Abbot. "Tis said thou holdest converse with the things
Which are forbidden to the search of man;

That with the dwellers of the dark abodes,

The many evil and unheavenly spirits

Which walk the valley of the shade of death,

Thou communest. I know that with mankind,
Thy fellows in creation, thou dost rarely
Exchange thy thoughts, and that thy solitude

Is as an anchorite's, were it but holy.

Man. And what are they who do avouch these things?
Abbot. My pious brethren-the scared peasantry—

Even thy own vassals-who do look on thin

With most unquiet eyes. Thy life's in peril.

[Exit HERMAN.

* It will be perceived that, as far as this, the original matter of the third Act has been retained.

Abbot. Then hear and tremble! For the headstrong wretch
Who in the mail of innate hardihood

Would shield himself, and battle for his sins,

There is the stake on earth, and beyond earth eternal

Man. Charity, most reverend father,

Becomes thy lips so much more than this menace,

That I would call thee back to it; but say,

What wouldst thou with me?

[MANFRED opens the casket, strikes a light, and burns some incense. Ho! Ashtaroth!

The DEMON ASHTAROTH appears, singing as follows:

The raven sits

On the raven-stone,

And his black wing flits

O'er the milk-white bone';

To and fro, as the night-winds blow,
The carcass of the assassin swings;
And there alone, on the raven-stone,*
The raven flaps his dusky wings.
The fetters creak-his ebon beak

Croaks to the close of the hollow sound;
And this is the tune by the light of the moon
To which the witches dance their round

Merrily, merrily, cheerily, cheerily,

Merrily, speeds the ball:

The dead in their shrouds, and the demons in clouds,

Flock to the witches' carnival.

Abbot. I fear thee not-hence-hence

Avaunt thee, evil one!-help, ho! without there!

Man. Convey this man to the Shreckhorn-to its peak-`

To its extremest peak-watch with him there

From now till sunrise; let him gaze, and know

He ne'er again will be so near to heaven.

But harm him not; and, when the morrow breaks,

Set him down safe in his cell-away with him!

Ash. Had I not better bring his brethren too,

Convent and all to bear him company?

Man. No, this will serve for the present. Take him up.

Ash. Come, friar! now an exorcism or two,

And we shall fly the lighter.

ASHTAROTH disappears with the ABBOT, singing as follows:

A prodigal son and a maid undone,

And a widow re-wedded within the year

"Raven-stone (Rabenstein), a translation of the German word for the gibbet, which in Germany and Switzerland is permanent, and made of stone."

Man. Why would this fool break in on me,
My art to pranks fantastical?-no matter,
It was not of my seeking. My heart sickens,
And weighs a fix'd foreboding on my soul;
But it is calm-calm as a sullen sea
After the hurricane; the winds are still,

But the cold waves swell high and heavily,
And there is danger in them. Such a rest
Is no repose. My life hath been a combat,
And every thought a wound, till I am scarr'd
In the immortal part of me.-What now?

Re-enter HERMAN.

and force

Her. My lord, you bade me wait on you at sunset:
He sinks behind the mountain.

Man.

I will look on him.

Doth he so?

[MANFRED advances to the window of the hall. Glorious orb!* the idol

Of early nature, and the vigorous race
Of undiseased mankind, the giant sons
Of the embrace of angels, with a sex

More beautiful than they, which did draw down
The erring spirits who can ne'er return.-
Most glorious orb! that wert a worship, ere

The mystery of thy making was reveal'd!

Thou earliest minister of the Almighty,

Which gladden'd, on the mountain tops, the hearts
Of the Chaldean shepherds, till they pour'd
Themselves in orisons! Thou material God!
And representative of the Unknown-

Who chose thee for his shadow! Thou chief star!
Centre of many stars! which mak'st our earth

Endurable, and temperest the hues

And hearts of all who walk within thy rays!
Sire of the seasons! Monarch of the climes,
And those who dwell in them! for, near or far,
Our inborn spirits have a tint of thee,
Even as our outward aspects ;-thou dost rise,
And shine, and set in glory. Fare thee well!
I ne'er shall see thee more. As my first glance
Of love and wonder was for thee, then take
My latest look: thou wilt not beam on one

To whom the gifts of life and warmth have been
Of a more fatal nature. He is gone :

1 follow.

[Exit MANFRED.

* This fine soliloquy, and a great part of the subsequent scene, have, it is hardly necessary to remark, been retained in the present form of the Drama.

SCENE II.

__The Mountains-The Castle of Manfred at some distance—A Terrace before a Tower -Time, Twilight.

HERMAN, MANUEL, and other Dependants of MANFRED.

Her. 'Tis 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

Come, be friendly;

Her.
Relate me some to while away our watch';
I've heard thee darkly speak of an event
Which happened hereabouts, by this same tower.

Manuel. That was a night indeed! I do remember

'Twas 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, the mountain snows

Began to glitter with the climbing moon;
Count Manfred was, as now, within his tower,-
How occupied, we know not, but with him

The sole companion of his wanderings

* Altered in the present form, to 'some strange things in them, Herman."

The tower's on fire. Oh, heaven and earth! what sound,
What dreadful sound is that?

[A crash like thunder.

Manuel. Help, help, there!-to the rescue of the Count,

The Count's in danger,-what ho! there! approach!

[The Servants, Vassals, and Peasantry approach, stupified with terror. If there be any of you who have heart

And love of human kind, and will to aid
Those in distress-pause not-but follow me-

The portal's open, follow.

Her.

MANUEL goes in.

Come-who follows?

Her. (within.) Not so-even now methought he moved;

But it is dark-so bear him gently out

Softly-how cold he is! take care of his temples

In winding down the staircase.

Re-enter MANUEL and HERMAN, bearing MANFRED in their arms.

Manuel. Hie to the castle, some of ye, and bring What aid you can. Saddle the barb, and speed For the leech to the city-quick! some water there!

Her. His cheek is black-but there is a faint beat Still lingering about the heart. Some water.

[They sprinkle MANFRED with water; after a pause, he gives some signs of life.

Manuel. He seems to strive to speak-come-cheerily, Count!

He moves his lips-canst hear him? I am old,

And cannot catch faint sounds.