SCENE XI.
View of a Round Tower partly in ruins.
Enter Cobthach, Sitric, Moriat, and
Guards, the Child and Moriat are imprisoned, and
Sitric receives orders to dispatch them—on Cobthach's
exit, he determines on their release; and for that
purpose bribes a centinel who is placed over them;
and he is near accomplishing his plan when Cobthach
re-enters, and to prevent discovery he stabs
the centinel.
Cobthach, suspicious, demands the keys; and the
prison doors being again closed on Moriat and her
Child, he retires rebuking Sitric, who, enraged, vows
vengeance, but seeing some one approaching, retires.
—Enter Kildare and Maon bewildered on
their way, which, as they are exploring, a voice from
the round tower assails their ears, at the same time a
scarf being waved from the loop-hole,
Should some pitying stranger near,
Moriat's mournful story hear—
To her lov'd lord this token bear.
Maon starts, and recognizing his wife's voice,
accuses Kildare of deception—her scarf is dropt
from the tower, which, convincing him of her situation,
drives him to distraction; and Kildare, in vain
attempting to force the prison door, is prevented by
Sitric, who, during this, had been comparing the
miniature with the original, and determining to get
him into his power—Maon gazes wildly on Sitric,
who, with his accustomed hypocrisy, proffers his
services—Maon displays the scarf, intimating all he
loves on earth is confined in that tower—Sitric seems
to regret his inability to assist him; and, as he is going
again to endeavour to burst the door open, again stops
him; and, a thought having struck him, shews a
small key, which he tells him by a secret pass will
lead to her prison, and offers to conduct him there,
cunningly hinting aside, it will be a proper place to
dispatch him in—trumpets heard without—Maon is
forced off by Sitric and Kildare.
