Vil. Help there! Nurse, where are you? Ha! I am distracted too!

Biron alive!

[Going to call for help, sees Biron.

Bir. The only wretch on earth that must not live.
Vil. Biron or Villeroy must not, that's decreed.
Bir. You've sav'd me from the hands of murderers:
Would you had not, for life's my greatest plague—
And then, of all the world, you are the man
I would not be oblig'd to-Isabella !

I came to fall before thee: I had dy'd
Happy not to have found your Villeroy here:
A long farewell, and a last parting kiss. [Kisses her.
Vil. A kiss! confusion! it must be your last.

[Draws.
Bir. I know it must-Here I give up that death
You but delay'd: since what is past has been
The work of fate, thus we must finish it.
Thrust home, be sure.

Vil. Alas! he faints: some help there.

[Faints.

Bir. 'Tis all in vain, my sorrows soon will end

Oh, Villeroy! let a dying wretch entreat you

To take this letter to my father. My Isabella !

Couldst thou but hear me, my last words should bless

thee.

I cannot, tho' in death, bequeath her to thee. [To Vil. But I could hope my boy, my little one,

Might find a father in thee-Oh, I faint

I can no more-Hear me, Heav'n! Oh! support
My wife, my Isabella-Bless my child !..
And take a poor unhappy-

[Dies.

Vil. He's gone-Let what will be the consequence, I'll give it him. I have involv'd myself,

And would be clear'd; that must be thought on now. My care of her is lost in wild amaze.

[Going to Isa. Are you all dead within there? Where, where

are you?"

Good Nurse take care of her; I'll bring you more help.

Isabella comes to herself.

[Exit.

Isa. Where have I been ?-Methinks I stand upon The brink of life, ready to shoot the gulph That lies between me and the realms of rest: But still detain'd, I cannot pass the strait; Deny'd to live, and yet I must not die : Doom'd to come back, like a complaining ghost,

To my unbury'd body

Here it lies

[Throws herself by Biron's body.

My body, soul, and life. A little dust,

To cover our cold limbs in the dark grave

There, there we shall sleep safe and sound together.

Enter VILLEROY with Servants.

Vil. Poor wretch; upon the ground! She's not

: herself:

Remove her from the body.

ka. Never, never

[Servants going to raise her.

You have divorc'd us once, but shall no more
Help, help me, Biron ?-Ha!-bloody and dead!
Oh, murder! murder! you have done this deed-

7

Vengeance and murder! bury us together

Do any thing but part us.

Vil. Gently, gently raise her.

She must be forc'd away.

[She drags the Body after her; they get her inte their arms, and carry her off.

Isa. Oh, they tear me ! Cut off my handsLet me leave something with him

They'll clasp him fast

Oh, cruel, cruel men

This you must answer one day.

Vil. Good Nurse, take care of her.

[Nurse follows her,

Send for all helps: all, all that I am worth,

Shall cheaply buy her peace of mind again. "Be sure you do,

[To a Servant.

[Knocking at the door.

66 Just as I order'd you." The storm grows louder.

I am prepar'd for it. Now let them in.

Enter Count BALDWIN, CARLOS, BELFORD, Friends, with Servants.

C. Bald. Oh, do I live to this unhappy day!

Where is my wretched son ?

Car. Where is my brother?

[They see him, and gather about the Body.

Vil. I hope in heav'n.

Car. Canst thou pity!

Wish him in heav'n, when thou hast done a deed,

That must for ever cut thee from the hopes
Of ever coming there.

Vil. I do not blame you—

You have a brother's right to be concern'd

For his untimely death.

Car. Untimely death, indeed!

Vil. But yet you must not say, I was the cause.
Car. Not you the cause! Why, who should murder

him?

We do not ask you to accuse yourself;

But I must say that you have murder'd him;
And will say nothing else, till justice draws
Upon our side, at the loud call of blood,
To execute so foul a murderer.

Bel. Poor Biron! Is this thy welcome home!
Friend. Rise, sir; there is a comfort in revenge,

Which is left you.

*Car. Take the body hence.

[To C. Bald.

[Biron carried off.

C. Bald. What could provoke you?

Vil. Nothing could provoke me

To a base murder, which, I find, you think
Me guilty of. I know my innocence;
My servants too can witness that I drew

My sword in his defence, to rescue him.
Bel. Let the servants be call'd.

Fr. Let's hear what they can say.

Car. What they can say! Why, what should servants say ?

They're his accomplices, his instruments,

And will not charge themselves. If they could do!

A murder for his service, they can lie,

Lie nimbly, and swear hard to bring him off.
You say you drew your sword in his defence:
Who were his enemies? Did he need defence?
Had he wrong'd any one? Could he have cause
To apprehend a danger, but from you?
And yet you rescu'd him!—No, no,
Unseasonably (that was all his crime)
Unluckily to interrupt your sport:

he came

You were new marry'd-marry'd to his wife;
And therefore you, and she, and all of you,
(For all of you I must believe concern'd)
Combin'd to murder him out of the way.
Bel. If it is so-

Car. It can be only so.
Fr. Indeed it has a face-

Car. As black as hell.

C. Bald. The law will do me justice: send for the

magistrate.

Car. I'll go myself for him

[Exit.

Vil. These strong presumptions, I must own, in

deed,

Are violent against me; but I have

A witness, and on this side heav'n too.

-Open that door.

[Door opens, and Pedro is brought forward by Villeroy's Servants.

Here's one can tell you all.

Ped. All, all; save me but from the rack, I'll confess all.