University of Virginia Library

Scene V.—Early Dawn. High mountain landscape.
Orval
(ascending).
It spreads before me, opens out on me,
And round me,—all I have loved, and long'd to lose
The life of my life in, winning it! My heart
Leaps like a river-god's what time he hears,
Fluttering the cold reeds of his frozen banks,
The first, faint, solitary kingfisher:
And all at once his drowsy godhead awakes,
And he, no blind, frost-bitten brooklet now,
But Ocean's lusty child, shakes free his limbs
Of their cold chains, which frowning Tanaïs takes,
And hastes to find, in some bright island bay
Far off, the sportive sea-maid that he loves.

Voice in the Air.
Hither to me! hither to me!

Orval.
Still on,
Higher I mount, and higher: as a strong star,
Stopp'd by no cloud that clings to the world's edge
Where night's lees settle. Far behind me fades,
And far beneath me, the loath'd life I leave.
Ha! miserable insects, misnamed men,
Wretchedest worms that never yet had wings
To save you from yourselves, that sting each other!
Swarm on, sting on! and, in the dust that breeds ye,
Grovel, and grope, and crawl, and die content!
For once, your prey escapes you.

Voice in the Air.
Follow! follow!
Higher! still higher, follow!

Orval.
I follow. Lead!