He shall not! Follow me! I say your chief
Is bought and sold! Is there no generous trust
Left in your souls? De Foix, I saved your life
At Ascalon! Du Mornay, you and I
On Jaffa's wall together set our breasts
Against a thousand spears! What! have I fought
Beside you, shared your cup, slept in your tents,
And ye can think——[Dashing off his turban.
Look on my burning brow!
Read if there's falsehood branded on it—read
The marks of treachery there!
Knights. (gathering round him.) No, no! come on!
To the rescue! lead us on! we'll trust thee still!
Aym. Follow, then!—this way. If I die for him,
There will be vengeance! He shall think of me
To his last hour! [Exeunt.
Scene II.—A Pavilion in the Camp of Melech.
Melech, Sadi.
Mel. It must be that these sounds and sights of war
Shake her too gentle nature. Yes, her cheek
Fades hourly in my sight! What other cause—
None, none! She must go hence! Choose from thy band
The bravest, Sadi! and the longest tried,
And I will send my child——
Voice without. Where is your chief?
De Chatillon enters, guarded by Arab and
Turkish soldiers.
Arab Chief. The sons of Kedar's tribe have brought to the son
Of the Prophet's house a prisoner!
Mel. (half drawing his sword.) Chatillon!
That slew my boy! Thanks for the avenger's hour!
Sadi, their guerdon—give it them—the gold!
And me the vengeance!
(Looking at Rainier, who holds the upper fragment
of his sword, and seems lost in thought.)
This is he
That slew my first-born!
Rai. (to himself.) Surely there leap'd up
have been the song of Chivalry, representative of the English; as the Flowers of the Forest was of the Scottish; the Cancionella Española of the Spanish; and the Rhine Song of the Germans."—Biographical Sketch by Delta, 1836.
Of all Mrs Hemans's lyrics set to music, 'The Captive Knight' has been the most popular, and deservedly so. It has indeed stirred many a heart "like the sound of a trumpet"—Chorley's Memorials.
