left.—[Perceives the CHILD.] What have we here ?—A child, as I'm a soldier !

2nd Sold. 'Tis a sweet little babe! Now would it be a great charity to take this infant from its pagan mother's power.

1st Sold. It would so : I have one at home shall play with it. Come along. [Exeunt with the CHILD

Cora. [Without.] This way, dear Alonzo!

Re-enter CORA, with ALONZO

Now am I right-there-there-under that tree. Was it possible the instinct of a mother's heart could mistake the spot? Now wilt thou look at him as he sleeps, or shall I bring him waking with his full, blue, laughing eyes, to welcome you at once? Yes, yes! Stand thou there; I'll snatch him from his rosy slumber, blushing like the perfumed morn.

[She runs up to the spot, and finding only the mantle and veil, which she tears from the ground, and the CHILD gone, shrieks.

Alon. [Running to her.] Cora! My heart's beloved!
Cora. He is gone!

Alon. Eternal God!

Cora. He is gone !—my child! my child !

Alon. Where didst thou leave him?

Cora. [Dashing herself on the spot.] Here !

Alon. Be calm, beloved Cora; he has waked and crept

to a little distance; we shall find him.

this was the spot you left him in ?

Are you assured

Cora. Did not these hands make that bed and shelter for him? and is not this the veil that covered him?

Alon. Here is a hut yet unobserved.

Cora. Ha! yes, yes! there lives the savage that has robbed me of my child.-[Beats at the door.] Give me back my child restore to me my boy!

Enter LAS-CASAS from the hut

Las-Cas. Who calls me from my wretched solitude? Cora. Give me back my child !-[Goes into the hut and calls.] Fernando !

Alon. Almighty powers! do my eyes deceive me? LasCasas !

Las-Casas. Alonzo, my beloved young friend!

Alon. My revered instructor!

Re-enter CORA

[Embracing

Cora. Will you embrace this man before he restores my boy?

Alon. Alas, my friend! in what a moment of misery do we meet !

Cora. Yet his look is goodness and humanity. Good old man, have compassion on a wretched mother, and I will be your servant while I live. But do not-for pity's sake, do not say you have him not! do not say you have not seen him. [Runs into the wood

Las-Cas. What can this mean?

Alon. She is my wife. Just rescued from the Spaniards' prison, I learned she had fled to this wild forest.

Hearing my voice, she left the child, and flew to meet me: he was left sleeping under yonder tree.

Re-enter CORA

Las-Cas. How did you leave him?

Cora. Oh, you are right! right! unnatural mother that I was! I left my child, I forsook my innocent!

fly to the earth's brink, but I will find him.

But I will

[Runs out

Alon. Forgive me, Las-Casas, I must follow her; for at

You must try to

night I attempt brave Rolla's rescue. Las-Cas. I will not leave thee, Alonzo. lead her to the right: that way lies your camp. Wait not my infirm steps: I follow thee, my friend.

[Exeunt

SCENE II.-The Outpost of the Spanish Camp. In the background a torrent, over which a bridge is formed by a felled tree. Trumpets sound without.

Enter ALMAGRO, followed by SOLDIERS, leading ROLLA in chains

Alm. Bear him along; his story must be false.

Rol. False Rolla utter falsehood! I would I had thee in a desert with thy troop around thee, and I but with my sword in this unshackled hand! [Trumpets without Alm. Is it to be credited that Rolla, the renowned Peruvian hero, should be detected, like a spy, skulking through our camp?

Rol. Skulking!

Alm. But answer to the general; he is here.

Enter PIZARRO

Piz. What do I see? Rolla!

Rol. Oh, to thy surprise, no doubt!

Piz. And bound too!

Rol. So fast, thou needst not fear approaching me. Alm. The guards surprised him passing our outpost. Piz. Release him instantly! Believe me, I regret this insult.

Rol. You feel then as you ought.

Piz. Nor can I brook to see a warrior of Rolla's fame disarmed. Accept this, though it has been thy enemy's.[Gives a sword.] The Spaniards know the courtesy that 's due to valour.

Rol. And the Peruvians how to forget offence.

Piz. May not Rolla and Pizarro cease to be foes?

Rol. When the sea divides us; yes! May I now depart? Piz. Freely.

Rol. And shall I not again be intercepted?

Piz. No! Let the word be given that Rolla passes freely.

