Being a wife most mild and dutiful.
First I would hear what music is prepared
To herald and receive her let me hear!
Sigifred.
Bid the musicians soothe him tenderly.
[A soft strain of Music.
Ludolph.
Ye have none better no I am content;
’Tis a rich sobbing melody, with reliefs
Full and majestic; it is well enough,
And will be sweeter, when ye see her pace
Sweeping into this presence, glisten’d o’er
With emptied caskets, and her train upheld
By ladies, habited in robes of lawn,
Sprinkled with golden crescents; (others bright
In silks, with spangles shower’d,) and bow’d to
By Duchesses and pearled Margravines
Sad, that the fairest creature of the earth
I pray you mind me not ’tis sad, I say,
That the extremest beauty of the world
Should so entrench herself away from me,
Behind a barrier of engender ‘d guilt!
Second Lady. Ah! what a moan!
First Knight. Most piteous indeed!
Ludolph.
She shall be brought before this company,
And then then
First Lady. He muses.
Gersa.
O, Fortune, where will this end?
Sigifred.
I guess his purpose! Indeed he must not have
That pestilence brought in, that cannot be,
There we must stop him.
Gersa.
I am lost! Hush, hushl
He is about to rave again.
Ludolph.
A barrier of guilt! I was the fool.
She was the cheater! Who’s the cheater now,
And who the fool? The entrapp’d, the caged fool,
The bird-limy raven? She shall croak to death
Secure! Methinks I have her in my fist,
To crush her with my heel! Wait, wait! I marvel
My father keeps away: good friend, ah! Sigifred!
Do bring him to me and Erminia
I fain would see before I sleep and Ethelbert,
That he may bless me, as I know he will
Though I have curs’d him.
Sigifred.
Rather suffer me
To lead you to them
Ludolph. No, excuse me, no
The day is not quite done go bring them hither.
[Exit SIGIFRED.
Certes, a father’s smile should, like sunlight,,
Slant on my sheafed harvest of ripe bliss
Besides, I thirst to pledge my lovely Bride
In a deep goblet: let me see what wine?
The strong Iberian juice, or mellow Greek?
Or pale Calabrian? Or the Tuscan grape?
Or of old Ætna’s pulpy wine presses,
Black stain’d with the fat vintage, as it were
The purple slaughter-house, where Bacchus’ self
Prick’d his own swollen veins? Where is my Page?
Page.
Here, here!
Ludolph.
Be ready to obey me; anon thou shalt
Bear a soft message for me for the hour
Draws near when I must make a winding up
Of bridal Mysteries a fine-spun vengeance!
Carve it on my Tomb, that when I rest beneath
Men shall confess This Prince was gulled and cheated,
But from the ashes of disgrace he rose
More than a fiery Phoenix and did burn
His ignominy up in purging fires
Did I not send, Sir, but a moment past,
For my Father?
Gersa.
You did.
Ludolph.
Perhaps ’twould be
Much better he came not.
Gersa.
He enters now!
Ludolph.
O thou good Man, against whose sacred head
I was a mad conspirator, chiefly too
For the sake of my fair newly wedded wife,
Now to be punish’d, do not look so sad!
Those charitable eyes will thaw my heart,
Those tears will wash away a just resolve,
A verdict ten times sworn! Awake awake
Put on a judge’s brow, and use a tongue
Made iron-stern by habit! Thou shalt see
A deed to be applauded, ‘scribed in gold!
Join a loud voice to mine, and so denounce
What I alone will execute!
Otho.
Dear son,
What is it? By your father’s love, I sue
That it be nothing merciless!
Ludolph.
To that demon?
Not so! No! She is in temple-stall
Being garnish’d for the sacrifice, and I,
The Priest of Justice, will immolate her
Upon the altar of wrath! She stings me through!-
Even as the worm doth feed upon the nut,
So she, a scorpion, preys upon my brain!
I feel her gnawing here! Let her but vanish,
Then, father, I will lead your legions forth,
Compact in steeled squares, and speared files,
And bid our trumpets speak a fell rebuke
To nations drows’d in peace!
Otho.
Tomorrow, Son,
Be your word law forget to-day
Ludolph. I will
When