FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183  
184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   195   196   197   198   199   200   201   202   203   204   205   206   207   208   >>   >|  
You have guessed right. HERBERT The trees renew their murmur: Come, let us house together. [OSWALD conducts him to the dungeon.] OSWALD (returns) Had I not Esteemed you worthy to conduct the affair To its most fit conclusion, do you think I would so long have struggled with my Nature, And smothered all that's man in me?--away!-- [Looking towards the dungeon.] This man's the property of him who best Can feel his crimes. I have resigned a privilege; It now becomes my duty to resume it. MARMADUKE Touch not a finger-- OSWALD What then must be done? MARMADUKE Which way soe'er I turn, I am perplexed. OSWALD Now, on my life, I grieve for you. The misery Of doubt is insupportable. Pity, the facts Did not admit of stronger evidence; Twelve honest men, plain men, would set us right; Their verdict would abolish these weak scruples. MARMADUKE Weak! I am weak--there does my torment lie, Feeding itself. OSWALD Verily, when he said How his old heart would leap to hear her steps, You thought his voice the echo of Idonea's. MARMADUKE And never heard a sound so terrible. OSWALD Perchance you think so now? MARMADUKE I cannot do it: Twice did I spring to grasp his withered throat, When such a sudden weakness fell upon me, I could have dropped asleep upon his breast. OSWALD Justice--is there not thunder in the word? Shall it be law to stab the petty robber Who aims but at our purse; and shall this Parricide-- Worse is he far, far worse (if foul dishonour Be worse than death) to that confiding Creature Whom he to more than filial love and duty Hath falsely trained--shall he fulfil his purpose? But you are fallen. MARMADUKE Fallen should I be indeed-- Murder--perhaps asleep, blind, old, alone, Betrayed, in darkness! Here to strike the blow-- Away! away!-- [F
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183  
184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   195   196   197   198   199   200   201   202   203   204   205   206   207   208   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
OSWALD
 

MARMADUKE

 

asleep

 

dungeon

 

sudden

 

throat

 

withered

 

strike

 

breast

 

Justice


thunder
 

darkness

 
dropped
 

weakness

 

thought

 

Idonea

 

Perchance

 

terrible

 

spring

 

purpose


fallen

 
Fallen
 

dishonour

 

fulfil

 
trained
 

filial

 

falsely

 
confiding
 

Creature

 

Betrayed


robber

 

Parricide

 

Murder

 

honest

 

Looking

 

smothered

 

Nature

 

struggled

 

property

 
privilege

resume

 
resigned
 
crimes
 

conclusion

 

murmur

 

guessed

 

HERBERT

 

conducts

 

affair

 

conduct