University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

The Church and Burial-ground of Kirkby-Malhamdale. Fanny Ashton is discovered leaning on a tomb, with a bundle of rushes and a garland on a stone beside her.
FANNY
(singing).
The maiden to the greenwood flew,
All while the moon was shining,
And there she spied her knight so true
Against a tree reclining.
He seized her hand, that gallant proud,
Where shadowy moonbeams quiver,
And by the Queen of Night he vowed
To love that maid for ever.
[Speaks.
He meant not as he said, though. He was false,
Or else the ballad is. Soft! it is here—
[Sings.
The maid again to greenwood flew,
All while the moon was shining;
But there she spied no lover true
Against the tree reclining.
He came no more, that gallant proud,
Where shadowy moonbeams quiver;
But, mindless of the vow he vowed,
He left that maid for ever!
[Speaks.
I knew 'twas so. He ne'er will come again,
And she may weep. 'Twill ease her head to weep.
I would that I had tears! I had them once—
But this hot sun hath scorched them up.
[Looks round.
'Tis strange!
'Tis very strange.—Is Fanny Ashton, then,
The only Rush-bearer? They'll come anon.
[Pausing.
I hate these tombs. They are so dark within,
And press upon the dead so!—Mine shall be
A common grave, with daisies on the turf;
Where dew-drops lie, and sunbeams love to shine—
But none shall tread upon it—none—but He!
Yes, he shall come, and pluck the daisy flower,
And I shall hear him!—never—never—never!—
Hark! there is music.

[A procession of youths and maidens bearing rushes and garlands, and accompanied with music, arrives at the Churchyard gate. The villagers, singly or in pairs, begin to carry their bundles into the Church. A young man, seeing Fanny stops.
YOUNG MAN.
Glad to see thee, Fanny,
At Kirkby Rush-bearing. But wherefore not
Go with us, to assist in gathering flowers,
And pulling rushes? Thou wast always proud.

FANNY.
Proud! show me aught that's not. Those flowers are proud
To feel the breeze fan, and the sunbeam kiss them.
But they were prouder ere thy rude hand cropped them—
'Twas cruel in thee that!

YOUNG MAN.
I understand not
Thy meaning, Fanny. Thou wast cruel, then,
To crop that garland lying there.

FANNY
(mournfully).
E'en so!

YOUNG MAN.
Thou art not well, I think?

FANNY.
Thou thinkest so?
Thy thought's not worth a rush. Begone!

YOUNG MAN
(aside).
By Jings,
The lass is crazed.

[Exit, and enter a Girl.
GIRL.
O, Fanny Ashton come,
To help to strew the Church 'gainst winter tide!
With me, then, Fanny. Thine's the prettiest wreath
That I have yet beheld. Where didst thou find it?

FANNY.
Thou knowest not the place? But I do—well!—
O! I beseech you, go not near it! There
The snake breeds, and the toad, the asp, and all
The reptiles that with sting or venom take
The blood from out the cheek, and crowd the brain
With jarring fancies!—O! I beg you, go not!

GIRL
(aside).
Her looks and words are strange and frightful! (to her)
Well,
I will not go, then. Wilt thou bear with me?

FANNY
(sharply).
No.

[Exit Girl, and enter Young Man and Young Woman.
YOUNG MAN.
It shall be so, now. I'll dance with none,
If I mayn't dance with thee:

YOUNG WOMAN.
Thou'lt break thy word,
If Sally Airton comes.

YOUNG MAN.
'Tis ever so!
'Tis always Sally Airton! I think thee
A prettier girl, by half. Now, shall I be
Thy partner for the night?

YOUNG WOMAN.
Now that's well thought of!
It might be vexing Sally, to engage
Thyself for longer time.

YOUNG MAN.
For that, sweet teazer,
I'll bind myself for ever, and thou wilt,
By oath upon the mass-book.

FANNY.
Swear not, churl!
Thou'lt break thy vow e'en as thy betters do,
And she will weep—like me. Poor girls have hearts, man,
And they can feel! Dost think they cannot, Henry?
That no kind breast can throb, save under satin,
Where it stirs gem and jewel as it heaves?—
Away! Why gaze ye thus?

YOUNG MAN.
We wait to have
Thy company.

FANNY.
Thou liest! for the eye
Of heedless, incommunicative bird
Is hardly welcome in a true-love bower
Where lovers sit! But I will nothing tell—
Why should I tell, when Time will?—Ay, the blast
Will tear thee, maiden, from the stem thou lovest,
And fling thee to the pity of the rain,
Whose tears will bleach thy red!

YOUNG WOMAN
(to him).
Let's go. She's mad.

YOUNG MAN.
Poor girl! I pity her. (to Fanny)
Thou wilt not go, then?

FANNY.
I will; for I perceive thou'rt sad, and I
Am very sad—indeed I am. Go on.

[She takes up her bundle and chaplet in a languid manner, and Exit with the villagers.
[Enter First Young Man.
YOUNG MAN
(solus).
I'm sure she's crazed. She would not else have talked
So like a player-girl. By Jings! to blame me
For plucking senseless flowers, and then to wave me
With such an air—thus.

[Enter Villagers.
FIRST VILLAGER.
Something's wrong, no doubt.
O sirs, we little know what coming days
May bring to each of us!

SECOND VILLAGER.
The most unlikely
Are sometimes seized as she is. Well, may God
Have mercy on the spirit He hath bruised!

YOUNG MAN.
It comes of pride. I never knew a girl
Ape the high airs of folk above her rank,
But she got humbled.

FIRST VILLAGER.
O, thou bearest spite,
Because at our last Rush-bearing, she chose
Another youth—not thee—to be set home by.

YOUNG MAN.
And worthy choice she made! A Fly-byth'-sky,
Whom no one knew—not e'en herself, perhaps—
With gew gaws glittering underneath his cloak.

FIRST VILLAGER.
St Mary! what is here? A hundred horse
Are clattering down the brow!—And see, they stop—
Dismount—and come towards us!

YOUNG MAN.
By Jings! I'm off.

[Exit Young Man, followed by the Villagers.
[Enter Ladies Margaret and Emma, with Cathleen, who walk slowly across the Stage—the Rush-bearers continuing their work.
LADY MARGARET.
A pleasing scene! one that would suit Arcadia,
When it was in the pink of simple usage.

LADY EMMA.
I did not think Rusticity imbued
With so much taste.

LADY MARGARET.
O, Nature is the same
In high and low; and in some instances
I deem the low our masters. Their displays
Are not o'erlaid with pomp, their mirth not checked
By ceremony.—Would I were a cot-maid!
She feels no sorrows, or she finds such play
As this, a compensation for them all.

[Exeunt.