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. ALHADRA (¿ddressing 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. ALVAR. Noble-minded woman! Long time against oppression have I fought, And for the native liberty of faith Have bled, and suffer'd bonds. Of this be certain: Time, as he courses onwards, still unrolls The volume of Concealment, In the Future, As in the optician's glassy cylinder, The indistinguishable blots and colors Of the dim Past collect and shape themselves, I sought the guilty, Whate'er betide, if aught my arm may aid, [Exit ALHADRA. Yes, to the Belgic states We will return. These robes, this stain'd complexion, ZULIMEZ. And all the wealth, power, influence which is yours, You let a murderer hold? ALVAR. O faithful Zulimez! 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 TeresaHer 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! ZULIMEZ (much affected). Nay now! I have distress'd you-you well know, Hark! heard you not some footsteps? What follows thence? Vide Appendix, Note 1 ALVAR. ORDONIO. That you would fain be richer Did Alvar perish-he, I mean-the lover- ALVAR. Nay, speak out! 'twill ease your heart To call him villain-Why stand'st thou aghast! Men think it natural to hate their rivals. ORDONIO (hesitating). ALVAR (alone, indignantly flings the purse away, and Now, till she knows him dead, she will not wed me. Should not thy inarticulate Fonduesses, Thy Infant Loves-should not thy Maiden Vows I left you. And thrilling hands, that made me weep and tremble-On such employment! With far other thoughts Ah, coward dupe! to yield it to the miscreant, Who spake pollution of thee! barter for Life This farewell Pledge, which with impassion'd Vow ORDONIO (aside). I had sworn that I would grasp-ev'n in my death- Ha! he has been tampering with her? pang! I am unworthy of thy love, Teresa, Which ever smiled on me! Yet do not scorn me- Dear Portrait! rescued from a traitor's keeping, ACT III. SCENE I. A Hall of Armory, with an Altar at the back of the Stage. Soft Music from an instrument of Glass or Steel. VALDEZ, ORDONIO, and ALVAR in a Sorcerer's robe, are discovered. ORDONIO. This was too melancholy, father. VALDEZ. Nay, My Alvar loved sad music from a child. Some strangely moving notes: and these, he said, His head upon the blind boy's dog. It pleased me ALVAR My tears must not flow! I must not clasp his knees, and cry, My father! Enter TERESA, and Attendants. TERESA. Lord Valdez, you have ask'd my presence here, And I submit; but (Heaven bear witness for me) My heart approves it not! 'tis mockery. ORDONIO. Believe you then no preternatural influence? Believe you not that spirits throng around us? TERESA. [Music Even now your living wheel turns o'er my head! Ye, as ye pass, toss high the desert sands, Till from the blue swoln Corse the Soul toils out, [Here behind the scenes a voice sings the three Soul of Alvar! Of a half dead, yet still undying Hope, So shall the Church's cleansing rites be thine, SONG Behind the Scenes, accompanied by the same Instru ment as before. Hear, sweet spirit, hear the spell, Had pamper'd his swoln heart and made him proud? Yet still he stalk'd a self-created God, Not very bold, but exquisitely cunning; And one that at his Mother's looking-glass Would force his features to a frowning sternness? Still prompts thee wisely. Let the pangs of guilt [Exeunt TERESA and Attendant. (Music as before). The spell is mutter'd-Come, thou wandering Shape [The whole Music clashes into a Chorus CHORUS. Wandering Demons, hear the spell! [The incense on the altar takes fire suddenly, and ORDONIO (starting in great agitation). MONVIEDRO. First seize the sorcerer suffer him not to speak! Plain evidence have we here of most foul sorcery. Why haste you not? Off with him to the dungeon! SCENE II. Interior of a Chapel, with painted Window Enter TERESA. TERESA. When first I enter'd this pure spot, forebodings Young Lord! I tell thee, that there are such Beings-Press'd heavy on my heart: but as I knelt, Yea, and it gives fierce merriment to the damn'd, TERESA. [Music again. Tis strange, I tremble at my own conjectures! Comfort and faithful Hope! Let us retire. Such calm unwonted bliss possess'd my spirit, As alien and unnoticed as the rain-storm VALDEZ. Ye pitying saints, forgive a father's blindness, TERESA. Who wakes anew my fears, and speaks of peril? VALDEZ. O best Teresa, wisely wert thou prompted! With a flash of light it came, in flames it vamsh'd I breathed to the Unerring Permitted prayers. Must those remain unanswer'd, VALDEZ. O not to-day, not now for the first time [Turning off, aloud, but yet as to himself. Disarm'd, o'erpower'd, despairing of defence, TERESA (with a faint shriek). in his hand. Hush! who comes here? The wizard Moor's em- Moors were his murderers, you say? Saints shield us [VALDEZ moves towards the back of the stage to Is Alvar dead? what then? bled Why-why, what ails you now?— ORDONIO (confused). Me? what ails me? A pricking of the blood-It might have happen'd VALDEZ His speech about the corse, and stabs and murderers Bore reference to the assassins The traitor, Isidore! ORDONIO. Duped! duped! duped [A pause; then wildly. I tell thee, my dear father! I am most glad of this. VALDEZ (confused). True Sorcery Merits its doom; and this perchance may guide us I have their statures and their several faces ORDONIO. Yes! yes! we recognize them And the blood dances freely through its channels! This is my virtuous, grateful Isidore! [Then mimicking ISIDORE'S manner and voice. "A common trick of gratitude, my Lord!" Oh Gratitude! a dagger would dissect His "own full heart"-'t were good to see its color. Hatred and Love! Fancies opposed by fancies! And cold Dishonor? Grant it, that this hand VALDEZ. ORDONIO (as he advances with VALDEZ). These are the dungeon keys. Monviedro knew not Wild talk, my son' But thy excess of feelingThat I too had received the wizard message, [Averting himself |