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"Tis certain she contemns me; nay, commands me,
And waves the flag of her displeasure o'er me,
In his behalf. And shall I thus be braved?
Curb'd, as she calls it, by dame chastity?
Infernal fiends, if any fiends there are
More fierce than hate, ambition, and revenge,
Rise up, and fill my bosom with your fires,
And policy remorseless! Chance may spoil
A single aim; but perseverance must
Prosper at last. For chance and fate are words ;
Persistive wisdom is the fate of man.

Darkly a project peers upon my mind,
Like the red moon when rising in the east,
Cross'd and divided by strange-colour'd clouds.
I'll seek the slave who came with Norval hither,
And for his cowardice was spurned from him.
I've known a follower's rankled bosom breed
Venom most fatal to his heedless lord.

[Exit,

ACT III.

SCENE,-A Court, &c. as before.

Enter ANNA.

Anna. Thy vassals, Grief! great nature's order
break,

And change the noon-tide to the midnight hour.
Whilst Lady Randolph sleeps, I will walk forth,
And taste the air that breathes on yonder bank.
Sweet may her slumbers be! Ye ministers
Of gracious heav'n who love the human race,
Angels and seraphs who delight in goodness,
Forsake your skies, and to her couch descend!
There from her fancy chase those dismal forms
That haunt her waking; her sad spirit charm
With images celestial, such as please
The bless'd above upon their golden beds.

Enter Servant.

Serv. One of the vile assassins is secured.

We found the villain lurking in the wood :

With dreadful imprecations he denies

All knowledge of the crime. But this is not
His first essay these jewels were conceal'd
In the most secret places of his garment;
Belike the spoils of some that he has murder'd.
Anna. Let me look on them. Ha! here is a

heart,

The chosen crest of Douglas' valiant name!

These are no vulgar jewels.-Guard the wretch.

[Exit ANNA.

Enter Servants with a Prisoner.

Pris. I know no more than does the child un

born

Of what you charge me with.

1 Serv. You say so, sir!

But torture soon shall make you speak the truth. Behold, the lady of Lord Randolph comes: Prepare yourself to meet her just revenge.

Enter Lady RANDOLPH and ANNA.

Anna. Summon your utmost fortitude, before You speak with him. Your dignity, your fame, Are now at stake. Think of the fatal secret, Which in a moment from your lips may fly.

Lady Rand. Thou shalt behold me, with a des

perate heart,

Hear how

my infant perish'd. See, he kneels. [The Prisoner kneels. Pris. Heaven bless that countenance so sweet

and mild!

A judge like thee makes innocence more bold.
O save me, lady! from these cruel men,
Who have attack'd and seized me; who accuse
Me of intended murder. As I hope
For mercy at the judgment-seat of God,
The tender lamb, that never nipt the grass,
Is not more innocent than I of murder.

Lady Rand. Of this man's guilt what proof can ye produce?

1 Serv. We found him lurking in the hollow

glen.

When view'd and call'd upon, amazed he fled.
We overtook him, and inquired from whence
And what he was: he said he came from far,
And was upon his journey to the camp.
Not satisfied with this, we search'd his clothes,
And found these jewels, whose rich value plead
Most powerfully against him. Hard he seems,

And old in villainy. Permit us try

His stubbornness against the torture's force.

Pris. O, gentle lady! by your lord's dear life, Which these weak hands, I swear, did ne'er assail; And by your children's welfare, spare my age! Let not the iron tear my ancient joints,

And my grey hairs bring to the grave with pain. Lady Rand. Account for these; thine own they cannot be :

For these, I say: be stedfast to the truth;
Detected falsehood is most certain death.

[ANNA removes the Servants and returns.
Pris. Alas! I'm sore beset! let never man,
For sake of lucre, sin against his soul!
Eternal justice is in this most just!

I, guiltless now, must former guilt reveal.

Lady Rand. O! Anna, hear!-Once more I charge thee speak

The truth direct: for these to me foretell

And certify a part of thy narration ;
With which, if the remainder tallies not,

An instant and a dreadful death abides thee.

Pris. Then, thus adjured, I'll speak to you as

just

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