Page:Poems of Anne Countess of Winchilsea 1903.djvu/535

COUNTESS OP WINCHILSEA 397 �Officer. He is; and near Aristor did I leave him. �Amal. Come with me Phila; yet my Heart is heavy, 40 And wou'd be forcing Tears to my sad Eyes: But I'll repel them with this welcome Message, And put on all the smiles of Love to meet him. �[Exit with Phila into the Tent. �Officer. The Centinels have all forsook the Tents, In hopes to share the Plunder of the Foe, Finding by their retiring we prevail: But I'll report it loudly to the General. Oh! here are some returning; are they Messenians? They wear the Habit, yet no Face I know ; Their Haste and Looks do seem to point at Mischief: 50 I will conceal my self, and watch their Purpose. �[He conceals himself. �Enter Clarinthus with others disguis'd like Messenian Soldiers. �Clar. You heard the King, and the chief Lords of �Sparta �Wish, that no Victory might bless our Arms, Till we had sacrificed the Traytor's Life, That freed this Lyon, which devours us all. �Sold. We did, we did �Clar. You've also heard, 'twas Amalinthds Action. �Sold. Yes, and the King then said, his Vow shou'd stand : And she had Dy'd, I think, had she not fled for't. �Clar. 'Tis true; therefore when I reflected on our Curse, And saw that Conquest wou'd no more attend us 61 �Till we perform'd what to the Gods we swore, I mov'd the King �To let me with your Aid attempt the Camp, Which if I found unguarded, I would to Sparta soon convey the Traytress, Where she should meet the Rigour of the Law. ��� �