The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth Volume I Part 68

OSWALD In faith, a pleasant scheme; But take your sword along with you, for that Might in such neighbourhood find seemly use.-- But first, how wash our hands of this old Man?

MARMADUKE Oh yes, that mole, that viper in the path; Plague on my memory, him I had forgotten.

OSWALD You know we left him sitting--see him yonder.

MARMADUKE Ha! ha!--

OSWALD As 'twill be but a moment's work, I will stroll on; you follow when 'tis done.

[Exeunt.]

SCENE changes to another part of the Moor at a short distance--HERBERT is discovered seated on a stone

HERBERT A sound of laughter, too!--'tis well--I feared, The Stranger had some pitiable sorrow Pressing upon his solitary heart.

Hush!--'tis the feeble and earth-loving wind That creeps along the bells of the crisp heather.

Alas! 'tis cold--I shiver in the sunshine-- What can this mean? There is a psalm that speaks Of G.o.d's parental mercies--with Idonea I used to sing it.--Listen!--what foot is there?

[Enter MARMADUKE]

MARMADUKE (aside--looking at HERBERT) And I have loved this Man! and _she_ hath loved him!

And I loved her, and she loves the Lord Clifford!

And there it ends;--if this be not enough To make mankind merry for evermore, Then plain it is as day, that eyes were made For a wise purpose--verily to weep with!

[Looking round.]

A pretty prospect this, a masterpiece Of Nature, finished with most curious skill!

(To HERBERT.) Good Baron, have you ever practised tillage?

Pray tell me what this land is worth by the acre?

HERBERT How glad I am to hear your voice! I know not Wherein I have offended you;--last night I found in you the kindest of Protectors; This morning, when I spoke of weariness, You from my shoulder took my scrip and threw it About your own; but for these two hours past Once only have you spoken, when the lark Whirred from among the fern beneath our feet, And I, no coward in my better days, Was almost terrified.

MARMADUKE That's excellent!-- So, you bethought you of the many ways In which a man may come to his end, whose crimes Have roused all Nature up against him--pshaw!--

HERBERT For mercy's sake, is n.o.body in sight?

No traveller, peasant, herdsman?

MARMADUKE Not a soul: Here is a tree, ragged, and bent, and bare, That turns its goat's-beard flakes of pea-green moss From the stern breathing of the rough sea-wind; This have we, but no other company: Commend me to the place. If a man should die And leave his body here, it were all one As he were twenty fathoms underground.

HERBERT Where is our common Friend?

MARMADUKE A ghost, methinks-- The Spirit of a murdered man, for instance-- Might have fine room to ramble about here, A grand domain to squeak and gibber in.

HERBERT Lost Man! if thou have any close-pent guilt Pressing upon thy heart, and this the hour Of visitation--

MARMADUKE A bold word from _you_!

HERBERT Restore him, Heaven!

MARMADUKE The desperate Wretch!--A Flower, Fairest of all flowers, was she once, but now They have snapped her from the stem--Poh! let her lie Besoiled with mire, and let the houseless snail Feed on her leaves. You knew her well--ay, there, Old Man! you were a very Lynx, you knew The worm was in her--

HERBERT Mercy! Sir, what mean you?

MARMADUKE You have a Daughter!

HERBERT Oh that she were here!-- She hath an eye that sinks into all hearts, And if I have in aught offended you, Soon would her gentle voice make peace between us.

MARMADUKE (aside) I do believe he weeps--I could weep too-- There is a vein of her voice that runs through his: Even such a Man my fancy bodied forth From the first moment that I loved the Maid; And for his sake I loved her more: these tears-- I did not think that aught was left in me Of what I have been--yes, I thank thee, Heaven!

One happy thought has pa.s.sed across my mind.

--It may not be--I am cut off from man; No more shall I be man--no more shall I Have human feelings!-- (To HERBERT) --Now, for a little more About your Daughter!

HERBERT Troops of armed men, Met in the roads, would bless us; little children, Rushing along in the full tide of play, Stood silent as we pa.s.sed them! I have heard The boisterous carman, in the miry road, Check his loud whip and hail us with mild voice, And speak with milder voice to his poor beasts.

MARMADUKE And whither were you going?

HERBERT Learn, young Man,-- To fear the virtuous, and reverence misery, Whether too much for patience, or, like mine, Softened till it becomes a gift of mercy.

MARMADUKE Now, this is as it should be!

HERBERT I am weak!-- My Daughter does not know how weak I am; And, as thou see'st, under the arch of heaven Here do I stand, alone, to helplessness, By the good G.o.d, our common Father, doomed!-- But I had once a spirit and an arm--

MARMADUKE Now, for a word about your Barony: I fancy when you left the Holy Land, And came to--what's your t.i.tle--eh? your claims Were undisputed!