religion plead in vain. Oh ! save thy innocent fellow-creatures if thou canst: then shall thy frailty be redeemed, and thou wilt share the mercy thou bestowest.

Piz. How, Elvira ! wouldst thou leave me ?

[Exit.

Elv. I am bewildered, grown terrified! Your inhumanityand that good Las-Casas-oh! he appeared to me just now something more than heavenly: and you! ye all looked worse than earthly.

Piz. Compassion sometimes becomes a beauty.

Elv. Humanity always becomes a conqueror.

Alm. Well! Heaven be praised, we are rid of the old moralist.

Gon. I hope he'll join his preaching pupil, Alonzo.

Piz. [Turning to ALMAGRO.] Now to prepare our muster and our march. At midday is the hour of sacrifice. [ELVIRA sits.] Consulting with our guides, the route of your divisions shall be given to each commander. If we surprise, we conquer; and, if we conquer, the gates of Quito will be open

to us.

Alm. And Pizarro then be monarch of Peru.

Piz. Not so fast-ambition for a time must take counsel from discretion. Ataliba still must hold the shadow of a sceptre in his hand-Pizarro still appear dependent upon Spain: while the pledge of future peace, his daughter's hand, [ELVIRA rises much agitated,] secures the proud succession to the crown I seek.

Alm. This is best. In Pizarro's plans observe the statesman's wisdom guides the warrior's valour.

Val. [Aside to ELVIRA.] You mark, Elvira ?

Elv. Oh, yes-this is best-this is excellent!

Piz. You seem offended. Elvira sti etains my heart. Think-a sceptre waves me on.

Elv. Offended?-no! Thou knowest thy glory is my idol; and this will be most glorious, most just and honourable. Piz. What mean you?

Elv. Oh, nothing!-mere woman's prattle-a jealous whim, perhaps but let it not impede the royal hero's course.-[Trumpets without.] The call of arms invites you.-Away!"away! you, his brave, his worthy fellow-warriors.

Piz. And go you not with me?

Elv. Undoubtedly! I needs must be first to hail the future monarch of Peru.

Enter GOMEZ.

Alm. How, Gomez ? what bringest thou?

Gom. On yonder hill, among the palm-trees, we have surprised an old cacique: escape by flight he could not, and we seized him and his attendant unresisting; yet his lips breathed naught but bitterness and scorn.

Piz. Drag him before us.-[ELVIRA sits pensively. GOMEZ goes out and returns with OROZEMBO and Attendant, in chains, guarded.] What art thou, stranger?

Oro. First tell me which among you is the captain of this band of robbers.

Piz. Ha!

Alm. Madman !-Tear out his tongue, or else

Oro. Thou'lt hear some truth.

Dav. [Showing his poniard.] Shall I not plunge this into his heart ?

Oro. [To PIZARRO.] Does your army boast many such heroes as this?

Piz. Audacious! this insolence has sealed thy doom. Die thou shalt, gray-headed ruffian. But first confess what thou knowest.

Oro. I know that which thou hast just assured me of--that I shall die.

Piz. Less audacity perhaps might have preserved thy life. Oro. My life is as a withered tree; it is not worth preserving. Piz. Hear me, old man. Even now we march against the Peruvian army. We know there is a secret path that leads to your stronghold among the rocks: guide us to that, and name thy reward. If wealth be thy wish

Oro. Ha ha! ha!

Piz. Dost thou despise my offer?

Oro. Thee and thy offer! Wealth!-I have the wealth of two dear gallant sons-I have stored in heaven the riches which repay good actions here-and still my chiefest treasure do I bear about me.

Piz. What is that? inform me.

Oro. I will; for it never can be thine-the treasure of a pure, unsullied conscience.

[ELVIRA sits, stil paying marked attention to OrozEMBO. Piz. I believe there is no other Peruvian who dares speak as thou dost.

Oro. Would I could believe there is no other Spaniard who dares act as thou dost !

Gon. Obdurate Pagan! How numerous is your army?
Oro. Count the leaves of yonder forest.

Alm. Which is the weakest part of your camp?

Oro. It has no weak part; on every side 'tis fortified by justice.

Piz. Where have you concealed your wives and your children? Oro. In the hearts of their husbands and their fathers.

Piz. Knowest thou Alonzo ?

Oro. Know him! Alonzo! Know him! Our nation's benefactor! the guardian angel of Peru!

Pie. By what has he merited that title?

Oro. By not resembling thee.

Alm. Who is this Rolla, joined with Alonzo in command ? Oro. I will answer that; for I love to hear and to repeat the hero's name. Rolla, the kinsman of the king, is the idol of our army; in war a tiger, chafed by the hunter's spear; in peace more gentle than the unweaned lamb. Cora was once betrothed to him; but, finding she preferred Alonzo, he resigned his claim, and, I fear, his peace, to friendship and to Cora's happiness; yet still he loves her with a pure and holy fire.

Piz. Romantic savage !—I shall meet this Rolla soon.

Oro. Thou hadst better not! the terrors of his noble eye would strike thee dead.

Dav. Silence, or tremble!

Oro. Beardless robber! I never yet have trembled before God; why should I tremble before man? Why before thee, thou less than man?

