The world's laugh it jeers me,
Their looks they seem to fear me,
I hear them whisper near me,
"Old man, why linger here?"
She who loved me dearly,
Wandered with me cheerily,
Is now a phantom merely,
Seen through memory's tear.
Pale ghost, flitting yonder!
With drooping head you wander.
Deep in thought you ponder
Why I stay from thee;
Cease those hands to beckon,
Vain, vain, may you reckon;
Alas! I cannot quicken
Death's desired decree.
Weary, weary wandering,
Life's last moments squandering,
Weary, weary wandering
Through this world of sin,
None can undeceive me,
None but ONE relieve me,
None but ONE receive me,
His peace to enter in.
XXIV.
THE SIEGE: A DRAMATIC TALE.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE.--SIR ALEXANDER SETON, Governor of Berwick;
RICHARD and HENRY, his sons. PROVOST RAMSAY. HUGH ELLIOT, a
traitor. KING EDWARD. EARL PERCY. MATILDA, wife of Seton; etc.
SCENE I.--_A Street--the Market-place_.
_Enter_ SIR ALEXANDER SETON, RICHARD _and_ HENRY
(_his sons_), PROVOST RAMSAY, HUGH ELLIOT, _and others of
the People_.
_Provost Ramsay_.--Brither Scotchmen! it is my fixed an'
solemn opinion, that the King o' England has entered into a
_holy alliance_ wi' the enemy o' mankind! An' does he
demand us to surrender!--to gie up our toun!--our property!--our
lives!--our liberty!--to Southern pagans, that hae entered into
compact wi' the powers o' the air! Surrender! No, Scotchmen!
While we breathe, we will breathe the _breath o' Freedom!_
as it soughs down the Tweed, between the heathery hills o' our
ain auld country! I am but provost o' Berwick, Sir Alexander,
an' ye are its governor; an' in a time like this, the power o'
defending or surrendering the gates is yours; but though ye gie
up the keys this very hour, an' were every stane o' the walls
turned are upon anither--here!--the power to defend this
market-place is mine!--and _here_ will I stand, while this
hand can wield a sword, or a Scotchman is left to die by my
side!
_Sir Alex_.
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