The Curfew; A Play (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ACT III. SCENE I. The Cottage. (Enter Robert, leading in Flokence. ) Robt. This is the humble dwelling that I spoke pf: You may rest here in safety to-night, and tomorrow,, shape your course as it pleases you. Flor. (looking round.) You know the woman who inhabits here ? Robt. Ay, know her well ; you'll find her a kind soul. I would stay with you till she return'd; but I must get back before my comrades, to avoid suspicion?Farewell! Should we meet no more, you'll sometimes think of me. Flor. Whilst I have life. Robt. Farewell. [Exit. Flor. Upon the bleak and solitary waste Which my proud father's castle overlooks, I've sometimes heard, there dwells a wretched woman, So deeply ski!I'd in potent herbs and flow'rs., The wond'ring village shun her as a witch. This must her hovel be?for sure a spot So desolate, and dwelling so unsheltcr'd THE CURFEW": 37 Can harbour no one else.?(a knocking at the door) Second Vassal (without). 2d Vass. Open the door. Flor. Hush ! I have heatd that voice. %d Vass. Nay, open quickly. Flor. It is my father's vassal?should he know 2d Vass. Still do you hesitate? Flor. I will assume A tone and manner foreign to my nature,, That so, without exposure of myself, . I may betray the mischief that is hatching. (Opens the door and three vassals enter:) What means this violence ? 2d Vass. 'Tis well you came, Or we had beat the house about your ears. Flor. Thou, poor man's tyrant, and thdu gTeat | man's slave ! Wherefore this outrage ? The low peasant's latch Should be held sacred as the triple bolt That guards a palace?ay, more sacred, fellow : For bigh-rais'd mightiness is it's own shield. But who, if lordly pow'r be first t' invade, Shall bar the poor man's dwelling from oppression ? %dVass. We were commande...