SCENE.—AnotherPartoftheForest.

scene.—anotherpartoftheforest.

margaret(alone)

itwasanerrormerely,andnocrime,

anunsuspectingopennessinyouth,

thatfromhislipsthefatalsecretdrew,

whichshouldhavesleptlikeoneofnature'smysteries,

unveil'dbyanyman.

well,heisdead!

andwhatshouldmargaretdointheforest?

oill-starr'djohn!

owoodvil,manenfeoffedtodespair!

takethyfarewellofpeace.

oneverlookagaintoseegooddays,

orclosethylidsincomfortablenights,

oreverthinkahappythoughtagain,

ifwhatihaveheardbetrue.—

forsakenoftheworldmustwoodvillive,

ifhedidtellthesemen.

notonguemustspeaktohim,notongueofman

salutehim,whenhewakesupinamorning;

orbid"good-night"tojohn.whoseekstolive

inamitywiththee,mustforthysake

abidetheworld'sreproach.whatthen?

shallmargaretjointheclamoursoftheworld

againstherfriend?oundiscerningworld,

thatcannotfrommisfortuneseparateguilt,

no,notinthought!onever,never,john.

prepar'dtosharethefortunesofherfriend

forbetterorforworsethymargaretcomes,

topourintothywoundsahealinglove,

andwakethememoryofanancientfriendship.

andpardonme,thouspiritofsirwalter,

who,incompassiontothewretchedliving,

havebutfewtearstowasteuponthedead.