396
OTHO THE GREAT.
There goes a spotted soul
Howling in vain along the hollow night!
Hear him! He calls you—sweet Auranthe, come!
Howling in vain along the hollow night!
Hear him! He calls you—sweet Auranthe, come!
Auranthe. Kill me!
Ludolph. No! What? Upon our marriage night?
The earth would shudder at so foul a deed!
A fair bride! A sweet bride! An innocent bride!
No! we must revel it, as 'tis in use
In times of delicate brilliant ceremony:
Come, let me lead you to our halls again!
Nay, linger not; make no resistance, sweet;—
Will you? Ah, wretch, thou canst not, for I have
The strength of twenty lions 'gainst a lamb!
[Exeunt.Now—one adieu for Albert!—Come away!
The earth would shudder at so foul a deed!
A fair bride! A sweet bride! An innocent bride!
No! we must revel it, as 'tis in use
In times of delicate brilliant ceremony:
Come, let me lead you to our halls again!
Nay, linger not; make no resistance, sweet;—
Will you? Ah, wretch, thou canst not, for I have
The strength of twenty lions 'gainst a lamb!
[Exeunt.Now—one adieu for Albert!—Come away!
Scene III.—An inner Court of the Castle.
Enter Sigifred, Gonfred, and Theodore, meeting.
1st Knight. Was ever such a night?
Sigifred.What horrors more?
Things unbelieved one hour, so strange they are,
The next hour stamps with credit.
Things unbelieved one hour, so strange they are,
The next hour stamps with credit.
1st Knight.Your last news?
Gonfred. After the page's story of the death
Of Albert and Duke Conrad?
Of Albert and Duke Conrad?
Sigifred.And the return
Of Ludolph with the Princess.
Of Ludolph with the Princess.
Gonfred.No more, save
Prince Gersa's freeing Abbot Ethelbert,
And the sweet lady, fair Erminia,
From prison.
Prince Gersa's freeing Abbot Ethelbert,
And the sweet lady, fair Erminia,
From prison.
