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To look upon the same-Astarte !—No,

I cannot speak to her-but bid her speak-
Forgive me or condemn me.

MAN.

NEMESIS.

By the

power

The

which hath broken

grave which enthrall'd thee,

Speak to him who hath spoken,

Or those who have call'd thee!

She is silent,

And in that silence I am more than answered.

NEM. My power extends no further. Prince of air!

It rests with thee alone-command her voice.

ARI. Spirit-ôbey this sceptre !

NEM.

She is not of our order, but belongs

Silent still!

To the other powers. Mortal! thy quest is vain,

And we are baffled also.

ΜΑΝ.

Hear me, hear me—

Astarte ! my beloved! speak to me:

I have so much endured-so much endure

Look on me! the grave hath not changed thee more

Than I am changed for thee. Thou lovedst me
Too much, as I loved thee: we were not made
To torture thus each other, though it were
The deadliest sin to love as we have loved.
Say that thou loath'st me not-that I do bear
This punishment for both-that thou wilt be
One of the blessed-and that I shall die;
For hitherto all hateful things conspire

To bind me in existence-in a life

Which makes me shrink from immortality

A future like the past. I cannot rest.

I know not what I ask, nor what I seek:
I feel but what thou art-and what I am;
And I would hear yet once before I perish
The voice which was my music-Speak to me !
For I have call'd on thee in the still night,

Startled the slumbering birds from the hush'd boughs,
And woke the mountain wolves, and made the caves
Acquainted with thy vainly echoed name,
Which answered me- many things answered me-
Spirits and men-but thou wert silent all.
Yet speak to me! I have outwatch'd the stars,
And gazed o'er heaven in vain in search of thee.
Speak to me! I have wandered o'er the earth
And never found thy likeness-Speak to me!
Look on the fiends around-they feel for me:
1 fear them not, and feel for thee alone-

Speak to me! though it be in wrath ;-but say

I reck not what-but let me hear thee once

This once-once more!

PHANTOM OF ASTARTE. Manfred!

MAN.

Say on, say on

I live but in the sound-it is thy voice!

PHAN. Manfred! To-morrow ends thine earthly

Farewell!

ills.

MAN. Yet one word more-am I forgiven?

PHAN. Farewell!

ΜΑΝ.

Say, shall we meet again?

PHAN. Farewell!

MAN. One word for mercy! Say, thou lovest me. PHAN. Manfred!

NEM.

[The Spirit of ASTARTE disappears.

She's gone, and will not be recall'd;

Her words will be fulfil'd. Return to the earth.

A SPIRIT. He is convulsed-This is to be a mortal

And seek the things beyond mortality.

ANOTHER SPIRIT. Yet, see, he mastereth himself, and makes

His torture tributary to his will.

Had he been one of us, he would have made

[blocks in formation]

MAN. We meet then! Where? On the earth ?

Even as thou wilt: and for the grace accorded

I now depart a debtor. Fare ye well!

(Scene closes.)

[Exit MANFRED.

END OF ACT SECOND.

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