Leon. Was it for you, my lord, to be so quick
In finding out objections to our love?

Think you so strong my love, or weak my virtue,
It was unsafe to leave that part to me?

Alon. Is not the day then fix'd for your espousals? Leon. Indeed, my father once had thought that way; But marking how the marriage pain'd my heart, Long he stood doubtful; but at last resolv'd Your counsel, which determines him in all, Should finish the debate.

Alon. Oh, agony!

Must I not only lose her, but be made
Myself the instrument? Not only die

But plunge the dagger in my heart myself?

This is refining calamity.

Leon. What, do you tremble lest you should be mine? For what else can you tremble? Not for that

My father places in your pow'r to alter.

Alon. What's in my pow'r? Oh, yes, to stab my friend! Leon. To stab your friend were barbarous indeed! Spare him—and murder me.

Alon. First perish all!

No, Leonora, I am thine for ever.

Leon. Hold, Alonzo,

[Runs and embraces her.

And hear a maid whom doubly thou hast conquer'd.

I love thy virtue as I love thy person,

And I adore thee for the pains it gave me;
But as I felt the pains, I'll reap the fruit;
I'll shine out in my turn, and show the world
Thy great example was not lost upon me.

Nay, never shrink; take back the bright example
You lately lent; Oh, take it while you may,
While I can give it you, and be immortal!

[Exit.

Alon. She's gone, and I shall see that face no more;

But pine in absence, and till death adore.
When with cold dew my fainting brow is hung,
And my eyes darken, from my falt'ring tongue
Her name will tremble with a feeble moan,
And love with fate divide my dying groan.

[Exit.

SCENE I. The same.

Enter DON MANUEL and ZANGA.

Zan. If this be true, I cannot blame your pain For wretched Carlos; 'tis but humane in you. But when arriv'd your dismal news?

Man. This hour.

Zan. What, not a vessel sav'd?

Man. All, all the storm

Devour'd; and now o'er his late envy'd fortune. The dolphins bound, and wat'ry mountains roar, Triumphant in his ruin.

Zan. Is Alvarez

Determin'd to deny his daughter to him?

That treasure was on shore; must that too join
The common wreck?

Man. Alvarez pleads, indeed,

That Leonora's heart is disinclin'd,

And pleads that only; so it was this morning, When he concurr'd: the tempest broke the match; And sunk his favour, when it sunk the gold.

The love of gold is double in his heart,
The vice of age, and of Alvarez too.
Zan. How does don Carlos bear it?
Man. Like a man

Whose heart feels most a human heart can feel,
And reasons best a human heart can reason.
Zan. But is he then in absolute despair?
Man. Never to see his Leonora more.
And, quite to quench all future hope, Alvarez
Urges Alonzo to espouse his daughter
This very day; for he has learn'd their loves.
Zan. Ha! was not that receiv'd with ecstasy
By don Alonzo?

Man. Yes, at first; but soon

A damp came o'er him, it would kill his friend.
Zan. Not if his friend consented: aud since now
He can't himself espouse her

Man. Yet, to ask it

Has something shocking to a gen'rous mind;

At least, Alonzo's spirit startles at it.

Wide is the distance between our despair,
And giving up a mistress to another.
But I must leave you.
In his severe affliction.

Zan. Ha, it dawns!

Carlos wants support

It rises to me, like a new-found world
To mariners long time distress'd at sea,

Sore from a storm, and all their viauds spent ;
Or like the sun just rising out of chaos,

Some dregs of ancient night not quite purg'd off
But shall I finish it?—Hoa, Isabella!"

Enter ISABELLA.

I thought of dying; better things come forward;
Vengeance is still alive; from her dark covert,
With all her snakes erect upon her crest,
She stalks in view, and fires me with her charms.
When, Isabella, arriv'd don Carlos here?
Isa. Two nights ago.

.

Zan. That was the very night

B

[Exit.

Before the battle- -Mem'ry, set down that;
It has the essence of the crocodile,

Though yet but in the shell-I'll give it birth-
What time did he return?

Isa. At midnight.

Zan. So

Say, did he see that night his Leonora?
Isa. No, my good lord.

Zan. No matter-tell me, woman,

Is not Alonzo rather brave than cautious,
Honest than subtle, above fraud himself,
Slow, therefore, to suspect it in another? [him.
Isa. You best can judge; but so the world thinks of
Zan. Why, that was well-go, fetch my tablets hither.
[Exit Isabella.
Two nights ago my father's sacred shade
Thrice stalk'd around my bed, and smil'd upon me;
He smil❜d a joy then little understood-

It must be so-and if So, it is vengeance
Worth waking of the dead for.

Re-enter ISABELLA, with the Tablets; ZANGA writes, then reads as to himself.

Thus it stands

The father's fix'd-Don Carlos cannot wed-
Alonzo may-but that will hurt his friend-
Nor can he ask his leave-or, if he did,
He might not gain it-It is hard to give

Our own consent to ills, though we must bear them.
Were it not then a masterpiece worth all
The wisdom I can boast, first to persuade

Alonzo to request it of his friend,

His friend to grant-then from that very grant,
The strongest proof of friendship man can give
(And other motives), to work out a cause
Of jealousy, to rack Alonzo's peace?

I have turn'd o'er the catalogue of buman woes,
Which sting the heart of man, and find none equal,
It is the hydra of calamities,

The sev❜nfold death; the jealous are the damn'd.

Oh, jealousy, each other passion's calm
To thee, thou conflagration of the soul!

Thou king of torments, thou grand counterpoise
For all the transports beauty can inspire!
Isa. Alonzo comes this way.

Zan. Most opportunely.

Withdraw.

Enter DON ALONZO.

My lord! I give you joy.

Alon. Of what, good Zanga?

Zan. Is not the lovely Leonora yours?
Alon. What will become of Carlos?

Zan. He's your friend;

[Exit Isabella.

And since he can't espouse the fair himself,

Will take some comfort from Alonzo's fortune.

Alon. Alas, thou little know'st the force of love!

Love reigns a sultan with unrival'd sway;
Puts all relations, friendship's self to death,
If once he's jealous of it. I love Carlos;
Yet well I know what pangs 1 felt this morning
At his intended nuptials. For myself

I then felt pains, which now for him I feel.
Zan. You will not wed her then?

Alon. Not instantly.

Insult his broken heart the very moment!

Zan. I understand you: but you'll wed hereafter, When your friend's gone, and his first pain assuag'd. Alon. Am I to blame in that?

Zan. My lord, I love

Your very errors; they are born from virtue.
Your friendship (and what nobler passion claims
The heart?) does lead you blindfold to your ruin.
Consider, wherefore did Alvarez break

Don Carlos' match, and wherefore urge Alonzo's?
'Twas the same cause, the love of wealth. To-morrow
May see Alonzo in don Carlos' fortune;

A higher bidder is a better friend,

And there are princes sigh for Leonora.

When your friend's gone, you'll wed; why, when the

cause