_Em._ To-day I shall embrace my valiant brother!
_Jul._ You droop, my Lord: did you not hear her right?
She told you that your Rivers would return, Would come to crown your friendship and our hopes.
_Or._ He is most welcome! Is he not my friend?
You say my Rivers comes.--Thy arm, good Bertrand.
_Ber._ Joy to us all! joy to the Count Orlando!
Weak man, take care. [_Aside to_ ORLANDO.
_Em._ My Lord! you are not well.
_Ber._ Surprise and joy oppress him: I myself Partake his transports. Rouse, my Lord, for shame.
_Em._ How is it with you now?
_Or._ Quite well--"tis past.
_Ber._ The wonder"s past, and nought but joy remains.
_Enter_ GUILDFORD _and_ RIVERS.
_Guild._ He"s come! he"s here! I have embrac"d my warrior; Now take me, heaven; I have liv"d long enough.
_Jul._ My Lord! my Rivers!
_Riv._ "Tis my Julia"s self!
My life!
_Jul._ My hero! Do I then behold thee?
_Riv._ Oh, my full heart! expect not words, my Julia!
_Em._ Rivers!
_Riv._ My sister! what an hour is this!
My own Orlando too!
_Or._ My n.o.ble friend!
_Riv._ This is such prodigality of bliss, I scarce can think it real. Honest Bertrand, Your hand; yours, my Orlando; yours, my father; And, as a hand, I have a heart for all; Love has enlarg"d it; from excess of love I am become more capable of friendship.
My dearest Julia!
_Guild._ She is thine, my son; Thou hast deserv"d her n.o.bly; thou hast won her, Fulfill"d the terms----
_Riv._ Therefore I dare not ask her; I would not claim my Julia as a debt, But take her as a gift, and, oh, I swear It is the dearest, richest, choicest gift.
The bounty of indulgent heaven could grant.
[GUILDFORD _joins their hands_.
_Jul._ Spare me, my Lord.--As yet I scarce have seen you.
Confusion stops my tongue--yet I will own, If there be truth or faith in woman"s vows, Then you have still been present to this heart, And not a thought has wandered from its duty.
[_Exeunt_ JULIA _and_ EMMELINA.
_Riv._ (_looking after_ JULIA.) Oh, generous Julia!
_Or._ (_aside to_ BERTRAND.) Mark how much she loves him!
_Ber._ (_aside to_ ORLANDO.) Mere words, which the fond s.e.x have always ready.
_Riv._ Forgive me, good Orlando, best of friends!
How my soul joys to meet thee on this sh.o.r.e!
Thus to embrace thee in my native England!
_Guild._ England! the land of worth, the soil of heroes, Where great Elizabeth the sceptre sways, O"er a free, glorious, rich, and happy people!
Philosophy, not cloister"d up in schools, The speculative dream of idle monks, Attir"d in attic robe, here roams at large; Wisdom is wealth, and science is renown.
Here sacred laws protect the meanest subject; The bread that toil procures fair freedom sweetens; And every peasant eats his homely meal, Content and free, lord of his small domain.
_Riv._ Past are those Gothic days, and, thanks to heaven, They are for ever pa.s.s"d, when English subjects Were born the va.s.sals of some tyrant lord!
When free-soul"d men were basely handed down To the next heir, transmitted with their lands, The shameful legacy from sire to son!
_Guild._ But while thy generous soul, my n.o.ble boy, Justly abhors oppression, yet revere The plain stern virtues of our rough forefathers: O never may the gallant sons of England Lose their plain, manly, generous character; Forego the glorious charter nature gave them,-- Beyond what kings can give, or laws bestow,-- Their candour, courage, constancy, and truth!
[_Exeunt_ GUILDFORD _and_ RIVERS.
_Or._ Stay, Bertrand, stay--Oh, pity my distraction!
This heart was never made to hide its feelings; I had near betray"d myself.
_Ber._ I trembled for you: Remember that the eye of love is piercing, And Emmelina mark"d you.
_Or._ "Tis too much!
My artless nature cannot bear disguise.
Think what I felt when unsuspecting Rivers Press"d me with gen"rous rapture to his bosom, Profess"d an honest joy, and call"d me friend!
I felt myself a traitor: yet I swear, Yes, by that Power who sees the thoughts of men, I swear, I love the gallant Rivers more Than light or life! I love, but yet I fear, him: I shrunk before the l.u.s.tre of his virtue---- I felt as I had wrong"d him--felt abash"d.
I cannot bear this conflict in my soul, And therefore have resolv"d----
_Ber._ On what?
_Or._ To fly.
_Ber._ To fly from Julia?
_Or._ Yes, to fly from all, From every thing I love; to fly from Rivers, From Emmelina, from myself, from thee: From Julia? no--that were impossible, For I shall bear her image in my soul; It is a part of me, the dearest part; So closely interwoven with my being, That I can never lose the dear remembrance, "Till I am robb"d of life and her together.
_Ber._ "Tis cowardice to fly.
_Or._ "Tis death to stay.
_Ber._ Where would you go?--How lost in thought he stands! [_Aside._ A vulgar villain now would use persuasion, And by his very earnestness betray The thing he meant to hide: I"ll coolly wait, Till the occasion shows me how to act; Then turn it to my purpose.--Ho! Orlando!