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Your friendship (and what nobler passion claims
The heart?) does lead your blindness to your ruin.
Consider, wherefore did Alvarez break

Don Carlos' match, and wherefore urge Alonzo's?
'Twas the same cause; the love of wealth: To-morrow
May see Alonzo in Don Carlos' fortune;

A higher bidder is a better friend;

And there are princes sigh for Leonora.

When your

friend's gone, you'll wed; why then the

cause,

Which gives you Leonora now, will cease.
Carlos has lost her; should you lose her too,

Why then you heap new torments on your friend,
By that respect which labour'd to relieve him.

'Tis well; he is disturb'd; it makes him pause. [Aside.

ALONZO.

Think'st thou, my Zanga, should I ask Don Carlos, His goodness will consent that I should wed her?

ZANGA.

I know it would.

ALONZO.

But then the cruelty

To ask it; and for me to ask it of him!

ZANGA.

Methinks, you are severe upon your friend:
Who was it gave him liberty and life?

ALONZO.

That is the very reason which forbids it:
Were I a stranger, I could freely speak:

In me, it so resembles a demand,
Exacting of a debt, it shocks my nature.

My lord

ZANGA.

you know the sad alternative. Is Leonora worth one pang or not?

It hurts not me, my lord, but as I love you;
Warmly as you, I wish Don Carlos well;
But I am likewise Don Alonzo's friend:
There all the difference lies between us two :
In me, my lord, you hear another self,

And, give me leave to add, a better too,

Clear'd from those errors, which, tho' caus'd by virtue,

Are such as may hereafter give you pain.

Don Lopez of Castile would not demur thus.

ALONZO.

Perish the name! What! sacrifice the fair
Το age and illness, because set in gold?
I'll to Don Carlos, if my heart will let me :
I have not seen him since his sore affliction;
But shunn'd it, as too terrible to bear:
How shall I bear it now? I'm struck already.

ZANGA.

Half my work is done. I must secure

Don Carlos, ere Alonzo speaks with him.

[Exit Al.,

[He gives a message to a servant, then returns.

Proud, hated Spain! oft drench'd in Moorish blood;

Dost thou not feel a deadly foe within thee?
Shake not thy tow'rs where'er I pass along,
Conscious of ruin, and their great destroyer?

Shake to the centre, if Alonzo's dear.
Look down, O holy prophet! see me torture
This Christian dog, this infidel, which dares
To smite thy votaries and spurn thy law;
And yet hopes pleasure from two radiant eyes,
Which look as they were lighted up for thee!
Shall he enjoy thy paradise below?

Blast the bold thought, and curse him with her

charms.

But see the melancholy Lover comes.

Enter Don CARLOS.

CARLOS.

Hope, thou hast told me lies from day to day,
For more than twenty years; vile promiser!
None here are happy, but the very fool,
Or very wise; and I want fool enough,
To smile in vanities, and hug a shadow;
Nor have I wisdom to elaborate

An artificial happiness from pains:

Ev'n joys are pains, because they cannot last. [Sighs.
Yet much is talk'd of bliss; it is the art

Of such as have the world in their possession,
To give it a good name, that fools may envy;
For envy to small minds is flattery.

How many lift the head, look gay and smile,
Against their consciences; and this we know ;
Yet, knowing, disbelieve; and try again

What we have try'd, and struggle with conviction:
Each new experience gives the former credit,

And reverend grey Threescore is but a voucher, That Thirty told us true.

ZANGA.

My noble lord,

I mourn your fate: But are no hopes surviving?

CARLOS.

No hopes. Alvarez has a heart of steel: 'Tis fixt; 'tis past; 'tis absolute despair.

ZANGA.

You wanted not to have your heart made tender By your own pains, to feel a friend's distress.

CARLOS.

I understand you well. Alonzo loves;

I pity him.

ZANGA.

I dare be sworn you do:

Yet he has other thoughts.

CARLOS.

What canst thou mean?

ZANGA.

Indeed he has; and fears to ask a favour,
A stranger from a stranger might request;
What costs you Nothing, yet is All to him :
Nay, what indeed will to your glory add,
For nothing more than wishing your friend well.

I

CARLOS.

pray be plain: his happiness is mine.

ZANGA.

He loves to death; but so reveres his friend,
He cant persuade his heart to wed the maid,

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Without your leave, and that he fears to ask
In perfect tenderness: I urg'd him to it,
Knowing the deadly sickness of his heart,
Your overflowing goodness to your friend,
Your wisdom, and despair yourself to wed her;
I wrung a promise from him he would try;
And now I come a mutual friend to both,
Without his privacy, to let you know it,
And to prepare you kindly to receive him.

CARLOS.

Ha! if he weds, I am undone indeed:
Not Don Alvarez' self can then relieve me.

ZANGA.

Alas! my lord, you know his heart is steel: 'Tis fixt! 'tis past ! 'tis absolute despair.

CARLOS.

O cruel heav'n! and is it not enough
That I must never, never see her more?
Say, is it not enough that I must die;
But must I be tormented in the grave?

Ask my consent!-Must I then give her to him?
Lead to his nuptial sheets the blushing maid?
O! Leonora ! never, never, never!

ZANGA. [Aside.]

A storm of plagues upon him! He refuses.

CARLOS.

What! wed her ?—and to day?

ZANGA.

To day, or never

To-morrow may some wealthier lover bring,

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