Britain ... - Blue-Lite

62 THE ENGLISH SLAVE. [Act IV.
FIRST ROBBER.
Comrade, listen not to her, but help me to bind her
fast ; or our captain shall know of thy cowardly milk-
heartedness.
ELFILIA.
O, yet a moment stay give me but time
To breathe one last, short prayer. Mercy, kind Heaven !
[ The Robbers fasten her to a tree in the centre of
the stage, she appears nearly fainting : they then
retreat on either side, and make ready their bows
and arrows. The first Robber is about to
draw his bow, Elfilia shrieks, and Albert and
Rogvalla enter at the moment from the top of the
stage. A vivid blaze of lightning illuminates
the whole scene, and discovers the situation of
the characters.
ALBERT.
Elfilia here ! Fury and vengeance ! Die,
Thou hell-dog murderer, die !
[Albert rushes forward, and stabs the first Robber ;
rapid lightning. The second Robber shoots an
arrow at Albert, but missing his aim, is imme-
diately stabbed by Rogvalla.
Roderick enters at
the same moment, and seeing the Robbers slain,
sounds his horn : several of the Banditti rush in,
who, with Roderick, seize on Rogvalla and Albert,
and after a hard struggle, overcome and disarm
them of their war-knives. Elfilia, during the
contest, disengages herself from the tree, and
makes her escape. Rogvalla's disguise is torn off,
and he appears in his Danish habit.
RODERICK.
Ha, Danes and chiefs I Revenge again
is mine.