University of Virginia Library

SCENE VII.

A royal apartment: Enter Elburga, with her hair scattered upon her shoulders, and with the action of one in violent grief, followed by Dwina, who seems to be soothing her.
Elb.
Cease, cease! thy foolish kindness soothes me not;
My morning is o'ercast; my glory sunk;
Leave me alone to wring my hands and weep.

Dwi.
O no, my princely mistress! grieve not thus!
Over our heads the blackest clouds do pass
And brighter follow them.

Elb.
No, no, my sky is night! I was a princess,
Almost a queen: in gorgeous pomp beheld,
The public gaze was ever turn'd on me;
Proud was the highest Thane or haughtiest dame
To do my bidding, ev'ry count'nance watch'd
Each changeful glance of my commanding eye,
To read its meaning: now my state is chang'd:
Scoffing and insult and degrading pity
Abide the daughter of a murder'd king.
Heaven's vengeance light upon them all! Begone!
I hate the very light for looking on me!
Begone! and soothe me not!

Dwi.
Forgive me, princess; do not thus despair;
King Oswal's daughter many friends will find.

Elb.
Friends! hold thy peace!—Oh it doth rend my heart!
I have been wont to talk of subjects, vassals,
Dependants, servants, slaves, but not of friends.
Where shall I hide my head?

Dwi.
Surely, dear mistress, with Saint Cuthbert's nuns,
Whose convent by your father's gifts is rich,
You will protection find. There quiet rest,
And holy converse of those pious maids,
After a while will pour into your mind
Soft consolation.

[Putting her hands on Elburga 's soothingly.
Elb.
(pushing her away).
Out upon thee, fool!
Go, speak thy comforts
To spirits tame and abject as thyself:
They make me mad; they make me thus to tear
My scatter'd locks and strew them to the winds.
[Tearing her hair distractedly.
Enter a Servant.
(To ser.)
What brings thee here?

Ser.
Ethwald, the king, is at the gate, and asks
To be admitted to your presence, princess.

Elb.
(becoming suddenly calm).
What, Ethwald, sayst thou? sayst thou truly so?

Ser.
Yes, truly, princess.

Elb.
Ethwald, that Thane whom thou dost call the king?

Ser.
Yes, he whom all the states and chiefs of Mercia
Do call the king.

Elb.
He enters not. Tell him I am unwell,
And will not be disturb'd.
[Exit ser.
What seeks he here? Fie, poorly fainting soul!
Rouse! rouse thee up! To all the world beside
Subdued and humbled would I rather be
Than in the eyes of this proud man.

Re-enter Servant.
Ser.
No, he will not depart, but bids me say
The entrance he has begg'd he now commands.
I hear his steps behind me.

Enter Ethwald. Elburga turns away from him proudly.
Ethw.
Elburga, turn and look upon a friend.

Elb.
(turning round haughtily, and looking on him with an assumed expression of anger and scornful contempt).
Usurping rebel, who hast slain thy master;
Take thou a look that well beseems thy worth,
And hie thee hence, false traitor!

Ethw.
Yes, I will hie me hence, and with me lead
A fair and beauteous subject to my will;
That will which may not be gainsaid. For now
High heaven, that hath decreed thy father's fall,
Hath also me appointed king of Mercia,
With right as fair as his: which I'll maintain
And by the proudest in this lordly realm
Will be obey'd, even by thy lofty self.

Elb.
Put shackles on my limbs and o'er my head
Let your barr'd dungeons low'r; then mayst thou say,
“Walk not abroad,” and so it needs must be:
But thinkst thou to subdue, bold as thou art,
The lofty spirit of king Oswal's daughter?
Go, bind the wild winds in thy hollow shield,
And bid them rage no more: they will obey thee.

Ethw.
Yes, proud Elburga, I will shackle thee.
But on the throne of Mercia shalt thou sit,
Not in the dungeon's gloom.
Ay, and albeit the wild winds refuse
To be subjected to my royal will,
The lofty spirit of king Oswal's daughter
I will subdue.

(Taking her hand.)
Elb.
(throwing him off from her vehemently).
Off with those bloody hands that slew my father!
Thy touch is horrid to me! 'tis a fiend's grasp:
Out from my presence! bloody Thane of Mairnieth!

Ethw.
Ay! frown on me, Elburga; proudly frown:
I knew thy haughty spirit, and I lov'd it,
Even when I saw thee first in gorgeous state;
When, bearing high thy stately form, thou stoodst
Like a proud queen, and on the gazing crowd,
Somewhat offended with a late neglect,
Darted thy looks of anger and disdain.
High Thanes and dames shrank from thine eye, whilst I,
Like one who from the mountain's summit sees,
Beneath him far the harmless lightning play,
With smiling admiration mark'd thee well,
And own'd a kindred soul. Each angry flash
Of thy dark eye was loveliness to me.
But know, proud maid, my spirit outmasters thine,
And heedeth not the anger nor the power
Of living thing.

Elb.
Bold and amazing man!

Ethw.
And bold should be the man who weds Elburga.

Elb.
Away! it cannot be, it shall not be!
My soul doth rise against thee, bloody chief,
And bids thy power defiance.

Ethw.
Then art thou mine in truth, for never yet
Did hostile thing confront me unsubdued;
Defy me and thou'rt conquer'd.

Elb.
Thou most audacious chief! it shall not be.

Ethw.
It shall, it must be, maiden, I have sworn it;
And here repeat it on that beauteous hand
Which to no power but with my life I'll yield
[Grasping her hand firmly, which she struggles to free.
Frown not, Elburga! 'tis in vain to strive;
My spirit outmasters thine.

Elb.
Sayst thou to me thou didst not slay my father?
Sayst thou those hands are guiltless of his death?

Ethw.
Thinkst thou I'll plead, and say I have not slain
A weak old man, whose inoffensive mind,
And strong desire to quit the warring world
For quiet religious rest, could be, in truth,
No hindrance to my greatness? were this fitting
In Mercia's king, and proud Elburga's lord?

Elb.
(turning away).
Elburga's lord? Thou art presumptuous, prince:
Go hence, and brave me not.

Ethw.
I will go hence forthwith; and, by my side,
The fair selected partner of my throne
I'll lead, where the assembled chiefs of Mercia
Wait to receive from me their future queen.

Elb.
Distract me not!

Ethw.
Resistance is distraction.
Who ever yet my fixed purpose cross'd?
Did Ethwald ever yield? Come, queen of Mercia!
This firm grasp shall conduct thee to a throne:
[Taking her hand, which she feebly resists.
Come forth, the frowning, haughty bride of Ethwald.

Elb.
Wonderful man!
If hell or fortune fight for thee I know not,
Nothing withstands thy power.

[Exeunt: Ethw. leading off Elb. in triumph, and Dwina following, with her hands and eyes raised to heaven in astonishment.