Within a lonesome hollow of this field A wandering pedlar was discovered, murdered. Were found within this woman's husband's shed And as was just, he died upon the gallows! John. Well, sir, about the business of the field. Lord of T. The widow woman still shall hold the field! Serv. Master, good lack! she will be dead ere morning! Lord of T. Then elsewhere let her die! Bethink you fool, 'T would cost a noble, but to bury her! Serv. [going out] Good lord! and he such plenty! Enter STEWARD. Steward. The barns are full, iny lord, and there is yet grain to be housed. Lord of T. The cost were great to build more barnslet it be housed under this roof. Stew. My lord! Lord of T. To be sure! the state-rooms are large and loftyand to me they are useless, let them be filled! Stew. What! with the gilt cornices, and the old John. [laying a small bag before him]. But my lords and ladies on the walls! good lord, to me it is an object One hundred marks I'll give you for the field. Lord of T. What doth this hold, sir? is it gold or silver? John. Gold, sir, each piece is gold! Lord of T. One hundred marks?One hundred marks and ten, and it is yours! John. Sir, every piece within that bag is gold! Lord of T. One hundred marks and ten- — I'll take no less! John. My notary is without I'll bring him in. [He goes out. Lord of T. I'll not believe it! Other men had asses And others might be murdered in that field; [He considers for a few moments— then takes Servant. Master, there is a woman at the door, And two small children; they do cry for bread; Only a little morsel! Lord of T. A murrain on them! Serv. Drive them hence! Lord of T. The same! are they not well placed, so that a wain might approach without impediment? Stew. It were a mortal sin! Lord of T. I cannot afford to build new barnsremember the mildew last season, and the cow that died in March - these are great losses! Stew. Well, my lord, the harvest is ready, it must be done quickly. Lord of T. A broad door-way making, will not cost much; send me a builder to-morrow, and let us have an estimate - these people require being tied down to the farthing! [The steward goes out. [The Lord of Torres unlocks his iron door, Fire! murder! thieves! my gold! my iron chest! [He feels for his keys. One-half the sum he asks will be enough! [He lies down and sleeps. [An awful voice passes through the chamber. "Thou fool, this night thy soul will be required from thee; then whose will those things be which thou hast provided?" ACHZIB was abundantly satisfied with the result of his second temptation. He had watched the gradual strengthening of the passion; the sealing up, as it were, of the heart against both God and man. "It was not," said Achzib, in great self-gratulation, because the temptation was in itself strong, that I have this time been so successful, but especially be I have warned them hence, cause the tempted was so wisely chosen. Human But master, she is dying; and the cry Of those poor little children wrings my heart! Lord of T. Liars they are and thieves! Drive them away! nature has a strange propensity to extremes; he who wastes his patrimony with profligate indifference, and reduces himself to penury, is of all others the man to become insatiably avaricious. In proportion SCENE I. as he lavished in youth, will he hoard up in age; the hand that threw away thousands, will afterwards clutch at groats, and, oh marvellous inconsistency! A seaport city.-Evening.-A small mansion in the not from having learned the value of the good he has abused, but from a passionate lust of possession, which, like the extravagance of madness, seems to reverse the very nature of the man." "The world," continued Achzib, "has but little sympathy for the ruined spendthrift; men are slow in giving to him who has not taken care of his own -and thus they assist the reaction of his spirit. He talks of the faithlessness of friends, of the jeers and taunts of the world, and the triumph of enemies, till, exciting himself to hostility against his kind, he commences a warfare upon it, and becomes its scourge and its shame. He gives not to the needy; because, says he, in my need, none gave to me-and he gets all he can by fair means and foul, because in his abundance all, he believes, made a prey of him. Oh, most blind and senseless of passions!-he would even rob himself, to enrich his coffers-he would deny himself even sustenance, were it not that death would sever him from the god of his idolatry!" suburbs; Constance sitting in a little room, looking at a miniature. Constance. There is a faint resemblance-but so faint! And yet the eyes in colour are the same- And when I pray for him, my spirit takes Enter MADAME LUBERG; she sits down by Constance. From its strong moorings, drove it out of harbour, "And now," said Achzib, "I will try this passion in a modified degree, upon another and a nobler spirit. The sins of Thomas of Torres, comparatively speak-Like lightning in its speed, loosened his vessel ing, were sins against society at large. My next victim shall be taken from the bosom of affection; he shall bring desolation upon the domestic hearth, and wither those souls in