For ever curling, like a wreath of smoke, Up through the foliage of those faery trees. His cot stands opposite. You cannot miss it. Ord. [in retiring stops suddenly at the edge of the scene, and then turning round to ISIDORE.] Ha!-Who lurks there? Have we been overheard?

There where the smooth high wall of slate-rock glitters

Isid. 'Neath those tall stones, which propping each the other,

Form a mock portal with their pointed arch ?
Pardon my smiles! 'Tis a poor idiot boy,
Who sits in the sun, and twirls a bough about,
His weak eyes seeth'd in most unmeaning tears.
And so he sits, swaying his cone-like head,
And, staring at his bough from morn to sun-set,
See-saws his voice in inarticulate noises.

Ord. 'Tis well! and now for this same wizard's lair.

Isid. Some three strides up the hill, a mountain ash Stretches its lower boughs and scarlet clusters

O'er the old thatch.

Ord.

I shall not fail to find it.

[Exeunt ORDONIO and ISIDORE.

SCENE II.

The inside of a Cottage, around which flowers and plants of various kinds are seen.. ·Discovers ALVAR, ZULIMEZ and ALHADRA, as on the point of leaving.

Alh. [addressing ALVAR.] Farewell then! and though many thoughts perplex me,

Aught evil or ignoble never can I

Suspect of thee! If what thou seem'st thou art,
The oppressed brethren of thy blood have need
Of such a leader.

Alv.

Nobly minded woman!

Long time against oppression have I fought,

And for the native liberty of faith

Have bled and suffered bonds. Of this be certain : Time, as he courses onward, still unrolls

The volume of concealment. In the future,

As in the optician's glassy cylinder,

The indistinguishable blots and colours
Of the dim past collect and shape themselves
Upstarting in their own completed image
To scare or to reward.

I sought the guilty,
And what I sought I found: but ere the spear
Flew from my hand, there rose an angel form
Betwixt me and my aim. With baffled purpose
To the Avenger I leave vengeance, and depart!

Whate'er betide, if aught my arm may aid,
Or power protect, my word is pledged to thee:
For many are thy wrongs, and thy soul noble.
Once more, farewell.

[Exit ALHADRA.
Yes, to the Belgic states
We will return. These robes, this stained complexion,
Akin to falsehood, weigh upon my spirit.

Whate'er befall us, the heroic Maurice

Will grant us an asylum, in remembrance

Of our past services.

Zul. And all the wealth, power, influence which is

yours,

You let a murderer hold?

O faithful Zulimez!

Alv.
That my return involved Ordonio's death,
I trust, would give me an unmingled pang,
Yet bearable:- but when I see my father
Strewing his scant gray hairs, e'en on the ground,

Which soon must be his grave, and my Teresa-
Her husband proved a murderer, and her infants
His infants-poor Teresa !—all would perish,
All perish-all; and I (nay bear with me)
Could not survive the complicated ruin!

Zul. [much affected.] Nay now! I have distressed you—you well know,

I ne'er will quit your fortunes. True, 'tis tiresome:
You are a painter,* one of many
fancies!

You can call up past deeds, and make them live
On the blank canvas! and each little herb,
That grows on mountain bleak, or tangled forest,
You have learnt to name-

Hark! heard you not some footsteps? Alv. What if it were my brother coming onwards ? I sent a most mysterious message to him.

Enter ORDONIO.

Alv. [starting.] It is he!

Ord. [to himself as he enters]. If I distinguished right her gait and stature,

It was the Moorish woman, Isidore's wife, That passed me as I entered. A lit taper, In the night air, doth not more naturally Attract the night-flies round it, than a conjuror Draws round him the whole female neighbourhood. [Addressing ALVAR.] You know my name, I guess, if not my person.

I am Ordonio, son of the Lord Valdez.

Alv. [with deep emotion.] The son of Valdez!

[ORDONIO walks leisurely round the room, and looks attentively at the plants.

Zul. [to ALVAR.]

Why, what ails you now? How your hand trembles! Alvar, speak! what wish you?

* See Note.

Al. To fall upon his neck and weep forgiveness! Ord. [returning and aloud.] Plucked in the moonlight from a ruined abbey—

Those only, which the pale rays visited!

O the unintelligible power of weeds,

When a few odd prayers have been muttered o'er them :

Then they work miracles! I warrant you,

There's not a leaf, but underneath it lurks

Some serviceable imp.

There's one of you

Hath sent me a strange message.

I am he.

Alv.
Ord. With you, then, I am to speak :

[Haughtily waving his hand to ZULIMEZ. And mark you, alone. [Exit ZULIMEZ.

"He that can bring the dead to life again!"-
Such was your message, sir! You are no dullard,
But one that strips the outward rind of things!

Alv. 'Tis fabled there are fruits with tempting rinds, That are all dust and rottenness within.

Would'st thou I should strip such ?

Ord.

Thou quibbling fool, What dost thou mean? Think'st thou I journied hither To sport with thee?

Alv.

O no, my lord! to sport

Best suits the gaiety of innocence.

Ord. [aside.] O what a thing is man! the wisest heart A fool! a fool that laughs at its own folly,

The Inquisition, too-You comprehend me?

You are poor, in peril. I have wealth and power,

Can quench the flames, and cure your poverty;
And for the boon I ask of you but this,

That you should serve me-once-for a few hours.
Alv. [solemnly.] Thou art the son of Valdez! would
to Heaven

That I could truly and for ever serve thee.
Ord. The slave begins to soften [aside].

You are my friend,

"He that can bring the dead to life again;" Nay, no defence to me! The holy brethren Believe these calumnies-I know thee better. [Then with great bitterness.] Thou art a man, and as a man I'll trust thee!

Alv. [aside.] Alas! this hollow mirth-Declare your

business.

Ord. I love a lady, and she would love me

But for an idle and fantastic scruple.

Have you no servants here, no listeners ?

[ORDONIO steps to the door.

Alv. What, faithless too? False to his angel wife? To such a wife? Well might'st thou look so wan, Ill-starr'd Teresa !—Wretch ! my softer soul Is pass'd away, and I will probe his conscience! Ord. In truth this lady loved another man, But he has perished.

Alv.

What! you killed him? hey? Ord. I'll dash thee to the earth,if thou but think'st it! Insolent slave! how dar'dst thou

[Turns abruptly from ALVAR, and then to himself.

Why! what's this?

'Twas idiocy! I'll tie myself to an aspen,

And wear a fool's cap

Alv. [watching his agitation.] Fare thee well, Ordonio !

I pity thee, Ordonio, even to anguish. [ALVAR is retiring.