Felicia Hemans

“ This Aymer's father had him shamed for less
Than his son's fault—far less!
We must accuse him;—he must have his shield
Reversed—his name degraded.
Knight. He might yet—
All the Knights. Must his shame cleave to us?
We cast him forth—
We will not bear it.
Rainier enters.
Rai. Knights! ye speak of him—
My brother—was't not so? All silent! Nay,
Give your thoughts breath! What said ye?
Her. That his name
Must be degraded.
Rai. Silence! ye disturb
The dead. Thou hear'st, my father! ”

“ Lay far within my soul; and they burst forth
Troubled and dash'd with fear—yet sweet! I loved!
Moraima! leave me not!
Mor. For us to love!
Oh! is't not taking sorrow to our hearts,
Binding her there? I know not what I say! ”

“ Aymer enters, and slowly comes forward from the
background.
Aym. For the last time—yes! it must be the last!
Earth and heaven say—the last! The very dead
Rise up to part us! But one look—and then
She must go hence for ever! Will she weep?
It had been little to have died for her—
I have borne shame.
She shall know all! Moraima! Said they not
She would be found here at her brother's grave?
Where should she go? Moraima! There's the print
Of her step—what gleams beside it?
(Seeing the dagger, he takes it up.) Ha! men work
Dark deeds with things like this! ”

“ Rainier de Chatillon enters with knights,
soldiers, &c.
Welcome, knights!
Ye bring us timely aid! men's hearts were full
Of doubt and terror. Brave De Chatillon!
True soldier of the Cross! I welcome thee;
I greet thee with all blessing! Where thou art
There is deliverance!
Rai. (bending to receive the Priest's blessing.)
Holy man, I come
From a lost battle.
Urb. And thou bring'st the heart
Whose spirit yields not to defeat.
Rai. I bring
My father's bier.
Urb. His bier! ”

“ Knights. Aymer de Chatillon!
Go from us, leave us!
Aym. (starting up.) Leave you! what! ye thought
That I would stay to breathe the air you breathe!—
And fight by you! Murderers! I burst all ties! ”

“ Now hers is silent! Never, never more!
If she had but said farewell!— (Bewildered.) It grows so dark!
This is some fearful dream. When the morn comes I shall wake.
——My life's bright hours are done!
Rai. I must be firm.
(Takes a banner from the wall, and brings it to Aymer.)
Have you forgotten this? We thought it lost,
But it rose proudly waving o'er the fight
In a warrior's hand again! Yours, Aymer! yours! ”

“ The free air,
The sunshine—I forgot—they were not made
For infidels. Blot out the race from day!
Who talks of murder? Murder! when you die
Claim your soul's place of happiness i' the name
Of that good deed! ”

“ Trumpets sound. They march on, winding
through the rocks with military music.
Enter Gaston, an aged vassal of Rainier's, as an
armed follower—Rainier addresses him.
You come at last! And she—where left you her?
The Paynim maid?
Gas. I found her guides, my lord,
Of her own race, and left her on the way
To reach her father's tents.
Rai. Speak low!—the tale
Must rest with us. It must be thought she died.
I can trust you.
Gas. Your father trusted me. ”

“ That slew thy father's son!—Shame to thy race!
⁠ (To the soldiers in the background.)
Soldiers! come nearer with your levell'd spears!
Yet nearer!—gird him in! My boy's young blood
Is on his sword. Christian, abjure thy faith,
Or die: thine hour is come!
Rai. (turning and throwing himself on the weapons
of the soldiers.) Thou hast mine answer, Infidel! ”

“ It would be well with me. Moraima! speak!
Rainier enters disguised as a dervise.
Moraima, speak! No! the dead cannot love!
Rai. What doth the stranger here!—is there not mirth
Around the watch-fires yonder?
Aym. Mirth!—away!—
I've naught to do with mirth. Begone!
Rai. They tell
Wild tales by that red light; would'st thou not hear
Of Eastern marvels?
Aym. Hence! I heed them not.
Rai. Nay, then hear me!
Aym. Thee!
Rai. Yes, I know a tale
Wilder than theirs.
Aym. (raising himself in surprise.) Thou know'st!—
Rai. ”

“ With a conqueror's mien! What is thy hope from me?
Rai. A soldier's death.
Mel. (hastily.) Then thou wouldst fear a slave's?
Rai. Fear! As if man's own spirit had not power
To make his death a triumph! Waste not words ”

“ That slew his son's young bride!—our ancestor—
That were a spell! Fame! fame!—your hand hath rent
The veil from off your world! To speak of fame,
When the soul is parch'd like mine! Away!
I have join'd these men because they war with man,
And all his hollow pomp! Will you go hence? ”

