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Manfred
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ACT III
SCENE III
The Mountains.-- The Castle of MANFRED at some distance.-- A Terrace before a Tower.-- Time,
Twilight.
HERMAN, MANUEL, and other Dependants of MANFRED.
HERMAN.
'T is strange enough;
night after night, for years,
He hath pursued long
vigils in this tower,
Without a witness. I have been within it,--
So have we all been oft-times; but from it
Or its contents, it were impossible
To draw conclusions absolute of aught
His studies tend to. To be sure, there is
One chamber where none enter: I would give
The fee of what I have to come these three years 210
To pore upon its mysteries.
MANUEL.
'T were dangerous;
Content thyself with what thou know'st already.
HERMAN.
Ah! Manuel! thou art
elderly and wise,
And could'st say much; thou hast dwelt within the castle--
How many years is't?
MANUEL.
Ere Count Manfred's birth,
I served his father, whom he nought resembles.
HERMAN.
There be more sons in like predicament.
But wherein do they differ?
MANUEL.
I speak not
Of features or of form, but mind and habits;
Count Sigismund was proud, but gay and free-- 220
A
warrior and a reveller; he dwelt not
With
books and solitude, nor made the night
A gloomy vigil, but a
festal time,
Merrier than day; he did not walk the rocks
And forests like a
wolf, nor turn aside
From
men and their delights.
HERMAN.
Beshrew the hour,
But those were
jocund times! I would that such
Would visit the old walls again; they look
As if they had forgotten them.
MANUEL.
These walls
Must change their
chieftain first. Oh! I have seen 230
Some strange things in them, Herman.
HERMAN.
Come, be friendly;
Relate me some to while away our watch:
I've heard thee darkly speak of
an event
Which happen'd hereabouts, by this same tower.
MANUEL.
That was a night indeed! I do remember
'T was twilight, as it may be now, and such
Another evening; yon red cloud, which rests
On
Eigher's pinnacle, so rested then,--
So like that it might be the same; the wind
Was faint and gusty, and the
mountain snows 240
Began to glitter with the climbing moon.
Count Manfred was, as now, within his tower,--
How occupied, we knew not, but with him
The sole companion of his wanderings
And watchings--
her, whom of all
earthly things
That lived,
the only thing he seemed to love,--
As he, indeed,
by blood was bound to do,
The Lady
Astarte, his
--
Hush! who comes here?
Enter the
ABBOT.
ABBOT.
Where is your master?
HERMAN.
Yonder in the tower.
ABBOT.
I must speak with him.
MANUEL.
'T is impossible; 250
He is most private, and must not be thus
Intruded on.
ABBOT.
Upon myself I take
The
forfeit of my fault, if fault there be--
But I must see him.
HERMAN.
Thou hast seen him once
This eve already.
ABBOT.
Herman! I command thee,
Knock, and apprize the Count of my approach.
HERMAN.
We dare not.
ABBOT.
Then it seems I must be
herald
Of my own purpose.
MANUEL.
Reverend father, stop--
I pray you pause.
ABBOT.
Why so?
MANUEL.
But step this way,
And
I will tell you further. (Exeunt.) 260
CST Approved