ACT IV.

SCENE I.

Enter ALONZO and ZANGA.

ALONZO.

WHAT a pain to think! when every thought, Perplexing thought, in intricacies runs, And reason knits th' inextricable toil, In which herself is taken! I am lost; Poor insect that I am, I am involv'd, And bury'd in the web myself have wrought! One argument is balanc'd by another, And reason reason meets in doubtful fight, And proofs are countermin'd by equal proofs. No more I'll bear this battle of the mind, This inward anarchy; but find my wife, And, to her trembling heart presenting death, Force all the secret from her.

ZANGA.

You totter on the very brink of ruin.

O forbear!

ALONZO.

What dost thou mean?

ZANGA. [Aside.]

That will discover all,

And kill my hopes: What can I think or do?

ALONZO.

What dost thou murmur?

ZANGA.

Force the secret from her !

What's perjury to such a crime as this?
Will she confess it then; O groundless hope!
But rest assur'd, she'll make this accusation,
Or false or true, your ruin with the king;

Such is her father's

power.

ALONZO.

No more;

I care not:

Rather than groan beneath this load, I'll die.

ZANGA.

But for what better will you change this load?
Grant you should know it, would not that be worse?

ALONZO.

No; it would cure me of my mortal pangs,

By hatred and contempt: I should despise her;
And all my love-bred agonies would vanish.

ZANGA.

Ah! were I sure of that, my lord

ALONZO.

What then?

ZANGA.

You should not hazard life to gain the secret.

ALONZO.

I'll come my Love:

Be not our friends deserted by us both;
I'll follow you this moment.

Thou, love, and only thou; so heav'n befriend me, As other thought can find no entrance here.

LEONORA.

How good in you, my lord, whom nations' cares
Solicit, and a world in arms obeys,

To drop one thought on me!

ALONZO. [He shews the utmost impatience.]

Dost thou then prize it?

LEONORA.

Do you then ask it?

ALONZO.

Know then, to thy comfort,

Thou hast me all; my throbbing heart is full
With thee alone; I've thought of nothing else;
Nor shall I, from my soul believe, till death.
My life, our friends expect thee.

Exact your solemn oath, that you'll abstain
From all self-violence, and save my lord.

Such have you been to me; these tears confess it;

And pour'd forth miracles of kindness on me:
And what amends is now within my pow'r,
But to confess, expose myself to justice,
And, as a blessing, claim my punishment?
Know then, Don Carlos-

ALONZO.

Oh !
ZANGA.

You cannot bear it.

ALONZO.

Go on; I'll have it, though it blast mankind :
I'll have it all, and instantly.-Go on.

ZANGA.

Don Carlos did return at dead of night

Enter LEONOra.

LEONORA.

My lord Alonzo, you are absent from us,

And quite undo our joy.

ALONZO.

I'll come my Love:

Be not our friends deserted by us both;

I'll follow you this moment.

LEONORA.

My good lord,

I do observe severity of thought

Upon your brow. Aught hear you from the Moors?

No, my delight.

ALONZO.

LEONORA.

What then employ'd your mind?

ALONZO.

Thou, love, and only thou; so heav'n befriend me,
As other thought can find no entrance here.

LEONORA.

How good in you, my lord, whom nations' cares
Solicit, and a world in arms obeys,

To drop one thought on me!

ALONZO. [He shews the utmost impatience.]

Dost thou then prize it?

Know then, to thy comfort,

Thou hast me all; my throbbing heart is full
With thee alone; I've thought of nothing else;
Nor shall I, from my soul believe, till death.
My life, our friends expect thee.