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The Mountains—The Castle of MANFRED at some distance—A Terrace before a Tower—Time, Twilight. | |
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HERMAN, MANUEL, and other Dependants of MANFRED. | |
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| Her. ’Tis strange enough; night after night, for years, | |
| He hath pursued long vigils in this tower, | |
| Without a witness. I have been within it,— | 5 |
| So have we all been oft—times; but from it, | |
| Or its contents, it were impossible | |
| To draw conclusions absolute of aught | |
| His studies tend to. To be sure, there is | |
| One chamber where none enter: I would give | 10 |
| The fee of what I have to come these three years, | |
| To pore upon its mysteries. | |
| Manuel. ’Twere dangerous; | |
| Content thyself with what thou knowest already. | |
| Her. Ah, Manuel! thou art elderly and wise, | 15 |
| And couldst say much; thou hast dwelt within the castle— | |
| How many years is ’t? | |
| Manuel. Ere Count Manfred’s birth, | |
| I served his father, whom he nought resembles. | |
| Her. There be more sons in like predicament. | 20 |
| But wherein do they differ? | |
| Manuel. I speak not | |
| Of features or of form, but mind and habits; | |
| Count Sigismund was proud, but gray and free— | |
| A warrior and a reveller; he dwelt not | 25 |
| With books and solitude, nor made the night | |
| A gloomy vigil, but a festal time, | |
| Merrier than day; he did not walk the rocks | |
| And forests like a wolf, nor turn aside | |
| From men and their delights. | 30 |
| Her. Beshrew the hour, | |
| But those were jocund times! I would that such | |
| Would visit the old walls again; they look | |
| As if they had forgotten them. | |
| Manuel. These walls | 35 |
| Must change their chieftain first. Oh! I have seen | |
| Some strange things in them, Herman. | |
| Her. Come, be friendly; | |
| Relate me some to while away our watch: | |
| I’ve heard thee darkly speak of an event | 40 |
| Which happen’d hereabouts, by this same tower. | |
| Manuel. That was a night indeed! I do remember | |
| ’T was twilight, as it may be now, and such | |
| Another evening; yon red cloud, which rests | |
| On Eigher’s pinnacle, so rested then,— | 45 |
| So like that it might be the same; the wind | |
| Was faint and gusty, and the mountain snows | |
| Began to glitter with the climbing moon. | |
| Count Manfred was, as now, within his tower,— | |
| How occupied, we knew not, but with him | 50 |
| The sole companion of his wanderings | |
| And watchings—her, whom of all earthly things | |
| That lived, the only thing he seem’d to love,— | |
| As he indeed, by blood was bound to do, | |
| The Lady Astarte, his— | 55 |
| Hush! who comes here? | |
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Enter the ABBOT | |
| Abbot. Where is your master? | |
| Her. Yonder in the tower. | |
| Abbot. I must speak with him. | 60 |
| Manuel. ’Tis impossible; | |
| He is most private, and must not be thus | |
| Intruded on. | |
| Abbot. Upon myself I take | |
| The forfeit of my fault, if fault there be— | 65 |
| But I must see him. | |
| Her. Thou hast seen him once | |
| This eve already. | |
| Abbot. Herman! I command thee, | |
| Knock, and apprize the Count of my approach. | 70 |
| Her. We dare not. | |
| Abbot. Then it seems I must be herald | |
| Of my own purpose. | |
| Manuel. Reverend father, stop— | |
| I pray you pause. | 75 |
| Abbot. Why so? | |
| Manuel. But step this way, | |
| And I will tell you further. [Exeunt. | |
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