With boastful towering, dare the threatening bolt
To strike them. [Sir Ŏ. and Sır Con. approach the ruins.
Ulrick. Do you note ?-She does not move!
What keeps her there? Is that the scornéd serf
Leans drooping 'gainst the trunk of the tall tree,
Lends him pernicious shelter?-Clear as day!
Fred. 'Tis dark as night!

Ulrick. What?-oh, the storm!—My lord,
I meant not that. Your doubts are clearing up-
Look at the serf and lady.

Cath. [To Sir Rup.] Pray you, speak

To the Countess-tell her she's in danger, there,
To stand so near the trees.

Sir Rup. Madam

Cath. Apace

The storm comes on! 'Twill soon be over-head.
Ay! there's the thunder now, and loud enough.—
She heard not:-call to her again :-she bears
That you accost her.

Sir Rup. She is fond of you.

Cath. Yes: but you marked her scorn of Huon, now?

Sir Rup. Madam! madam! pray you,

Come from beneath the trees. It lightens fast!

A bolt may strike you, madam!

Ulrick. The peril of the serf transfixes her! Her life, be sure, is only part of his!

A common act of charity it were

Command him thence. It is not right

To leave her there! Go to her-take her thence!
Fred. Your pardon, lady; but you must not brave
The lightning. Come into the open space:

There's shelter, with less chance of penalty,
Beneath this time-worn ruin. [Thunder and lightning.
Heavens, how near!

Almost together came the clap and flash !
The trees are all on fire! the serf is struck!

[Huon staggers from the tree-The Countess rushes to
him, catching him in her arms.

Coun. No! no! O Heaven, he's dead! Why would he stand

Beneath the trees!-What, Huon! speak to me!
Show me thou hear'st me !-let me see some signs

Of life! Why, Huon! Huon!-He is dead!
Ulrick. Lady, he is not dead, but only stunned.
'Twas but a shock, although a heavy one.
His colour comes-I see his eye-lid ope―
So, please you, leave the charge of him to me.
Coun. I thank you, sir-am sorry such a load
Should burden you. Would some of my attendants
Were here to ease you on't! How dread a thing
Is death, when sight on't makes one not one's self!
Grows it not lighter, sirs?-Ay, there's the sky!
Almost as soon as come, the storm is come.
Pray leave him to himself:-'twas but a shock—
It shames me such a load should burthen you.
Ulrick. As yet, he cannot stand.

Coun. Indeed!-oh! ay!

It was a heavy shock. I have a horror,
And always had, of lightning. Do you know
It takes away my wits? Did you not feel

As I did, Catherine, when they thought the lightning
Had killed the serf? A dreadful thing is death!
And, most of all, by lightning!-Where is my hawk?
Oh! they had charge to bring him after me,

And here they come.

Let's meet them, Catherine.

[Is going, but stops, and turns to look at Huon. Ulrick. He still grows better, madam.

Coun. Who, sir?-Oh,

The serf!-Why, Catherine, where's your hawk ?

Cath. I have lost him.

Coun. I hope the lightning has not struck him. Come: We'll have fair weather yet.

[Sir Conrad and Sir Otto take Huon and lead him off, the Countess watching.

Ulrick. You see

He is unhurt.

Coun. My lord !-I see-You take

Great interest in my serf. The sun is out:

My hawk against the field! Come, Catherine.

[All go out L. except Frederick and Ulrick. Ulrick. [L. You see, my lord; and seeing, comprehend. Straight will I to the Duke, and tell him this.

A kingdom to a hawk, she loves the serf!

[Exeunt, severally.

END OF ACT II.

ACT III.

SCENE I.-A Chamber in the Castle.

Enter DUKE and ULRICK, L.

Duke. She loves the serf? Impossible!
Ulrick. My lord,

'Tis true.

Duke. It cannot be ! Her pride alone
Forbids belief. More loftily, my lord,
The stateliest of all her ancestors
Ne'er wore his rank, than she.

Ulrick. She loves the serf.

Duke. Give me some reason stronger than averment. Ulrick. What, my liege,

But love, such contradiction could beget?

