SCENE XIII.
Inside View of a Cemetery in Ruins.—
(Stage dark.)
Enter Maon, with his sword drawn, preceded
by
Sitric with a torch—Maon explores the cemetery
in vain, and tells him he must be mistaken, as
there is no way from thence to Moriat's dungeon—
Sitric seems to know as much, but tells him still to
search—he appears by accident to put out the torch,
and seems happy in having that opportunity to commit
the murder—feeling for Maon, catches his hand,
which he seems cordially to shake, while with the
other he is preparing to give the blow, when soft
music is heard, and the following words plaintively
sung:
Mourn Maon, thy bride, who for thee must expire,
The victim of him who has murder'd thy sire.
Maon seems rivetted to the spot ready to burst with
indignation—Sitric, astonished, for the present drops
his purpose, but soon recovering himself, resolves to
accomplish his purpose—when a deep groan is
heard, the cemetery appears of a fiery hue, and
a figure in transparent armour crosses the stage
pointing to Sitric—Maon agitated, and Sitric
with all the horror of guilt marked on his countenance,
and trembling limbs—Maon pursues the
figure, a chasm opens, receives it, and with it,
as it closes, the blade of his drawn sword; he endeavours
to extricate it, at length succeeds; and,
enveloped in ruins and scattered fragments of armour,
a skeleton appears in lieu of the figure—
Sitric's horror encreases—the skeleton points to a
door—another groan is heard—the skeleton sinks—
the cemetery assumes its former hue, and the door
flying open, stairs appear visible, leading to Moriat's
dungeon, Maon ascends them, followed by Sitric,
horror-struck.
