Fairy of the Lake, The - Scene 4
SCENE IV Row .
'Tis done! — 'Tis done! — The charm is bound:
Vortigern his sleep profound
Has quaft. (A groan within.)
He dies! (a groan.) He dies! (a groan.) He dies!
For this below (with half-thaw'd eyes)
Icy Hela, shouting, laught. (Groan again.)
He dies! he dies!
To the Nine-fold Realm he hies —
Misty region! — cold, and dark!
Hark! — — —
Grymer leads the tripple growl.
Now they open. Now they howl. (Barking below.)
Hark! (Barking) Hark! (Barking) Hark!
Loud the ravening hell-dogs bark.
Fenrir shakes his chains below:
They yell! — the Giant Sons of Woe! —
And wide the creeking portals throw.
Hark! — — —
Clank of chains, and growl, and bark — —
Hideous discord! (Clank of chains) Hark! (A deep growl) Hark! (barking)
Hark! — — Ed. Ag. &c .
Hideous discord! Hark! hark! hark!
Mourn, Britons, mourn the mighty fall'n:
The sceptred hand is cold.
The imperial brow in dust lies low,
By sudden Fate controll'd.
Mourn, Britons, mourn the mighty fall'n:
The sceptred hand is cold!
R OWENNA (after a pause.)
Why should this moody dirge, these solemn sounds
Of grief-full mockery, and this apish train,
That mourn but by contagion from the harps
Of hireling choristers, infect my eyes,
Or chill my veins with horror? — Up! to arms,
Ye firm Resolves! and fortify my soul
Against invading Conscience. True, he sleeps —
Sleeps with the dead! — my some-time plighted lord —
By me, he sleeps his death. But Fate's, not mine,
Is all the guilt — if guilt. The Fates decreed,
And I but did their biddings. — But a wife? — — —
A wife! — Away: I never was the wife
Of such a thing as Vortigern. My soul
(That scorns affiance with the low and vile)
Wedded not him, but Empire; and to that
I still am true and loyal: making way,
By this predestin'd act, for happier rule,
And a more worthy master. Arthur's hand
Shall heal thy griefs, and mine — Heav'n-favour'd Isle!
And congregated Britain bless the deed.
Join, then, the chaunt to Frea. Frea now,
Propitious Goddess! may accept the vow;
To her, and Gna, swell soft the melting strains —
For theirs what yet of destiny remains.
Queen of Pleasures! Queen smiles!
Goddess of resistless wiles,
And Love's extatic glow!
Thou, who, erst, the golden tear
Shed'st o'er Balder's early bier,
And felt'st the touch of tender woe —
Propitious Goddess! hear. Ed.Ag.&c .
Queen of Love's extatic glow —
Propitious Goddess! hear. Row .
O! send the herald of thy will,
The throbbings of the heart to still,
And whisper Peace and love!
The imperfect work of Fate complete,
Till sigh with sigh, responsive, meet:
O! first of genial powers above!
Propitious Goddess! hear. Ed.Ag.&c .
First of genial powers above! — —
Propitious Goddess! hear.
Trumpets, without, and a cry of The foe! The foe! A LWIN enters, with great precipitation .
Alw. Most noble Queen! Arthur has gain'd the heights.
His trumpet sounds defiance at our gates;
And down the steep, to this our mid-way strand,
His shouting legion pours: their banner'd vans
Chiding, with fluttering speed, the buoyant air:
Like wings of eagles, when they downward rush
To pounce their shrieking prey.
Row . Hang out the flag
Of friendly parley. This is welcome news.
The tyrant's death makes way for gentler warfare —
More mild arbitriment than slings and darts:
And this shall first be tried.
Enter a second Messenger .
Messenger . Revolt! revolt!
Treason is in our walls; a treacherous band
Of lawless Britons, headed by the twain,
Who, with their proffer'd service, late arriv'd,
Have borne the Princess to the lonely tower,
By sudden inroad seiz'd, and now maintain'd
In Arthur's hostile name.
Row. (eagerly.) The lonely tower?
Mef. The same that, circled by the deep-delv'd moat,
Stands insulated: less by tactic art,
Than by the never-ceasing spring, that laves
Its circular base, defended.
Row. Fire the bridge! — —
This news is welcome too. My fates prevail! —
No weapons use but fire. — Propitious powers!
Ye faithful Fatal Sisters! — — Shaft and fling
Were sacrilegious here; were impotent.
Fire, fire, I say. The first that brings me word
The turrets flame (be he the meanest drudge
That ever pioneer'd before a host)
Shall rank, for wealth and power, with Woden's line.
Yes! — — " My rival to confound,
" Fire and water shall surround —
" Ruthless flames, and waves profound! "
Sweet Hope my heart beguiles:
My bosom swells — my pulse beats high;
And softer heaves the fluttering sigh.
