But when he finds Alonzo is no more,
How will he rush like lightning to her arms!
There sigh, there languish, there pour out his soul
But not in grief-sad obsequies to thee!
But thou wilt be at peace, nor see, nor hear
The burning kiss, the sigh of ecstacy.
Their throbbing hearts that jostle one another:
Thank heaven, these torments will be all my own.
Alon. I'll ease thee of that pain. Let Carlos die,
O'ertake him on the road, and see it done.
"Tis my command.
(Gives his signet.)
Zan. I dare not disobey.
Alon. My Zanga, now I have thy leave to die.
Zan. Ah, sir! think, think again. Are all men
buried
In Carlos' grave? You know not womankind.
When once the throbbing of the heart has broke
The modest zone, with which it was first tied,
Each man she meets will be a Carlos to her.
Alon. That thought has more of hell than had the
Another, and another, and another! [former;
And each shall cast a smile upon my tomb.
I am convinc'd: I must not, will not die.
Zan. You cannot die; nor can you murder her. What then remains? In nature no third way, But to forget, and so to love again.
Then sunk beneath an hundred wounds to death.
His last breath blest Alonzo, and desir'd
His bones might rest near yours.
Alon. O Zanga, Zanga!
But I'll not think:
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.
Zan. I told her, from your childhood you were
On any great surprise, but chiefly then, [wont,
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 suppresing by what means he fell)
And laid the blame on that. At first she doubted;
But such the honest artifice I used,
That she, at length, was fully satisfied.
But what design you, sir, and how?
Alon. I'll tell thee.
Thus I've ordain'd it. In the jasmine bower,
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)
Zan. If you forgive, the world will call you good; The blackness of her crime before her sight, If you forget, the world will call you wise; If you receive her to your grace again, The world will call you very, very kind.
Alon. Zanga, I understand thee well. She dies; Though my arm trembles at the stroke, she dies. Zan. That's truly great. What think you 'twas
The Greek and Roman name in such a lustre,
But doing right, in stern despite to Nature;
Shutting their ears to all her little cries,
When great, august, and godlike justice call'd?
At Aulis, one pour'd out a daughter's life,
And gain'd more glory than by all his wars;
Another slew a sister in just rage;
A third, the theme of all succeeding times,
Gave to the cruel axe a darling son.
Nay more, for justice some devote themselves,
As he at Carthage, an immortal name!
Yet there is one step left above them all,
Above their history, above their fable,
A wife, bride, mistress, unenjoy'd-do that,
And tread upon the Greek and Roman glory.
Alon. 'Tis done!-Again new transports fire my
I had forgot it, 'tis my bridal night.
[brain:
Friend, give me joy, we must be gay together;
See that the festival be duly honour'd,
And when with garlands the full bowl is crown'd,
And music gives the elevating sound,
And golden carpets spread the sacred floor,
And a new day the blazing tapers pour,
Thou, Zanga, thou my solemn friends invite,
From the dark realms of everlasting night;
Call vengeance, call the Furies, call Despair,
And Death, our chief-invited guest, be there;
He, with pale hand, shall lead the bride, and spread
Eternal curtains round her nuptial bed. [Exeunt.
SCENE I-Another Apartment in the palace.
Enter ZANGA and ALONZO.
Alon. Is Carlos murder'd?
Zan. I obey'd your order.
Six ruffians overtook him on the road!
He fought as he was wont, and four he slew
And then with all the cool solemnity
Of public justice, give her to the grave. [Exit.
Zan. Why, get thee gone! horror and night go
Sisters of Acheron, go hand in hand; [with thee.
Go dance around the bower, and close them in;
And tell them, that I sent you to salute them.
Profane the ground, and for the ambrosial rose,
And breath of jasmine, let hemlock blacken,
And deadly nightshade poison all the air;
For the sweet nightingale may ravens croak,
Toads pant, and adders rustle through the leaves;
May serpents, winding through the trees, let fall
Their hissing necks upon them, from above,
And mingle kisses-such as I should give them!
[Exit.
SCENE II-The Bower. Leonora sleeping.
Alon. Ye amaranths! ye roses, like the morn!
Sweet myrtles, and ye golden orange groves!
Are ye not blasted as I enter in?
Joy-giving, love-inspiring, holy bower!
Know, in thy fragrant bosom thou receivest
A murderer!- (He advances.) Ha! she sleeps-
The day's uncommon heat has overcome her.
Then take, my longing eyes, your last full gaze.
Oh, what a sight is here! how dreadful fair!
Who would not think that being innocent?
Oh, my distracted heart!-Oh, cruel Heaven!
