University of Virginia Library

SCENE IV.

Another Room in the same.
Enter Manbert, with a Minstrel.
MANBERT.
Tarry thou here, good Minstrel. Fear not thou
But I will make thee sharer in the feast.
Music is ever welcome to my Lord.
I think,
'Tis that his heart is never out of tune!
My lady's is a trifle higher toned,
And some rude hand, or I am much deceived,
Hath strained a string too sharply, till it cracked.
Of this I'm sure,—it does not chord with his!—
But stay thou here; I'll be with thee anon.

[Exit.
Enter Gillian, without perceiving the Minstrel; crosses the stage with affected dignity, in imitation of Elfrida.
GILLIAN.
“And it shall lure a sovereign to my feet!”

MINSTREL
(following her.)
A wandering bard, so please you.

GILLIAN
(still not seeing him.)
“Caitiff! but for him
My bridal-bed had been a royal one!”

MINSTREL.
Wilt list the gleeman's lay?

GILLIAN.
“Out on the topaz—'tis a beggar-stone,
The diamond fits the queen!”

MINSTREL.
No jewels I,—but I have many a song
To charm thine ear withal.

GILLIAN.
“Dazzle the King, and light me to the throne!”

MINSTREL
(starting back.)
Nay! that is rather too much
To ask of a poor minstrel!
but my harp—

GILLIAN
(turns and sees him.)
“Its brow hath blood upon it”—
Ha!

MINSTREL
(in alarm.)
Blood! Where?

GILLIAN.
And who art thou?

MINSTREL.
Why! I've been telling you the last half hour.
I am a wandering bard, most mighty madam.

GILLIAN.
Madam! I'm not a madam.

MINSTREL.
My gracious queen that is to be.

GILLIAN.
How dar'st thou queen me thus?

MINSTREL.
I queen'd thee not—it was thyself that queen'd thee

GILLIAN.
Thou'rt mad, poor minstrel!
All the world I think
Is mad to-night.—My mistress is, I'm sure.

(Re-enter Manbert.)
MANBERT.
And so's my master!
He says he's not i' the mood for melody.

GILLIAN.
But, gentle bard, whence come you?

MINSTREL.
From Scotland, from the generous Kenneth's court.

GILLIAN.
Kenneth of Scotland! ay! a noble King!
They say, when, with the other dozen of them,
He helped to row our Monarch up the Dee,
He looked a very tempest, and his brow
Wore haughtier sovereignty even then than Edgar's

MINSTREL.
He help to row your Monarch up the Dee!
A goodly tale, forsooth.—I tell thee, girl,
He would have perished first. Had he been there,
Your Edgar knew too well his kingly heart
To bid him do it.

MANBERT.
Hush! Know'st thou not our King doth vaunt his triumph!
And should he hear—

MINSTREL.
His triumph! 'twas a mean one at the best,
And never harp of mine its praise should ring.

Enter a Servant.
SERVANT.
The King
Desires the minstrel's presence at the banquet.
This way, good harper!

(Exeunt Harper and Servant.)
MANBERT.
Gillian, my lord is strangely stern to-night.

GILLIAN.
Manbert, my lady's stranger than my lord.

MANBERT.
I like it not.

GILLIAN.
Nor I—good faith! I'm weary of her whims.
Why, at her toilet, ere the King arrived,
Nothing would suit her—not a plait could I
Fold to her liking—not a jewelled clasp
Was where it should be—not a tress would fall
As she would have it—even the pure white robe
With silver flowers in-wrought and star-like diamonds,
In which she looked majestic as a swan,
And blooming as a rose,—was tawdry;—mean,
Of shape uncouth.—I had no patience with her.

MANBERT.
Nor I with thee;—thy thoughts, that used to seem
Lowly and gentle as a cooing dove,
Have caught, I know not how, a peacock's dress,
And strut—

GILLIAN.
In borrowed plumage? say'st thou so?
(The sound of a harp is heard.)
But hark! the harp! I must e'en take a peep.
(She goes to a door leading to the banquet-room, opens it slightly.)
They pass the harp round, as their custom is.
Elfrida has it—hist!

(Elfrida's voice is heard from the banquet-room, singing the following.)

GILLIAN.
And now she yields it, with a winning smile,
Unto the King.

(The King's voice.)

MANBERT.
Our gracious King is ever mixing up
His love and his religion in one draught.

GILLIAN.
That noble dark-eyed youth, who came they say
From the rich southern land, and whom they call
Guido, has ta'en it now; and lo! he bends
Courteously to the Lady Adelmine!
Who lovelier looks in that strange lowly garb
Than a pure rosebud in its veil of moss;
Fairer than even she e'er looked before,
And fairer far than any of the rest.—
But listen, Manbert.

(Guido's voice.)

GILLIAN.
Love! love! its nothing but love—vulgar fellows!
I will not hear another syllable.

(Runs off—Manbert follows her.)