Propitious Frea smiles!
'Tis done! — 'Tis done! — The charm is bound:
Vortigern his sleep profound
Has quaft. (A groan within.)
He dies! (a groan.) He dies! (a groan.) He dies!
For this below (with half-thaw'd eyes)
Icy Hela, shouting, laught. (Groan again.)
He dies! he dies!
To the Nine-fold Realm he hies —
Misty region! — cold, and dark!
Hark! — — —
Grymer leads the tripple growl.
Now they open. Now they howl. (Barking below.)
Hark! (Barking) Hark! (Barking) Hark!
Loud the ravening hell-dogs bark.
Fenrir shakes his chains below:
They yell! — the Giant Sons of Woe! —
And wide the creeking portals throw.
Hark! — — —
Clank of chains, and growl, and bark — —
Hideous discord! (Clank of chains) Hark! (A deep growl) Hark! (barking)
Hark! — — Ed. Ag. &c .
Hideous discord! Hark! hark! hark!
Mourn, Britons, mourn the mighty fall'n:
The sceptred hand is cold.
The imperial brow in dust lies low,
By sudden Fate controll'd.
Mourn, Britons, mourn the mighty fall'n:
The sceptred hand is cold!
R OWENNA (after a pause.)
Why should this moody dirge, these solemn sounds
Of grief-full mockery, and this apish train,
That mourn but by contagion from the harps
Of hireling choristers, infect my eyes,
Or chill my veins with horror? — Up! to arms,
Ye firm Resolves! and fortify my soul
Against invading Conscience. True, he sleeps —
Sleeps with the dead! — my some-time plighted lord —
By me, he sleeps his death. But Fate's, not mine,
Is all the guilt — if guilt. The Fates decreed,
And I but did their biddings. — But a wife? — — —
A wife! — Away: I never was the wife
Of such a thing as Vortigern. My soul
(That scorns affiance with the low and vile)
Wedded not him, but Empire; and to that
I still am true and loyal: making way,
By this predestin'd act, for happier rule,
And a more worthy master. Arthur's hand
Shall heal thy griefs, and mine — Heav'n-favour'd Isle!
And congregated Britain bless the deed.
Join, then, the chaunt to Frea. Frea now,
Propitious Goddess! may accept the vow;
To her, and Gna, swell soft the melting strains —
For theirs what yet of destiny remains.
Queen of Pleasures! Queen smiles!
Goddess of resistless wiles,
And Love's extatic glow!
Thou, who, erst, the golden tear
Shed'st o'er Balder's early bier,
And felt'st the touch of tender woe —
Propitious Goddess! hear. Ed.Ag.&c .
Queen of Love's extatic glow —
Propitious Goddess! hear. Row .
O! send the herald of thy will,
The throbbings of the heart to still,
And whisper Peace and love!
The imperfect work of Fate complete,
Till sigh with sigh, responsive, meet:
O! first of genial powers above!
Propitious Goddess! hear. Ed.Ag.&c .
First of genial powers above! — —
Propitious Goddess! hear.
Trumpets, without, and a cry of The foe! The foe! A LWIN enters, with great precipitation .
Alw. Most noble Queen! Arthur has gain'd the heights.
His trumpet sounds defiance at our gates;
And down the steep, to this our mid-way strand,
His shouting legion pours: their banner'd vans
Chiding, with fluttering speed, the buoyant air:
Like wings of eagles, when they downward rush
To pounce their shrieking prey.
Row . Hang out the flag
Of friendly parley. This is welcome news.
The tyrant's death makes way for gentler warfare —
More mild arbitriment than slings and darts:
And this shall first be tried.
Enter a second Messenger .
Messenger . Revolt! revolt!
Treason is in our walls; a treacherous band
Of lawless Britons, headed by the twain,
Who, with their proffer'd service, late arriv'd,
Have borne the Princess to the lonely tower,
By sudden inroad seiz'd, and now maintain'd
In Arthur's hostile name.
Row. (eagerly.) The lonely tower?
Mef. The same that, circled by the deep-delv'd moat,
Stands insulated: less by tactic art,
Than by the never-ceasing spring, that laves
Its circular base, defended.
Row. Fire the bridge! — —
This news is welcome too. My fates prevail! —
No weapons use but fire. — Propitious powers!
Ye faithful Fatal Sisters! — — Shaft and fling
Were sacrilegious here; were impotent.
Fire, fire, I say. The first that brings me word
The turrets flame (be he the meanest drudge
That ever pioneer'd before a host)
Shall rank, for wealth and power, with Woden's line.
Yes! — — " My rival to confound,
" Fire and water shall surround —
" Ruthless flames, and waves profound! "
Sweet Hope my heart beguiles:
My bosom swells — my pulse beats high;
And softer heaves the fluttering sigh.
Propitious Frea smiles!
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