A noble recompense. I understood
His o'erstrain'd gratitude and bounty well,
And took it as he meant.

Man. 'Tis often thus.

I would have left him many years ago,

But that with all his faults there sometimes come
Such bursts of natural goodness from his heart,
As might engage a harder churl than me

To serve him still.-And then his sister too,
A noble dame, who should have been a queen:
The meanest of her hinds, at her command,
Had fought like lions for her, and the poor,
E'en o'er their bread of poverty, had bless'd her-
She would have grieved if I had left my lord.
Jer. Comes she along with him?

Man. No, he departed all unknown to her,
Meaning to keep conceal'd his secret route;
But well I knew it would afflict her much;
And therefore left a little nameless billet,
Which after our departure, as I guess,
Would fall into her hands, and tell her all.
What could I do? O 'tis a noble lady!

Jer. All this is strange-something disturbs his
mind-

Belike he is in love.

Man. No, Jerome, no.

Once on a time I served a noble master,

Whose youth was blasted with untoward love,
And he, with hope and fear and jealousy
For ever toss'd, led an unquiet life:
Yet, when unruffled by the passing fit,
His pale wan face such gentle sadness wore
As moved a kindly heart to pity him;
But Monfort, even in his calmest hour,
Still bears that gloomy sternness in his eye
Which suddenly repels all sympathy.
O no! good Jerome, no, it is not love.

Jer. Hear I not horses trampling at the gate?

[Listening.

He is arrived-stay thou-I had forget-
A plague upon't! my head is so confused-
I will return i' the instant to receive him.

[Exit hastily.-A great bustle without.-Exit
MANUEL with lights, and returns again light-
ing in DE MONFORT, as if just alighted from
his journey.

Man. Your ancient host, my lord, receives you gladly,

And

your apartment will be soon prepared.

De Mon. 'Tis well.

Man. Where shall I place the chest you gave in charge?

So please you, say my lord.

De Mon [Throwing himself into a chair.] Wheree'er thou wilt.

Man. I would not move that luggage till you came. [Pointing to certain things. De Mon. Move what thou wilt, and trouble me no

more.

[MANUEL, with the assistance of other SERVANTS, sets about putting the things in order, and DE MONFORT remains sitting in a thoughtful posture.

Enter JEROME, bearing Wine, &c. on a Salver. As he approaches DE MONFORT, MANUEL pulls him by the Sleeve.

Man. Aside to JEROME.] No, do not now; he will not be disturb'd.

Jer. What, not to bid him welcome to my house, And offer some refreshment?

Man. No, good Jerome.

Softly a little while: I pr'ythee do.

JEROME walks softly on tiptoes, till he gets behind DE MONFORT, then peeping on one side to see his face.

Jer. [Aside to MANUEL.] Ah, Manuel, what an
alter'd man is here!

His eyes are hollow, and his cheeks are pale-
He left this house a comely gentleman.
De Mon. Who whispers there?

Man. 'Tis your old landlord, sir.

Jer. I joy to see you here-I crave your pardon→→→→ I fear I do intrude..

De Mon. No, my kind host, I am obliged to thee.
Jer. How fares it with your honour?

De Mon. Well enough.

Jer. Here is a little of the fav'rite wine

That you were wont to praise. Pray honour me. [Fills a glass. De Mon. [After drinking.] I thank you, Jerome, 'tis delicious.

Jer. Ay, my dear wife did ever make it so.

De Mon. And how does she?

Jer. Alas, my lord! she's dead.

De Mon. Well, then she is at rest.

Jer. How well, my lord!

De Mon. Is she not with the dead, the quiet dead, Where all is peace? Not e'en the impious wretch, Who tears the coffin from its earthly vault, And strews the mould'ring ashes to the wind, Can break their rest.

Jer. Woe's me! I thought you would have grieved for her.

She was a kindly soul! Before she died,
When pining sickness bent her cheerless head,
She set my house in order-

And but the morning ere she breathed her last,
Bade me preserve some flaskets of this wine,
That should the Lord De Monfort come again,

His cup might sparkle still.

[DE MONFORT walks across the stage, and wipes his eyes.

Indeed I fear I have distress'd you,

sir;

I surely thought you would be grieved for her. De Mon. [Taking JEROME's hand.] I am, my friend. How long has she been dead?

Jer. Two sad long years.

De Mon. 'Would she were living still! I was too troublesome, too heedless of her. Jer. O no! she loved to serve you.

[Loud knocking without. De Mon. What fool comes here, at such untimely

hours,

To make this cursed noise? [To MANUEL.] Go to

the gate.

All sober citizens are gone to bed;

[Exit MANUEL.

It is some drunkards on their nightly rounds,
Who mean it but in sport.

Jer. I hear unusual voices-here they come.

Enter MANUEL, showing in COUNT FREBERG and his LADY.

Freb. [Running to embrace DE MONFORT.] My dearest Monfort! most unlook'd-for pleasure!

Do I indeed embrace thee here again?

I saw thy servant standing by the gate,

His face recall'd, and learnt the joyful tidings.
Welcome, thrice welcome here!

De Mon. I thank thee, Freberg, for this friendly

visit,

And this fair lady too.

Lady. I fear, my lord,

[Bowing to the LADY.

We do intrude at an untimely hour:

But now returning from a midnight mask,
My husband did insist that we should enter.
Freb. No, say not so; no hour untimely call

Which doth together bring long absent friends.
Dear Monfort, wherefore hast thou play'd so sly,
To come upon us thus all suddenly?

De Mon. O! many varied thoughts do cross our brain,

Which touch the will, but leave the memory track

less;

And yet a strange compounded motive make
Wherefore a man should bend his evening walk
To th' east or west, the forest or the field.
Is it not often so?

Freb. 1 ask no more, happy to see you here
From any motive. There is one behind,
Whose presence would have been a double bliss:
Ah! how is she? The noble Jane de Monfort.

De Mon. [Confused.] She is-I have-I left my

sister well.

Lady. [To FREBERG.] My Freberg, you are heedless of respect:

You surely mean to say the Lady Jane.

Freb. Kespect! No, madam; princess, empress,

queen,

Could not denote a creature so exalted
As this plain native appellation doth,
The nobie Jane de Monfort.

Lady. Turning from him displeased to MONFORT.]
You are fatigued, my lord; you want repose;
Say, should we not retire?

Freb. Ha! is it so?

My friend, your face is pale, have you been ill?
De Mon. No, Freberg, no; I think I have been
well.

Freb. [Shaking his head.] I fear thou hast not,
Monfort-Let it pass.

We'll re-establish thee: we'll banish pain.
I will collect some rare, some cheerful friends,
And we shall spend together glorious hours,

B