Mor. Fools! not to see through my hypocrisy ! That, in the borrow'd guise of honest friendship, I studied but to lure them to my toils→

Conceal'd from upper light, it yields a safe

Retreat through that they purpos'd their escape.

Grey. Within the secret womb of that same vault, When all the castle's hush'd, their bleeding trunks We will deposit.

Mor. Yes we will be bloody.

out.

Grey. Here is the weapon-Be firm, and prosper. [Mor. receives a dagger and goes -Thou too, unthinking fool, must this hour bleed― Would it were over-they may chance to wake.— Thou, Sleep! still child of sable-hooded night, Befriend us! From thy dark Lethean cell Up-conjure all thy store of drowsy charms: Lock fast their lids, o'erpower each torpid sense, That they awake not ere the deed be done—

[Bell tolls. -The second watch: and like death's curfew, deep And dismal verberates the solemn knell !

Enter a Knight.

Kat. A stranger, sir, who calls him Oswald, waits Without the castle, and would speak with you. Grey. Oswald 1-He is our friend.

Kat. I have not learn'd

His errand; but, as it would seem, he comes

With news that much imports thy present hearing.

Grey. I'll speak with him anon.

Knt. I know not what

Their purpose; but even now, as on the tower
I stood, which high o'erlooks the eastern causeway,
Methought I heard the distant sound of horses,
As hither bent in full career.

Grey. Th' sound

Of horsel-Look out; call up our knights-away.

[Exit Knt. -What can delay him?-Should my present hopes Miscarry, I will bear the lady hence,

And make her hostage for my safety; nay,
Perchance, what I have some incentives to,
Supplant them both, the lover and the husband-
He comes! -

Re-enter MORTON.

Mor. Oh that the earth would yawn and cover mel Or that Heaven's quick-devouring fires had shrunk And whither'd up this arm when it was rais'dEyes! eyes! why clos'd ye not ere you beheld The ghastly ruin?

Grey. Speak, direct-are they dispos'd?

Mor. Away!-thou hast destroy'd my peace for everHad you beheld him as he lay, struggling In the cold gripe of death; his cheeks o'erspread With livid pale; those eyes, that late shot forth So radiant, now quite sunk; their burning lamps Extinct; while from the deep-mouth'd wound, As from a copious fountain, issued forth

Life's purple springs.

I would have fled, but horror for a space

Suspended every power.

Grey. 'Tis well

Hast thou then slain Lord Salisbury ?

At thy own peril be it—Help !—He has slain

The innocent!

They're murder'd, foully murder'd by a slave. [Exit. Mor. The earth has teem'd with prodigies—this sure Out-monsters all !

Enter RAYMOND hastily, with his Sword drawn.

Ray. On what purpose art thou here?

Mor. Lord Raymond cannot be a stranger sure.
Ray. A dagger!-what hast thou done?
Mor. Did not my lord approve the deed?
Ray. What deed?

Mor. How this!-My lord,

I had your sanction ratified by Grey;

With promise of high recompence the hour

When Salisbury should expire.

Ray. Accurs'd be he that told thee so; and thou

That gav'st him credit!

Mor. This is strangel

Ray. Approve!

I did not; by the powers of truth I did not-
Remorseless villain I-Where, where shall I hide
Me? whither shall I fly ?—O deed of horror!-
Thy blood, detested hireling, shall in part
Compensate.

Mor. Hold-He cannot sure dissemble

Wish you, my lord, this deed were yet undone ?
Ray. What would the monster i-Oh! could I recall
His life by killing twenty thousand slaves

Like thee, it were a comfort !

Mor. I believe

That you are innocent :-know then, my lord-
He lives he sleeps; and sleeps secure of harm.
Ray. Take heed thou dost not trifle.

Mor. I will confess

Me true, and Heaven forgive my foul intent!
I undertook to slay this innocent:

Approach'd him as a friend-I saw his sufferings;
Saw his distracted wife: at length I curs'd,
And in my heart abjur'd the wicked purpose.
Ray. Had'st thou the goodness! Then, perhaps
Mor. I thought

Haply that you yourself night soon relent.
-This instrument of purpos'd cruelty,

I took; and with a fair-devised tale

Of Salisbury's death, amus'd the guilty wretch
That would ensnare your quiet.

Ray. Is this honest ?

Mor. Approach, my lord, approach, and let your eye Be witness of my truth-In doing thus,

I thought I should be deem'd Lord Raymond's friend.

Ray. Thou wert the best of friends!-Retire thou

now

One way there yet remains to reconcile

[Exit Mor.

This double war, and heal my tortur'd bosom.—

Thou, that so soundly sleep'st, unguarded thus

[Going to the side of the stage.

Against whatever ill that may approach thee,

Awake! -rouse from the bed of listless sleep,
And see who comes to greet thee.

Enter LORD SALISBURY,

Lord Sal. Do I dream?

Or am I in the regions of the unblest,

Beset with monsters?Though thou art a fiend, I will attempt thee.

Ray. Rush not on my weapon.

I have sought thee on a cause which honour loves;
And would not have thee mar my soul's fair purpose.
Lord Sal. Inglorious! base! Oh, shame to man-
hood I-Dearly

Shalt thou atone the accumulated wrongs
That I do bleed withal.Nor sea, nor earth,
Though thou should'st traverse her remotest climes,
Shall shelter thee from my determin'd fury.

Ray. Think not that I shall fly thee; or that I
Have sought thee now, but on such terms as even
May challenge thy applause. I come a foe
Indeed, but i do come a generous foe.

Lord Sal. A generous foe!The brave indeed aspire

To generous acts—their every thought looks up,
And honour's dictates are their only function:

But thou!-what terms would'st thou propose? What

act