Flor. He is dead!

Gom. 'Twere too much mercy

That he had perished in his impious deed;
Do not deceive yourself;

With its short glimmer hope deludes the heart,
Plays for a moment on the clouds of fate,
And leaves behind a blacker desolation.
No mortal arm can aid him!

Flor. Then you killed him

You killed him in your dungeons

You plunged your cruel hands within his breast.
Gom. Let not your fears thus hurry you away-
By Count Pescara's order he was led

To the Alhambra's palace: but I deem
That in the Inquisition's deepest cells,
Reserved for every torment-

Flor. Does he live?

Pes. [From behind.] He lives, and shall not die!
Flor. Thrice blesséd sound!

Hope! thou art here! and never mother yet
Hugged her dear child with half the tenderness!
I feel thee here, and clasp thee to my heart!
He shall not die!

Pes. [Advancing, after dismissing Gomez, R. U. E.]
He shall not!

Flor. Let me see thee!

Let me behold the man who bids me hope!

And, though thy words be false, still speak them o'er, And say he shall not die!

Pescara!

Pes. Yes!

[Suddenly recognizes him.

Don't gaze upon me with misdoubting fears;
I know you marvel that Pescara's breast
Should own a single touch of pity's weakness;
But you mistake me :-nature did me wrong,
When on my face she laid her ruder hand,
And seemed to make me pitiless :- -my heart
Is rich in tenderness; the Moor shall live-
I pardon him!

Flor. Heaven! is it possible?

Or has grief wrought upon my tortured brain
Until it grew to wild delirious joy,

It is, indeed!

And madness made me blest?

It is Pescara! oh, my lord! once more

Tell me that he shall live

Pes. He shall!

Flor. Let me embrace your feet, here let me fall,
And drop in helpless, clinging gratitude!

Oh! let me look upon you: gracious heaven!
I now no longer see the man I feared;
No! mercy sheds its light about thy head!
A glory beams around thee: ob, Pescara,
Art thou so great, so god-like, to forgive?

Pes. Hemeya shall be free! I spare my foe
To win Florinda's gratitude; to win

That look that melts me, and that smile that burns-
Flor. Once-will you not forget me when I tell it?
I shuddered when I looked upon your face,
And shrunk at your approach; I feared your eye;
But now you have compelled me to esteem you,
And with the gentlest, dearest violence,

Have won my admiration!

Pes. Once you hated me.

Flor. I did not know your

Pes. 'Tis in you;

virtue.

'Tis in your heart I seek my recompense.

Flor. Your own heart will reward you. When you

see

The man you spared-when you behold his face,
And watch him as he breathes the air of heaven,

And looks upon the sun, will you not feel
A transport in your bosom? when you awake
At midnight's hour, will you not be at peace,
And sleep again upon that blesséd thought!
And as you kneel to heaven, may you not ask
That mercy which you gave

Pes. These are the gifts

?

Of self-rewarding virtue; but, Florinda,
A traitor's life deserves a larger price.

He shall be free;

But such conditions as on life I set,

Must be performed.

Flor. Speak what I am to do:

Command me something dire; something impossible

To any
heart but woman's when she loves;
Barefoot o'er burning deserts bid me go
On some far pilgrimage; let every

limb

Be wrapped within the sackcloth's galling fold-
I will endure it all, and bless misfortune!

Nay, I will fall in love with wretchedness,
If 'tis for him I bear it.

Pes. Do not think

That on your tender nature I impose
Such rude conditions.

You shall be the harbinger

Of freedom and of life: your steps shall seek
The dungeon where he lingers, and your hand
Unbar the pond'rous bolts.

Flor. Oh! let me fly!

[Crosses, R.

Pes. But first the price of freedom must be paid. Flor. My life, if you command it! with my life I'll buy his dearer safety !

Pes. With yourself!

To-night you must be mine-my wife!
Flor. Your wife!

Pes. Ay, madam! is there thunder in the sound?
Flor. You do not mean it! no, you do not ask it!
You cannot think it!

Pes. I am resolved upon it.

What mean these shuddering looks, these trembling hands,
These heav'n-turned eyes, and these wild fits of horror?
Where is the desperate valour which o'erthrew
Nature herself, and mocked impossibility?

You would have given your life: I ask your love.

Flor. My life, but not my love! I cannot give

What I no longer have: my wretched heart
Lies in Hemeya's dungeon. Pardon me,
But rather than resign to other arms
A cold, reluctant, unconsenting form,
I'd fold a basilisk within my heart,

Bid its cold coil entwine my shuddering limbs,
And warm its icy flesh!

Pes. If you detest me as the serpent's coil,
Hear me, then, as its sting! my lifted hand
Folds death above his head.

Flor. Upon my knees

I called on heaven to witness

Pes. Well?

Flor. I swore I never would be yours.
Pes. Rage, do not choke me!

Flor. I breathed a deadly oath, that in

I would lie down forever

Pes. Do you dare?

[Aside.] But hold! I must dissemble.-Do not weep, Or if you do, like dew on morning roses

Your tears must dry in the warm light of love.

[Attempts to embrace her. Flor. Forbear, my lord! I am a wretch indeed! But, while my sorrows cast me at your feet,

Fall'n as I am to be your suppliant,

Learn that you have not yet the right of insult.
Pes. [Aside.] Curse on her pride!-Forgive me, fair
Florinda,

If, through the blushing fence of modesty,
With hasty hand I dared to pluck its flowers.
The husband-

Flor. Husband!

Pes. Speak! will you be mine?

Flor. Never!

Pes. Damnation! when the bow is bent, And to the head the winged arrow's drawn,

The string slips off-Florinda!

Flor. Well, my

lord!

Pes. Will you be mine?

Flor. You fright me-you appal my every sense!
Pes. I have too long endured it. Gomez, hoa?

Enter GOMEZ, R. 3d e.

Gom. My lord, I wait your pleasure.

Pes. [To Florinda.] You shall feel

What 'tis to wake the furies in my heart

Hoa! Gomez, art thou there? drag, drag him forth!

Begone, I'll follow thee!

Flor. Oh! monstrous! horrible!

Pes. I say, begone!

Flor. [Rushing up to Gomez.] Stay! In the name of heaven, whose priest you are,

Do not profane your office-do not stain

Your sacred robe with blood! [Exit Gomez, R.] Stay, holy father!

Go not on hell's cursed errand!

Pes. Thou shalt see him

In madd'ning agony; thou shalt behold him,

And vainly think thou couldst have saved him, too--
Flor. How; save him! can I save him?

Pes. Be my wife!

Flor. Your wife! oh, no, it is too horrible!

Pes. I'll hunt for life in every trembling limb,

[Wildly.

And chase it down! The driving steel shall plungeNay, do not stop your ears-for his shrill screams Shall pierce the solid deafness of the tomb!

Flor. They're in my brain already! oh, Hemeya Let me not hear thy cries. Let, let me fly, And 'scape from it. Oh, for some depth of earth, Where I may plunge, to hear that scream no more! Pescara seizes her as she attempts to fly. Unhand me, let me fly! 'tis in my heart,

My eyes, my brain

Pes. Look there, look there! he dies! see where he dies!

The wheel goes round-see, the red froth of blood!
His hair stands up, and drips with agony !

On thee, on thee he calls, and bids thee save him!
Look there!

Flor. Spare, spare him! villains, murderers !
Oh, spare him!

Hemeya! lo, they wrench his heart away!

They drink his gushing blood!-oh, God! oh, God!

[Falls into Pescara's arms.

END OF ACT IV.