Once on a time I served a noble master,

"Whose youth was blasted with untoward love,
And he with hope, and fear, and jealousy
For ever toss'd, led an unquiet life;
Yet, when unruffled by the passing fit,
His pale wan face such gentle sadness wore
As moved a kindly heart to pity him.
But Monfort, even in his calmest hour,
Still bears that gloomy sternness in his eye
Which powerfully repels all sympathy.
O no! good Jerome, no; it is not love.
Jer. Hear I not horses trampling at the gate?

(Listening.)

He is arrived-stay thou-I had forgot-
A plague upon't! my head is so confused-
I will return i' th' instant to receive him.

[EXIT hastily. (A great bustle without. EXIT Manuel with lights, and returns again, lighting in DE MONFORT, as if just alighted from his journey.)

De Mon. Is she not with the dead, the quiet dead,
Where all is peace? Not e'en the impious wretch,
Who tears the coffin from its earthly vault,
And strews the mouldering ashes to the wind,
Can break their rest.

Jer. Wo's me! I thought you would have
grieved for her.

She was a kindly soul! Before she died,
When pining sickness bent her cheerless head,
She set my house in order-

And but the morning ere she breathed her last,
Bade me preserve some flaskets of this wine,
That should the Lord De Monfort come again
His cup might sparkle still. (De Monfort walks
across the stage, and wipes his eyes.)

Man. Your ancient host, my lord, receives you Indeed I fear I have distress'd you, sir;

gladly,

And your apartment will be soon prepared.

De Mon. "Tis well.

Man. Where shall I place the chest you gave in charge?

So please you, say my lord.

De Mon. (throwing himself into a chair.) Where'er thou wilt.

Man. I would not move that luggage till you came. (Pointing to certain things.)

surely thought you would be grieved for her.
De Mon. (taking Jerome's hand.) I am, my
friend. How long has she been dead?
Jer. Two sad long years.
De Mon.

Would she were living still:
I was too troublesome, too heedless of her.
Jer. O no! she loved to serve you.

(Loud knocking without.) De Mon. What fool comes here, at such untimely hours,

De Mon. Move what thou wilt, and trouble me To make this cursed noise? (To Manuel.) Go to

Enter JEROME, bearing wine, &c. on a salver. As he Re-enter MANUEL, showing in Count FREBERG, and his approaches DE MONFORT, MANUEL pulls him by the sleeve.

Man. (aside to Jerome.) No, do not now; he will not be disturb'd.

LADY, with a mask in her hand.

Freb. (running to embrace De Mon.) My dearest Monfort! most unlook'd for pleasure!

Do I indeed embrace thee here again?

Jer. What, not to bid him welcome to my house, I saw thy servant standing by the gate,
And offer some refreshment?

His face recall'd, and learnt the joyful tidings.
Welcome, thrice welcome here!

De Mon. I thank thee, Freberg, for this friendly
visit,
And this fair lady too.
Lady.

(Bowing to the lady.) I fear, my lord,

Jer. (aside to Manuel.) Ah, Manuel, what an We do intrude at an untimely hour:

But now, returning from a midnight mask,
My husband did insist that we should enter.

Freb. No, say not so; no hour untimely call,
Which doth together bring long absent friends.
Dear Monfort, why hast thou so slyly play'd,
To come upon us thus so suddenly?

De Mon. O! many varied thoughts do cross our brain,

Which touch the will, but leave the memory trackless;

Lady. (turning from him displeased to Mon.) You And meets not this man's love.-Friends! rarest

De Mon. Thus, it is true, from the sad years of He serves as though he loved me. This pure air

Freb. Judge for thyself: in truth I do not There are no serpents in our pleasant fields.

I go to revel it with sprightly dames,
And drive the night away.

(Filling another cup, and drinking.)
Man. I should be glad to see your honour gay.
De Mon. And thou too shalt be gay. There,
honest Manuel,

Put these broad pieces in thy leathern purse,
And take at night a cheerful jovial glass.
Here is one too, for Bremer: he loves wine;
And one for Jaques: be joyful all together.

Enter SERVANT.

Ser. My lord, I met e'en now, a short way off, Your countryman, the Marquis Rezen velt.

De Mon. (starting from his seat, and letting the cup fall from his hand.) Who, say'st thou?

