John. Well, sir, about the business of the field. Lord of T. The widow woman still shall hold the field! filled! 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 the bag. And others might be murdered in that field; Besides, if it were so, was it my crime That the land's law did deal unjustly by him? Upon their heads, who heard him plead in vain, Shall be his innocent blood, and not on mine! [He takes up Ha ha! this wealthy purchaser has gold In plenty, if he thus can bribe. May be I have another little field will tempt him; But next time, I will have a better priceNow let me find a place wherein to store it! [He considers for a few moments- then takes up his keys, and goes to a small closet. SCENE IX. A chamber lighted by a small iron lamp, the lord of Torres in his night-cap and dressing-gown-a closet with an iron door is beside his bed, he has a bunch of keys in his hand. - Enter AN OLD servant. 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, counts his bags, puts his keys under his pillow, and then lies down-after some time, he starts up. Fire! murder! thieves! my gold! my iron chest! [He feels for his keys. [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. 44 "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 Drive 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. suburbs; Constance sitting in a little room, looking 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!" "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 speaking, 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!" 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. Cons. Cons. This is our consolation, not our sorrow! God will not let him want a helping hand He only tries him thus, to prove his virtue. But hark-his step! Oh, 't is his step indeed! Albert. Oh, you shall hear-it is a new romance! Now listen. I was standing on the rocks, With my eyes fixed upon the boiling spot Where my good ship went down, full of sad thoughts, When there came up a foreign gentleman, Drest in an antique garb. Awhile he stood With his eye fixed on me, and then he spake Some cruel words of passing condolence, Which I more briefly answered; for my heart Lay with my sunken ship, nor had I mood To talk with any one; so I went further, And took another station: there he came, And once again addressed me; "Sir," said he, "I am no stranger to your reputationAll men have heard the name of Albert Luberg, And from my soul I ever longed to serve him!" Mad. L. Twas very true, 'twas very true, my son; Yet like I not these over-civil men. Albert. Nay, hear me on. To this I made reply, "Your good opinion flatters me too much!" To which he said, "Merit is diffident," And twenty other gracious common-places; And so discourse went on: at length, said he— And here his voice assumed another tone, The blandest, the most winning e'er I heard, "Will you to sea again?" "Gladly," said I, "For diligence must give me fortune back: Those that are dearer unto me than life, Depend upon my labour." "Done!" said he, "You shall win fortune back! now look you there; Beyond that point of rock, my vessel lies!" I looked, and in a distant cove descried A stately vessel lying at its anchor. "Yon ship," said he, "is mine, well-manned and freighted On what conditions, sail you with this man? Albert. On strange conditions truly, for himself; For me, without exception. Thus they run: That without bond, or even doit laid down, I shall become co-partner in the vessel, Now and for ever, and in all her tradings Have equal share, with this sole stipulation, That I shall hold myself to him subservient. To this I have subscribed; and by a notary It has been sealed and witnessed in due form. Mad. L. I like it not! For in these sordid times Men do not willingly give up their profit Without equivalent. But God is good! And He will guard you if you trust in him. My son, a mother's blessing be with thee! But there are various little stores and comforts Which 't is your mother's privilege to furnish. I will go get these ready, though 't is late! And then I have so many, many fears! 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- 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 Over the waters he went. Who was the first sailor?-tell me who can; Don't be a blockhead, boy! Tightly and strong Ha! 't is nought but the poor little Nautilus- He has no need of a compass like us, 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 cast-all hands crowd on Albert. Pardon me! 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. Let it be done. [They go forward. SCENE IV. A sylvan grotto, the floor covered with rich Indian mat. Albert asleep, with his head resting on the knees of Edah, a beautiful young native, who fans him with a gorgeous plume of feathers—she sings in a low, sweet voice: 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! |