Coward, poltroon, shaker, squeamer,
Blockhead, sluggard, dullard, dreamer,
Shirker, shuffler, crawler, creeper,
Sniffler, snuffler, wailer, weeper,
Earthworm, maggot, tadpole, weevil!
Set upon thy course of evil
Lest the King of Spectre-land
Set on thee his grisly hand!
The spectre of Sir Roderic descends from his frame.
Sir Rod.
Chorus
Sir Rod.
Chorus
Sir Rod.
Chorus
Sir Rod.
Chorus
By the curse upon our race—
Dead and hearsèd
All accursèd!
Each inheriting this place—
Sorrows shake it!
Devil take it!
Must, perforce, or yea or nay—
Yea or naying
Be obeying!
Do a deadly crime each day!
Fire and thunder,
We knocked under—
Some atrocious crime committed
Daily ere the world we quitted!
Sir Rod.
Rob.
Beware! beware! beware!
Gaunt vision, who art thou
That thus, with icy glare
And stern relentless brow,
Appearest, who knows how?
Sir Rod.
I am the spectre of the late
Sir Roderic Murgatroyd.
Who comes to warn thee that thy fate
Thou canst not now avoid.
Sir Rod.
Alas, poor ghost!
The pity you
Express for nothing goes:
