ACT V.

SCENE I.

Enter ALONZO.

ALONZO.

OPITIFUL! O terrible to sight!

Poor mangled shade, all cover'd o'er with wounds,
And so disguis'd with blood! Who murder'd thee?
Tell thy sad tale, and thou shalt be reveng❜d.
Ha! Carlos?-Horror! Carlos?—O, away!
Go to thy grave, or let me sink to mine.

I cannot bear the sight-What sight?-Where am I?
There's nothing here—If this was fancy's work,
She draws a picture strongly.

Enter ZANGA.

ZANGA.

Ha!-you're pale.

ALONZO..

Is Carlos murder'd?

ZANGA.

I obey'd your

order.

Six ruffians overtook him on the road;

He fought as he was wont, and four he slew;

Then sunk beneath an hundred wounds to death:

His last breath blest Alonzo, and desir'd

His bones might rest near yours.

ALONZO.

O Zanga! Zanga! But i'll not think; for I must act; and thinking Would ruin me for action. O the medley Of right and wrong! the chaos in my brain! He should, and should not die-You should obey, And not obey- -It is a day of darkness, Of contradictions, and of many deaths. Where's Leonora then? Quick answer me; I'm deep in horrors; I'll be deeper still. I find thy artifice did take effect,

And she forgives my late deportment to her.

ZANGA.

I told her, from your childhood you was wont,
On any great surprize, but chiefly then,
When cause of sorrow bore it company,
To have your passion shake the seat of reason;
A momentary ill, which soon blew o'er:
Then did I tell her of Don Carlos' death;
(Wisely suppressing by what means he fell)
And laid the blame on that.

At first she doubted;

But such the honest artifice I us'd,

And such her ardent wish it should be true,
That she, at length, was fully satisfy'd.

ALONZO.

"Twas well she was. In our late interview,
My passion so far threw me from my guard,
(Methinks 'tis strange!) that, conscious of her guilt,
She saw not, thro' its thin disguise, my heart.

ZANGA.

But what design you, Sir; and how?

ALONZO.

I'll tell thee.

Thus I've ordain'd it: In the jess'min bow'r,
The place which she dishonour'd with her guilt,
There will I meet her: the appointment's made;
And calmly spread (for I can do it now)

The blackness of her crime before her sight;
And then, with all the cool solemnity

Of public justice, give her to the grave.

ZANGA.

[Exit.

Why, get thee gone! Horror and night go with thee!
Sisters of Acheron, go hand in hand;

Go dance around the bow'r, and close them in ;
And tell them, that I sent you to salute them!
Prophane the ground; and for th' ambrosial rose,
And breath of jess'min, let hemlock blacken,
And deadly nightshade poison all the air!
For the sweet nightingale, may ravens croak,
Toads pant, and adders rustle thro' the leaves;
May serpents, winding up the trees, let fall
Their hissing necks upon them from above,
And mingle kisses-such as I should give them! [Exit.

SCENE THE BOWER.

LEONORA sleeping. Enter ALonzo.

ALONZO.

Ye amaranths! ye roses, like the morn!
Sweet myrtles, and ye golden orange-groves!
Why do you smile? Why do you look so fair?
Are you not blasted as I enter in?

Yes; see how every flow'r 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 learnt to groan?
Joy-giving, love-inspiring, holy bow'r!
Know, in thy fragrant bosom, thou receiv'st
A-murderer: O! I shall stain thy lilies,
And horror will usurp the seat of bliss.
So Lucifer broke into Paradise,

And soon damnation follow'd. [He advances.] Ha!

she sleeps

The day's uncommon heat has overcome her:
Then take, my longing eyes, your last full gaze.
O, what a sight is here! How dreadful fair!
Who would not think that Being innocent?
Where shall I strike? Who strikes her, strikes himself.
My own life-blood will issue at her wound.

my distracted heart!-O cruel heav'n !

To give such charms as those, and then call man,
Mere man, to be your executioner.

Was it because it was too hard for you?

But see, she smiles! I never shall smile more;
It strongly tempts me to a parting kiss.

[Going, he starts back.
Ha! smile again! She dreams of him she loves:
Curse on her charms! I'll stab her thro' them all.
As he is going to strike, she wakes.

LEONORA.

My lord, your stay was long; and yonder lull
Of falling waters tempted me to rest,

Dispirited with noon's excessive heat.

ALONZO,

Ye pow'rs, with what an eye she mends the day! While they were clos'd, I should have giv'n the blow.

O for a last embrace! and then for justice:
Thus heav'n and I shall both be satisfy'd.

[Aside.

ALONZO.

Why This Alonzo says:

If love were endless, men were gods; 'tis that
Does counter-balance travel, danger, pain-
'Tis heav'n's expedient to make mortals bear
The light, and cheat them of the peaceful grave.

LEONORA.

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.

ALONZO.

Thy love? Thou piece of witchcraft!-I would say, Thou brightest angel! I could gaze for ever.