Britain ... - Blue-Lite

294 THE VARANGIAN. [Act II.
If thou the wheaten cakes and manchets burn,
Or if the simnel wafers be not sweet
And rich in taste, thou to the whipping-post
Shalt be tied up, and twice ten stripes
receive.
No muttering, sulky varlet. Where I reign
The merchant of the household, all shall do
Unmurmuringly their duty,
or be sold
Beyond the seas. As for your own coarse bread
Of buckwheat, horsebeans, barley-bran, and 20
rye, ( )
It claims not my regard. Now mark me : if
Ye loiter in your tasks, I'll cut you short
In my purveyance of your daily fare,
And nail you by the ear t' th'
buttery-hatch,
Till hunger mend your sloth. ! Away ye moths.
Sluts, lobcocks, sluggards ! [Exeunt Slaves.
Ha ! Zalmira here ?
Come hither. Why so sad ? Thou art of all
Our captive maids the fairest in the household.
Good things have I in store for thee, if thou
Meet my fond wishes.
ZALMIRA.
There is nothing good
This world can yield me now, for I am past
All hope, all consolation. Earth no more
Can stir the passions in this frozen heart.
I am like one if ever such there were
Who breathless, motionless, and voiceless lies
With marbled limbs entranced, and yet awake
To all the scenes of sadness or of joy
Around him passing.
ALMARIC.
By the Host, thou talk'st
In lofty riddles; but thy gentle voice