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(abruptly). A joy to thee!

       What if thou heard’st him now? What if his spirit 80

       Re-enter’d its cold corse, and came upon thee,

       With many a stab from many a murderer’s poniard?

       What if, his steadfast eye still beaming pity

       And brother’s love, he turn’d his head aside,

       Lest he should look at thee, and with one look 85

       Hurl thee beyond all power of penitence?

      Velez. These are unholy fancies!

      Osorio (struggling with his feelings). Yes, my father!

       He is in heaven!

      Albert (still to Osorio). But what if this same brother

       Had lived even so, that at his dying hour

       The name of heaven would have convuls’d his face 90

       More than the death-pang?

      Maria. Idly-prating man!

       He was most virtuous.

      Albert (still to Osorio). What if his very virtues

       Had pamper’d his swoln heart, and made him proud?

       And what if pride had duped him into guilt,

       Yet still he stalk’d, a self-created God, 95

       Not very bold, but excellently cunning;

       And one that at his mother’s looking-glass,

       Would force his features to a frowning sternness?

       Young lord! I tell thee, that there are such beings, —

       Yea, and it gives fierce merriment to the damn’d, 100

       To see these most proud men, that loathe mankind,

       At every stir and buz of coward conscience,

       Trick, cant, and lie, most whining hypocrites!

       Away! away! Now let me hear more music. [Music as before.

      Albert. The spell is mutter’d — come, thou wandering shape, 105

       Who own’st no master in an eye of flesh,

       Whate’er be this man’s doom, fair be it or foul,

       If he be dead, come quick, and bring with thee

       That which he grasp’d in death; and if he lives,

       Some token of his obscure perilous life. 110

      [The whole orchestra crashes into one chorus.

      Wandering demon! hear the spell

       Lest a blacker charm compel!

      [A thunder-clap. The incense on the altar takes

       fire suddenly.

      Maria. This is some trick — I know, it is a trick.

       Yet my weak fancy, and these bodily creepings,

       Would fain give substance to the shadow.

      Velez (advancing to the altar). Hah! 115

       A picture!

      Maria. O God! my picture?

      Albert (gazing at Maria with wild impatient distressfulness).

       Pale — pale — deadly pale!

      Maria. He grasp’d it when he died.

      [She swoons. ALBERT rushes to her and supports her.

      Albert. My love! my wife!

       Pale — pale, and cold! My love! my wife! Maria!

      [VELEZ is at the altar. OSORIO remains near him in a

       state of stupor.

      Osorio (rousing himself). Where am I? ‘Twas a lazy chilliness. 120

      Velez (takes and conceals the picture in his robe). This way, my

       son! She must not see this picture.

       Go, call the attendants! Life will soon ebb back!

      [VELEZ and OSORIO leave the stage.

      Albert. Her pulse doth flutter. Maria! my Maria!

      Maria (recovering — looks round). I heard a voice — but often in

       my dreams,

       I hear that voice, and wake; and try, and try, 125

       To hear it waking — but I never could!

       And ‘tis so now — even so! Well, he is dead,

       Murder’d perhaps! and I am faint, and feel

       As if it were no painful thing to die!

      Albert (eagerly). Believe it not, sweet maid! believe it not, 130

       Beloved woman! ‘Twas a low imposture

       Framed by a guilty wretch.

      Maria. Ha! who art thou?

      Albert (exceedingly agitated). My heart bursts over thee!

      Maria. Didst thou murder him?

       And dost thou now repent? Poor troubled man!

       I do forgive thee, and may Heaven forgive thee! 135

      Albert (aside). Let me be gone.

      Maria. If thou didst murder him,

       His spirit ever, at the throne of God,

       Asks mercy for thee, prays for mercy for thee,

       With tears in heaven!

      Albert. Albert was not murder’d.

       Your foster-mother ——

      Maria. And doth she know aught? 140

      Albert. She knows not aught — but haste thou to her cottage

       Tomorrow early — bring Lord Velez with thee.

       There ye must meet me — but your servants come.

      Maria (wildly). Nay — nay — but tell me!

      [A pause — then presses her forehead.

      Ah! ‘tis lost again!

       This dead confused pain! [A pause — she gazes at ALBERT.

       Mysterious man! 145

       Methinks, I cannot fear thee — for thine eye

       Doth swim with pity — I will lean on thee.

      [Exeunt ALBERT and MARIA.

      Re-enter VELEZ and OSORIO.

      Velez (sportively). You shall not see the picture, till you own

       it.

      Osorio. This mirth and raillery, sir! beseem your age.

       I am content to be more serious. 150

      Velez. Do you think I did not scent it from the first?

       An excellent scheme, and excellently managed.

       ‘Twill blow away her doubts, and now she’ll wed you,

       I’faith, the likeness is most admirable.

       I saw the trick — yet these old eyes grew dimmer 155

       With very foolish tears, it look’d so like him!

      Osorio. Where should I get her portrait?

      Velez. Get her portrait?

       Portrait? You mean the picture! At the painter’s —

       No difficulty then — but that you lit upon

       A fellow that could play the sorcerer, 160

       With such a grace and terrible majesty,

       It was most

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