SCENE THE FIRST.--A cavern, dark except where a gleam of moonlight is

seen on one side of the further end of it, supposed to be cast on it from a cranny_ [_crevice_ Remorse] _in a part of the cavern out of sight._

[_FERDINAND alone, an extinguished torch in his hand._

_Ferdinand._ Drip! drip! drip! drip!--in such a place as this It has nothing else to do but drip! drip! drip! I wish it had not dripp'd upon my torch. Faith 'twas a moving letter--very moving! His life in danger--no place safe but this. 'Twas his turn now to talk of gratitude! And yet--but no! there can't be such a villain. It cannot be! Thanks to that little cranny Which lets the moonlight in! I'll go and sit by it. To peep at a tree, or see a he-goat's beard, Or hear a cow or two breathe loud in their sleep, 'Twere better than this dreary noise of water-drops!

[_He goes out of sight, opposite to the patch of moonlight,_ [_and returns_. Remorse] _returns after a minute's elapse in an ecstasy of fear._

A hellish pit! O God--'tis like my night-mair! I was just in!--and those damn'd fingers of ice Which clutch'd my hair up! Ha! what's that? it moved!

[_FERDINAND stands_ [_motionless_ _MS. III erased_] _staring at another recess in the cavern. In the mean time OSORIO enters with a torch and hollas to him_ [_halloes to ISIDORE_ Remorse].

_Ferdinand._ I swear, I saw a something moving there! The moonshine came and went, like a flash of lightning. I swear, I saw it move!

[_OSORIO goes into the recess, then returns, and with great scorn._

_Osorio._ A jutting clay-stone Drips on the long lank weed that grows beneath; And the weed nods and drips.

_Ferdinand (forcing a faint laugh)._ A joke to laugh at! It was not that which frighten'd me, my lord!

_Osorio._ What frighten'd you?

_Ferdinand._ You see that little cranny? But first permit me,

[_Lights his torch at OSORIO'S, and while lighting it._

(A lighted torch in the hand Is no unpleasant object here--one's breath Floats round the flame, and makes as many colours As the thin clouds that travel near the moon.)[564:1] You see that cranny there?

_Osorio._ Well, what of that?

_Ferdinand._ I walk'd up to it, meaning to sit there. When I had reach'd it within twenty paces----

[_FERDINAND starts as if he felt the terror over again._

Merciful Heaven! Do go, my lord! and look.

[_OSORIO goes and returns._

_Osorio._ It must have shot some pleasant feelings thro' you?

_Ferdinand._ If every atom of a dead man's flesh Should move, each one with a particular life, Yet all as cold as ever--'twas just so! Or if it drizzled needle-points of frost Upon a feverish head made suddenly bald--

_Osorio (interrupting him)._ Why, Ferdinand! I blush for thy cowardice. It would have startled any man, I grant thee. But such a panic.

_Ferdinand._ When a boy, my lord! I could have sat whole hours beside that chasm, Push'd in huge stones and heard them thump and rattle Against its horrid sides; and hung my head Low down, and listen'd till the heavy fragments Sunk, with faint crash, in that still groaning well, Which never thirsty pilgrim blest, which never A living thing came near; unless, perchance, Some blind-worm battens on the ropy mould, Close at its edge.

_Osorio._ Art thou more coward now?

_Ferdinand._ Call him that fears his fellow-men a coward. I fear not man. But this inhuman cavern It were too bad a prison-house for goblins. Besides (you'll laugh, my lord!) but true it is, My last night's sleep was very sorely haunted[565:1] By what had pass'd between us in the morning. I saw you in a thousand hideous ways, And doz'd and started, doz'd again and started. I do entreat your lordship to believe me, In my last dream----

_Osorio._ Well?

_Ferdinand._ I was in the act Of falling down that chasm, when Alhadra Waked me. She heard my heart beat!

_Osorio._ Strange enough! Had you been here before?

_Ferdinand._ Never, my lord! But my eyes do not see it now more clearly Than in my dream I saw that very chasm.

[_OSORIO stands in a deep study--then, after a pause._

_Osorio._ There is no reason why it should be so. And yet it is.

_Ferdinand._ What is, my lord?

_Osorio._ Unpleasant To kill a man!

_Ferdinand._ Except in self-defence.

_Osorio._ Why that's my case: and yet 'tis still unpleasant. At least I find it so! But you, perhaps, Have stronger nerves?

