Heaven's pay on earth for such great souls as I soon will follow; that which now disturbs thee Shall be cleared up, and thou shall not condemn yours; If fair and innocent, I am your due. Alon. Innocent! [Aside. Leon. How, my lord! I interrupt you. This hand is mine- -Oh, what a hand is here! Alon. What less can speak my joy? I gaze, and I forget my own existence: 'Tis all a vision-my head swims in heaven! Wherefore! oh, wherefore this expence of beauty? And wherefore—Oh !—————— · Why, I could gaze upon thy looks for ever, Leon. How, my lord! what mean you? own? [Taking his hand. And I will have it. Am not I your wife? Have not I just authority to know That heart which I have purchased with my Lay it before me then; it is my due. Unkind Alonzo! though I might demand it, Behold I kneel! See, Leonora kneels! And deigns to be a beggar for her own! Tell me the secret, I conjure you tell me. The bride foregoes the homage of her day, Alvarez' daughter trembles in the dust. Speak, then, I charge you speak, or I expire, And load you with my death! My lord, my lord! Alon. Ha, ha, ha! [He breaks from her, and she sinks upon the floor. Leon. Are these the joys which fondly I con ceived? And is it thus a wedded life begins? He that should hear, should succour, should redress, He is the source of all. Alon. Go to thy chamber; Those skies through which it rolls, must all have end! What then is man? the smallest part of nothing! Day buries day, month month, and year the yearOur life is but a chain of many deaths! Can, then, death's self be feared? our life much rather. Life is the desert, life the solitude, Death joins us to the great majority: 'Tis pleasure, 'tis ambition then to die. Zan. I think, my lord, you talked of death. Zan. I give you joy, then Leonora's dead! Alon. No, Zanga, the greatest guilt is mine, 'Tis mine, who might have marked his midnight visit; Who might have marked her sudden turn of love: These, and a thousand tokens more; and yet (For which the saints absolve my soul !) did wed. Zan. Where does this tend? Alon. To shed a woman's blood Would stain my sword, and make my wars inglorious; But just resentment to myself bears in it And pushed it on, and bid it give her death; Alon. That thought has more of hell than had fer! Alon. What dost thou mean? Oh, grief of heart to think that you should ask it! Is sheathed in steel, and bent on other thoughts. Yes, tell the fever of his blood returns, But not in grief- -sad obsequies to thee! Another, and another, and another! Alon. Oh! The Greek and Roman name in such a lustre, fire my brain: I had forgot it, 'tis my bridal night. ACT V. Alon. OH, pitiful! Oh, terrible to sight! Poor mangled shade! all covered o'er with wounds. And so disguised with blood!- Who murder ed thee? Tell thy sad tale, and thou shalt be revenged. Ha! Carlos?-Horror! Carlos?-Oh, away! I cannot bear the sight-What sight? Where There's nothing here-If this was fancy's work, Enter ZANGA, Zan. Ha! -you're pale. Zan. I obeyed your order. Six ruffians overtook him on the road; Alon. Oh, Zanga! Zanga! But I'll not think: for I must act, and thinking On any great surprise, but chiefly then But such the honest artifice I used, And such her ardent wish it should be true, Sweet myrtles, and ye golden orange groves! Why do you smile? Why do you look so fair? Are ye not blasted as I enter in? Yes, see how every flower lets fall its head! How shudders every leaf without a wind! How every green is as the ivy pale! Did ever midnight ghosts assemble here? Have these sweet echoes ever learned to groan? Joy-giving, love-inspiring, holy bower! Know, in thy fragrant bosom thou receivest | A- -murderer! Oh, I shall stain thy lilies, And horror will usurp the seat of bliss. So Lucifer broke into paradise, And soon damnation followed. [He advances.] Ha! she sleeps The day's uncommon heat has overcome her. My own life-blood will issue at her wound. Was it because it was too hard for you? [Going, he starts back. Ha! smile again. She dreams of him she loves. Alon. 'Twas well she was. In our late inter- Curse on her charms! I'll stab her through them view, My passion so far threw me from my guard, Thus I've ordained it. In the jasmine bower, [Exit. Sisters of Acheron, go hand in hand; SCENE II.