Languages & literature > Alfred: a masque

ALFRED.-
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SCENE II.
Eltruda.
Amid the depth of this furrounding gloom,
"While nature all is hufti’d, Eltruda wakes
To think—and to be wretched. Oh my love!
My heart’s foie reft and refuge ! Where is he !
Vitfor or vanquifli’d—what is now his fate ?
Moments of terror—Ha ! what noife was that ?
Each found appalls me, and each thought is death !
’Twas more than fancy fure : it (eem’d the groan
Of bleeding men—O every guardian wing
Of faints and angels (liield him ! from his breaft
Turn wide the flying (haft, the lifted fteel,
And, flickering him, a ruin’d nation fave.
Who comes ? Speak, quickly fpeak.
SCENE III.
Eltruda, an Attendant.
Attendant.
My gracious miftrels.
Why to the breath of this untimely Iky
Expofe your health ?
Elt. Away—the health, the life
Of England is at ftake : my Alfred fights
Perhaps he bleeds s and 1 am loft for ever !
But is there none, no meflenger return’d
From that dark fcene of death ?
At. No, madam, none.
Elt. 0 my torn, tortur’d heart! What is the hour ?
At. By yon faint light, that glimmering fteals along
From eaft to north, I guefs.the morning near.
Elt. Then all my hopes and fears fufpended hang
On this dread moment’s wing—Ah ! hear’ft thou not
The trumpet’s diftant voice ?
At. It Ipeaks aloud,
And ftiakes the echoing woods.