SCENE VIII.
A romantic bridge, the river, over which it is
a secure pass, occasionally choaked by craggy rocks,
large enough to conceal a person behind them—
on one side a kind of entrance to a cavern, the
door of which is a long fragment of rock, which
opening falls on an opposite rock, making a bridge
to the entrance—rocky fragments on the other side
leading to the large bridge—the entrance door is
on a descent.
Bravaldo, the Son of Ricardo and chief of a band
of Outlaws, stalks cautiously across—the door resumes
its place; he comes forward, takes a letter or
scroll from his belt, on which is written:
“Bireno has discovered your lurking place.”
After hastily perusing it, he draws his sabre, on
which is engraved, “Sacred to Revenge,” and whistles
—a band of Outlaws enters; whom he dispatches
different routs, commanding them at a certain spot
to assemble their fellows, and he will join them,
ascends the declivity and exit—Lucio and Ascanio
enter fatigued and disappointed; as they ascend
the bridge they perceive their party, who join
them, intimating their victim's approach, and
place their men in ambush—Gabriello, Bertram,
Alinda, and Child enter—Gabriello starts, conceiving
some one is nigh, and draws—Lucio gives the
signal, and Soldiers rush from their ambush—
Lucio
seizes
Alinda, and
Ascanio Gabriello, who protects
the
Child, and
Bertram (with his bill-hook)
Alinda;
the latter is overpowered and hurried off—
Ascanio
and Lucio continuing their attack on
Gabriello,
who is severely wounded; the blood of which
flowing, he endeavours to stanch it with the Child's
white scarf, dropt in the struggle—he is near fainting,
when the
Princess appears on the bridge, and perceiving
her infant in such imminent danger precipitates
herself into the water; is obscured for a short
time from the sight of the audience, during which
Gabriello
receives another wound and falls, still endeavouring
to protect the Child—at this period
Bravaldo
rushes on, and perceiving the situation of
Gabriello,
receives the swords of his assailants on his sabre, and
takes the Child under his protection, while
Gabriello,
making a desperate effort, dispatches
Ascanio—
Lucio
following off, fighting with
Bravaldo, who guards
the
Child, Gabriello with the utmost difficulty
following.—The
Princess, with her hair dishevelled,
and garments disordered, darts eagerly and
terrified over the rocks, looking (distractedly) on
all sides for her Child; seeing the lifeless body of
Ascanio, starts wildly, casts her eyes on the bloody
sash and hat of her Child, snatches them up,
screams, and faints near the trunk of a tree; during
this, a
charge is sounded without—she recovers
from her swoon, and wildly explores the surrounding
scene for her Child—again casts her eye on his ensanguined
sash, bursts into tears, and, almost driven to
madness, supplicates heaven's vengeance on his murderer.
—
Bireno appears on the bridge, and perceiving
her, exultingly beckons on his guards.—
Drums beat
to arms, trumpets sound, &c. perceiving
Bireno she
snatches up Ascanio's sword, determined to die
rather than be taken—as he is approaching, the
party rush on with
Alinda and Bertram prisoners,
and their leader seizes her hand—at the same time
Lucio enters wounded on the opposite side, and after
answering the interrogatories of
Bireno, that the
Child is dead and thrown into the stream, the
Princess,
dropping her sword, falls, lifeless, in the arms
of
Alinda and Bertram; all group, and the
scene
drops to slow music.
