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ALONZO.

You, Madam, ought to thank those crimes you blame; 'Tis they permit you to be thus inhuman,

Without the censure both of earth and heav'n-
I fondly thought a last look might be kind.
Farewell for ever. This severe behaviour
Has, to my comfort, made it sweet to die.
LEONORA. [Aside.]

Farewell for ever!-Sweet to die!-O heav'n!
Alonzo, stay; you must not thus escape me;
But hear your guilt at large.

A LONZO.

O Leonora!

What could I do? In duty to my friend,
I saw you; and to see is to admire :

For Carlos did I plead, and most sincerely;
Witness the thousand agonies it cost me :
You know I did; I sought but your esteem;
If that is guilt, an angel had been guilty:
I often sigh'd; nay wept; but could not help it;
And sure it is no crime to be in pain!

But grant my crime was great, I'm greatly curs'd.
What would you more? Am I not most undone?
This usage
is like stamping on the murder'd,
When life is fled; most barbarous and unjust.

LEONORA. [Going.]

If from your guilt none suffer'd but yourself,
It might be so-Farewell.

VOL. II.

ALONZO.

Who suffers with me?

LEONORA.

Enjoy your ignorance, and let me go.

ALONZO.

Alas! what is there I can fear to know,

Since I already know your hate? Your actions
Have long since told me that.

LEONORA.

They flatter'd you.

ALONZO.

How? Flatter'd me!

LEONORA.

O search in fate no further!

I hate thee, O Alonzo! How I hate thee!

ALONZO.

Indeed! and do you weep for hatred too?
O what a doubtful torment heaves my heart!
I hope it most-and yet I dread it more.
Should it be so; should her tears flow from thence;
How would my soul blaze up in extasy!

Ah, no! How sink into the depth of horrors!

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I weep by chance; nor have my tears a meaning

But, O! when I first saw Alonzo's tears,

I knew their meaning well.

[Alonzo falls passionately on his knees, and takes her

hand.

ALONZO.

Heavens, what is this? That excellence for which
Desire was planted in the heart of man;

Virtue's supreme reward on this side heav'n;
The cordial of my soul! and this destroys me-
Indeed I flatter'd me that thou didst hate.

LEONORA.

Alonzo, pardon me the injury

Of loving you: I struggled with my passion,
And struggled long; let that be some excuse.

ALONZO.

Unkind! You know I think your love a blessing
Beyond all human blessings; 'tis the price

Of sighs and groans, and a whole year of dying:
But O the curse of curses! O my friend!

I

Alas!

LEONORA.

ALONZO.

What says my love?-Speak, Leonora.

LEONORA.

Was it for you, my lord, to be so quick,

In finding out objections to our love?

Think you so strong my love, or weak my virtue,
It was unsafe to leave that part to me?

ALONZO.

Is not the day then fix'd for your espousals?

LEONORA.

Indeed, my father once had thought that way;
But marking how the marriage pain'd my heart,
Long he stood doubtful; but at last resolv'd
Your counsel, which determines him in all,
Should finish the debate.

ALONZO.

O agony !

Must I not only lose her, but be made
Myself the instrument? Not only die,
But plunge the dagger in my heart myself?
This is refining on calamity.

LEONORA.

What! do you tremble lest you should be mine?
For what else can you tremble? Not for that
My father places in your power to alter.

ALONZO.

What's in my power? O yes, to stab my friend!

|

LEONORA.

To stab your friend were barbarous indeed!
Spare him--and murder me-I own, Alonzo,
You may well wonder at such words as these;
I start at them myself; they fright my nature:
Great is my fault; but blame not me alone :
Give him a little blame, who took such pains
To make me guilty..

ALONZO.

Torment!

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[After a pause, Leonora speaks.

LEONORA.

O my shame!

I sue, and sue in vain; it is most just:
When women sue, they sue to be deny'd.
You hate me, you despise me: You do well:
For what I've done, I hate and scorn myself.
O night fall on me! I shall blush to death.

First perish all.

ALONZO.

LEONORA.

Say: what have you resolv'd

My father comes; what answer will you give him?

ALONZO.

What answer? Let me look upon that face,
And read it there-Devote thee to another!
Not to be borne! A second look undoes me.

LEONORA.

And why undo you? Is it then, my lord,
So terrible to yield to your own wishes,
Because they happen to concur with mine?
Cruel! to take such pains to win a heart,

Which you was conscious you must break with parting.
ALONZO. [Runs and embraces her.]

No, Leonora; I am thine for ever,

In spite of Carlos.-Ha! Who's that? My friend!

[Starts wide from her.

Alas! I see him pale; I hear his groans:

He foams, he tears his hair, he raves, he bleeds; (I know him by myself) he dies distracted.

LEONORA.

How dreadful to be cut from what we love!

Ah! speak no more.

ALONZO.

LEONORA.

And ty'd to what we hate!

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