That whereas the Thane of Devon, the lady’s father,
Is rich in lands and kine;
And whereas the Lord Aethelwold
Spare the King’s love, hath little else beside,—
The blessing of King Eadgar is besought
Upon the wedding of Lord Aethelwold
Unto the maid Aelfrida.”
As Maccus departs, Aethelwold turns to Aelfrida, saying:
“Now shall I look no more beyond thine eyes.”
Both words and music, throughout the act, portray Aethelwold’s intense desire to be loyal to his King, but show the complete inability of almost any man to resist the spell woven by the forest. The music achieves a compelling mood of rapturous lyricism, and its broadly drawn phrases of sensuous melody build up magnificently to the climax of the act.