To give such charms as these, and then call man,
Mere man, to be your executioner!
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 through them all. (As he is going to strike, she wakes.) Leon. My lord, your stay was long, and yonder Of falling waters tempted me to rest, (lull Dispirited with noon's excessive heat. [the day! Alon. Ye powers! with what an eye she mends While those were clos'd I should have given the
Alon. Why, this Alonzo says:
If love were endless, men were gods; 'tis that
Alon. O, Zanga, hold thy peace! I am no coward,
But heaven itself did hold my hand; I felt it,
By the well-being of my soul, I did.
I'll think of vengeance at another season.
Zan. My lord, her guilt-
Alon. Perdition on thee, Moor,
For that one word!
I love her to distraction.
If 'tis my shame, why, be it so I love her;
Nor can I help it; 'tis impos'd upon me
By some superior and resistless power.
I could not hurt her to be lord of earth;
It shocks my nature like a stroke from heaven.
But see, my Leonora comes. Begone.
Alon. Bear her to instant help. The world to save her! [tremble: Leon. Unhappy man! well may'st thou gaze and But fix thy terror and amazement right; Not on my blood, but on thy own distraction. What hast thou done? Whom censur'd? Leonora? When thou hadst censur'd, thou wouldst save her O, inconsistent! Should I live in shame; Or stoop to any other means but this To assert my virtue? No; she, who disputes, Admits it possible she might be guilty,
While aught but truth could be my inducement to [ O, my dear countrymen, look down and see
While it might look like an excuse to thee,
I scorn'd to vindicate my innocence;
But now, I let thy rashness know, the wound,
Which least I feel, is that my dagger made.
(Isabella leads out Leonora.)
Alon. Ha! was this woman guilty? And if not-
How my thoughts darken that way! Grant, kind
That she prove guilty; or my being end. [heaven,
Is that my hope, then?
Is it in man the sore distress to bear,
When hope itself is blacken'd to despair;
When all the bliss I pant for, is to gain
In hell, a refuge from severer pain?
How I bestride your prostrate conqueror!
I tread on haughty Spain, and all her kings.
But this is mercy, this is my indulgence;
'Tis peace, 'tis refuge from my indignation.
I must awake him into horrors. Ho!
Alonzo, ho! the Moor is at the gate!
Awake, invincible, omnipotent!
Thou, who dost all subdue.
Alon. Inhuman slave!
[racter. Zan. Fall'n Christian, thou mistak'st my chaLook on me. Who am I? I know, thou say'st, The Moor, a slave, an abject, beaten slave: [Exit. (Eternal woes to him that made me so!)
And, in the tempeet of his grief, has thrice
Attempted on his life. At length disarm'd,
He calls his friends that save him, his worst foes,
And importunes the skies for swift perdition.
After a pause,
He started up, and call'd aloud for Zanga,
For Zanga rav'd; and see, he seeks you here,
To learn that truth, which most he dreads to know.
Zan. Begone. Now, now, my soul, consummate
all.
[Exit Isabella.
Zan. Do not tremble so, but speak.
Alon. I dare not.
Zan. You will drown me with your tears.
Alon. Have I not cause?
Zan. As yet you have no cause
Alon. Dost thou, too, rave?
But look again. Has six years' cruel bondage
Extinguish'd majesty so far, that nought
Shines here to give an awe of one above thee?
When the great Moorish king, Abdallah, fell;
Fell by thy hand accurs'd, I fought fast by him,
His son; though, through his fondness, in disguise.
Less to expose me to th' ambitious foe.-
Ha! does it wake thee?-O'er my father's corse
I stood astride, till I had clove thy crest;
And then was made the captive of a squadron,
And sunk into thy servant-But, oh! what,
What were my wages! Hear, nor heaven nor
earth!
My wages were a blow! by heaven, a blow!
And from a mortal hand!
Alon. Oh, villain, villain!
Zan. All strife is vain.
Alon. Is thus my love return'd?
Is this my recompense? Make friends of tigers
Lay not your young, O, mothers, on the breast,
For fear they turn to serpents as they lie,
And pay you for their nourishment with death.
Carlos is dead, and Leonora dying!
Both innocent, both murder'd, both by me.
Oh, shame! Oh, guilt! Oh, horror! Oh, remorse!
Oh, punishment! Had Satan never fall'n,
Hell had been made for me.-Oh, Leonora! Leo-
nora! Leonora!
[thee?
Zan. Must I despise thee, too, as well as hate
Complain of grief! complain thou art a man.
Priam from fortune's iofty summit fell;
Great Alexander 'midst his conquests mourn'd;
(Falls on him.) Heroes and demigods have known their sorrows;
Cæsars have wept; and I have had my blow:
But 'tis reveng'd, and now my work is done.
