Britain ... - Blue-Lite

Scene I.] THE ENGLISH SLAVE. 35
The shadows of the damned around me flock,
And ghastly forms haunt all my evil dreams !
The forms of those IVe wronged the innocent
The murdered children
Enter Messenger, hastily.
Who art thou ? A spy
Upon my private thoughts? A listener, sent
To pluck the secrets from my tortured soul,
And then betray them to the scoffer's scorn ?
I listened not, my lord
MESSENGER.
GONDABERT.
Liar and slave ! [Rushing
on him.
Fll tear thy heart out, rend thee limb from limb,
And with thy treacherous carcass gorge the wolves !
Ha ! ha ! ha !
Nay, do not tremble, man. A sudden passion
Came o'er my troubled brain. At times a cloud
Of darkness flits across this harassed mind.
My son's disgrace I mean my brother's wrongs
I mean I know not what I mean.
Heed not my words thy presence doth confound me.
What brings thee to the forest ?
MESSENGER.
Good my lord,
I bear despatches of the utmost moment
From Ethelred the King ;
and was commanded
To place them in no other hands than thine,
When I arrived at Lydford. [Delivering a sealed packet.
GONDABERT.
Rest on his Highness ! He, I trust,
He is, my lord.
All Heaven's blessings
MESSENGER.
is well.
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