d with ruffian hand strive to provoke
Hoar wisdom to intemperance! who could lie!
Aye, swagger, lie, and brag!--Liar! Damnation!!
O, let me steal away and hide my head,
Nor view a man, condemn'd to harshest death,
Whose words and actions, when by mine compar'd,
Shew white as innocence, and bright as truth.
I now would shun him; but that his shorten'd
Thread of life, gives me no line to play with.
He comes, with smiles, and all the air of triumph;
While I am sinking with remorse and shame:
Yet _he_ is doom'd to death, and _I_ am free!

_Enter ANDRE._

ANDRE.

Welcome, my Bland! Cheerly, a welcome hither!
I feel assurance that my last request
Will not be slighted. Safely thy father
Shall return to thee. [_Holding out a paper._] See what employment
For a dying man. Take thou these verses;
And, after my decease, send them to her
Whose name is woven in them; whose image
Hath controul'd my destiny. Such tokens
Are rather out of date. Fashions
There are in love as in all else; they change
As variously. A gallant Knight, erewhile,
Of Coeur de Lion's day, would, dying, send
His heart home to its mistress; degenerate
Soldier I, send but some blotted paper.

BLAND.

If 't would not damp thy present cheerfulness,
I would require the meaning of thy words.
I ne'er till now did hear of Andre's mistress.

ANDRE.

Mine is a story of that common kind,
So often told, with scanty variation,
That the pall'd ear loaths the repeated tale.
Each young romancer chooses for his theme
The woes of youthful hearts, by the cold hand
Of frosty Age, arm'd with parental power,
Asunder torn. But I long since have ceas'd
To mourn; well satisfied that she I love,
Happy in holy union with another,
Shares not my wayward fortunes. Nor would I
Now these tokens send, remembrance to awaken,
But that I know her happy: and the happy
Can think on misery and share it not.

BLAND [_agitated_].

Some one approaches.

ANDRE.

Why, 't is near the time.
But tell me, Bland, say--is the manner chang'd?

BLAND.

I hope it--but I yet have no assurance.

ANDRE.

Well, well!

HONORA [_without_].

I must see him.

ANDRE.

Whose voice was that?
My senses!--Do I dream--? [_Leans on BLAND._

_Enter HONORA._

HONORA.

Where is he?

ANDRE.

'T is she!! [_Starts from BLAND