Ser. Marquis Rezenvelt, an' please you.

De Mon. Thou liest-it is not so-it is impossible!

Ser. I saw him with these eyes, plain as yourself.

The air wherein thou draw'st thy fulsome breath
Is poison to me-Oceans shall divide us! (Pauses.)
But no; thou think'st I fear thee, cursed reptile;
And hast a pleasure in the damned thought.
Though my heart's blood should curdle at thy sight,
I'll stay and face thee still.

(Knocking at the chamber door.)
Ha! who knocks there?
Freb. (without.) It is thy friend, De Monfort.
De Mon. (opening the door.) Enter, then.

Enter FREBErg.

Freb. (taking his hand kindly.) How art thou now? How hast thou past the night?

Has kindly sleep refresh'd thee?

De Mon. Yes, I have lost an hour or two in
sleep,

And so should be refresh'd.
Freb.

And art thou not?
Thy looks speak not of rest. Thou art disturb'd.
De Mon. No, somewhat ruffled from a foolish
cause,

De Mon. Fool! 'tis some passing stranger thou Which soon will pass away.

hast seen,

And with a hideous likeness been deceived.
Ser. No other stranger could deceive my sight.
De Mon. (dashing his clenched hand violently
upon the table, and overturning every
thing.) Heaven blast thy sight! it lights
on nothing good.

Ser. I surely thought no harm to look upon him.
De Mon. What, dost thou still insist? Him must
it be?

Does it so please thee well? (Servant endeavours to speak.) Hold thy damn'd tongue!

By heaven I'll kill thee! (Going furiously up to him.)

Freb. (shaking his head.) Ah no, De Monfort!
something in thy face

Tells me another tale. Then wrong me not
If any secret grief distract thy soul,
Here am I all devoted to thy love:
Open thy heart to me. What troubles thee?
De Mon. I have no grief: distress me not, my
friend.

Freb. Nay, do not call me so. Wert thou my
friend,

Wouldst thou not open all thine inmost soul,
And bid me share its every consciousness?
De Mon. Freberg, thou know'st not man; not
nature's man,

Man. (in a soothing voice.) Nay, harm him not, But only him who, in smooth studied works

my lord; he speaks the truth;

I've met his groom, who told me certainly
His lord is here. I should have told you so,
But thought, perhaps, it might displease your
honour.

De Mon. (becoming all at once calm, and
turning sternly to Manuel.) And how
darest thou think it would displease me?
What is't to me who leaves or enters Amberg?
But it displeases me, yea, even to frenzy,
That every idle fool must hither come,

To break my leisure with the paltry tidings
Of all the cursed things he stares upon.
(Servant attempts to speak-De Monfort stamps
with his foot.)

Take thine ill-favour'd visage from my sight,
And speak of it no more.

[EXIT Servant.

[EXIT Manuel.

And go thou too; I choose to be alone.

(De Monfort goes to the door by which they went
out; opens it and looks.)

But is he gone indeed? yes, he is gone.
(Goes to the opposite door, opens it, and looks:
then gives loose to all the fury of gesture and
walks up and down in great agitation.)
It is too much: by heaven it is too much!
He haunts me-stings me-like a devil haunts-
He'll make a raving maniac of me-Villain!

Of polish'd sages, shines deceitfully
In all the splendid foppery of virtue.
That man was never born whose secret soul,
With all its motley treasure of dark thoughts,
Foul fantasies, vain musings, and wild dreams,
Was ever open'd to another scan.
Away, away! it is delusion all.

Freb. Well, be reserved then; perhaps I'm
wrong.

De Mon. How goes the hour?

Freb. 'Tis early still; a long day lies before us;
Let us enjoy it. Come along with me;
I'll introduce you to my pleasant friend.
De Mon. Your pleasant friend?
Freb.

Yes, him of whom I spake.
(Taking his hand.)
There is no good I would not share with thee;
And this man's company, to minds like thine,
Is the best banquet feast I could bestow.
But I will speak in mystery no more;
It is thy townsman, noble Rezen velt.
(De Mon. pulls his hand hastily from Freberg,
and shrinks back.)

Ha! what is this?
Monfort?
Nay, on my life, thou rather seem'st offended:
Does it displease thee that I call him friend?
De Mon. No, all men are thy friends.

