NAOMI.

And hurried from me. But I follow'd him This is the process of our love and wisdom
At distance, till I saw him enter-there!

To each poor brother who offends against us

Most innocent, perhaps—and what if guilty ?
NAOMI

The cavern?

Is this the only cure? Merciful God!
Each

pore and natural outlet shrivell'd up,
ALHADRA.
Yes, the mouth of yonder cavern.

By ignorance and parching poverty, After a while I saw the son of Valdez

His energies roll back upon his heart,

And stagnate and corrupt, till, changed to poison, Rush by with flaring torch; he likewise enter'd. There was another and a longer pause;

They break out on him, like a lothesome plague. And once, methought I heard the clash of swords! Then we call in our pamper'd mountebanks :

spot! And soon the son of Valdez reappear'd :

And this is their best cure! uncomforted
He Aung his torch towards the moon in sport,
And seem'd as he were mirthful! I stood listening, And savage faces, at the clanking hour,

And friendless solitude, groaning and tears,
Impatient for the footsteps of my husband !

Seen through the steam and vapors of his dungeon NAOMI.

By the lamp's dismal twilight! So he lies
Thou calledst him?

Circled with evil, till his very soul
ALHADRA.

Unmoulds its essence, hopelessly deform'd
I crept into the cavern By sights of evermore deformity!
T was dark and very silent [Then wildly. With other ministrations thou, O Nature!

What saidst thou ?

Healest thy wandering and distemper'd child: No! Do! I did not dare call, Isidore,

Thou pourest on him thy soft influences, Lest I should hear no answer! A brief while,

Thy sunny hues, fair forms, and breathing sweets; Belike, I lost all thought and memory

Thy melodies of words, and winds, and waters ! Or that for which I came! After that pause, Till he relent, and can no more endure O Heaven! I heard a groan, and follow'd it:

To be a jarring and a dissonant thing And yet another groan, which guided me

Amid this general dance and minstrelsy ; Into a strange recess—and there was light,

But, bursting into lears, wins back his way, A hideous light! his torch lay on the ground;

His angry spirit heald and harmonized Its flame burnt dimly o'er a chasm's brink :

By the benignant touch of love and beauty. I spake ; and whilst I spake, a feeble groan

I am chill and weary! Yon rude bench of stone, Came from that chasm! it was his last! his death. In that dark angle, the sole resting-place! groan!

But the self-approving mind is its own light,

And life's best warmth still radiates from the heart Comfort her, Alla.

Where Love sits brooding, and an honest purpose. ALHADRA.

[Retires out of sight. I stood in unimaginable trance And agony that cannot be remember'd,

Enter TERESA with a Taper.
Listening with horrid hope to hear a groan!
But I had heard his last: my husband's death-groan!
NAOMI.

It has chill'd my very life-my own voice scares me! Haste! let us onward.

Yet when I hear it not, I seem to lose

The substance of my being—my strongest grasp I look'd far down the pit Sends inwards but weak witness that I am. My sight was bounded by a jutting fragment: I seek to cheat the echo.—How the half sounds And it was stain’d with blood. Then first I shriek’d, Blend with this strangled light! Is he not here My eye-balls burnt, my brain grew hot as fire,

(Louking round. And all the hanging drops of the wet roof

O for one human face here—but to see Turnid into blood—I saw then turn to blood ! One human face here to sustain me.-Courage! And I was leaping wildly down the chasm, It is but my own fear! The life within me, When on the farther brink I saw his sword, It sinks and wavers like this cone of flame, And it said, Vengeance !--Curses on my tongue! Beyond which I scarce dare look onward! Oh! The moon hath moved in Heaven, and I am here,

[Shuddering. And he hath not had vengeance! Isidore !

If I faint! If this inhuman den should be Spirit of Isidore! thy murderer lives!

At once my death-bed and my burial vault! Away! away!

(Fainily screams as Alvar emerges from the recess Away! away!

ALVAR (rushes towards her, and catches her as she [She rushes off, all following her.

is falling).
O gracious Heaven! it is, it is Teresa!
I shall reveal myself? The sudden shock

Of rapture will blow out this spark of life,
ACT V.

And Joy complete what Terror has begun.

O ye impetuous beatings here, be still!
SCENE I.

Teresa, best beloved ! pale, pale, and cold !
A Dungeon.

Her pulse doth flutter! Teresa! my Teresa !
ALVAR (alone) rises slowly from a bed of reeds. TERESA (recovering, looks round wildly).

I heard a voice; but often in my dreams And this place my forefathers made for man' I hear that voice! and wake and try—and try-

TERESA

ALHADRA.

