University of Virginia Library

SCENE VII.

LLANDORVIN, QUEEN.
QUEEN.
Brave, aged stranger! thy engaging daughter
Has taught my heart to take deep interest
In what concerns thee; and I come, with hopes
To lead thy manly mind to such mild conduct,
As may appease the king.

LLANDORVIN.
O sovereign lady!
To whose acknowledged virtue my proud spirit
Pays willing homage, 'twas my ardent wish
To hold with thee important conference;
Not from a mean solicitude to save
The slighted remnant of my days; a care
Of keener influence absorbs my thoughts,
And tortures me with unexampled terror,
That I could utter to no ear but thine.

QUEEN.
Speak all thy fears, for I am much thy friend!

LLANDORVIN.
Did I not think thee, gracious Queen, endowed
With all the rarest qualities, that render
Friendship of high, and sacred estimation,
I could not to thy gentle bosom trust
What I would say: it will require from thee
Steady exertion of what purest friendship
Inspires, indulgence, courage, secrecy.

QUEEN.
Thy words amaze me, and this preparation
Fills me with all the dread of blind conjecture.

LLANDORVIN.
I trespass on thy gentleness; perchance
My apprehension is a vague surmise:
A gloomy vision of distempered age!
Should it have more foundation, still thou mayst
By the mild influence of guardian virtue
Annihilate the apprehended evil.

QUEEN.
Trust me, thy daughter—

LLANDORVIN.
No! my present fear
Points to an object that demands from thee
Much higher care.

QUEEN.
O Heaven! thou art apprised
Of some dark peril menacing the King;
Yet if—I am bewildered; for alas!
His life endangered might to thee suggest
Matter of hope, and joy, but not of terror.

LLANDORVIN.
I scorn hypocrisy; and thou fair Queen,
Thou knowst, I must deem the death of Edward
A blessing to my country, yet believe me
I from his cruelty would undergo
An age of torture, rather than permit
A virtuous youth, long fostered by his bounty,
In a dark moment of distracted love,
With murderous frenzy—

QUEEN.
Ah! my boding heart!
Thou speak'st of Clyfford: tell me, I conjure thee,
How far the passions of this fiery youth
Have lead him to forget—

LLANDORVIN.
Be comforted!
His quick, and ardent mind, though strongly troubled,
Is not as yet estranged from filial duty,
That binds him to you both: thou gentle sovereign,
Watch I conjure thee all his starts of passion!
And with thy speedy salutary counsel,
With the fond privacy, which mothers use,
To screen the errors of a darling son,
Fix his bright soul within the sphere of truth,
Lest wand'ring now, like an eccentric star,
Its bursting fury scatter hideous death!

QUEEN.
Noblest of foes! I read thy heart aright;
And gratefully revere thee for thy caution:
This generous effort—

LLANDORVIN.
O! it merits not
Your heart-affecting praise: I but obey
The native impulse of humanity.
When genuine nature guides the feeling soul,
'Tis the prime pleasure of experienced age
To watch o'er ardent youth, and fondly snatch it
From those attractive gulfs of splendid guilt,
Where a bright syren, under virtue's mask,
Lures the brave mind to unperceived dishonor.

QUEEN.
Farewell! kind stranger! thy exalted conduct
Endears thee to my soul: Heaven grant me powers,
Soon with glad steps revisiting thy dungeon,
To bring thee life, and liberty, and honor!