Dav. Another word, audacious heathen, and I strike!

Oro. Strike, Christian! Then boast among thy fellows-I too have murdered a Peruvian !

!

Dav. Hell and vengeance seize thee!

Piz. Hold!

[Stabs him.

Dav. Couldst thou longer have endured his insults?

Piz. And therefore should he die untortured?

Oro. True! Observe, young man-[To DAVILLA.] Thy unthinking rashness has saved me from the rack; and thou thyself hast lost the opportunity of a useful lesson; thou mightst thyself have seen with what cruelty vengeance would have inflicted torments-and with what patience virtue would have borne them.

Elv. [Supporting OROZEMBO's head upon her bosom.] Oh, ye are monsters all! Look up, thou martyred innocent-look up once more, and bless me ere thou diest. God! how I pity thee!

Oro. Pity me!-me! so near my happiness! Bless thee, lady-Spaniards-Heaven turn your hearts, and pardon you

as I do.

Piz. Away!-[OROZEMBO is borne off dying.] Away! Davilla ! if thus rash a second time

Dav. Forgive the hasty indignation which

Piz. No more! Unbind that trembling wretch-let him depart: 'tis well he should report the mercy which we show to insolent defiance--Hark! our troops are moving.

Attend. [On passing ELVIRA.] If through your gentle means my master's poor remains might be preserved from insultElv. I understand thee.

Attend. His sons may yet thank your charity, if not avenge their father's fate.

Piz. What says the slave?

Elv. A parting word to thank you for your mercy.

[Exit.

Piz. Our guards and guides approach.-[SOLDIERS march through the tents.] Follow me, friends-each shall have hi post assigned, and ere Peruvia's god shall sink beneath the main, the Spanish banner, bathed in blood, shall float above the walls of vanquished Quito. [Exeunt all but ELVIRA and VALVERDE. Val. Is it now presumption that my hopes gain strength with the increasing horrors which I see appal Elvira's soul?

Elv. I am mad with terror and remorse! Would I could fly these dreadful scenes!

Val. Might not Valverde's true attachment be thy refuge? Elv. What wouldst thou do to save or to avenge me? Val. I dare do all thy injuries may demand-a word—and he lies bleeding at your feet.

Oh,

Elv. Perhaps we will speak again of this. Now leave me.[Exit VALVERDE.] No! not this revenge-no! not this instrument. Fie, Elvira ! even for a moment to counsel with this unworthy traitor! Can a wretch, false to a confiding master, be true to any pledge of love or honour ?-Pizarro will abandon me-yes; me-who, for his sake, have sacrificed-oh, God! what have I not sacrificed for him! Yet, curbing the avenging pride that swells this bosom, I still will further try him. men! ye who, wearied by the fond fidelity of virtuous love, seek in the wanton's flattery a new delight, oh, ye may insult and leave the hearts to which your faith was pledged, and, stifling self-reproach, may fear no other peril; because such hearts, howe'er you injure and desert them, have yet the proud retreat of an unspotted fame-of unreproaching conscience. But beware the desperate libertine who forsakes the creature whom his arts have first deprived of all natural protection-of all self-consolation! What has he left her? Despair and vengeance! [Exit.

ACT II.

SCENE I.-A Bank surrounded by a wild wood and rocks.

CORA is discovered playing with her CHILD; ALONZO hanging over them with delight.

Cora. Now confess, does he resemble thee, or not?

Alon. Indeed, he is liker thee-thy rosy softness, thy smiling gentleness.

Cora. But his auburn hair, the colour of his eyes, Alonzo.— Oh, my lord's image, and my heart's adored!

[Presses the CHILD to her bosom. Alon. The little darling urchin robs me, I doubt, of some portion of thy love, my Cora. At least he shares caresses, which till his birth were only mine.

Cora. Oh no, Alonzo ! a mother's love for her sweet babe is not a stealth from the dear father's store; it is a new delight that turns with quickened gratitude to Him, the author of her augmented bliss.

Alon. Could Cora think me serious?

Cora. I am sure he will speak soon: then will be the last of the three holidays allowed by Nature's sanction to the fond, anxious mother's heart.

Alon. What are those three ?

Cora. The ecstasy of his birth I pass; that in part is selfish: but when the first white blossoms of his teeth appear, breaking the crimson beds that did encase them, that is a day of joy; next, when from his father's arms he runs without support, and clings, laughing and delighted, to his mother's knees, that is the mother's heart's next holiday; and sweeter still the third, whene'er his little stammering tongue shall utter the grateful sound of father! mother !—Oh, that is the dearest joy of all!

Alon. Beloved Cora!

Cora. Oh, my Alonzo! daily, hourly, do I pour thanks to Heaven for the dear blessing I possess in him and thee! Alon. To Heaven and Rolla!

Cora. Yes, to Heaven and Rolla: and art thou not grateful to them too, Alonzo? art thou not happy?

Alon. Can Cora ask that question?

Cora. Why then of late so restless on thy couch? Why to my waking, watching ear so often does the stillness of the night betray thy struggling sighs?

Alon. Must not I fight against my country, against my brethren ?