Untitled

SCENE II.

The inside of a Cottage, around which flowers and plants of various kinds are seen. Discovers ALVAR, ZULIMEZ and ALHADRA, as on the point of leaving.

Alhadra (addressing ALVAR). Farewell then! and though many thoughts perplex me, Aught evil or ignoble never can I Suspect of thee! If what thou seem'st thou art, The oppressed brethren of thy blood have need Of such a leader.

Alvar. Nobly minded woman! Long time against oppression have I fought, And for the native liberty of faith Have bled and suffered bonds. Of this be certain: Time, as he courses onward, still unrolls The volume of concealment. In the future, As in the optician's glassy cylinder, The indistinguishable blots and colours Of the dim past collect and shape themselves, Upstarting in their own completed image To scare or to reward. I sought the guilty, And what I sought I found: but ere the spear Flew from my hand, there rose an angel form Betwixt me and my aim. With baffled purpose To the Avenger I leave Vengeance, and depart!

Whate'er betide, if aught my arm may aid, Or power protect, my word is pledged to thee: For many are thy wrongs, and thy soul noble. Once more, farewell. [Exit ALHADRA. Yes, to the Belgic states We will return. These robes, this stained complexion, Akin to falsehood, weigh upon my spirit. Whate'er befall us, the heroic Maurice Will grant us an asylum, in remembrance Of our past services.

Zulimez. And all the wealth, power, influence which is yours, You let a murderer hold?

Alvar. O faithful Zulimez! That my return involved Ordonio's death, I trust, would give me an unmingled pang, Yet bearable:--but when I see my father Strewing his scant grey hairs, e'en on the ground, Which soon must be his grave, and my Teresa-- Her husband proved a murderer, and her infants His infants--poor Teresa!--all would perish, All perish--all; and I (nay bear with me) Could not survive the complicated ruin!

Zulimez. Nay now! I have distress'd you--you well know, I ne'er will quit your fortunes. True, 'tis tiresome: You are a painter, one of many fancies! You can call up past deeds, and make them live On the blank canvass! and each little herb, That grows on mountain bleak, or tangled forest, You have learnt to name-- Hark! heard you not some footsteps?

Alvar. What if it were my brother coming onwards? I sent a most mysterious message to him.

Enter ORDONIO.

Alvar. It is he!

Ordonio (to himself as he enters). If I distinguished right her gait and stature, It was the Moorish woman, Isidore's wife, That passed me as I entered. A lit taper, In the night air, doth not more naturally Attract the night flies round it, than a conjuror Draws round him the whole female neighbourhood. [Addressing ALVAR. You know my name, I guess, if not my person.

Remorse.

[For lines 31-46 of Remorse, Act II, Scene II, vide supra Osorio, Act II, Scene II, lines 169-84.]

Stage-direction preceding 162:

Albert and an old servant both drest as Morescoes. Corr. in MS. III.

[162-6] MS. III erased.

[167-8]

And all the wealth, power, influence, which is yours You let a murderer hold!

Albert. O faithful Ali

Corr. in MS. III.

[184-7]

Albert. Yes to the Netherlands We will return, these robes this stained complexion Akin to Falsehood, weigh upon my spirit What e'er befal us, the heroic Maurice Will grant us an asylum, in remembrance Of our past service.

Corr. in MS. III.

After Enter OSORIO.

Be quick Remove these tablets--quick conceal it--

Corr. in MS. III.

[201-3] om. MS. III.

Stage-directions (groaning, &c.) before 206, and (Albert, &c.) after 206 om. Remorse.

Zul. (to Alvar). Why, &c. Remorse.

in anguish] forgiveness Remorse.

[209-10]

Ord. (returning and aloud). Plucked in the moonlight from a ruin'd abbey-- Those only, which the pale rays visited! O the unintelligible power of weeds,

Remorse.

Who] Hath Remorse.

Ord. With you, then, I am to speak.

[Haughtily waving his hand to ZULIMEZ.

And mark you, alone. [Exit ZULIMEZ.

Remorse.

No, no!] O no! Remorse.

fits] suits Remorse.

[Before 226] Ord. (aside). O what a, &c. Remorse.

Yet still a fool! [Looks round the cottage. You are poor!

Remorse.

[230-3]

The Inquisition, too--You comprehend me? You are poor, in peril. I have wealth and power

Remorse.

And for the boon I ask of you but this Remorse.

Stage-direction om. Remorse.

Ord. The slave begins to soften. [aside. You are my friend

Remorse.

[After 242] Stage-direction om. Remorse.

Alv. (aside). Alas! &c. Remorse.

Have you no servants here, &c.? Remorse.

Stage-direction om. Remorse.

[255-9]

Insolent slave! how dar'dst thou--

[Turns abruptly from ALVAR, and then to himself.

Why! What's this? 'Twas idiocy! I'll tie myself to an aspen, And wear a fool's cap--

Alvar. Fare thee well-- I pity thee, Ordonio, even to anguish. [ALVAR is retiring.

Ordonio. Ho! [Calling to ALVAR.

Alvar. Be brief, &c.

Remorse.

Stage-direction om. Remorse.

Stage-direction om. Remorse. God] Heaven Remorse.

What, art thou mad? Why look'st thou upward so? Remorse.

Stage-direction om. Remorse.

Stage-direction om. Remorse. Well--and this lady! Pray, proceed my lord MS. III. erased.

Stage-direction om. Remorse.

[Before and after 287] Stage-direction om. Remorse.

this] the Remorse.

Stage-direction om. Remorse.

Ordonio. We'll hazard no delay. Be it to-night, Remorse.

[300-2]

(For I have arranged it--music, altar, incense) All shall be ready. Here is this same picture, And here, what you will value more, a purse. Come early for your magic ceremonies.

Remorse.

Exit ORDONIO. ALVAR (alone, indignantly flings the purse away and gazes, &c. Remorse.

Thee perjur'd, thee a traitress! Thee dishonour'd! Remorse.

[Between 312 and 313:]

Who spake pollution of thee! barter for life This farewell pledge, which with impassioned vow I had sworn that I would grasp--ev'n in my death-pang!

Remorse.

Affixed to 318-19 omitted. (Ali re-enters).

Ali! new Hope, new joy! A life thrills thro' me As if renew'd from Heaven! Bring back that tablet Restor'd to me by a fortunate Star. This picture Of my assassination will I leave As the token of my Fate:-- Haste, for I yearn to tell thee what has pass'd [Exit Ali.

MS. III.

[318-20] and stage-directions [Maurice, &c.; (gazing, &c.) om. Remorse.

image] portrait Remorse.

shall] will Remorse.