Chapter 17

_The Garden of the Castle--The effects of the fire shown on the foliage and scenery._

_Enter_ HENRY, _meeting_ EVERGREEN.

_Henry._ The Castle in flames! What occasioned it?

_Everg._ Alas! I know not!

_Henry._ Are the family in safety?

_Everg._ Sir Philip is.

_Henry._ And his daughter?

_Everg._ Poor lady! I just now beheld her looking with agony from that window!

_Henry._ Ah! Emma in danger!--Farewell!

_Everg._ [_Holding him._] Are you mad? the great staircase is in flames.

_Henry._ I care not! Should we meet no more, tell Sir Philip I died for his daughter!

_Everg._ Yet reflect.

_Henry._ Old man, do not cling to me thus--'Sdeath! men will encounter peril to ruin a woman, and shall I hesitate when it is to save one? [_Exit._

_Everg._ Brave, generous boy! Heaven preserve thee!

_Enter_ SIR PHILIP BLANDFORD.

_Sir Philip._ Emma, my child, where art thou?

_Everg._ I fear, sir, the Castle will be destroyed.

_Sir Philip._ My child! my child! where is she? speak!

_Everg._ Alas! she remains in the Castle!

_Sir Philip._ Ah; then will I die with her! [_Going._

_Everg._ Hold, dear master! if human power can preserve her, she is safe--The bravest, noblest of men has flown to her assistance.

_Sir Philip._ Heaven reward him with its choicest blessings!

_Everg._ 'Tis Henry.

_Sir Philip._ Henry! Heaven will reward him--I will reward him!

_Everg._ Then be happy; Look, sir!

_Sir Philip._ Ah! dare I trust my eyes!

_Everg._ He bears her safe in his arms.

_Sir Philip._ Bountiful Creator, accept my thanks!

_Enter_ HENRY, _bearing_ EMMA _in his arms._

_Henry._ There is your daughter.

_Sir Philip._ My child! my Emma, revive!

_Henry._ [_Apart._] Aye--now to unfold the mystery--The avenue to the eastern wing is still passable--the chamber not yet in flames--the present moment lost, and all is closed for ever. I will be satisfied, or perish. [_Exit._

_Miss B._ Am I restor'd to my dear father's arms?

_Sir Philip._ Yes, only blessing of my life! In future thy wishes shall be mine--thy happiness my joy.

_Enter_ HANDY, _jun. and_ SUSAN.

_Handy, jun._ My dear friend safe! and the lovely Emma in his arms! Then let the bonfire blaze.

_Sir Philip._ But, Emma, where is your Henry? I wish to be just to him--I wish to thank him.

_Miss B._ He has withdrawn, to avoid our gratitude.--

_Everg._ No--he again rushed into the Castle, exclaiming, "I will penetrate that chamber, or perish in the attempt."

_Sir Philip._ Then all is discovered.

_Handy, jun._ Hush, for Heaven's sake collect yourself!

_Enter_ HENRY, _in great agitation._

_Miss B._ Ah! [_Shrieks._] Thank Heaven, he's safe! What urged you, Henry, again to venture in the Castle?

_Henry._ Fate! the desperate attempt of a desperate man!

_Sir Philip._ Ah!

_Henry._ Yes; the mystery is developed. In vain the massy bars, cemented with their cankerous rust, opposed my entrance--in vain the heated suffocating damps enveloped me--in vain the hungry flames flashed their vengeance round me! What could oppose a man struggling to know his fate? I forced the doors, a firebrand was my guide, and among many evidences of blood and guilt, I found--these! [_Produces a knife and bloody cloth._]

_Sir Philip._ [_Starts with horror, then, with solemnity._] It is accomplished! Just Heaven, I bend to thy decree!--Blood must be paid by blood! Henry, that knife aimed by this fatal hand, murdered thy father!

_Henry._ Ah! [_Grasping the knife._]

_Miss B._ [_Placing herself between him and her father._] Henry! [_He drops his hand._] Oh, believe him not! 'Twas madness! I've heard him talk thus wildly in his dreams! We are all friends! None will repeat his words--I'm sure none will! My heart will break!--Oh, Henry! will you destroy my father?

