Page:Miscellaneous Plays 1.pdf/153

HARDBRAND.

Thou liest, thou cursed fool! thou should'st have sped

Swift as a bullet from the cannon's mouth.
(Collaring him again)

Enter Rayner, Mardonio, Bertram, and Crowd.

MARDONIO (to Hardibrand, pulling him back from the Messenger).

Hold, general! what hath the poor man done?

HARDIBRAND.

What has he done! he's brought a pardon, fiend!

(The Crowd give a great shout crying out "pardon, pardon," and Hardibrand, turning round at the noise, and seeing Rayner, springs forward, and catches him in his arms.)

God bless us all, and let us keep our wits!

Is this true seeing that my eyes are blest with?
O welcome, welcome! this is wonderful!
My boy! my noble boy! my gallant boy!
Thou art a man again, and I—I'm mad:
My head wheels round, but 'tis a blessed madness.
What say'st thou? art thou silent?
Hast no voice?

RAYNER.

To be upon the verge of death is awful;

And awful from that verge to be recall'd.
God bless ye! O God bless ye! I am spent;
But let me draw my breath a little while,