An instrument of vengeance on thy head.

He

wept and threatened, soothed me, and commanded. Per. And you complied, most duteously complied! Elw. I could withstand his fury; but his tears,

Ah, they undid me!

Percy, dost thou know

The cruel tyranny of tenderness?

Hast thou e'er felt a father's warm embrace?

Hast thou e'er seen a father's flowing tears,

And known that thou couldst wipe those tears away?
If thou hast felt, and and hast resisted these,
Then thou mayst curse my weakness; but if not,
Thou canst not pity, for thou canst not judge.
Per. Let me not hear the music of thy voice,

Or I shall love thee still; I shall forget
Thy fatal marriage and my savage wrongs.
Elw. Dost thou not hate me, Percy?

Per. Hate thee? Yes,

As dying martyrs hate the righteous cause

Of that blest power for whom they bleed—I hate thee. [They look at each other with silent agony.

Enter HARCourt.

Har. Forgive, my lord, your faithful knight

Per. Come, Harcourt,

Come, and behold the wretch who once was Percy.

Har. With grief I've learned the whole unhappy tale.

Earl Douglas, whose suspicion never sleeps————

Per. What, is the tyrant jealous?

Elw. Hear him, Percy.

Per. I will command my rage.—Go on.

Har. Earl Douglas

Knew, by my arms and my accoutrements,

That I belonged to you; he questioned much,
And much he menaced me, but both alike

In vain; he then arrested and confined me.

Per. Arrest my knight! The Scot shall answer it! Elw. How came you now released ?

Har. Your noble father

Obtained my freedom, having learned from Hubert
The news of Percy's death. The good old lord,
Hearing the king's return, has left the castle
To do him homage.

[To PERCY.] Sir, you had best retire;
Your safety is endangered by your stay.
I fear, should Douglas know-

Per. Should Douglas know!

Why, what new magic's in the name of Douglas,
That it should strike Northumberland with fear?
Go, seek the haughty Scot, and tell him—no—
Conduct me to his presence.
Elw. Percy, hold!

Think not 'tis Douglas-'tis—
Per. I know it well-

Thou mean'st to tell me 'tis Elwina's husband;
But that inflames me to superior madness.
This happy husband, this triumphant Douglas,
Shall not insult my misery with his bliss.
I'll blast the golden promise of his joys.
Conduct me to him-nay, I will have way--
Come, let us seek this husband.

Elw. Percy, hear me:

When I was robbed of all my peace of mind,
My cruel fortune left me still one blessing,
One solitary blessing, to console me;

It was my fame.-'Tis a rich jewel, Percy,
And I must keep it spotless, and unsoiled:

But thou wouldst plunder what e'en Douglas spared,
And rob this single gem of all its brightness.

Per. Go-thou wast born to rule the fate of Percy.
Thou art my conqueror still.

Elw. What noise is that?

[HARCOURT goes to the side of the stage.

Per. Why art thou thus alarmed?

Elw. Alas! I feel

The cowardice and terrors of the wicked,

Without their sense of guilt.

Har. My lord, 'tis Douglas.

Elw. Fly, Percy, and forever!

Per. Fly from Douglas?

Elw. Then stay, barbarian, and at once destroy

My life and fame.

Per. That thought is death. I go:

My honour to thy dearer honour yields.

Elw. Yet, thou art not gone!

Per. Farewell, farewell!

[Exit PERCY.

Elw. I dare not meet the searching eye of Douglas.

I must conceal my terrors.

DOUGLAS at the side, with his sword drawn; EDRIC holds

Dou. Give me way.

him.

Edr. Thou shalt not enter.

Dou. [Struggling with EDRIC.] If there were no hell, It would defraud my vengeance of its edge,

And she should live.

[Breaks from EDRIC, and comes forward.

Cursed chance! he is not here.

Elw. [Going.] I dare not meet his fury.

Dou. See! she flies

With every mark of guilt.-Go, search the bower,

[Aside to EDRIC.

[Aloud.

[Aside.

He shall not thus escape. Madam, return.
Now, honest Douglas, learn of her to feign.
Alone, Elwina? who had just parted hence?

[With affected composure.

Elw. My lord, 'twas Harcourt; sure, you must have

met him.

Dou. O exquisite dissembler! [Aside.] No one else! Elw. My lord!

Dou. How I enjoy her criminal confusion!

You tremble, Madam.

Elw. Wherefore should I tremble?

By your permission Harcourt was admitted;

'Twas no mysterious, secret introduction.

[Aside.

Dou. And yet you seem alarmed. If Harcourt's presence

Thus agitates cach nerve, makes every pulse

Thus wildly throb, and the warm tides of blood
Mount in quick rushing tumults to your cheek;
If friendship can excite such strong emotions,
What tremors had a lover's presence caused!
Elw. Ungenerous man!

Dou. I feast upon her terrors.

The story of his death was well contrived;
But it affects not me; I have a wife,
Compared with whom cold Dian was unchaste.

[Aside. [To her.

[Takes her hand. But mark me well-though it concerns not you— If there's a sin more deeply black than others, Distinguished from the list of common crimes,

A legion in itself, and doubly dear

To the dark Prince of hell, it is-hypocrisy !

[Throws her from him, and exit. Elu. Yes, I will bear this fearful indignation! Thou melting heart, be firm as adamant; Ye shattered nerves, be strung with manly force, That I may conquer all my sex's weakness, Nor let this bleeding bosom lodge one thought, Cherish one wish, or harbour one desire, That angels may not hear, and Douglas know.

[Exit.

DOUGLAS

PERCY meets EARL DOUGLAS in single combat, and is slain.
then discovers the innocence of ELWINA, who dies of grief.

George Colman.

THE IRON CHEST.

SIR EDWARD MORTIMER, in an accidental Encounter with his Enemy, kills him. The Secret of the Murderer is preserved, but SIR EDWARD becomes a Prey to Remorse and Misanthropy. His Secretary, WILFORD, watches his Employer with unceasing Scrutiny and Suspicion. SIR EDWARD, Conscious of WILFORD's Suspicions, determines to confess his Crime, and appoints a Meeting with WILFORD in the Library.

SIR EDWARD MORTIMER, WILFOrd.

Enter SIR EDWARD MORTIMER at the door of the Library, which he locks after him. WILFORD turns round on hearing him shut it.

Wilf. What's that?

'Tis he himself. Mercy on me!

He has locked the door! what is going to become of me! Mort. Wilford! is no one in the picture-gallery?