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And half made love to her! I suppose you’ll ask me

       Why did he so?

      Osorio (with deep tones of suppressed agitation). Ay, wherefore

       did he so? 165

      Velez. Because you bade him — and an excellent thought!

       A mighty man, and gentle as he is mighty.

       He’ll wind into her confidence, and rout

       A host of scruples — come, confess, Osorio!

      Osorio. You pierce through mysteries with a lynx’s eye, 170

       In this, your merry mood! you see it all!

      Velez. Why, no! — not all. I have not yet discover’d,

       At least, not wholly, what his speeches meant.

       Pride and hypocrisy, and guilt and cunning —

       Then when he fix’d his obstinate eye on you, 175

       And you pretended to look strange and tremble.

       Why — why — what ails you now?

      Osorio (with a stupid stare). Me? why? what ails me?

       A pricking of the blood — it might have happen’d

       At any other time. Why scan you me?

      Velez (clapping him on the shoulder). ‘Twon’t do—’twon’t do — I

       have lived too long in the world. 180

       His speech about the corse and stabs and murderers,

       Had reference to the assassins in the picture:

       That I made out.

      Osorio (with a frantic eagerness). Assassins! what assassins!

      Velez. Well-acted, on my life! Your curiosity

       Runs open-mouth’d, ravenous as winter wolf. 185

       I dare not stand in its way. [He shows OSORIO the picture.

      Osorio. Dup’d — dup’d — dup’d!

       That villain Ferdinand! (aside).

      Velez. Dup’d — dup’d — not I.

       As he swept by me ——

      Osorio. Ha! what did he say?

      Velez. He caught his garment up and hid his face.

       It seem’d as he were struggling to suppress —— 190

      Osorio. A laugh! a laugh! O hell! he laughs at me!

      Velez. It heaved his chest more like a violent sob.

      Osorio. A choking laugh! [A pause — then very wildly.

       I tell thee, my dear father!

       I am most glad of this!

      Velez. Glad! — aye — to be sure.

      Osorio. I was benumb’d, and stagger’d up and down 195

       Thro’ darkness without light — dark — dark — dark —

       And every inch of this my flesh did feel

       As if a cold toad touch’d it! Now ‘tis sunshine,

       And the blood dances freely thro’ its channels!

      [He turns off — then (to himself) mimicking FERDINAND’S

       manner.

      ‘A common trick of gratitude, my lord! 200

       Old Gratitude! a dagger would dissect

       His own full heart,’ ‘twere good to see its colour!

      Velez (looking intently at the picture). Calm, yet commanding!

       how he bares his breast,

       Yet still they stand with dim uncertain looks,

       As penitence had run before their crime. 205

       A crime too black for aught to follow it

       Save blasphemous despair! See this man’s face —

       With what a difficult toil he drags his soul

       To do the deed. [Then to OSORIO.

       O this was delicate flattery

       To poor Maria, and I love thee for it! 210

      Osorio (in a slow voice with a reasoning laugh). Love — love — and

       then we hate — and what? and wherefore?

       Hatred and love. Strange things! both strange alike!

       What if one reptile sting another reptile,

       Where is the crime? The goodly face of Nature

       Hath one trail less of slimy filth upon it. 215

       Are we not all predestined rottenness

       And cold dishonor? Grant it that this hand

       Had given a morsel to the hungry worms

       Somewhat too early. Where’s the guilt of this?

       That this must needs bring on the idiotcy 220

       Of moist-eyed penitence—’tis like a dream!

      Velez. Wild talk, my child! but thy excess of feeling

      [Turns off from OSORIO.

      Sometimes, I fear, it will unhinge his brain!

      Osorio. I kill a man and lay him in the sun,

       And in a month there swarm from his dead body 225

       A thousand — nay, ten thousand sentient beings

       In place of that one man whom I had kill’d.

       Now who shall tell me, that each one and all,

       Of these ten thousand lives, is not as happy

       As that one life, which being shov’d aside 230

       Made room for these ten thousand?

      Velez. Wild as madness!

      Osorio. Come, father! you have taught me to be merry,

       And merrily we’ll pore upon this picture.

      Velez (holding the picture before Osorio). That Moor, who points

       his sword at Albert’s breast ——

      Osorio (abruptly). A tender-hearted, scrupulous, grateful

       villain, 235

       Whom I will strangle!

      Velez. And these other two ——

      Osorio. Dead — dead already! — what care I for the dead?

      Velez. The heat of brain and your too strong affection

       For Albert, fighting with your other passion,

       Unsettle you, and give reality 240

       To these your own contrivings.

      Osorio. Is it so?

       You see through all things with your penetration.

       Now I am calm. How fares it with Maria?

       My heart doth ache to see her.

      Velez. Nay — defer it!

       Defer it, dear Osorio! I will go. [Exit VELEZ. 245

      Osorio. A rim of the sun lies yet upon the sea —

       And now ‘tis gone! all may be done this night!

      Enter a Servant.

      Osorio. There is a man, once a Moresco chieftain,

       One Ferdinand.

      Servant. He lives in the Alpuxarras,

       Beneath a slate rock.

      Osorio.

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