_Henry._ Would I were in my grave!

_Enter_ GERALD.

_Sir Philip._ Ah, Gerald here! How vain concealment! Well, come you to give evidence of my shame?

_Gerald._ I come to announce one, who for many years has watched each action of your life.

_Sir Philip._ Who?

_Gerald._ Morrington.

_Sir Philip._ I shall then behold the man who has so long avoided me----

_Gerald._ But ever has been near you--he is here.

_Enter_ MORRINGTON, _wrapped up in his cloak._

_Sir Philip._ Well, behold your victim in his last stage of human wretchedness! Come you to insult me;

[MORRINGTON _clasps his hands together, and hides his face._]

Ah! can even you pity me? Speak--still silent--still mysterious--Well, let me employ what remains of life, in thinking of hereafter--[_Addressing Heaven._] Oh, my brother! we soon shall meet again--And let me hope, that, stripped of those passions which make men devils, I may receive the heavenly balm of thy forgiveness, as I, from my inmost soul, do pardon thee.

[MORRINGTON _becomes convulsed with agony, and falls into_ GERALD'S _arms._]

Ah! what means that agony? He faints! give him air!

[_They throw open his cloak and hat._]

[_Starts._] Angels of mercy! my brother! 'tis he! he lives! Henry, support your father!

_Henry._ [_Running to_ MORRINGTON.] Ah, my father! he revives!

_Sir Philip._ Hush!

[MORRINGTON _recovers--seeing his brother, covers his face with shame, then falls at his feet._]

_Mor._ Crawling in the dust, behold a repentant wretch!--

_Sir Philip._ [_Indignantly._] My brother Morrington!

_Mor._ Turn not away--in mercy hear me!

_Sir Philip._ Speak!

_Mor._ After the dreadful hour that parted us, agonized with remorse, I was about to punish home what your arm had left unaccomplished; when some angel whispered--"Punishment is life, not death--Live and atone!"

_Sir Philip._ Oh! go on!

_Mor._ I flew to you--I found you surrounded by sharpers--What was to be done? I became Morrington! littered with villains! practised the arts of devils! braved the assassin's steel! possessed myself of your large estates--lived hateful to myself, detested by mankind--to do what? to save an injured brother from destruction, and lay his fortune at his feet! [_Places parchments before_ SIR PHILIP.]

_Sir Philip._ Ah! is it possible!

_Mor._ Oh, is that atonement? No--By me you first beheld her mother! 'Twas I that gave her fortune! Is that atonement? No--But my Henry has saved that angel's life--Kneel with me, my boy--lift up thy innocent hands, with those of thy guilty father, and beg for mercy from that injured saint. [HENRY _kneels with him._]

_Sir Philip._ O God! How infinite are thy mercies! Henry, forgive me--Emma, plead for me--There--There. [_Joining their hands._]

_Henry._ But my father----

_Sir Philip._ [_Approaching._] Charles!

_Mor._ Philip!

_Sir Philip._ Brother, I forgive thee.

_Mor._ Then let me die--blest, most blest!

_Sir Philip._ No, no. [_Striking his breast._] Here--I want thee here--Raise him to my heart.

[_They raise_ MORRINGTON--_in the effort to embrace, he falls into their arms exhausted._]

Again! [_They sink into each other's arms._]

_Handy, jun._ [_Comes forward._] If forgiveness be an attribute which ennobles our nature, may we not hope to find pardon for our errors--_here?_

[_The Curtain falls._]

THE END.

[Transcriber's Note: The following corrections have been made to the original text.

In Act I, Scene III, a missing period has been added to the sentence "I pressed forward, but they avoided me."

In Act II, Scene I, a missing quotation mark has been added to the sentence, "Were you at Lady Overall's?"

In Act II, Scene III, the attribution of the line "What! mayn't I lather un a bit?" has been corrected from Susan to Ashfield.

In Act IV, Scene I, a comma has been changed to a period in the sentence "That is the boy."]