Art thou pain-stricken,

Freb. No, say not all men. But thou art offend- He seem'd amazed; and fain he would have learnt

Freb. In truth, I thought you had been well with And here with postman's speed he follows me,

The Marquis Rezervelt.
I have not told him that you are within.
De Mon. (angrily.) And wherefore didst thou
not? Let him ascend.

(A long pause. De Monfort walking up and
down with a quick pace.)

Enter REZENVELT, and runs freely up to De Monfort.
Rez. (to De Mon.) My noble marquis, welcome!
Sir, I thank you.

De Mon.

Rez. (to Freb.) My gentle friend, well met.
Abroad so early?

Freb. It is indeed an early hour for me.
How suits thy last night's revel on thy spirits?
Rez. O, light as ever. On my way to you,
E'en now,
, I learnt De Monfort was arrived,
And turn'd my steps aside; so here I am.

(Bowing gayly to De Monfort.) De Mon. I thank you, sir; you do me too much (Proudly.)

honour.

Rez. Nay, say not so; not too much honour, surely,

Unless, indeed, 'tis more than pleases you.

De Mon. (confused.) Having no previous notice of your coming,

I look'd not for it.

Rez. Ay, true indeed; when I approach you
next,

I'll send a herald to proclaim my coming,
And bow to you by sound of trumpet, marquis.
De Mon. (to Freb. turning haughtily from Re-
zenvelt with affected indifference.) How
does your cheerful friend, that good old
man?

Finding his home so dull and tiresome grown. Freb. (to De Mon.) Is Rezenvelt so sadly miss'd with you?

Your town so changed?

De Mon.
Not altogether so;
Some witlings and jest-mongers still remain
For fools to laugh at.

Rez. But he laughs not, and therefore he is wise.
For ever frowns on them with sullen brow

Contemptuous; therefore he is very wise.
Nay, daily frets his most refined soul
With their poor folly, to its inmost core;
Therefore he is most eminently wise.

Freb. Fy, Rezen velt! you are too early gay.
Such spirits rise but with the evening glass:
They suit not placid morn.

(To De Monfort, who, after walking impatiently
up and down, comes close to his ear, and lays
hold of his arm.)

What would you, Monfort?
De Mon. Nothing-what is't o'clock ?
No, no-I had forgot-'tis early still.

(Turns away again.) Freb. (to Rez.) Waltser informs me that you have agreed

To read his verses o'er, and tell the truth.
It is a dangerous task.

De Mon. (to Ser.) What dost thou want?

Ser.
I thought your honour rung.
De Mon. I have forgot-stay; are my horses
saddled?

Ser. I thought, my lord, you would not ride
to-day,
After so long a journey.

De Mon. (impatiently.) Well-'tis good. Begone! I want thee not. [EXIT Servant. Rez. (smiling significantly.) I humbly crave your pardon, gentle marquis. It grieves me that I cannot stay with you, And make my visit of a friendly length.

Freb. My cheerful friend? I know not whom I trust your goodness will excuse me now;

you mean.

De Mon. Count Waterlan.

Freb. I know not one so named.

Another time I shall be less unkind. (To Freberg.) Will you not go with me? Freb. Excuse me, Monfort, I'll return again. [EXEUNT Rezen velt and Freberg. De Mon. (alone, tossing his arms distractedly.) Freb. You have not yet inquired for honest Hell hath no greater torment for th' accursed

De Mon. (very confused.) O pardon me-it was

at Bâle I knew him.

Reisdale.

I met him as I came, and mention'd you.

Than this man's presence gives

Abhorred fiend! he hath a pleasure too,

Lady. Thine eyes deceive thee, boy;
It is an apparition thou hast seen.
Freb. (starting from his seat, where he has been
sitting during the conversation between
the Lady and the Page.) It is an apparition
he has seen.

Or it is Jane De Monfort.
[EXIT, hastily.
Lady. (displeased.) No; such description surely
suits not her.

[EXIT. Did she inquire for me?

Freb. (looking round.) In truth, I like those I should not else have waited coldly here.

Lady. Is it not noble then? (He shakes his head.) But Freberg has inform'd me

Lady. It is not late, but soon we shall be roused He is suspicious grown. With the loud entry of our frolick guests.