Enter DAVILLA and SOLDIERS, with ALONZO'S CHILD

Dav. Here are two soldiers, captured yesterday, who have escaped from the Peruvian hold-and by the secret way we have so long endeavoured to discover. Piz. Silence, imprudent! Seest thou not

[Pointing to ROLLA Dav. In their way, they found a Peruvian child, who

Piz. What is the imp to me? Bid them toss it into the

sa.

Rol. Gracious Heavens! it is Alonzo's child! Give it to me.

Piz. Ha! Alonzo's child !—[Takes the CHILD.] Welcome, thou pretty hostage. Now Alonzo is again my prisoner ! Rol. Thou wilt not keep the infant from its mother ? Piz. Will I not! What, when I shall meet Alonzo in the heat of the victorious fight, thinkest thou I shall not have a check upon the valour of his heart, when he is reminded that a word of mine is this child's death?

Rol. I do not understand thee

Piz. My vengeance has a long arrear of hate to settle with Alonzo! and this pledge may help to settle the account. [Gives the CHILD to a SOLDIER Rol. Man! Man! Art thou a man? Couldst thou hurt that innocent ?-By Heaven! it's smiling in thy face.

Piz. Tell me, does it resemble Cora.

Rol. Pizarro thou hast set my heart on fire. If thou dost harm that child, think not his blood will sink into the barren sand. No faithful to the eager hope that now trembles in this indignant heart, 'twill rise to the common God of nature and humanity, and cry aloud for vengeance on his accursed destroyer's head.

Piz. Be that peril mine.

Rol. [Throwing himself at his feet.] Behold me at thy feet —me, Rolla !-me, the preserver of thy life!-me, that have never yet bent or bowed before created man! In humble agony I sue to thee-prostrate I implore thee-but spare that child, and I will be thy slave.

Piz. Rolla! still art thou free to go-this boy remains with me.

Rol. Then was this sword Heaven's gift, not thine !— [Seizes the CHILD.] Who moves one step to follow me dies upon the spot. [Exit with the CHILD

Piz. Pursue him instantly—but spare his life.—[Exeunt DAVILLA and ALMAGRO with SOLDIERS.] With what fury he defends himself! Ha! he fells them to the ground-and

now

Re-enter ALMAGRO

Alm. Three of your brave soldiers are already victims to your command to spare this madman's life; and if he once gain the thicket

Piz. Spare him no longer.-[Exit ALMAGRO.] Their guns must reach him—he 'll yet escape-holloa to those horse— the Peruvian sees them—and now he turns among the rocks -then is his retreat cut off.-[ROLLA crosses the wooden bridge over the cataract pursued by the SOLDIERS-they fire at him- —a shot strikes him.] Now!-quick! quick! seize the child!

[ROLLA tears from the rock the tree which supports the bridge, and retreats by the background, bearing off the CHILD

Re-enter ALMAGRO and DAVILLA

Alm. By hell! he has escaped !-and with the child unhurt.

Dav. No-He bears his death with him. Believe me I saw him struck upon the side.

Piz. But the child is saved-Alonzo's child! Oh! the furies of disappointed vengeance!

Alm. Away with the revenge of words-let us to deeds! Forget not we have acquired the knowledge of the secret pass, which through the rocky cavern's gloom brings you at once to the stronghold where are lodged their women and their treasures.

Piz. Right, Almagro ! Swift as thy thought, draw forth a daring and a chosen band-I will not wait for numbers. Stay, Almagro ! Valverde is informed Elvira dies to-day. Alm. He is and one request alone she

Piz. I'll hear of none.

Alm. The boon is small-'t is but for the noviciate habit which you first beheld her in-she wishes not to suffer in the gaudy trappings which remind her of her shame.

Piz. Well, do as thou wilt-but tell Valverde, at our return, as his life shall answer it, to let me hear that she is dead. [Exeunt severally

SCENE III.-ATALIBA'S Tent

Enter ATALIBA, followed by CORA and ALONZO

Cora. Oh! avoid me not, Ataliba! To whom, but to her king, is the wretched mother to address her griefs. The gods refuse to hear my prayers! Did not my Alonzo fight for thee? and will not my sweet boy, if thou 'lt but restore him to me, one day fight thy battles too?

Alon. Oh! my suffering love-my poor heart-broken Cora!-thou but wound'st our sovereign's feeling soul, and not reliev'st thy own.

Cora. Is he our sovereign, and has he not the power to give me back my child?

Ata. When I reward desert, or can relieve my people, I feel what is the real glory of a king-when I hear them suffer, and cannot aid them, I mourn the impotence of all mortal power.

Soldiers. [Without.] Rolla! Rolla! Rolla!