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of Isidore.

      Alvar. I know him not.

       And yet methinks, I have heard the name but lately.

       Means he the husband of the Moorish woman?

       Isidore? Isidore? 145

      Ordonio. Good! good! that lie! by heaven it has restored me.

       Now I am thy master! — Villain! thou shalt drink it,

       Or die a bitterer death.

      Alvar. What strange solution

       Hast thou found out to satisfy thy fears,

       And drug them to unnatural sleep?

      [ALVAR takes the goblet, and throws it to the ground.

      My master! 150

      Ordonio. Thou mountebank!

      Alvar. Mountebank and villain!

       What then art thou? For shame, put up thy sword!

       What boots a weapon in a withered arm?

       I fix mine eye upon thee, and thou tremblest!

       I speak, and fear and wonder crush thy rage, 155

       And turn it to a motionless distraction!

       Thou blind self-worshipper! thy pride, thy cunning,

       Thy faith in universal villainy,

       Thy shallow sophisms, thy pretended scorn

       For all thy human brethren — out upon them! 160

       What have they done for thee? have they given thee peace?

       Cured thee of starting in thy sleep? or made

       The darkness pleasant when thou wak’st at midnight?

       Art happy when alone? Can’st walk by thyself

       With even step and quiet cheerfulness? 165

       Yet, yet thou may’st be saved ——

      Ordonio. Saved? saved?

      Alvar. One pang!

       Could I call up one pang of true remorse!

      Ordonio. He told me of the babes that prattled to him.

       His fatherless little ones! remorse! remorse!

       Where got’st thou that fool’s word? Curse on remorse! 170

       Can it give up the dead, or recompact

       A mangled body? mangled — dashed to atoms!

       Not all the blessings of a host of angels

       Can blow away a desolate widow’s curse!

       And though thou spill thy heart’s blood for atonement, 175

       It will not weigh against an orphan’s tear!

      Alvar. But Alvar ——

      Ordonio. Ha! it chokes thee in the throat,

       Even thee; and yet I pray thee speak it out.

       Still Alvar! — Alvar! — howl it in mine ear!

       Heap it like coals of fire upon my heart, 180

       And shoot it hissing through my brain!

      Alvar. Alas!

       That day when thou didst leap from off the rock

       Into the waves, and grasped thy sinking brother,

       And bore him to the strand; then, son of Valdez,

       How sweet and musical the name of Alvar! 185

       Then, then, Ordonio, he was dear to thee,

       And thou wert dear to him: heaven only knows

       How very dear thou wert! Why did’st thou hate him!

       O heaven! how he would fall upon thy neck,

       And weep forgiveness!

      Ordonio. Spirit of the dead! 190

       Methinks I know thee! ha! my brain turns wild

       At its own dreams! — off — off, fantastic shadow!

      Alvar. I fain would tell thee what I am, but dare not!

      Ordonio. Cheat! villain! traitor! whatsoever thou be —

       I fear thee, man!

      Teresa (rushing out and falling on Alvar’s neck). Ordonio! ‘tis

       thy brother! 195

      [ORDONIO runs upon ALVAR with his sword. TERESA flings

       herself on ORDONIO and arrests his arm.

      Stop, madman, stop!

      Alvar. Does then this thin disguise impenetrably

       Hide Alvar from thee? Toil and painful wounds

       And long imprisonment in unwholesome dungeons,

       Have marred perhaps all trait and lineament 200

       Of what I was! But chiefly, chiefly, brother,

       My anguish for thy guilt!

       Ordonio — Brother!

       Nay, nay, thou shalt embrace me.

      Ordonio (drawing back, and gazing at Alvar). Touch me not!

       Touch not pollution, Alvar! I will die.

      [He attempts to fall on his sword, ALVAR and TERESA

       prevent him.

      Alvar. We will find means to save your honour. Live, 205

       Oh live, Ordonio! for our father’s sake!

       Spare his grey hairs!

      Teresa. And you may yet be happy.

      Ordonio. O horror! not a thousand years in heaven

       Could recompose this miserable heart,

       Or make it capable of one brief joy! 210

       Live! live! Why yes! ‘Twere well to live with you:

       For is it fit a villain should be proud?

       My brother! I will kneel to you, my brother! [Kneeling.

       Forgive me, Alvar! —— Curse me with forgiveness!

      Alvar. Call back thy soul, Ordonio, and look round thee! 215

       Now is the time for greatness! Think that heaven —

      Teresa. O mark his eye! he hears not what you say.

      Ordonio. Yes, mark his eye! there’s fascination in it!

       Thou said’st thou did’st not know him — That is he!

       He comes upon me!

      Alvar. Heal, O heal him, heaven! 220

      Ordonio. Nearer and nearer! and I can not stir!

       Will no one hear these stifled groans, and wake me?

       He would have died to save me, and I killed him —

       A husband and a father! —

      Teresa. Some secret poison

       Drinks up his spirits!

      Ordonio. Let the eternal justice 225

       Prepare my punishment in the obscure world —

       I will not bear to live — to live — O agony!

       And be myself alone my own sore torment!

      [The doors of the dungeon are broken open, and in rush

       ALHADRA, and the band of Morescoes.

      Alhadra. Seize first that man!

      [ALVAR presses onward to defend ORDONIO.

      Ordonio. Off, ruffians! I have flung away my sword. 230

       Woman, my life is thine! to

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