ALL.

ALVAR.

TERESA.

ALVAR.

TERESA.

ALVAR.

ORDONIO.

TERESA.

ALVAR.

ALVAR.

To hear it waking! but I never could

Open the sacred source of penitent tears,
And 't is so noweven so! Well: he is dead And be once more his own beloved Alvar.
Murder'd, perhaps! And I am faint, and feel
As if it were no painful thing to die !

O my all virtuous love! I fear to leave thee
ALVAR (eagerly).

With that obdurate man.
Believe it not, sweet maid! Believe it not,
Beloved woman! 'Twas a low imposture,
Framed by a guilty wretch.

Thou dost not leave me!

But a brief while retire into the darkness : "ERESA (retires from him, and feebly supports herself O that my joy could spread its sunshine round thee against a pillar of the dungeon).

TERESA.
Ha! Who art thou ?
ALVAR (exceedingly affected).

The sound of thy voice shall be my music!
Suborn'd by his brother-

(Retiring, she returns hastily and embraces ALTAR. Alvar! my Alvar! am I sure I hold thee?

Is it no dream ? thee in my arms, my Alvar! [Ezi Didst thou murder him?.

(A noise at the Dungeon door. It opens, and And dost thou now repent? Poor troubled man,

ORDONIO enlers, with a goblet in his hand I do forgive thee, and may Heaven forgive thee! Ordonio-he

Hail, potent wizard! in my gayer mood

I pour'd forth a libation to old Pluto,
If thou didst murder him

And as I brimm'd the bowl, I thought on thee. His spirit ever at the throne of God

Thou hast conspired against my life and honor, Asks mercy for thee: prays for mercy for thee,

Hast trick'd me foully; yet I hate thee not. With tears in Heaven!

Why should I hate thee? this same world of ours, "T is but a pool amid a storm of rain,

And we the air-bladders that course up and down, Alvar was not murder'd.

And joust and tilt in merry tournament;
Be calm! Be calm, sweet maid !

And when one bubble runs foul of another,
TERESA (wildly).

[Waving his hand to ALYAR Nay, nay, but tell me !

The weaker needs must break.
[A pause; then presses her forehead.
O'tis lost again!

I see thy heart! This dull confused pain

There is.a frightful glitter in thine eye
[A pause, she gazės at ALVAR. Which doth betray thee. Inly-tortured man!
Mysterious man!

This is the revelry of a drunken anguish, Methinks I can not fear thee: for thine eye Which fain would scoff away the pang of guilt, Doth swim with love and pity-Well! Ordonio

And quell each human feeling.
Oh my foreboding heart! and he suborn'd thee,
And thou didst spare his life? Blessings shower on

ORDONIO.
thee,

Feeling! feeling! As many as the drops twice counted o'er

The death of a man—the breaking of a bubble In the fond faithful heart of his Teresa !

'Tis true I cannot sob for such misfortunes ;

But faintness, cold and hunger-curses on me I can endure no more. The Moorish Sorcerer

If willingly I e'er inflicted them! Exists but in the stain upon his face.

Come, take the beverage ; this chill place demands it That picture

[ORDONIO proffers the gobiet

ALVAR.
TERESA (advances towards him).

Yon insect on the wall,
Ha! speak on!

Which moves this way and that its hundred limbs,

Were it a toy of mere mechanic craft,
Beloved Teresa !

It were an infinitely curious thing !
It told but half the truth. O let this portrait

But it has life, Ordonio! life, enjoyment ! Tell all—that Alvar lives—that he is here!

And by the power of its miraculous will Thy much deceived but ever faithful Alvar.

Wields all the complex movements of its frame ( Takes her portrait from his neck, and gives it her. Unerringly to pleasurable ends ! TERESA (receiving the portrait).

Saw I that insect on this goblet's brim,
The same—it is the same. Ah! who art thou? I would remove it with an anxious pity!
Nay I will call thee, Alvar! [She falls on his neck.

What meanest thou?
O joy unutterable!

ALVAR
But hark! a sound as of removing bars

There's poison in the wine. At the dungeon's outer door. A brief, brief while Conceal thyself, my love! It is Ordonio.

ORDONIO. For the honor of our race, for our dear father;

Thou hast guess'd right; there's poison in the wine O for himself too (he is still my brother)

There's poison in 't—which of us two shall drink it Let me recall him to his nobler nature,

For one of us must die !
That he may wake as from a dream of murder!
O let me reconcile him to himself,

Whom dost thou think me ?

ALVAR.

ALVAR.

ORDONIO.

ALVAR.

ALVAR.

