And spike thy head a thousand feet aloft;
Still will I say thy father had a son.
(Rushing into his arms.)
Come to my soldier's heart, thou noble bird
Of a brave nest!—Must thou indeed be pluck'd
And cast to kites? By heav'n thou shalt not die!
Shall such a man as thou art from his post
Be sham'd and push'd for one rash desp'rate act?
It shall not be, my child! it shall not be!
RAYNER (smiling).
I am not yet so tir'd of this bad world,
But I could well submit me to the change.
HARDIBRAND.
Nor be discourag'd, tho' he loudly prate
That grace and pardon will but leave at liberty
The perpetrators of such lawless deeds
To do the like again, with such poor cant.
(Elizabeth, who has been behind backs, listening eagerly to their conversation, and stealing nearer to them by degrees in her eagerness to hear it, now rushes forward, and throws herself at Hardibrand's feet.)
ELIZABETH.
O grant us this, and keep us where they will,
Or as they will. We shall do no disquiet.
O let them grant us life, and we will bless them!
