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250

       If you had seen it, you must have remember’d

       The flight of steps his children had worn up it

       With often clambering.

      Osorio. Well, it may be so.

      Servant. Why, now I think on’t, at this time of the year

       ‘Tis hid by vines.

      Osorio (in a muttering voice). The cavern — aye — the cavern.

       He cannot fail to find it. [To the Servant. 255

       Where art going?

       You must deliver to this Ferdinand

       A letter. Stay till I have written it. [Exit the Servant.

      Osorio (alone). The tongue can’t stir when the mouth is fill’d

       with mould.

       A little earth stops up most eloquent mouths, 260

       And a square stone with a few pious texts

       Cut neatly on it, keeps the earth down tight.

      Scene changes to the space before the castle.

      FRANCESCO and a Spy.

      Francesco. Yes! yes! I have the key of all their lives.

       If a man fears me, he is forced to love me.

       And if I can, and do not ruin him, 265

       He is fast bound to serve and honour me!

      [ALBERT enters from the castle, and is crossing

       the stage.

      Spy. There — there — your Reverence! That is the sorcerer.

      [FRANCESCO runs up and rudely catches hold of

       ALBERT. ALBERT dashes him to the earth.

       FRANCESCO and the Spy make an uproar,

       and the servants rush from out the

       castle.

      Francesco. Seize, seize and gag him! or the Church curses you!

      [The servants seize and gag ALBERT.

      Enter VELEZ and OSORIO.

      Osorio (aside). This is most lucky!

      Francesco (inarticulate with rage). See you this, Lord Velez?

       Good evidence have I of most foul sorcery, 270

       And in the name of Holy Church command you

       To give me up the keys — the keys, my lord!

       Of that same dungeon-hole beneath your castle.

       This imp of hell — but we delay enquiry

       Till to Granada we have convoy’d him. 275

      Osorio (to the Servants). Why haste you not? Go, fly and

       dungeon him!

       Then bring the keys and give them to his Reverence.

      [The Servants hurry off ALBERT. OSORIO goes up

       to FRANCESCO, and pointing at ALBERT.

      Osorio (with a laugh). ‘He that can bring the dead to life

       again.’

      Francesco. What? did you hear it?

      Osorio. Yes, and plann’d this scheme

       To bring conviction on him. Ho! a wizard, 280

       Thought I — but where’s the proof! I plann’d this scheme.

       The scheme has answer’d — we have proof enough.

      Francesco. My lord, your pious policy astounds me.

       I trust my honest zeal ——

      Osorio. Nay, reverend father!

       It has but raised my veneration for you. 285

       But ‘twould be well to stop all intertalk

       Between my servants and this child of darkness.

      Francesco. My lord! with speed I’ll go, make swift return,

       And humbly redeliver you the keys. [Exit FRANCESCO.

      Osorio (alone). ‘The stranger, that lives nigh, still picking

       weeds.’ 290

       And this was his friend, his crony, his twin-brother!

      O! I am green, a very simple stripling —

      The wise men of this world make nothing of me.

       By Heaven, ‘twas well contrived! And I, forsooth,

       I was to cut my throat in honour of conscience. 295

       And this tall wizard — ho! — he was to pass

       For Albert’s friend! He hath a trick of his manner.

       He was to tune his voice to honey’d sadness,

       And win her to a transfer of her love

       By lamentable tales of her dear Albert, 300

       And his dear Albert! Yea, she would have lov’d him.

       He, that can sigh out in a woman’s ear

       Sad recollections of her perish’d lover,

       And sob and smile with veering sympathy,

       And, now and then, as if by accident, 305

       Pass his mouth close enough to touch her cheek

       With timid lip, he takes the lover’s place,

       He takes his place, for certain! Dusky rogue,

       Were it not sport to whimper with thy mistress,

       Then steal away and roll upon my grave, 310

       Till thy sides shook with laughter? Blood! blood! blood!

       They want thy blood! thy blood, Osorio!

      [END OF ACT THE THIRD.]

      ACT III.

      SCENE 1. — 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.

      Ord. This was too melancholy, father.

      Val. Nay,

       My Alvar lov’d sad music from a child.

       Once he was lost; and after weary search

       We found him in an open place in [of Osor.] the wood,

       To which spot he had followed a blind boy,

       Who breath’d into a pipe of sycamore

       Some strangely-moving notes: and these, he said,

       Were taught him in a dream. Him we first saw

       Stretch’d on the broad top of a sunny heath-bank;

       And lower down poor Alvar, fast asleep,

       His head upon the blind boy’s dog. It pleas’d me

       To mark how he had fasten’d round the pipe

       A silver toy his {grandmother had Osor.

       {grandam had late given him.

       Methinks I see him now as he then look’d —

       { His infant dress was grown too short for him, Osor.

       { Even so! — He had outgrown his infant dress,

       Yet still he wore it.

      Alv. (aside). My tears must not flow!

       I must not clasp his knees, and cry, My father!

      Enter TERESA and attendants.

      Remorse.

      [These

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