And growing to his father's shroud, roots up Alm. Mercy! Providence! Oh, speak, Speak to it quickly, quickly; speak to me, Comfort me, help me, hold me, hide me, hide me, Leonora, in thy bosom, from the light, And from my eyes. Osm. Amazement and illusion! Rivet and nail me where I stand, ye pow'rs, 120 [Coming forward. That, motionless, I may be still deceiv'd. Enter HELI. Leon. Alas! she stirs not yet, nor lifts her eyes; He too is fainting -Help me, help me, stranger, Whoe'er thou art, and lend thy hand to raise These bodies. Hel. Ha! 'tis he! and with -Almeria ! Oh, miracle of happiness! Oh, joy Unhop'd for! does Almeria live? Osm. Where is she? Let me behold, and touch her, and be sure 'Tis she; "shew me her face, and let me feel “Her lips with mine—'Tis she, I'm not deceiv'd ; "I taste her breath, I warm'd her and am warm'd.” Look up, Almeria, bless me with thy eyes; 141 Look on thy love, thy lover, and thy husband. me. Is this a father? Osm. Look on thy Alphonso. Thy father is not here, my love, nor Garcia: Nor am I what I seem, but thy Alphonso. "Wilt thou not know me?" Hast thou then forgot me? "Hast thou thy eyes, yet canst not see Alphonso ?” Am I so alter'd, or art thou so chang'd, That seeing my disguise thou seest not me ? His voice, I know him now, I know him all. 160 To fold thee thus, to press thy balmy lips, I have not leisure to reflect, or know, Alm. Stay a while Let me look on thee yet a little more. "Osm. What wouldst thou? thou dost put me from thee. "Alm. Yes. "Osm. And why? What dost thou mean? Why dost thou gaze so? "Alm. I know not; 'tis to see thy face, I think—” It is too much! too much to bear and live! To see thee thus again is such profusion Be mad I must -I cannot be transported thus. Osm. Thou excellence, thou joy, thou Heav'n of love! 180 Alm. Where hast thou been? and how art thou alive? "How is all this? All-pow'rful Heav'n, what are we? "Oh, my strain'd heart let me again behold thee, "For I weep to see thee- -Art thou not paler? "Much, much; how thou art chang'd! "Osm. Not in my love. "Alm. No, no, thy griefs, I know, have done this to thee. "Thou has wept much, Alphonso; and, I fear, "Too much, too tenderly, lamented me. "Osm. Wrong not my love, to say too tenderly. "No more, my life; talk not of tears or grief; "Affliction is no more, now thou art found. "Why dost thou weep, and hold thee from my arms, My arms which ake to hold thee fast, and grow "To thee with twining? Come, come to my heart. "Alm. I will, for I should never look enough. "They would have marry'd me; but I had sworn "To Heav'n and thee, and sooner would have dy'd"Osm. Perfection of all faithfulness and love! 199 "Alm. Indeed I would-Nay, I would tell thee all, "If I could speak; how I have mourn'd and pray'd: "For I have pray'd to thee, as to a saint; "And thou hast heard my pray'r; for thou art come "To my distress, to my despair, which Heav'n "Could only, by restoring thee, have cur'd. "Osm. Grant me but life, good Heav'n, but length of days, "To pay some part, some little of this debt, "This countless sum of tenderness and love, "For which I stand engag'd to this all-excellence: "Then bear me in a whirlwind to my fate, "Snatch me from life, and cut me short unwarn'd : "Then, then, 'twill be enough-I shall be old, "I shall have pass'd all æras then "Of yet unmeasur'd time; when I have made "This exquisite, this most amazing goodness, "Some recompence of love and matchless truth. "Alm. 'Tis more than recompence to see thy face: "If Heav'n is greater joy it is no happiness, "For 'tis not to be borne-What shall I say? "I have a thousand things to know and ask, D 220 A& II. "And speak―That thou art here beyond all hope, "All thought; that all at once thou art before me, "And with such suddenness hast hit my sight, "Is such surprise, such mystery, such extasy, "It hurries all my soul, and stuns my sense." Sure from thy father's tomb thou didst arise? Osm. I did; and thou, my love, didst call me; thou. Alm. True; but how cam'st thou there? Wert thou alone? Osm. I was, and lying on my father's lead, In murmurs round my head. I rose and listen'd, Alm. But still, how cam'st thou thither? How thus? What's he, who, like thy self, is started here Osm. Where? Ha! What do I see, Antonio ! Heli. Most happily, in finding you thus bless'd. seas And war for in the fight I saw him fall. 240 of |