Book Description:
Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. Excerpt from book: Colombe's BirthdayCOLOMBE'S BIRTHDAY. A PLAY. textit 'Ivy and violet, what do ye here textit With blossom and shoot in the warm sfring weather, textit Hiding the arms of Monchenci and VereT' Hanmer. NO ONE LOVES AND HONORS BARRY CORNWALL MORE THAN DOES ROBERT BROWNING; WHO, HAVING NOTHING BETTER THAN THIS PLAY TO GIVE HIM IN PROOF OF IT, MUST SAY SO. textit London, 1844. Persons. Colombe Of Ravestein, Duchess of Juliers and Cleves. Sabyne, Adolf, her Attendants. Guibert, Gaucelme, Maufroy, Clugnet, Courtiers. Valence, Advocate of Cleves. Prince Berthold, Claimant of the Duchy. Melchior, his Confidant. Place, textit The Palace at Juliers. Time, 16 COLOMBE'S BIRTHDAY. ACT I. textit Morning. Scene. textit A Corridor leading to the Audience chamber. Gaucelme, Clugnet, Maufroy, textit and other Courtiers, textit round Guibert, textit who is silently reading a paper: as he drops it at the end textit Guibert. That this should be her birthday, and the day We all invested her, twelve months ago, As the late Duke's true heiress and our liege; And that this also must become the day Oh ! miserable lady ! 1 textit Courtier. Ay, indeed? textit 2 Courtier. Well, Guibert? 3 textit Courtier. But your news, my friend, your news! The sooner, friend, one learns Prince Berthold's pleasure, The better for us all: how writes the Prince ? Give me! I 'll read it for the common good. textit Guibert. In time, sir, but till time comes, pardon me! 10 Our old Duke just disclosed his child's retreat, Declared her true succession to his rule, And died: this birthday was the day, last year, We convoyed her from Castle Ravestein That sleeps out trustfully its extreme age On the Meuse' quiet bank, where she lived queen Over the water buds to Juliers' court With joy a...
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