No More Learning

FORESTER His senses play him false; and see, his arms
Outspread, as if to save himself from falling! --
Some terrible phantom I believe is now
Passing before him, such as God will not
Permit to visit any but a man
Who has been guilty of some horrid crime.


[MARMADUKE disappears. ]


OSWALD The game is up! --


FORESTER If it be needful, Sir,
I will assist you to lay hands upon him.


OSWALD No, no, my Friend, you may pursue your business--
'Tis a poor wretch of an unsettled mind,
Who has a trick of straying from his keepers;
We must be gentle. Leave him to my care.
[Exit Forester. ]
If his own eyes play false with him, these freaks
Of fancy shall be quickly tamed by mine;
The goal is reached. My Master shall become
A shadow of myself--made by myself.


SCENE--The edge of the Moor.

MARMADUKE and ELDRED enter from opposite sides.


MARMADUKE (raising his eyes and perceiving ELDRED)
In any corner of this savage Waste,
Have you, good Peasant, seen a blind old Man?


ELDRED I heard--


MARMADUKE You heard him, where? when heard him?
ELDRED As you know
The first hours of last night were rough with storm:
I had been out in search of a stray heifer;
Returning late, I heard a moaning sound;
Then, thinking that my fancy had deceived me,
I hurried on, when straight a second moan,
A human voice distinct, struck on my ear.
So guided, distant a few steps, I found
An aged Man, and such as you describe.


MARMADUKE You heard! --he called you to him? Of all men
The best and kindest! --but where is he? guide me,
That I may see him.


ELDRED On a ridge of rocks
A lonesome Chapel stands, deserted now:
The bell is left, which no one dares remove;
And, when the stormy wind blows o'er the peak,
It rings, as if a human hand were there
To pull the cord. I guess he must have heard it;
And it had led him towards the precipice,
To climb up to the spot whence the sound came;
But he had failed through weakness. From his hand
His staff had dropped, and close upon the brink
Of a small pool of water he was laid,
As if he had stooped to drink, and so remained
Without the strength to rise.


MARMADUKE Well, well, he lives,
And all is safe: what said he?


ELDRED But few words:
He only spake to me of a dear Daughter,
Who, so he feared, would never see him more;
And of a Stranger to him, One by whom
He had been sore misused; but he forgave
The wrong and the wrong-doer. You are troubled--
Perhaps you are his son?


MARMADUKE The All-seeing knows,
I did not think he had a living Child. --
But whither did you carry him?


ELDRED He was torn,
His head was bruised, and there was blood about him--


MARMADUKE That was no work of mine.