A damned pleasure in the pain he gives ! O the side glance of that detested eye! Thy hateful visage ever spoke thy worth: That men should be besotted with him thus! ACT II. She is not deck'd in any gallant trim, Lady. Thine eyes deceive thee, boy; It is an apparition thou hast seen. Freb. (starting from his seat, where he has been sitting during the conversation between the Lady and the Page.) It is an apparition he has seen. Or it is Jane De Monfort. [EXIT, hastily. Lady. (displeased.) No; such description surely suits not her. [EXIT. Did she inquire for me? Freb. (looking round.) In truth, I like those I should not else have waited coldly here. decorations well: They suit those lofty walls. And here, my love, The gay profusion of a woman's fancy Is well display'd. Noble simplicity Becomes us less, on such a night as this, Than gaudy show. Jane. I thank you for this welcome, gentle countess ; But take those kind excuses back again; I am a bold intruder on this hour, And am entitled to no ceremony. I came in quest of a dear truant friend, Lady. Is it not noble then? (He shakes his head.) But Freberg has inform'd me I thought it so; And as I know you love simplicity, I did intend it should be simple too. Freb. Be satisfied, I pray; we want to-night A cheerful banquet-house, and not a temple. How runs the hour? (To Freberg.) And he is well, you say? It opens not, but with the thrilling touch Lady. It is not late, but soon we shall be roused He is suspicious grown. With the loud entry of our frolick guests. Enter a PAGE, richly dressed. Page. Madam, there is a lady in your hall, Who begs to be admitted to your presence. Lady. Is it not one of our invited friends? Page. No, far unlike to them; it is a stranger. Lady. How looks her countenance? Page. So queenly, so commanding, and so noble, I shrunk at first in awe; but when she smiled, For so she did to see me thus abash'd, Methought I could have compass'd sea and land To do her bidding. Page. Neither, if right I guess; but she is fair: For time hath laid his hand so gently on her, As he too had been awed. Lady. I thought at first her stature was gigantic; Page. I cannot well describe the fashion of it. Jane. Not so, Count Freberg, Monfort is too noble. Say rather, that he is a man in grief, Freb. (bowing with great respect.) So will I say; I'll own nor word nor will, that can offend you. Lady. De Monfort is engaged to grace our feast; Ere long you'll see him here. Jane. I thank you truly, but this homely dress Suits not the splendour of such scenes as these. Freb. (pointing to her dress.) Such artless and majestic elegance, So exquisitely just, so nobly simple, Jane. (smiling.) Nay, nay, be more consistent, courteous knight, And do not praise a plain and simple guise I cannot join your company to night. To joy and sweet forgetfulness of pain; Lady. We wear not masks, but you may be conceal'd Behind the double foldings of a veil. As ever fancy own'd. Beauty of every cast and shade is there, 1st Gent. There is, indeed, a gay variety. As would have well defied all other art With borrow'd locks in rosy chaplets bound, cheek In most unlovely softness: And youthful age, with fat, round, trackless face, Jane. (after pausing to consider.) In truth, I The downcast look of contemplation deep feel a little so inclined. Methinks unknown, I e'en might speak to him, (To Lady.) Lady. Who waits? (Enter her Woman.) Attend this lady to my wardrobe, And do what she commands you. [EXEUNT Jane and Waiting-woman. Freb. (looking after Jane, as she goes out, with admiration.) O! what a soul she bears! see how she steps! Naught but the native dignity of worth Lady. Such lofty mien, and high assumed gait I've seen ere now, and men have call'd it pride. Freb. No, 'faith! thou never didst, but oft indeed The paltry imitation thou hast seen. (Looking at her.) How hang those trappings on thy motley gown? They seem like garlands on a May-day queen, (Lady turns away displeased.) Enter groups of well-dressed people, who pay their compliments to FREBERG and his LADY; and followed by her, pass into the inner apartment, where more company appear assembling, as if by another entry. Freb. (who remains on the front of the stage with a friend or two.) How loud the hum of this gay-meeting crowd! 