Collected Poems Volume II Part 65

ROBIN

One that was dead and lives. You say Your brother, the great King, is dead. Oh, sire, If that be so, you'll hear a dead man speak, For your dead brother's sake. You say the King Is dead; but you are king. So the King lives!

You are King of England now from sea to sea, Is it not so? Shout, maskers, once again, Long live the King!

MASKERS

Long live the King!

ROBIN

You see What power is yours! Your smile is life, your frown Death. At a word from you the solid earth Would shake with tramp of armies. You can call Thousands to throw away their lives like straws Upon your side, if any foreign king Dare to affront you.

[_He draws nearer to JOHN, who still shrinks a little, as if in fear._]

Richard, you say, is dead, And yet, O King, I say that the great King Lives!

[_He strikes JOHN across the face. JOHN cowers and staggers back.

The MASKERS draw their swords, the women scream and rush together. ROBIN turns, sword in hand, to confront the MASKERS._]

Back, fools; for I say that the great King Lives. Do not doubt it. Ye have dreamed him dead How often. Hark, G.o.d in heaven, ye know that voice.

[_A voice is heard drawing nearer thro' the distant darkness of the garden, singing. All listen. JOHN'S face whitens._]

[_Song._]

Knight, on the narrow way, Where wouldst thou ride?

"Onward," I heard him say, "Love, to thy side."

ROBIN

'Tis Blondel! Still vaunt-courier to the King, As when he burst the bonds of Austria! Listen!

[_Song nearer._]

"Nay," sang a bird above, "Stay, for I see Death, in the mask of love, Waiting for thee."

MASKERS

[_Resuming their masks and muttering to one another._]

Can the King live? Is this John's treachery? Look, He is crushed with fear!

ROBIN Listen! I'll go to meet him.

[_Exit into the garden._]

MASKERS

It was the song of Blondel! The same song He made with Richard, long since!-- Blondel's voice!

Just as we heard it on that summer's night When Lion-Heart came home from the Crusade.

[_The Song still drawing nearer._]

"Death! What is Death?" he cried.

"I must ride on, On to my true love's side, Up to her throne!"

[_Enter BLONDEL, from the garden. He stands, startled by the scene before him._]

MASKERS

Blondel! Where is the King? Where is the King?

BLONDEL

Did ye not know?--Richard, the King, is dead!

MASKERS

Dead!

JOHN

Dead! And ye let the living dog escape That dared snarl at our sovereignty. I know him, Risen from the dead or not. I know 'twas he, 'Twas Robin Hood! After him; hunt him down!

Let him not live to greet another sun.

After him!

MASKERS

[_Drawing their swords and plunging into the darkness._]

After him; hunt the villain down!

[_Curtain._]

ACT V

SCENE I. _Morning. Sherwood Forest (as before). LITTLE JOHN and some of the OUTLAWS are gathered together talking. Occasionally they look anxiously toward the cave and at the approaches through the wood. Enter two FORESTERS, running and breathless._

FIRST FORESTER

The King's men! They are scouring thro' the wood, Two troops of them, five hundred men in each And more are following.

SECOND FORESTER