ORDONIO.

ALVAR.

ORDONIO.

ALVAR.

ORDONTO.

ORDONIO.

ALVAR.

ALVAR.

How sweet and musical the name of Alvar! The accomplice and sworn friend of Isidore. Then, then, Ordonio, he was dear to thee,

And thou wert dear to him ; Heaven only knows I know him not.

How very dear thou wert! Why didst thou hate him? And yet methinks I have heard the name but lately. O heaven! how he would fall upon thy neck, Means he the husband of the Moorish woman?

And weep forgiveness ! Lidore ? Isidore ?

OR DONIO.

Spirit of the dead! Good! good! that lie! by heaven it has restored me. Methinks I know thee! ha! my brain turns wild Now I am thy master! Villain! thou shalt drink it, At ils own dreams!-off_off, fantastic shadow! Or die a bitterer death.

ALVAR.

I fain would tell thee what I am! but dare not! What strange solution Hast thou found out to satisfy thy fears,

Cheat! villain! traitor! whatsoever thou bem And drug them to unnatural sleep?

I fear thee, man! [ALVAR takes the goblet, and throwing u to the ground TERESA (rushing out and falling on Alvar's neck). with slern contempl.

Ordonio! 't is thy brother.
My master!

[ORDONIO with frantic wildness runs upon ALVAR

with his sword. TERESA flings herself on Thou mountebank!

ORDONIO and arrests his arm.

Stop, madman, stop. Mountebank and villain ! What then art thou ? For shame, put up thy sword !|

Does then this thin disguise impenetrably What boots a weapon in a wither'd arm?

Hide Alvar from thee? Toil and painful wounds I fix mine eye upon thee, and thou tremblest! I speak, and fear and wonder crush thy rage,

And long imprisonment in unwholesome dungeons, And turn it to a motionless distraction!

Have marr'd perhaps all trait and lineament

Of what I was ! But chiefly, chiefly, brother,
Thou blind self-worshipper! thy pride, thy cunning,
Thy faith in universal villany,

My anguish for thy guilt!
Thy shallow sophisms, thy pretended scorn

Ordonio_Brother! For all thy human brethren-out upon them!

Nay, nay, thou shalt embrace me. What have they done for thee? have they given thee ORDONIO (drawing back and gazing at Alvar with a peace ?

countenance of at once awe and terror). Cured thee of starting in thy sleep? or made

Touch me not! The darkness pleasant when thou wakest at midnight? Touch not pollution, Alvar! I will die. Art happy when alone? Canst walk by thyself [He attempts to fall on his sword : Alvar and TERESA With even step and quiet cheerfulness?

prevent him. Yet, yet thou mayest be saved —

ALVAR.
ORDONIO (vacantly repeating the words). We will find means to save your honor. Live,

Saved ? saved ? Oh live, Ordonio! for our father's sake!
ALVAR.

Spare his gray hairs !

One pang! Could I call up one pang of true Remorse!

And you may yet be happy.

OR DONIO.
He told me of the babes that prattled to him,

O horror! not a thousand years in heaven
His fatherless little ones! Remorse! Remorse! Could recompose this miserable heart,
Where gott'st thou that fool's word? Curse on Remorse! Or make it capable of one brief joy!
Can it give up the dead, or recompact

Live! Live! Why yes ! 't were well to live with you:
A mangled body? mangled—dash'd to atoms ! For is it fit a villain should be proud ?
Not all the blessings of a host of angels

My brother! I will kneel to you, my brother! Can blow away a desolate widow's curse!

(Kneeling. And though thou spill thy boart's blood for atonement, Forgive me, Alvar Curse me with forgiveness ! It will not weigh against an orphan's tear! ALVAR (almost overcome by his feelings).

Call back thy soul, Ordonio, and look round thee : But Alvar

Now is the time for greatness! Think that HeavenORDONIO.

Ha! it chokes thee in throat, O mark his eye! he ars not what you say. Even thee; and yet I pray thee speak it out!

OR DONIO (pointing at the vacancy). Still Alvar! Alvar!-howl it in mine ear,

Yes, mark his eye! there's fascination in it! Heap it like coals of fire upon my heart,

Thou saidst thou didst not know him-That is he! And shoot it hissing through my brain!

He comes upon me!
ALVAR.

ALVAR.
Alas!

Heal, O heal him, Heaven' That day when thou didst leap from off the rock

ORDONIO. Into the waves, and grasp'd thy sinking brother, Nearer and nearer! and I cannot stir! And bore him to the strand : then, son of Valdez, Will no one hear these stifled groans, and wake me

TERESA.

