FROM A BLOT IN THE 'SCUTCHEON. HENRY, EARL MERTOUN, HAVING WAITED ON THOROLD, LORD TRESHAM, TO SOLICIT THE HAND OF HIS SISTER, MILDRED, HER COUSIN GUENDOLEN COMMUNICATES THE RESULT. SCENE III.-MILDRED's Chamber. A painted window overlooks the park. MILDRED and GUENDOLEN. Guen. Now, Mildred, spare those pains. I have not left Our talkers in the Library, and climbed Do I not comprehend you'd be alone There, there! With that poor, silly, heartless Guendolen's Mil. Did he My brotheryou said that he received him well? Guen. If I said only "well" I said not muchOh, stay-which brother? Mil. Thorold! who-who else? Guen. Thorold (a secret) is too proud by half- But he should take men's homage, trust in it, Mil. You wrong him, Guendolen. Guen. He's proud, confess; so proud with brood ing o'er The light of his interminable line, An ancestry with men all paladins, And women all. Mil. Dear Guendolen, 'tis late! When yonder purple pane the climbing moon Pierces, I know 'tis midnight. Guen. Well, that Thorold Should rise up from such musings, and receive One come audaciously to graft himself Into this peerless stock, yet find no flaw, No slightest spot in such an one ... I said how gracefully his mantle lay Brown hair! Mil. know that? Mil. How? did not you—Oh Austin 'twas, declared His hair was light, not brown-my head !—and, look, The moon-beam purpling the dark chamber! Sweet, Good night! Guen. Forgive me-sleep the soundlier for me! [Going, she turns suddenly. Mildred ! Perdition! all's discovered! Thorold finds Whose garter slipped down at the famous dance! [Goes. Needs Mil. Is she can she be really gone at last? [She lifts the small lamp which is suspended [She returns to the seat in front. Mildred and Mertoun ! Mildred, with consent Of all the world and Thorold, Mertoun's bride ! Too late! 'Tis sweet to think of, sweeter still To hope for, that this blessed end soothes up The curse of the beginning; but I know It comes too late-'twill sweetest be of all To dream my soul away and die upon ! [A noise without. The voice! Oh, why, why glided sin the snake Into the Paradise Heaven meant us both? [The window opens softly. A low voice sings. There's a woman like a dew-drop, she's so purer than the purest; And her noble heart's the noblest, yes, and her sure faith's the surest: And her eyes are dark and humid, like the depth on depth of lustre Hid i' the harebell, while her tresses, sunnier than the wild-grape cluster, Gush in golden-tinted plenty down her neck's rose-misted marble: Then her voice's music. . . call it the well's bubbling, the bird's warble! [A figure wrapped in a mantle appears at the window. And this woman says, "My days were sunless and my nights were moonless, Parched the pleasant April herbage, and the lark's heart's outbreak tuneless, If you loved me not!" And I who-(ah, for words of flame!) adore her! Who am mad to lay my spirit prostrate palpably before her[He enters-approaches her seat, and bends over her. I may enter at her portal soon, as now her lattice takes me, And by noontide as by midnight make her mine, as hers she makes me ! [The Earl throws off his slouched hat and long cloak. My very heart sings, so I sing, beloved! Mil. Sit, Henry-do not take my hand. The meeting that appalled us both so much Is ended. 'Tis mine! Our happiness would, as you say, exceed Mer. Oh, Mildred, have I met your brother's face, The truth, as what had e'er prevailed on me |