The son of Velez hath hired one of youTo murder! Say, do ye know aught of Albert?
Alhadra (starting). Albert? — three years ago I heard that name
Murmur’d in sleep! High-minded foreigner!
Mix thy revenge with mine, and stand among us. 370
[MAURICE stands among the Morescoes.
Alhadra. Was not Osorio my husband’s friend?
Old Man. He kill’d my son in battle; yet our chieftain
Forced me to sheathe my dagger. See — the point
Is bright, unrusted with the villain’s blood!
Alhadra. He is your chieftain’s murderer!
Naomi. He dies by Alla!
All (dropping on one knee). By
Alla! 375
Alhadra. This night a reeking slave came with loud pant,
Gave Ferdinand a letter, and departed,
Swift as he came. Pale, with unquiet looks,
He read the scroll.
Maurice. Its purport?
Alhadra. Yes, I ask’d it.
He answer’d me, ‘Alhadra! thou art worthy 380
A nobler secret; but I have been faithful
To this bad man, and faithful I will be.’
He said, and arm’d himself, and lit a torch;
Then kiss’d his children, each one on its pillow,
And hurried from me. But I follow’d him 385
At distance, till I saw him enter there.
Naomi. The cavern?
Alhadra. Yes — the mouth of yonder cavern.
After a pause I saw the son of Velez
Rush by with flaring torch; he likewise enter’d —
There was another and a longer pause — 390
And once, methought, I heard the clash of swords,
And soon the son of Velez reappear’d.
He flung his torch towards the moon in sport,
And seem’d as he were mirthful! I stood listening
Impatient for the footsteps of my husband! 395
Maurice. Thou called’st him?
Alhadra. I crept into the cavern:
‘Twas dark and very silent. [Then wildly.
What said’st thou?
No, no! I did not dare call, Ferdinand!
Lest I should hear no answer. A brief while,
Belike, I lost all thought and memory 400
Of that for which I came! After that pause,
O God! I heard a groan! — and follow’d it.
And yet another groan — which guided me
Into a strange recess — and there was light,
A hideous light! his torch lay on the ground — 405
Its flame burnt dimly o’er a chasm’s brink.
I spake — and while I spake, a feeble groan
Came from that chasm! It was his last! his death groan!
Maurice. Comfort her, comfort her, Almighty Father!
Alhadra. I stood in unimaginable trance 410
And agony, that cannot be remember’d,
Listening with horrid hope to hear a groan!
But I had heard his last — my husband’s death-groan!
Naomi. Haste! let us go!
Alhadra. I look’d far down the pit.
My sight was bounded by a jutting fragment, 415
And it was stain’d with blood! Then first I shriek’d!
My eyeballs burnt! my brain grew hot as fire!
And all the hanging drops of the wet roof
Turn’d into blood. I saw them turn to blood!
And I was leaping wildly down the chasm 420
When on the further brink I saw his sword,
And it said, Vengeance! Curses on my tongue!
The moon hath moved in heaven, and I am here,
And he hath not had vengeance! Ferdinand!
Spirit of Ferdinand! thy murderer lives! 425
Away! away! [She rushes off, all following.
END OF THE FOURTH ACT
SCENE II
The interior Court of a Saracenic or Gothic Castle with the iron gate
of a dungeon visible.
Teresa. Heart-chilling Superstition! thou canst glaze
Ev’n Pity’s eye with her own frozen tear.
In vain I urge the tortures that await him:
Even Selma, reverend guardian of my childhood,
My second mother, shuts her heart against me!
Well, I have won from her what most imports
The present need, this secret of the dungeon
Known only to herself. — A Moor! a Sorcerer!
No, I have faith, that nature ne’er permitted
Baseness to wear a form so noble. True,
I doubt not, that Ordonio had suborned him
To act some part in some unholy fraud;