_Ferdinand._ Something doth trouble you. How can I serve you? By the life you gave me, By all that makes that life of value to me, My wife, my babes, my honour, I swear to you, Name it, and I will toil to do the thing, If it be innocent! But this, my lord! Is not a place where you could perpetrate, No, nor propose a wicked thing. The darkness (When ten yards off, we know, 'tis chearful moonlight) Collects the guilt and crowds it round the heart. It must be innocent.

_Osorio._ Thyself be judge.

[_OSORIO walks round the cavern--then looking round it._

One of our family knew this place well.

_Ferdinand._ Who? when? my lord.

_Osorio._ What boots it who or when? Hang up the torch. I'll tell his tale to thee.

[_They hang [up] their torches in some shelf of_ [_on some ridge in_ Remorse] _the cavern._

_Osorio._ He was a man different from other men, And he despised them, yet revered himself.[567:1]

_Ferdinand._ What? he was mad?

_Osorio._ All men seem'd mad to him, Their actions noisome folly, and their talk-- A goose's gabble was more musical. Nature had made him for some other planet, And press'd his soul into a human shape By accident or malice. In this world He found no fit companion!

_Ferdinand._ Ah, poor wretch! Madmen are mostly proud.

_Osorio._ He walk'd alone, And phantasies, unsought for, troubled him. Something within would still be shadowing out All possibilities, and with these shadows His mind held dalliance. Once, as so it happen'd, A fancy cross'd him wilder than the rest: To this in moody murmur, and low voice, He yielded utterance as some talk in sleep. The man who heard him---- Why didst thou look round?

_Ferdinand._ I have a prattler three years old, my lord! In truth he is my darling. As I went From forth my door, he made a moan in sleep-- But I am talking idly--pray go on! And what did this man?

_Osorio._ With his human hand He gave a being and reality To that wild fancy of a possible thing. Well it was done. [_Then very wildly._ Why babblest thou of guilt? The deed was done, and it pass'd fairly off. And he, whose tale I tell thee--dost thou listen?

_Ferdinand._ I would, my lord, you were by _my_ fireside! I'd listen to you with an eager eye, Tho' you began this cloudy tale at midnight. But I do listen--pray proceed, my lord!

_Osorio._ Where was I?

_Ferdinand._ He of whom you tell the tale--

_Osorio._ Surveying all things with a quiet scorn Tamed himself down to living purposes, The occupations and the semblances Of ordinary men--and such he seem'd. But that some over-ready agent--he----

_Ferdinand._ Ah! what of him, my lord?

_Osorio._ He proved a villain; Betray'd the mystery to a brother villain; And they between them hatch'd a damnéd plot To hunt him down to infamy and death To share the wealth of a most noble family, And stain the honour of an orphan lady With barbarous mixture and unnatural union. What did the Velez? I am proud of the name, Since he dared do it.

[_OSORIO grasps his sword and turns off from FERDINAND, then, after a pause, returns._

_Osorio._ Our links burn dimly.

_Ferdinand._ A dark tale darkly finish'd! Nay, my lord! Tell what he did.

_Osorio (fiercely)._ That which his wisdom prompted. He made the traitor meet him in this cavern, And here he kill'd the traitor.

_Ferdinand._ No!--the fool. He had not wit enough to be a traitor. Poor thick-eyed beetle! not to have foreseen That he, who gull'd thee with a whimper'd lie To murder _his own brother_, would not scruple To murder _thee_, if e'er his guilt grew jealous And he could steal upon thee in the dark!

_Osorio._ Thou would'st not then have come, if----

_Ferdinand._ O yes, my lord! I would have met him arm'd, and scared the coward!

[_FERDINAND throws off his robe, shows himself armed, and draws his sword._

_Osorio._ Now this is excellent, and warms the blood! My heart was drawing back, drawing me back With womanish pulls of pity. Dusky slave, Now I will kill thee pleasantly, and count it Among my comfortable thoughts hereafter.

_Ferdinand._ And all my little ones fatherless! Die thou first.

[_They fight. OSORIO disarms FERDINAND, and in disarming him, throws his sword up that recess, opposite to which they were standing._

_Ferdinand (springing wildly towards Osorio)._ Still I can strangle thee!

_Osorio._ Nay, fool! stand off. I'll kill thee--but not so! Go fetch thy sword.

[_FERDINAND hurries into the recess with his torch. OSORIO follows him, and in a moment returns alone._

_Osorio._ Now--this was luck! No bloodstains, no dead body! His dream, too, is made out. Now for his friend.[570:1]

[_Exit._