University of Virginia Library

SCENE IV.

GWENDYLEN, LLANDORVIN.
LLANDORVIN.
What! my sweet child! art thou within my prison,
And couldst thou suffer me to rest unconscious
Of thy dear presence?

GWENDYLEN.
Pardon me! I felt
My step suspended, and my soul absorbed
In those pathetic tones, that spoke of death.
Yet, my dear father, I am now elated
With the blest hope of your approaching freedom:
Freedom, not clouded with a base alloy,
As the precarious gift of lawless power,
But the bright present of endearing courage,
To fate superior in the cause of friendship!

LLANDORVIN.
What visionary hope has fond affection
Raised in thy sanguine fancy?

GWENDYLEN.
'Tis no vision:
But a momentous mystery; and now
Just whispered to me; yet by such a voice,
As gives a sanction to credulity.
O justly honored by thy grateful country!
There are brave Cambrians busy now, my father,
In nobly planning for that signal spot,
Which cruelty has fixt to close thy life,
A glorious scene of rescue, and of triumph.

LLANDORVIN.
Generous, but fruitless, and intemperate valour!
Haste! I conjure thee, my dear child, prevent
Their fatal purpose! fatal it must be,
If but suspected: haste! give them to know
It is my fervent wish, they would preserve
Their valued lives for hours of happier prospect;
And not embitter death to me, by making
My settled fate a prelude to their own!

GWENDYLEN.
Yes! I will haste, where haply I may learn
Yet more of this bold project: not prevent it;
Then only be thou disobeyed, my father,
When thou enjoinest, what our hearts abjure,
A fearful shrinking from thy dearest service!
Know, should our firm compatriots fail, thy wrongs
Would yet inspire a generous English hand
To pierce the tyrant's heart, ere his false breath
Could terminate thy being! O I pray thee,
Banish thy cruel thoughts of calm despair,
And in the friendship of the brave confide.

(Exit.