-The bower. all. [As he is going to strike, she wakes. Leon. My lord, your stay was long, and yonder lull Of falling waters tempted me to rest, Alon. Ye powers! with what an eye she mends the day! While they were closed, I should have given the blow. [Aside. Oh, for a last embrace! and then for justice: Thus, Heaven and I shall both be satisfied. Leon. What says my lord! Alon. Why this Alonzo says; If love were endless, men were gods; 'tis that Does counterbalance travel, danger, painTis Heaven's expedient to make mortals bear The light, and cheat them of the peaceful grave. Leon. Alas, my lord! why talk you of the grave? Your friend is dead in friendship you sustain A mighty loss; repair it with my love. Alon. Thy love, thou piece of witchcraft! I would say, Thou brightest angel! I could gaze for ever. Where hadst thou this, enchantress, tell me where, Which, with a touch, works miracles, boils up My blood to tumults, and turns round my brain? Even now thou swim'st before me. I shall lose thee No, I will make thee sure, and clasp thee all. Who turned this slender waist with so much art, And shut perfection in so small a ring? Whence didst thou steal their burning orbs? Thou didst; and 'tis religion to adore them. Leon. My best Alonzo, moderate your thoughts; Extremes still fright me, though of love itself. Alon. Extremes indeed! it hurried me away; But I come home again—and now for justice And now for death-It is impossible Sure such were made by Heaven guiltless to sin, Or in their guilt to laugh at punishment. [Aside. I leave her to just Heaven. [Drops the dagger, and goes off. Leon. Ha, a dagger! What dost thou say, thou minister of death? What dreadful tale dost tell me?Let me think Enter ZANGA, Zan. Death to my towering hopes! Oh, fall from high! My close, long-laboured scheme at once is blasted. Where can I fix?-That's something still-'twill breed Fell rage and bitterness betwixt their souls, Which may, perchance, grow up to greater evil: If not, 'tis all I can-It shall be so [Aside. And yet a thousand things recur that swear it. What villain could inspire him with that thought? It is not of the growth of his own nature. Zan. Some villain, who, hell knows; but he is jealous; And 'tis most fit a heart so pure as yours Un My lord Enter ALONZO. Alon. Oh, Zanga, hold thy peace! I am no coward; But Heaven itself did hold my hand; I felt it, Alon. Perdition on thee, Moor, For that one word! Ah, do not rouse that thought! I have o'erwhelmed it as much as possible: Enter LEONORA. [Exit Zanga, Oh, seen for ever, yet for ever new! Leon. Alas, my lord! Thou hast no cause: none ever loved like me, Alon. Is it not? Oh, Heaven! Could this man e'er design upon my life? Impossible! I throw away the thought. [Aside. These tears declare how much I taste the joy Guilt, conscious guilt! Of being folded in your arms and heart; Alon. Ha, my dagger! It rouses horrid images. Away, Away with it, and let us talk of love, Plunge ourselves deep into the sweet illusion, Alon. Let's talk of love. Alon. As thou lov'st happiness Leon. Of murder! Alon. Rash, Rash woman! yet forbear. Leon. Approve my wrongs! Alon. Then must I fly, for thy sake and my Own. Leon. Nay, by my injuries, you first must hear me : Stab me, then think it much to hear my groan! Alon. Heaven strike me deaf! Leon. It well may sting you home. Leon. This to my face! Oh, Heaven! Leon. Thou art not in earnest? Alon. Serious as death. Leon. Then Heaven have mercy on thee. I sought conviction, and would not believe it. A Your passion's wise; 'tis a disguise for guilt: You and your thousand arts shall not escape me. Alon. Arts. Confess; for death is in my hand. Alon. Confess, confess, confess! Nor tear my veins with passion to compel thee. Leon. I scorn to answer thee, presumptuous man! Alon. Deny, then, and incur a fouler shame. Alon. Alas, thou quite mistak'st my cause of Where did I find this picture? pain! Yet, yet dismiss me; I am all in flames. Leon. Who has most cause, you or myself? Of my whole life encouraged you to this? Fom our own hearts; and is yours then so It prompts you to conceive thus ill of me? [Holding him. Alon. Oh, sex, sex, sex! [Turning on her. But, by the pangs I suffer, to thy woe: For, since thou hast replunged me in my torture, Leon. Ha, Don Carlos ! By my best hopes, more welcome than thy own. Alon. Is that for me? Leon. Fall, ask my pardon. Alon. Astonishment! Leon. Dar'st thou persist to think I am dishonest? Alon. I know thee so. Leon. This blow, then, to thy heart [She stabs herself, he endeavours to pre- Alon. Hoa, Zanga! Isabella! hoa! she bleeds! Now think me guilty still. Alon. Bear her to instant help! The world to save her! Leon. Unhappy man! well mayst thou gaze But fix thy terror and amazement right; nora! When thou hast censured, thou wouldst save her life; Oh, inconsistent! Should I live in shame, |