 | Alfred |  |
SCENE III.
Midnight: the camp of the Danes, all asleep at their posts after a debauch of wine: the balefires nearly out, and all dark; suddenly a sleeping Dane starts up, and calls to his comrades beside him.Askytal! Hubba! Why it was a dream—
Is any wine left i' th' beaker?—I 've been dreaming,
And woke in a foolish fright:—give us the wine,—
I dreamt that Alfred and his men were on us!
Hubba.
Coward! to wake us up,—what if they were?
There, drain it, fool,—and off to sleep again.
[slowly, through the darkness, from the back and sides, steal in Alfred and his Captains and their companies, quietly guard every tent and sleeping man, and especially surround Guthrom's tent, and the Lords and Jarls lying about in different attitudes of sottish sleep, with beakers and flagons, &c. beside them. Then Alfred pulls aside Guthrom's tent-curtain,—a light hanging within shewing him asleep on a couch,— and suddenly blows an alarm on his bugle! Instantly they raise the warshout,—“Alfred and England;” there is everywhere confusion,
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Alfred.
Guthrom,—give order that they drop their weapons:
We will not spare one man in arms against us,
Nor slaughter the defenceless! Drop that mace.
Guthrom
(unwillingly, and folding his arms).
I yield me.—Captain of my bodyguard,—
What, lying in drunken slumber? Hew him down!
Thanks, Sidroc! Lo,—great Alfred, we are thine.
[they throw down their weapons in a heap.
Alfred.
Now, Viking, quick with us; the morning dawns,
I have a tryste to keep before 'tis day:
Come on. For you,—O you base English lords,—
How despicable!—bind them fast with chains,
These Danish fetters handy, suitable,—
Ethelnoth, see not one of them escapes:
Hereward,—make our other prisoners sure:
We will deal justice with the rising sun,
Justice and Mercy. On, to Ethandune!
[as the moon rises over the empty camp, they all go out, leaving a bright picturesque desolation of weapons and beakers, and moonlit deserted pavilions, and so closes Act IV.
(Interlude music to be suggestive of “Come if you dare,” “The land, boys, we live in,” or “See the conquering hero comes,” &c.)
| Alfred | |