Look down the valley. If the day be won, In all your hearts. EMMA. No, never more in mine. SIDROC. If it be lost, perchance you shall descry Some remnant that may fight their way to Wales, Till better times. ETHILDA. Commend me to the King, And tell Earl Athulf I am strong in hope, And trusting we shall meet to part no more. R [Exeunt. SCENE XI. THE WALLS OF MALPAS. DUNSTAN. HARCATHER. A MESSENGER. DUNSTAN. The Dane! The Dane!' Why pesterest thou mine ears With that perpetual cry? How face the Dane, Not knowing yet if Edwin be for peace? For HARCATHER. peace, Lord Abbot nay, he cannot chuse. DUNSTAN. Let me know that, I say; let me know that. See ye the Herald coming? MESSENGER. Ay, my Lord. At Herald's pace. HARCATHER. These fellows dream and prance, Ever as in a pageant and procession. DUNSTAN. I bade him,-when in sight of Edwin's camp. HARCATHER. If he be now in sight thereof, that camp Is nearer than we thought. It may be so. MESSENGER. But lo! he pricks his prancing to a gallop; And see, my Lord, from forth the valley's gorge Issues a cloud of dust. HARCATHER. By Egbert's bones, It is the dust of Edwin's army. Stay A gleam comes through it-Run thou to my son, Send me my horse. DUNSTAN. What think'st thou ? Is it war? HARCATHER. Else wherefore this advance ? To horse to horse! DUNSTAN. Stop; be not hasty; now the Herald comes ; Hear we his tale. HERALD enters. Well, Sir, what saith the King? HERALD. He saith, my Lord, what I should but blaspheme Should I recite it. DUNSTAN. What! thine office, Herald ! Speak me the very words. HERALD. My Lord, he saith That with a bloody and a barbarous hand You have torn out the very sweetest life That ever sanctified humanity. He saith that should he covenant to make peace He would not, for he deems you more accursed, Not she that died at Gibeah, whose twelve parts DUNSTAN. Harcather, hear'st thou ? To the field-away! The gates of Hell stand wider than their wont To let this Infidel and his army pass. [Exeunt. SCENE XII. BEFORE THE WALLS OF MALPAS. The left of the field. Alarums and skirmishing. Enter ATHULF and SIDROC with forces. ATHULF. Three minutes till the rearward force is up Halt for three minutes-Sidroc, look, oh, look! Either an ambush he will find or else They'll lure him through the gates. Go to him, Sidroc. SIDROC. No need of ambush for that headlong boy— A town is not so manifest a trap But it shall catch him. ATHULF. Fly, then, to his side, And bring him back. There yet is time,—I think. But now the rearward gathers up behind, And lo! Harcather comes against us. Charge! [Exeunt. |