IDONEA I have a noble Friend
First among youths of knightly breeding, One
Who lives but to protect the weak or injured.
First among youths of knightly breeding, One
Who lives but to protect the weak or injured.
William Wordsworth
[Exit. ]
OSWALD
Alive--perdition!
[Exit. ]
SCENE--The inside of a poor Cottage
ELEANOR and IDONEA seated
IDONEA The storm beats hard--Mercy for poor or rich,
Whose heads are shelterless in such a night!
A VOICE WITHOUT
Holla! to bed, good Folks, within!
ELEANOR O save us!
IDONEA What can this mean?
ELEANOR Alas, for my poor husband! --
We'll have a counting of our flocks to-morrow;
The wolf keeps festival these stormy nights:
Be calm, sweet Lady, they are wassailers
[The voices die away in the distance. ]
Returning from their Feast--my heart beats so--
A noise at midnight does _so_ frighten me.
IDONEA Hush! [Listening. ]
ELEANOR They are gone. On such a night, my husband,
Dragged from his bed, was cast into a dungeon,
Where, hid from me, he counted many years,
A criminal in no one's eyes but theirs--
Not even in theirs--whose brutal violence
So dealt with him.
IDONEA I have a noble Friend
First among youths of knightly breeding, One
Who lives but to protect the weak or injured.
There again!
[Listening. ]
ELEANOR 'Tis my husband's foot. Good Eldred
Has a kind heart; but his imprisonment
Has made him fearful, and he'll never be
The man he was.
IDONEA I will retire;--good night!
[She goes within. ]
[Enter ELDRED (hides a bundle)]
ELDRED Not yet in bed, Eleanor! --there are stains in that frock
which must be washed out.
ELEANOR What has befallen you?
ELDRED I am belated, and you must know the cause--
(speaking low)
that is the blood of an unhappy Man.
ELEANOR Oh! we are undone for ever.
ELDRED Heaven forbid that I should lift my hand against any man.
Eleanor, I have shed tears to-night, and it comforts
me to think of it.
ELEANOR Where, where is he?
