University of Virginia Library

Scene VII.

—Woodstock: Witch's cottage. Enter Wilfred and Ellen Greene.
Wil.
It's getting late.

Greene.
An' full o' bats an' owls.

Wil.
Your time.

Greene.
'Tis true, but later of an eve
The fire is making yonder!

[Goes apart.
Wil.
Margie's gone
To catch old Topaz in her artless net
Of prattle! 'Twas by very providence
I visited the silly chuck at last.
So many days and she had never moved
One step toward the fulfilment of my plan.
The hussy tires me with her drooping ways,
The little Autumn! She's dispiriting,
And makes me an old sinner with her sighs
And yellow tinct. If Jose can make her dance,
Twill be as the north wind, by savage play.
What tall, gaunt woman's that across the path!
A wolf, a prowling creature? Ah, the Queen!
She has no patience.

Q. Elin.
Take me to the maze.
See here the fire-tipped blade!

Wil.
Nay, you've mistook
The time; our thread is Margery's young voice;
E'en now she's making friends with the old man.
To-morrow night—

Greene
[advancing].
Eh, are there two of us?
Pardie, there's magic in the hem of the robe.
Good faith! I tremble at her!

Wil.
Goodie, here!
She needs a cup—the poison I bespoke—
Against to-morrow eve.

Greene.
I've been to pluck
The berries. Lack-a-day! I only played
With wonders—for a poor soul must not die!
I frightened the young girls and got their pence.
Why, sir, that lass of yours, this blessed eve
She'll have a bath o' dew beneath the moon,
To comfort her.

Wil.
Humph! devilish penitence!

Greene.
But, Lord! I ne'er have sold me to the fiend;
Belike he's come to fetch me. Don't ye go.
It must be secret.—Kindly stay about,
Good sir.

Q. Elin.
I cannot bide another night.
My brain grows hot; 'twill scorch my sense. The king
Returns a conqueror. She'll crown him—she!
Get access quickly. Ah, I fear my hand
Can scarce strike steady. Get the poison mixed;
My will is firm, and I can force her drink.
Sir Wilfred, there's a heart to stop, ere night;
The king is landing.

Wil.
I'll seek Margery;
Watch you the draught a-brewing. I'll return.

[Exit.
[Q. Elin. flings herself on a bench.
Greene.
Beyond me—quite beyond me—a blue spirit
That's smelt at sulphur. My poor cat is grey.
Pretty! . . . There's a sort o' chains about the air.
Lor! if I'm not afraid.

Q. Elin.
To do my will?

Greene.
What is it?

Q. Elin.
To make death.

Greene.
'Twas once I sent
A faithless lover pining to his doom.
An' thus: I pinched a candle to his shape,—
So like, it made ye start; and by the fire
I kept it dropping.

Q. Elin.
Fill your caldron—come!

Greene.
I'm shredding vipers' flesh.

Q. Elin.
I have a knife;
I'll help.

Greene.
Is it a man you'd murder?

Q. Elin.
No; a girl.

Greene.
Bless us! D'ye see that flying thing with blood
I' the trail of it—a shroud! and at the breast—

Q. Elin.
Old crazy brain . . . her ghost will comfort me.

Greene.
Nay, to be haunted! Lady, look ye here!
There's safer ways.
I'll give ye this will make
Any one love ye, and be mad for ye;
Take that . . .

Q. Elin.
You can?
Nay, nay, I must not be a fool;—
Past that! Henceforth on hatred I must feed.
To be hated more and more, and more to hate.
What's that in the pot?

Greene.
It's henbane!

Q. Elin.
Wherefore cook
Your wretched broth? This phial will suffice.

[Snatching at phial.
Greene.
Not that, not that! It will not do the thing.

Q. Elin.
All's ready! . . . Ah, it presses inwardly,
Like the full breast
Undrained by thirsty lips. I've borne the load
Of an unlonged-for heart; it stifles less
Than the burthen of dammed hate!

[Re-enter Wilfred with Margery.]
Mar.
Who's this?

Q. Elin.
I am—

Wil.
Listen: this lady here
Is Rose's mother. She was lost, you know;
Now she is come again. She'll get you Rose
Out of the maze. She wants to see her so;
She can't be patient. Twenty years away!

Mar.
Oh, she looks poor and hungry. I am glad
Sir Topaz said I might come any hour.

Wil.
Then you shall be our guide, and with your voice
Call the good gentleman to let us in.

Q. Elin.
Give me this Rose, I say!

Mar.
I do not think
She's gentle; may be she will strike at Rose.

Wil.
She's angry with the king, who shut her in.

Q. Elin.
[taking Margery firmly by the hand].
Go straight; I am her mother.

Mar.
Oh, I feel
As there were thunder in her; I'm afraid!