwing himself at her feet.) Jane. (raising him.) Well, then! be thou my servant, and my friend. Man. (to Off.) Hold thy unrighteous tongue, or hie thee hence, Nor, in the presence of this honour'd dame, 1st Off. I am an officer on duty call'd, And have authority to say, "How died he ?" (Here Jane shakes off the weakness of grief, and repressing Manuel, who is about to reply to the Officer, steps forward with dignity.) Jane. Tell them, by whose authority you come, He died that death which best becomes a man Who is with keenest sense of conscious ill And deep remorse assail'd, a wounded spirit: A death that kills the noble and the brave, And only them. He had no other wound. 1st Off. And shall I trust to this? Jane. Do as thou wilt: To one who can suspect my simple word I have no more reply. Fulfil thine office. 1st Off. No, lady, I believe your honoured word, And will no further search. Jane. I thank your courtesy: thanks, thanks to all. To put the slightest wrong. Leave you, dear lady! My reverend mother, and ye honour'd maids; Art thou, good Jerome, too, in kindness come? 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. Thanks, worthy Jerome. O! who hath said the wretched have no friends? Freb. In every sensible and generous breast Affliction finds a friend; but unto thee, Thou most exalted and most honourable, The heart in warmest adoration bows, And even a worship pays. Jane. Nay, Freberg, Freberg! grieve me not, my friend. 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 tears. Here they all hang about her: Freberg supporting her tenderly. Manual embracing her knees, and old Jerome catching hold of her robe affectionately. Bernard, Abbess, Monks, and Nuns, likewise, gather round her, with looks of sympathy.) 1st Off. Enter two OFFICERS of law. Where is the prisoner ? Into our hands he straight must be consign'd. Bern. He is not subject now to human laws; 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? |