'Tis like a bee-swarm in the noonday sun. Music will quell the sound. Who waits without? Music strike up. Most pensively assumes. Is it not even so? The native prude, Freb. Fy! thou art too severe. Say, rather, gentle. From all those divers modes of dire assault, Freb. (to De Mon. who has entered during Rezenvelt's speech, and heard the greatest part of it.) Ha, ha, ha, ha! How pleasantly he gives his wit the rein, (De Mon. is silent.) Rez. (smiling archly.) What, think you, Freberg, the same powerful spell Of transformation reigns o'er all to night? Or that De Monfort is a woman turn'd, So widely from his native self to swerve, As grace my folly with a smile of his ? De Mon. Nay, think not, Rezenvelt, there is no smile I can bestow on thee. There is a smile, A smile of nature too, which I can spare, And yet, perhaps, thou wilt not thank me for it. (Smiles contemptuously.) Rez. Not thank thee! It were surely most ungrateful No thanks to pay for nobly giving me (Music, and when it ceases, enter from the inner apartment Rezenvelt, with several gentlemen, | What, well we see, has cost thee so much pain. all richly dressed.) For nature hath her smiles of birth more painful Freb. (to those just entered.) What, lively gal-Than bitterest execrations. lants, quit the field so soon? Are there no beauties in that moving crowd Rez. Ay, marry, are there! men of every fancy Freb. These idle words will lead us to dis quiet: Forbear, forbear, my friends! Go, Rezervelt, Accept the challenge of those lovely dames, Who through the portal come with bolder steps To claim your notice. Enter a group of LADIES from the other apartment, who walk slowly across the bottom of the stage, and return to it again. KEZ. shrugs up his shoulders, as if unwil ling to go. $ I've proudly to th' inquiring stranger told Her dying parents left, this noble woman 1st Gent. (to Rez.) Behold in sable veil a lady Despising all the blandishments of love; comes, Whose noble air doth challenge fancy's skill To suit it with a countenance as goodly. (Pointing to Jane De Mon. who now enters in a thick black veil.) Rez. Yes, this way lies attraction. (To Freb.) With permission, (going up to Jane.) Fair lady, though within that envious shroud Your beauty deigns not to enlighten us, We bid you welcome, and our beauties here Will welcome you the more for such concealment. With the permission of our noble host (Taking her hand, and leading her to the front of the stage.) Jane. (to Freb.) Pardon me this presumption, courteous sir: I thus appear, (pointing to her veil,) not careless of respect Unto the generous lady of the feast. De Mon. Yes, it is ever thus. Undo that veil, And think of him no more. Jane. I know it well, even to a proverb grown, Is lovers' faith, and I had borne such slight: But he, who has, alas! forsaken me, Was the companion of my early days, My cradle's mate, mine infant play fellow. Within our opening minds, with riper years, The love of praise and generous virtue sprung: Through varied life our pride, our joys were one; At the same tale we wept: he is my brother. De Mon. And he forsook thee?—No, I dare not curse him: My heart upbraids me with a crime like his. Jane. Ah! do not thus distress a feeling heart. All sisters are not to the soul entwined With equal bans; thine has not watch'd for thee, Wept for thee, cheer'd thee, shared thy weal and wo, As I have done for him. De Mon. (eagerly.) Ah! has she not? I am too warm-but she of whom I speak Whilst many a youth his hopeless love conceal'd, Jane. (Off her guard, in a soft natural tone of voice.) O no! nor do me any. De Mon. What voice speaks now? Withdraw, withdraw this shade! For if thy face bear semblance to thy voice, I'll fall and worship thee. Pray! pray undo! (Puts forth his hand eagerly to snatch away the veil, whilst she shrinks back, and Rezen velt steps between to prevent him.) Rez. Stand off: no hand shall lift this sacred veil. De Mon. What, dost thou think De Monfort fall'n so low, That there may live a man beneath heaven's roof, Who dares to say, he shall not? Rez. He lives who dares to say Jane. (throwing back her veil, much alarmed, ana rushes between them.) Forbear, forbear! (Rezenvelt, very much struck, steps back respectfully, and makes her a low bow. De Monfort stands for a while motionless, gazing upon her, till she, looking expressively to him, extends her arms, and he, rushing into them, bursts into tears. Freberg seems very much pleased. The company then advancing from the inner apartment, gather about them, and the Scene closes.) SCENE II. DE MONFORT'S APARTMENTS Enter DE MONFORT, with a disordered air, and his hand pressed upon his forehead, followed by JANE. De Mon. No more, my sister, urge me not again: My secret troubles cannot be reveal'd. From all participation of