When did cold scorn look, speak, and act like love?
Woman or man is known by fits and starts,

More than by habits, which may be put on ;
For those so take the judgment off its guard,

That inmost thoughts are shown. With care for him,
She all forgot herself.

Duke. You are right.

'Tis the solution of the mystery,

That with the progress of the season, comes not
The fruit is promised; and no sign of blight.
Yes; her girlhood-

Now longer past than some would choose to own-
Put forth a bloom like many another's prime,
That often then I fancied love would come.
When her prime came, nor love along with it,
With many a suitor have I sighed to think
Her breast was ne'er intended lodge for him
It seemed most fitted for, and little dreamed
The guest we missed, already was within.
Ulrick. And never feared the serf?
Duke. No.

Ulrick. Was't not strange?

Duke. Not to consider him as I did. Duke. When the serf was but a boy→→ His mistress then an infant-taken with

His forward parts, I put them to the test
Of scholarship, which they robustly stood,
A hundred-fold repaying cultivation.

Nor stopped I there; but, as he grew to manhood,
Gave training to him in those exercises,

Wherein our youths of gentle blood indulge-
Preludes to feats in peace and deeds in war.
Ulrick. What did'st propose him for?

Duke. Instructor first,

Then page and secretary to my child.

Ulrick. Instructor, didst thou say? Companion of

Her hours of privacy? Her age was then

Duke. Twelve, if I err not.-Yes: Twelve times I then

Had blessed the day that gave my daughter birth.

Ulrick. Her spring was mellowing into summer then, Young summer! at whose genial glow, the heart Finds wishes and affections shooting up.―

She prospered with his aid?

Duke. Oh, wondrously!

Ulrick. And loved at first her tutor?

Duke. Much; but soon

A change, which grew with her, the nearer she
Approached to womanhood. 'Twas distance first;
Then sullenness; then scorn, which she gave sway to
Incontinent, and chiefly of those feats

Of high address wherein he matched the noble,
And which it seemed her pastime he should practise
For recompense of aggravated spite.

Ulrick. Which he endured for love!

Duke. He dies! That ends it.
Ulrick. Yes; confirming it.

Perhaps. Beware, sir, of a tragedy

*

So deep. Her scorn may melt at it, and help
Her tears to keep them flowing on, until

She weeps her life away. You must not play
With a first passion, once it has taken root.
For it strikes deep-to the foundation even
Of the heart-entwining with the fibres there
Of life itself, that, pluck the other up,
These haply come along.

Duke. He shall to exile,

[Crosses, L.

Thousands of miles away, 'midst snows and deserts!

Ulrick. So may you tempt her, sir, with pity for him, To turn a pilgrim-take up staff and scrip,

And follow him.

Duke. Impossible!

Ulrick. Oh, never did achievement rival Love's For daring enterprise and execution.

It will do miracles; "attempt such things "As make ambition, fiery as it is,

"Dull plodding tameness, in comparison. "Talk of the miser's passion for his store"'Tis milk and water to the lover's, which "Defies the mines of earth and caves of ocean "To match its treasure!" Talk of height, breadth, depth, There is no measure for the lover's passion,

No bounds to what 'twill do!

Duke. Advise me, then,

What's best.

Ulrick. Induce the serf to marry. That

Were cure, in the end, for your fair daughter's passion :
Whose wound were his aggression, so resentment
Would blunt the edge of disappointed love,

For, doubt not, though she ne'er espouses him,
She trusts so far to keep him to herself,

As that he ne'er shall pillow with another.

Duke. 'Tis done. I have a bride for him at once.

One of his class, enfranchised by the will

Of my cousin, who preceded me:

But say I wed the serf to Catherine,

What profit, then? My child may still persist

To keep her virgin state.

Ulrick. I should commit

To Heaven the election of her husband;-let
The tournament determine who shall wed her.
Duke. Thereto I have made provision in my will;
And further, sir, as 1 am due to death

Now many a year, and momentarily

Expect his summons, pray you keep by me
The little space I have to tarry yet-

For on your wisdom I have all reliance.
Your prince, I know, will not gainsay me here.
And when it pleaseth Heaven to leave my body
Without the breath it has inherited