SCENE--The inside of a poor Cottage

ELEANOR and IDONEA seated

IDONEA The storm beats hard--Mercy for poor or rich, Whose heads are shelterless in such a night!

A VOICE WITHOUT Holla! to bed, good Folks, within!

ELEANOR O save us!

IDONEA What can this mean?

ELEANOR Alas, for my poor husband!-- We'll have a counting of our flocks to-morrow; The wolf keeps festival these stormy nights: Be calm, sweet Lady, they are wa.s.sailers [The voices die away in the distance.]

Returning from their Feast--my heart beats so-- A noise at midnight does _so_ frighten me.

IDONEA Hush! [Listening.]

ELEANOR They are gone. On such a night, my husband, Dragged from his bed, was cast into a dungeon, Where, hid from me, he counted many years, A criminal in no one's eyes but theirs-- Not even in theirs--whose brutal violence So dealt with him.

IDONEA I have a n.o.ble Friend First among youths of knightly breeding, One Who lives but to protect the weak or injured.

There again!

[Listening.]

ELEANOR 'Tis my husband's foot. Good Eldred Has a kind heart; but his imprisonment Has made him fearful, and he'll never be The man he was.

IDONEA I will retire;--good night!

[She goes within.]

[Enter ELDRED (hides a bundle)]

ELDRED Not yet in bed, Eleanor!--there are stains in that frock which must be washed out.

ELEANOR What has befallen you?

ELDRED I am belated, and you must know the cause-- (speaking low) that is the blood of an unhappy Man.

ELEANOR Oh! we are undone for ever.

ELDRED Heaven forbid that I should lift my hand against any man.

Eleanor, I have shed tears to-night, and it comforts me to think of it.

ELEANOR Where, where is he?

ELDRED I have done him no harm, but----it will be forgiven me; it would not have been so once.

ELEANOR You have not _buried_ anything? You are no richer than when you left me?

ELDRED Be at peace; I am innocent.

ELEANOR Then G.o.d be thanked--

[A short pause; she falls upon his neck.]

ELDRED Tonight I met with an old Man lying stretched upon the ground--a sad spectacle: I raised him up with a hope that we might shelter and restore him.

ELEANOR (as if ready to run) Where is he? You were not able to bring him _all_ the way with you; let us return, I can help you.

[ELDRED shakes his head.]

ELDRED He did not seem to wish for life: as I was struggling on, by the light of the moon I saw the stains of blood upon my clothes--he waved his hand, as if it were all useless; and I let him sink again to the ground.

ELEANOR Oh that I had been by your side!

ELDRED I tell you his hands and his body were cold--how could I disturb his last moments? he strove to turn from me as if he wished to settle into sleep.

ELEANOR But, for the stains of blood--