its thoughts My heart recoils: I pray thee be contented. Jane. What, must I, like a distant humble friend, Observe thy restless eye, and gait disturb'd, In timid silence, whilst with yearning heart I turn aside to weep? O no! De Monfort! A nobler task thy nobler mind will give; Thy true intrusted friend I still shall be. De Mon. Ah, Jane, forbear! I cannot e'en to thee. Jane. Then, fy upon it! fy upon it, Monfort! There was a time when e'en with murder stain'd, Had it been possible that such dire deed Could e'er have been the crime of one so piteous, Thou wouldst have told it me. De Mon. So would I now-but ask of this no more. All other trouble but the one I feel I had disclosed to thee. I pray thee spare me ; Jane. Then secret let it be; I urge no farther. Like two young trees, whose boughs in early Here I entreat thee on my bended knees. strength Screen the weak saplings of the rising grove, And brave the storm together I have so long, as if by nature's right, Thy bosom's inmate and adviser been, I thought through life I should have so remain'd, Alas! my brother! (Kneeling.) (De Monfort starts up, and catching her in his arms, raises her up, then placing her in the chair kneels at her feet.) De Mon. Thus let him kneel who should th' And at thine honour'd feet confession make. De Mon. O Jane! thou dost constrain me with A place of torment; and the light of day, Would I could tell it thee. With the gay intercourse of social man, Jane, Thou shalt not tell me. Nay, I'll stop mine O Jane! thou wilt despise me. ears, Jane. brother. I'll stay by thee; I'll cheer thee, comfort thee: Jane. Ah! say not so, for I will haunt thee Unknit thy brows, and spread those wrath clench'd too; And be to it so close an adversary, That, though I wrestle darkling with the fiend, De Mon. Jane. What say'st thou, Monfort? O! what They have awaked my soul to dreadful thoughts. (He shakes his head, and turns from her; she By the affection thou didst ever bear me; (He waves her off with his hand, and covers his Tried early, long, and never wanting found, More rightful power than crown or sceptre give, hands. Some sprite accursed within thy bosom mates De Mon. It will not part. (His hand on his I've lodged it here too long: Jane. Who didst thou say? De Mon. O! that detested Rezenvelt; (He throws himself into a chair, greatly agi- | Do scowl and chatter at the light of day, De Monfort, do not thus resist my love. I could endure it; even as we bear I could endure it. But when honours came, De Mon. I have kill'd thee. Turn, turn thee not away! look on me still Whilst flattering knaves did trumpet forth his O! droop not thus, my life, my pride, my sister; praise, And grovelling idiots grinn'd applauses on him; It drove me frantic.-What! what would I give! Jane. And would thy hatred crush the very man De Mon. Ha! thou hast heard it, then? From all But most of all from thee, I thought it hid. Jane. I heard a secret whisper, and resolved De Mon. I did! I did! 'twas that which drove I could not bear to meet thine eye again. Jane. Alas! that, tempted by a sister's tears, De Mon. When he disarm'd this cursed, this Of its most worthless weapon, he but spared Until that day, till that accursed day, Jane. O this is horrible! Forbear, forbear! De Mon. Jane. O! wouldst thou kill me with these dread- Look on me yet again. Jane. Thou too, De Monfort, And still more wretched in the pain I give. Jane. I've held my warfare through a troubled And borne with steady mind my share of ill; Enter MANUEL. De Mon. Ha! some one .enters. Wherefore Man. Count Freberg waits your leisure. De Mon. Do as thou wilt; I will not grieve thee more. ACT III. SCENE I. COUNTESS FREBERG'S DRESSING-ROOM. Enter the COUNTESS dispirited and out of humour, and throws herself into a chair: enter, by the opposite side, THERESA. Ther. Madam, I am afraid you are unwell: What is the matter? does your head ache? Lady. (peevishly.) De Mon. (raising his hands to heaven.) Let me "Tis not my head: concern thyself no more but once upon his ruin look, Then close mine eyes for ever! De Mon. Jane in great distress, staggers back, and sup- Ha! how is this? thou'rt ill; thou'rt very pale. I meant not to distress thee.-O my sister! With what concerns not thee. Ther. Go you abroad to-night? No, Lady. Yes, thinkest thou I'll stay and fret at home? Ther. Then please to say what you would choose to wear One of your newest robes ? Lady. I hate them all. Jane. (shaking her head.) I cannot speak to thee. With all those wreaths of richly hanging flowers. 2 F 2 |