“ Mor. Aymer! who leads the foe?
(Confused.) I meant—I mean—my people! Who is he,
My people's leader?
Aym. Kaled. (Looking at her suspiciously.) How! you seem—
The name disturbs you!
Mor. My last brother's name!
Aym. Fear not my sword for him!
Mor. (turning away. If they should meet!
I know the vow he made.
⁠ (To Aymer.) If thou—if thou
Shouldst fall! ”

“ The 'Roman Girl’s Song' is full of a solemn classic beauty; and, in one of her letters, it is said that of 'The Captive Knight' Sir Walter Scott never was weary. Indeed, it seems in his mind to have been the song of Chivalry, representative of the English; as the Flowers of the Forest was of the Scottish; the Cancionella Española of the Spanish; and the Rhine Song of the Germans."—Biographical Sketch by Delta, 1836.
Of all Mrs Hemans's lyrics set to music, 'The Captive Knight' has been the most popular, and deservedly so. ”

“ Scene I.—A room in the Citadel.
Rainier, Aymer, Knights, assembled in council.
A Knight. What! with our weary and distracted bands
To dare another field! Nay, give them rest.
Rai. (impatiently.) Rest! and that sleepless thought——
Knight. ”

“ If there be love that weeps and watches for you,
And follows you with prayer—even by that love
Spare me—for it is woman's! If light steps
Have bounded there to meet you, clinging arms
Hung on your neck, fond tears o'erflow'd your cheek,
Think upon those that loved you thus, for thus
Doth woman love! and spare me!—think on them;
They, too, may yet need mercy! Aymer, Aymer!
Wilt thou not hear and aid me?
Rai. (starting) There's a name
To bring back strength! Shall I not strike to save
His honour and his life? Were his life all——
Mor. ”

“ Knights enter in procession,
with banners, torch-bearers, &c. The gates
of the church are thrown open, and the altar,
tombs, &c. within, are seen illuminated.
Knights pass over, and enter the church.
One of them takes a torch, and lifts it
to Aymer's face in passing. He strikes it
down with a sword; then, seeing Rainier
approach, drops the sword, and covers his face.
Aym. (grasping Rainier by the mantle, as he is about to pass.)
Brother! forsake me not!
Rai. (suddenly drawing his sword, and showing it him.) My sword is red
With victory and revenge! Look—dyed to the hilt! ”

“ About this time, Mrs Hemans was engaged in the composition of another tragedy, entitled 'De Chatillon, or, The Crusaders;' in which, with that deference to fair criticism which she was always ready to avow, and to act upon, she made it her purpose to attempt a more compressed style of writing, avoiding that redundancy of poetic diction which had been censured as the prevailing fault of 'The Vespers.' It may possibly be thought that in the composition in question she has fallen into the opposite extreme of want of elaboration ”

“ I saw De Chatillon
fighting, as if upon his single arm
The fate o' the day were set.
3d. Cit. Shame light on those
That strike not with him in their place!
1st Cit. You mean
His brother? Ay, is't not a fearful thing
That one of such a race—a brave one too—
Should have thus fallen?
2d Cit. They say the captive girl
Whom he so loved, hath won him from his faith
To the vile Paynim creed.
Aym. (suddenly coming forward.) Who dares say that? ”

“ Grain'd in the floor of one—you know the tale?
Du Mor. I may have heard it by the winter fires,
—Now 'tis of things gone by.
Rai. (turning from him displeased.) Such legends give
Some minds a deeper tone. ”

“ Was it not well? (He looks at them attentively, and as he goes out exclaims—)
⁠My brother must not fall!
Scene II.—A deserted Turkish burying-ground in
the city—tombs and stones overthrown—the
whole shaded by dark cypress-trees.
Mor. (leaning over a monumental pillar, which has been lately raised.)
He is at rest;—and I!—is there no power
In grief to win forgiveness from the dead!
When shall I rest? Hark! a step—Aymer's step! ”

“ Rainier attempts to break from his guards.
Sadi enters with more soldiers to the assistance
of Melech. Aymer and the knights are
are overpowered. Aymer is wounded and falls.
Mel. Bring fetters—bind the captives! ”

“ He dies.
(The curtain falls.)
↑ 1 "She preferred in music whatever was national and melancholy; and her strains adapted for singing were, of course, framed to the tones most congenial to the temperament of her own mind. How successfully wed to the magic of sweet sound many of her verses have been by her sister, no lover of music need to be reminded. ”