_Adeline._ The thunder rolls awful on the ear, and strikes the soul with terror. The plunderer, too, perhaps catching the sulphurous flash, explores his wretched prey, and stalks to midnight murder. _Gregory._ Mercy on us, madam, don't talk of that!--now I think on't, if we were to pick and chuse, for a twelvemonth, we couldn't have pitched upon a more convenient place to be knocked down in. Shelter! dear madam! shelter. _Adeline._ Is it thus you stand by me, Gregory? I, at least, hoped you had valour enough to-- [_ROBBERS appear behind, and slowly advance._ _Gregory._ Exactly enough; but not a morsel to spare. So we'll e'en look out for a place of safety. Not that I'm afraid though.--Stand by you?--egad, if half a dozen, now, of stout, raw-boned fellows were to dare to molest you, I would make no more of whipping this [_Drawing his Sword._] through their dirty lungs, than I would of---- [_ROBBERS surround ADELINE and GREGORY._ _1 Rob._ Stand! _Gregory._ O mercy! mercy! I'm as dead a man as ever I was in my life. [_Drops his Sword, and falls._ _Adeline._ Heavens! when will my miseries end! Speak, friends, what would you have? _1 Rob._ What you have. _Adeline._ If it is our lives you seek, they are so care worn, that in resigning them, we part with that which is scarce worth the keeping. _Gregory._ 'Tis very true indeed. Pray don't take them, gentlemen;--they'll do you no kind of good. _2 Rob._ Peace! _1 Rob._ Marry, a well favoured boy. Say, youth, whence came you, and whither bound? _Adeline._ I scarce know whither; but I came far inland; sent by my father to the wars; his sword the sole inheritance his age can leave me. This man, a faithful servant of our cottage, in simple love has followed me. _1 Rob._ Well, youth; be of good cheer--He, who has little, has little to lose; and a soldier's pocket is seldom much lighter for emptying. Come; you must both with us--bring them to our captain's cave. [_Exeunt FIRST and FOURTH ROBBER._ _Gregory._ Oh lud; oh lud! Dear, good, sweet faced gentlemen! _2 Rob._ Peace, dolt! fear not; our captain's honourable! _Gregory._ Nay, that he must be by his company--but sweet, civil, honest gentlemen! [_The ROBBERS press them on._] Oh confound these underground apartments! We shall never get out of them alive. Lord! lord! how hard it is upon a man to be forced to walk to his own burying! [_Exeunt ADELINE and GREGORY, hurried off by the ROBBERS._ SCENE III. _Another Part of the Forest._ _Enter MARGARET, with the Young PRINCE EDWARD._ _Marg._ Why, that's well done, my boy!--so--cheerly, cheerly! See, too, the angry storm's subsiding:--what, Thou canst not be a-weary, Ned?--I know, Thou'rt more a man.