OR DONIO.

ALVAR.

TERESA.

TERESA,

ALHADRA.

ORDONIO.

ALHADRA.

ORDONIO.

ALHADRA.

ALVAR.

He would have died to save me, and I kill'd him- She hath avenged the blood of Isidore !
A husband and a father!-

I stood in silence like a slave before her,

That I might taste the wormwood and the gall, Some secret poison

And satiate this self-accusing heart Drinks up his spirits !

With bitterer agonies than death can give.

Forgive me, Alvar!.
ORDONIO (fiercely recollecting himself).
Let the eternal Justice

Oh! couldst thou forget me! (Dies
Prepare my punishment in the obscure world |[Alvar and TERESA bend over the body of ORDONIO
I will not bear to live
to live-0 agony !

ALHADRA (to the Moors). And be myself alone my own sore torment! I thank thee, Heaven! thou hast ordain'd it wisely, [The doors of the dungeon are broken open, and in That still extremes bring their own cure. That point rush ALHADRA, and the band of MORESCOES. In misery, which makes the oppressed Man

Regardless of his own life, makes him too Seize first that man!

Lord of the Oppressor's—Knew I a hundred men [Alvar presses onward to defend ORDONIO. This arm should shake the Kingdoms of the World,

Despairing, but not palsied by despair,

The deep foundations of iniquity Off, ruffians! I have flung away my sword. Should sink away, earth groaning from beneath them; Woman, my life is thine! to thee I give it! The strong-holds of the cruel men should fall, Off! he that touches me with his hand of flesh,

Their Temples and their mountainous Towers should I'll rend his limbs asunder! I have strength

fall; With this bare arm to scatter you like ashes. Till Desolation seem'd a beautiful thing,

And all that were, and had the Spirit of Life, My husband

Sang a new song to her who had gone forth,

Conquering and still to conquer!
Yes, I murder'd him most foully.

(ALHADRA hurries off with the Moors ; the stage fills

with armed Peasants and Serrants, ZULIMEZ ALVAR and TERESA.

and Valdez at their head. VALDEZ rushes into O horrible!

ALVAR's arms.
Why didst thou leave his children ?
Demon, thou shouldst have sent thy dogs of hell Turn not thy face that way, my father! hide,
To lap their blood! Then, then I might have harden'a Oh hide it from his eye! Oh let thy joy
My soul in misery, and have had comfort.

Flow in unmingled stream through thy first blessing I would have stood far off, quiet though dark,

[Both kneel to VALDEZ And bade the race of men raise up a mourning For a deep horror of desolation,

My Son! My Alvar! bless, Oh bless him, Heaven!
Too great to be one soul's particular lot!
Brother of Zagri! let me lean upon thee.

Me too, my Father?
[Struggling to suppress her feelings.
The time is not yet come for woman's anguish.
I have not seen his blood—Within an hour

Bless, Oh bless my children!

(Both rise. Those little ones will crowd around and ask me, Where is our father? I shall curse thee then! Wert thou in heaven, my curse would pluck thee Were ominous. In these strange dread events

Delights so full, if unalloy'd with grief, thence!

Just Heaven instructs us with an awful voice,

That Conscience rules us e'en against our choice. He doth repent! See, see, I kneel to thee!

Our inward monitress to guide or warn,
O let him live! That aged man, his father-

If listen'd to; but if repell’d with scorn,
ALHADRA (slernly)

At length as dire Remorse, she reappears,
Why had he such a son ?

Works in our guilty hopes, and selfish fears! [Shouts from the distance of, Rescue! Rescue! Still bids, Remember! and still cries, Too late ! Alvar! Alvar! and the voice of VALDEZ heard. And while she scares us, goads us to our fate.

ALHADRA.
Rescue ?—and Isidore's Spirit unavenged ?
The deed be mine! [Suddenly stabs ORDONIO.
Now take my life!

APPENDIX.
ggering from the wound).

Atonement!
Alvar (while with TERESA supporting ORDONIO).

Note 1, page 81, col. 1
Arm of avenging Heaven,
Thou hast snatch'd from me my most cherish'd hope.

You are a painter
But go! my word was pledged to thee.

The following lines I have preserved in this place, ORDONIO.

not so much as explanatory of the picture of the

Away! assassination, as (if I may say so without disrespect Brave not my father's rage! I thank thee! Thou to the Public) to gratify my own feelings, the passage [Then turning his eyes languidly l0 ALVAR. being no mere fancy portrait ; but a slighı, yet not

VALDEZ.

TERESA.

VALDEZ.

ALVAR.

TERESA.

ORDONIO