University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

An Apartment in the Monastery.
Edmund alone, reading a scroll.
Edmund.
Heavens, am I too, like Edwin, the first Etheling,
Mark'd by this jealous and unnatural brother,
Down, for immediate death?—Sight-blasting scroll!—
(Reads.)
—“To Alger, thane. See execution done
On Edmund Etheling, forthwith. I, Ethelstan.”—
Stamp'd with his private sign! and 'neath his pillow
Ready at hand for launching, like a dagger!
And left there heedless, to be found by chance,
As if he dealt out deaths with such loose hand
Often he felt not when men's fates slipp'd from him!—
O murderous! monstrous!—Thanks good Prior, thanks,
Thy hint came apt. No sleep for me in marble!
His majesty shall save in mason work
And funeral charges, sackcloth suits, and tears;
Fine satisfaction to my ghost forsooth!—
What have I done? What has poor Edmund done,
Or left undone, that might deserve such doom
From this lamb-visaged, tiger-hearted tyrant?
This under-scowling simperer! this hypocrite
Who smiles and stabs!—this yellow-blooded treacher,
Whose eye-whites should, like some gilt, squinting god's,
Glisten suspicion, were aught true about him!—
Whither shall I betake me? to what wilderness
So intricate his bloodhounds shall not track me?
Why, 'tis as well turn rebel, if condemn'd
To traitor's death when none!—I'll join the plot
Our Prior oft hath glanced at, and now urgeth
As imminent to succeed, with those brave hearts
Who have, since Edwin's fate, stood to their vows
Of vengeance against bastard Ethelstan,
Self-branded murderer!—yea, self-confess'd!—
Ah! can he meditate a twin-like crime
To that he mourns so deep?—But doth he mourn?—
Dissembler? double-tongued and double-faced!
Son of the grand Deceiver! fare thee well.

[Exit hastily.