first time Valdez. O not to day, not now for the To work a full conviction on the culprit, And he entrusts him wholly to my keeping. Was Alvar lost to thee 40 [Turning off, aloud, but yet as to Accurst assassins! Disarmed, o'erpowered, despairing of defence, At his bared breast he seem'd to grasp some relict More dear than was his life—— 61 Valdez. 'Tis well, my son! But have you yet discovered (Where is Teresa ?) what those speeches meant Pride, and Hypocrisy, and Guilt, and Then when the wizard fix'd his eye on you, Teresa (with faint shriek). O Heavens! And you, I know not why, look'd pale Here's no abiding-placeforthee, Teresa. So present to me, that but once to meet Away! they see me not-Thou seest them One question to Ordonio.-My limbs I was benumb'd, and staggered up and tremble down There I may sit unmark'd-a moment Through darkness without light-dark— will restore me. dark-dark! 80 [Retires out of sight. My flesh crept chill, my limbs felt man Ordonio (as he advances with Valdes). These are the dungeon keys. That I too had received the wizard's mes sage, 'He that can bring the dead to life again.' But now he is satisfied, I plann'd this scheme acled As had a snake coil'd round them!- And the blood dances freely through its [Turns off abruptly; then to himself. This is my virtuous, grateful Isidore! But that in spite of your own seeming As that one life, which being push'd Had given a morsel to the hungry worms Somewhat too early-Where's the crime of this? That this must needs bring on the idiotcy Of moist-eyed Penitence-'tis like a dream! Valdes. Wild talk, my son! But thy excess of feeling—— [Averting himself. Almost I fear it hath unhinged his brain. Ordonio (now in soliloquy, and now addressing his father: and just after the speech has commenced, Teresa reappears and advances slowly). Say, I had laid a body in the sun! Well! in a month there swarm forth from the corse aside, Made room for these unnumbered- O mere madness! [TERESA moves hastily forwards, and places herself directly before ORDONIO. Ordonio (checking the feeling of surprize, and forcing his tones into an expression of playful courtesy). Teresa? or the Phantom of Teresa? Teresa. Alas! the Phantom only, if in truth The substance of her Being, her Life's life, Have ta'en its flight through Alvar's death-wound[A pause. Where (Even coward Murder grants the dead a grave) O tell me, Valdez !-answer me, Ordonio ! 120 Teresa (recoiling with the expression appropriate to the passion). The rock the fir-grove ! [TO VALDEZ. Did'st thou hear him say it? Hush! I will ask him! Valdez. Urge him not-not now! This we beheld. Nor He nor I know more, 131 Than what the magic imagery revealed. The assassin, who pressed foremost of the three Ordonio. A tender-hearted, scrupulous, grateful villain, Whom I will strangle! Valdez (looking with anxious disquiet at his Son, yet attempting to proceed with his description). While his two companionsOrdonio. Dead! dead already! what care we for the dead? Valdes (to Teresa). Pity him! sooth him! disenchant his spirit! These supernatural shews, this strange disclosure, And this too fond affection, which still broods O'er Alvar's Fate, and still burns to avenge it 140 These, struggling with his hopeless love And am I hastening to the arms- -O for you, Distemper him, and give reality To the creatures of his fancy. Is it so? Ordonio. Yes! yes! even like a child, that too abruptly Roused by a glare of light from deepest Starts up bewildered and talks idly. Father! What if the Moors that made my brother's grave, By the deep feelings of Revenge and Hate Even now were digging ours'? What if To escape the crueller flames the bolt, Though aim'd, I doubt not, at the son of Valdez, Yet miss'd it's true aim when it fell on Alvar? 150 soul shouts triumph! My The Hunt is up! and in the midnight With puny thwartings and mock op It was not that which scar'd me, good my lord. Ordonio. What scar'd you, then? But first permit me ! [Lights his torch at ORDONIO'S, and while lighting it. (A lighted torch in the hand Is no unpleasant object here—one's breath Floats round the flame, and makes as many colours To peep at a tree, or see a he-goat's As the thin clouds that travel near the beard, moon.) You see that crevice there? My torch extinguished by these waterdrops, And marking that the moonlight came from thence, I stept in to it, meaning to sit there; 30 Low down, and listened till the heavy But scarcely had I measured twenty paces My body bending forward, yea, o'erbalanced Almost beyond recoil, on the dim brink Of a huge chasm I stept. The shadowy moonshine Filling the Void so counterfeited Substance, fragments Sank with faint crash in that still groaning well, Which never thirsty pilgrim blest, which never A living thing came near-unless, perchance, Some blind-worm battens on the ropy mould That my foot hung aslant adown the Close at its edge. edge. 60 Ordonio. Art thou more coward now? Isidore. Call him, that fears his fellowman, a coward ! I fear not man—but this inhuman cavern, It were too bad a prison-house for goblins. Beside, (you'll smile, my lord) but true it is, My last night's sleep was very sorely haunted By what had passed between us in the morning. O sleep of horrors! Now run down and stared at My lord, I pray you, go yourself and By Forms so hideous that they mock re Should creep, each one with a particular Had a strange power of breathing terror |
