Britain ... - Blue-Lite

Scene III.] THE DEVOTED ONE. 135
Return to cheer us. Think, O think how. sad,
How lonely thou wilt be, when we are both
Gone from thee far away. Then banish not
Thy fearful Edith ;
cast not her, whom thou
Didst from the tempest and the ocean save,
On the wild surge again.
WULFNOTH.
My dearest child,
The lofty rock which I would place thee on
No future storms can shake, for half the realm
Thy royal cousin by his sword hath won.
In justice
to
thyself
I send thee hence,
And well, for thy sake, is my heart content
To endure the heavy sorrow it must feel
When thou departest from me. Some trusty slaves
Will safely guard thee to the Danish court,
And ample proofs have I, which shall convince
Canute of thy descent. These bear thou with thee.
EDITH.
Whose voice shall soothe thee when I go from hence ?
Who tend thy couch, should sickness thee befall,
Or meet thy wishes with that tender care
Thy Edith would have shown ? O, I shall weep
Amid the pomp of crowded courts, to think
On my loved father's loneliness and age.
I cannot, will not leave thee.
WULFNOTH.
Be content.
I am resolved, and to my lot resigned.
EDITH.
If go I must, one joy will yet be mine :
I shall behold my Godwin, and in him
Is centred every blessing earth can yield.