With answerable skill to plant his steps.

Men in their places are the men that stand,
And I am strong and stable on my legs;

For though full many a care from this time forth
Must harbour in my head, my heart is fresh,
And there is but one trouble touches it,

That this portends a troubled fate for thee.

ADRIANA.

For me?-Oh never vex thy heart for that;
Nor think of me so all unworthily,

Nor fancy for me fears I have not-No,

I'll follow thee through sunshine and through storm;
I will be with thee in thy weal and woe,

In thy afflictions, should they fall upon thee,
In thy temptations when bad men beset thee,

In all the perils which must now press round thee,
And, should they crush thee, in the hour of death.
If thy ambition, late aroused, was that
Which push'd thee on this perilous adventure,
Then I will be ambitious too,-if not,
And it was thy ill-fortune drove thee to it,
Then I will be unfortunate no less.
I will resemble thee in that and all things
Wherein a woman may; grave will I be
And thoughtful, for already it is gone-
God's blessing on my earlier years bestowed,
The clear contentment of a heart at ease.
All will I part with to partake thy cares,
Let but thy love my lesser joys outlast.

ARTEVELDE.

The last of love for thee were last of all

That through this passage of mortality

Lights on my soul to heaven. All will be well.
Much happiness shall be thy portion yet.
Love will be with thee, breathing his native air,
And peace around thee, thro' the power of love.
But bring me through the business of this day-
My lord, your pardon; we consume your time,
Which, I'm constrain'd to say, is short in Ghent.
I hitherto have welcomed you amongst us,
And kept the secret of your sojourns here;
So doing, partly for respect to you,

And partly for her sake, this foolish girl's,
My pretty Clara's, who will let me say
I had not pleased her else; but now, my lord,
As you have heard, I hold an office here
With duties appertaining, and must needs
(With sorrow for your sudden going hence)
Make offer of my passport,-good till sunset.

D'ARLON.

If no discourtesy is meant by this

I have but to depart.

CLARA.

Depart and wherefore?

ARTEVELDE.

There's nothing meant but honour, nothing else,

Howe'er to rude appearances enforced.

When there is peace between the Earl and Ghent

"Twill be a joy to me to see again

The gallant Lord of Arlon; till that time
We meet not, save in hostile ranks opposed,
Or captive, I in Bruges or he in Ghent.

D'ARLON.

Sir, it is not for me to say you nay

In your own town, with not a man to back me;
Nor would I willingly distrust your word

That all is honourably meant; for else

I scarce should miss to find a future time
For fair requital.

What's all the coil about? Depart! aye truly,
That's when I bid him, not an instant sooner.
Dismiss him thus, and bid him come no more!
Then what becomes of me? Oh, I'm a child!
I'm to be whipp'd for crying after him?
But let me tell thee, Philip, I'm the child
Of Jacques Artevelde-So look well to it.
An injury to myself I might forgive,

But one to D'Arlon

[Bursting into tears.

Sir, think twice upon it,

should lose a sister unawares.

D'ARLON.

Nay Clara, nay, be not so troubled.

ARTEVELDE.

There

You see the humour she is of, my lord;

But be my sins confess'd, the fault is mine.
An orphan sister and an only one,

What could I less but let her have her will
In all things possible? An easy man

She still has found me, and knows nothing yet
Of opposition to her high commands.

You, if you e'er should take her to yourself,
May teach her better doctrine. Patience, Clara,
Patience, my love; nor let this knight discern
His future trials thus presignified

In rain and lightning; let him not, my love.

CLARA (weeping).

When will he come again?

ARTEVELDE.

When peace comes, dearest;

We'll make him welcome then to bower and hall,

And thou shalt twine a garland for his brow
Of olive and of laurels won from me.

D'ARLON.

Be pacified, sweet Clara; dry your tears.
He but deals with me as he has the right
And deems himself in duty bound.

Shall jar no string between us.

Such things

ARTEVELDE.

Nobly said.

I leave her in your hands, and hope your aid

For bringing her to reason.

D'ARLON.

I entreat

One word in private with you ere we part.

ARTEVELDE.

Take in my sister, Adriana-go,

Impart to her a portion of that strength

Which there is in thee-teach her to subdue

Her woman's wilfulness.

[Exeunt ADRIANA and CLARA.

D'ARLON.

My errand here

Is not so wholly idle as no doubt

Thou deem'st it. I would first have warn'd thee off
The office which, with most unhappy haste,
Already thou hast clutch'd. That being vain,
I next would bid thee to beware false friends.
Look that there be no treason in thy camp;
I may not now say more; but be assured
'Twill be thy life thou fight'st for.

ARTEVELDE.

Noble D'Arlon!

It is a grief to me that we should meet
In opposition thus. I will look round,
And profit by thy warning if I may.

Trust me 'twould irk my heart no less than thine, (And may this show in all my acts hereafter,)

To enter in alliance with foul play

For any earthly meed. Sir, fare you well.

D'ARLON.

Whenso' the choice and noblest of my friends
Are bid to memory's feast, then, Artevelde,
The place of honour shall be thine. Farewell.

Enter the Captain of ARTEVELDE'S Guard.

CAPTAIN.

Sir, there's a messenger from Van den Bosch

[Exit.