Yet, ere I fall, be it one part of vengeance
To make ev'n thee confess that I am just.
Thou seest a prince, whose father thou ha** slain,
Whose native country thou hast laid in blood,
Whose sacred person, oh! thou hast profan'd!
Whose reign extinguish'd: What was left to me,
So highly born? No kingdom, but revenge;
No treasure, but thy tortures and thy groans.
If cold white mortals censure this great deed,
Warn them, they judge not of superior beings,
Souls made of fire, and children of ths sun.
With whom revenge is virtue. Fare thee well-
Now, fully satisfy'd, I should take leave;
But one thing grieves me, since thy death is near,
I leave thee my example how to die.
Alon. By heaven! Oh, give him to my fury!
Zun. Born for your use, I live but to oblige you. Know, then, 'twas-I.
Alon. Am I awake?
Zan. For ever.
Thy wife is guiltless-that's one transport to me;
And I, I let thee know it-that's another.
I urg'd Don Carlos to resign his mistress;
forg'd the letter; I dispos'd the picture;-
I hated, I despis'd, and I destroy.
Told all the dreadful tale.
Alon. What groan was that?
Zan. As I have been a vulture to my heart,
So will I be a raven to thine ear.
Enter MANUEL, who whispers Alvarez.
And true as ever snuff'd the scent of blood,
As ever flapp'd its heavy wing against
The window of the sick, and croak'd despair.
Thy wife is dead.
Alv. The dreadful news is true.
Alon. Prepare the rack; invent new tortures for him.
Zan. This, too, is well. The fix'd and noble mind
Turns all occurrence to its own advantage;
And I'll make vengeance of calamity.
Were I not thus reduced, thou wouldst not know
That, thus reduced, I dare defy thee still.
Torture thou may'st, but thou shalt ne'er de-
spise me,
The blood will follow where the knife is driven,
The flesh will quiver where the pincers tear,
And sighs and cries by nature grow on pain.
But those are foreign to the soul; not mine
The groans that issue, or the tears that fall;
They disobey me: on the rack I scorn thee,
As when my faulchion clove thy helm in battle.
Alv. Peace, villain!
Zan. While I live, old man, I'll speak:
And well I know thou darest not kill me yet;
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The wheel's prepar'd, and you shall have it all;
Let me but look one moment on the dead,
And pay yourselves with gazing on my pangs.
(He goes to Alonzo s body.)
Is this Alonzo? Where's the haughty mien?
Is that the hand which smote me? Heavens, how
pale
And art thou dead? So is my enmity.
I war not with the dust. The great, the proud,
The conqueror of Afric was my foe.
A lion preys not upon carcases.
This was the only method to subdue me.
Terror and doubt fall on me; all thy good
Now blazes, all thy guilt is in the grave.
Never had man such funeral applause;
If I lament thee, sure thy worth was great.
O vengeance, I have followed thee too far,
And to receive me, hell blows all her fires. Exeunt.
A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS.-BY GEORGE COLMAN.
be borne. You take a pleasure in abusing my ten
SCENE L-A Room in Oakly's House.-Noise heard derness and soft disposition. To be perpetually
running over the whole town, nay, the whole kingdom, too, in pursuit of your amours! Did not I
Mrs. O. (Within.) Don't tell me: I know it is so: discover that you was great with mademoiselle, it's monstrous, and I will not bear it.
Oak (Within.) But, my dear!Mrs. O. Nay, nay. (Squabbling within.) Enter MES. OAKLY, with a letter, jollowed by OAKLY.
Mrs. O. Say what you will, Mr. Oakly, you shall never persuade me but this is some filthy intrigue of yours.
Oak, i can assure you, my love
Mrs. 0. Your love! Don't I know your-Tell me, I say, this instant, every circumstance relating to this letter.
Oak. How can I tell you, when you will not so much as let me see it?
Mrs. O. Lookye, Mr. Oakly, this usage is not to
my own woman? Did not you contract a shameful familiarity with Mrs. Freeman? Did not I detect your intrigue with Lady Wealthy? Was not you
Oak. Oons! madam, the Grand Turk himself has not half so many mistresses. You throw me out of all patience! Do I know anybody but our common friends? Am I visited by anybody that does not visit you? Do I ever go out, unless you go with me? And am I not as constantly by your side, as if I were tied to your apron-strings?
Mrs. O. Go, go! you are a false man. Have not I found you out a thousand times? And have not I this moment a letter in my hand, which convinces me of your baseness? Let me know the whole affair, or I will
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