which he was bound up as in the bundle of life. To accomplish this, I must first sap, if not remove the barriers of sound principle. But once familiarize him with sin; but once induce him to sunder some one tie which has hitherto bound him to virtue,—no matter how slight it be,-the most important work is done, and the remaining ties become loosened for the first dereliction of duty, the first swerving aside from the integrity of virtue, is the act by which a human soul becomes the chartered victim of evil." "The mere sordid miser,” continued Achzib, recurring once more to his subject, “is a hateful spectacle. The toad hiding itself under a noisome stone, is not more hideous than his moral deformity; but the downfall of a nobler spirit, drawing, as it were, the seventh part of heaven after it, in the darkened pleasures, the wounded affections of all that clung to it, is an achievement worthy of the Prince of Darkness himself!" THE PIRATE. PERSONS. ALBERT LUBERG, THE PIRATE. MADAME LUBERG, HIS MOTHER. CONSTANCE, HER NIECE, AND THE BETROTHED OF ALBERT. ACHZIB, THE CAPTAIN OF THE VESSEL SEAMEN, CREW OF THE WRECK, MERCHANTS, Cons. [She weeps. Cons. This is our consolation, not our sorrow! Albert. Oh, you shall hear-it is a new romance! All men have heard the name of Albert Luberg, Mad. L. 'Twas very true, 'twas very true, my son; On what conditions, sail you with this man? Albert. On strange conditions truly, for himself; Albert. Nay, hear me on. To this I made reply, That I shall hold myself to him subservient. Your good opinion flatters me too much!" I looked, and in a distant cove descried To this I have subscribed; and by a notary [She goes out. Cons. Must we not part? Albert. Mad. L. It is a compact that comes o'er my heart The price of blood! Like evil influence. Albert. Oh, foolish, foolish girl! Albert. Truly he keeps quick time!-The moon's There was another ere Noah began; not up But we must part at last, and farewell's said As easily now as at another time. My dearest love, good bye! Mother, God bless you! Mad. L. Farewell, my son- May God Almighty bless you. [He looks upon them with great tenderness, Albert. I am a fool, a very childish fool, [He embraces her solemnly. [to Cons. Once more, once more farewell! What ails my heart? I never was so much a child before. Cons. May God in heaven bless you! SCENE II. [Albert rushes out. Who he was, tell me? Tightly and strong Helmsman. Land a-head!-Down with you to the captains below, and don't keep dinning there with your cracked pipes! Enter the CAPTAIN and ALBERT. Cap. The isle I told you of! 't is in our reckoning, But 't is an undiscovered island yet Night.-A vessel on the mid seas; a fine moon shining. By any but myself. In my last voyage, -The watch on deck. Thus standing on the deck, helmsman myself 1st Man. Now, messmate, can you understand And watch, I first discerned it on a night what sort of a trip we are on? Radiant as this, yet do I claim it not 2nd Man. Trading, I take it. Ar'n't we bound Yours be the honour of discovering it! to the Indies? 1st Man. So they say; but mark me if there is n't some other scheme at bottom. Here have we been tacking about in these seas for the last fifteen days, and a steady wind blowing all the time! The old captain gives orders through the young one- -the devil's at the bottom of the business, I say. 2nd Man. And let it be the devil himself!-while he gives the wages he does, and plenty of grog. I'll go round the world with him. Don't you bother your brains with other folks' business; let's have a song! here's mine without asking for, the jolly song of the devil at sea You shall first give the knowledge to the world Albert. How bright the moonlight falls upon its shores! What slumberous shades lie in those woody valleys- [The anchor is cas! -all hands crowd on gins to break -The Captain and Albert stand together on the forecastle. Cap. Now, friend, you will acknowledge your Has done me great injustice! Pardon me! Cap. [taking his hand eagerly.] No, doubt me not. Albert. I will-I will;-and by yon glorious isle, To serve you, but free confidence in you. [aside. You have sworn! Now contemplate the island at your leisure. — Now is he my sure victim, and for ever! Yon fairy isle will so subdue his soul With its luxurious pleasures- he no more Will be the chafed lion he has been! [He goes below. [The morning shines out, and the island becomes perfectly distinct. Albert. Beautiful island, rising out of darkness Like a divine creation, a new day Hath dawned upon thee, a momentous day Hast thou sinned That God has taken away the sacred veil Strange is it, that my singular destiny, [He examines them through his glass. And in the lap of pleasure take your ease, Then will I leave the island at your bidding! Cap. Fool that you are! Mean you to tarry out Albert. Little waves upon the deep When thou wak'st, the sea will pour Albert. [opening his eyes.] "Tis a sweet song, who taught it thee, my Edah? Edah. Love taught it me-I made it as I sang. I ever think thus when I think of thee! Thou art a song for ever in my soul! Albert. My glorious Edah, thou art like a star Which men of old did worship! |