TERESA. Torture me not! But Alvar-Oh of Alvar? VALDEZ. How often would he plead for these Morescoes! So so?-I comprehend you-He is "He that can bring the dead to life again." VALDEZ. 'Tis well, my son! But have you yet discover'd VALDEZ (with averted countenance). TERESA. [Turning off, aloud, but yet as to himself. And the blood dances freely through its channels! Accurst assassins! Disarm'd, o'erpower'd, despairing of defence, At his bared breast he seem'd to grasp some relict More dear than was his life TERESA (with a faint shriek). [Turns off abruptly; then to himself This is my virtuous, grateful Isidore! [Then mimicking ISIDORE's manner and voice. "A common trick of gratitude, my Lord!" Oh Gratitude! a dagger would dissect O Heavens! my portrait! His "own full heart"-'t were good to see its color. Hush! who comes here? The wizard Moor's employer! Moors were his murderers, you say? Saints shield us From wicked thoughts[VALDEZ moves towards the back of the stage to meet ORDONIO, and during the concluding lines of TERESA's speech appears as eagerly conversing with him. Is Alvar dead? what then? The nuptial rites and funeral shall be one! Here's no abiding-place for thee, Teresa.-Away! they see me not-Thou seest me, Alvar! To thee I bend my course.-But first one question, One question to Ordonio.-My limbs trembleThere I may sit unmark'd-a moment will restore me. [Retires out of sight. VALDEZ. ORDONIO (as he advances with VALDEZ). These are the dungeon keys. Monviedro knew not Wild talk, my son' But thy excess of feeling— That I too had received the wizard message, [Averting himself ORDONIO. Is it so? Almost, I fear, it hath unhinged his brain. ORDONIO (now in soliloquy, and now addressing his father and just after the speech has Yes! yes! even like a child, that, too abruptly commenced, TERESA reappears and advances Roused by a glare of light from deepest sleep, slowly). Starts up bewilder'd and talks idly. : Say, I had laid a body in the sun! Well! in a month there swarm forth from the corse VALDEZ. O mere madness! [TERESA moves hastily forwards, and places herself directly before ORDONIO. (Then mysteriously.) Father! What if the Moors that made my brother's grave, VALDEZ. Alvar ne'er fought against the Moors,-say rather, ORDONIO. Unknown, perhaps, ORDONIO (checking the feeling of surprise, and Captured, yet, as the son of Valdez, murder'd. forcing his tones into an expression of Leave all to me. Nay, whither, gentle Lady? 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, ORDONIO. There, where Ordonio likewise would fain lie! For while we LIVE An inward day that never, never sets, lids! Over his rocky grave the Fir-grove sighs To find a lover! eye-Suits that a high-born maiden's modesty ? O folly and shame! Tempt not my rage, Teresa! TERESA. [Strides off in agitation towards the altar, but Hopeless, I fear no human being's rage. This, then, is my reward! and I must love her? By the deep feelings of Revenge and Hate The mine is undermined! Blood! Blood! Blood! The hunt is up! and in the midnight wood, Dead! dead already! what care we for the dead? Glares in the red flame of his hunter's torch! VALDEZ (to TERESA). Pity him! soothe him! disenchant his spirit! To Isidore I will dispatch a message, [Ex. ACT IV. SCENE I. A cavern, dark, except where a gleam of moonlight is seen on one side at the further end of it; supposed to be cast on it from a crevice in a part of the cavern out of sight. ISIDORE alone, an extinguished torch in his hand. ISIDORE. Faith 't was a moving letter-very moving! Thanks to that little crevice, Which lets the moonlight in! I'll go and sit by it. To peep at a tree, or, see a he-goat's beard, Or hear a cow or two breathe loud in their sleepAny thing but this crash of water-drops! These dull abortive sounds that fret the silence With puny thwartings and mock opposition! So beats the death-watch to a dead man's ear. [He goes out of sight, opposite to the patch of moonlight: returns after a minute's elapse, in an ecstasy of fear. A hellish pit! The very same I dreamt of! moved. [ISIDORE stands staring at another recess in the cavern. In the mean time ORDONIO enters with a torch, and halloos to ISIDORE. I swear that I saw something moving there! I swear, I saw it move, That my foot hung aslant adown the edge. Fear too hath its instincts! You smile! alas, even smiles look ghastly here! ORDONIO (goes into the recess, then returns, and with It were too bad a prison-house for goblins. Props on the long lank weed, that grows beneath: And the weed nods and drips. ISIDORE (forcing a laugh faintly). A jest to laugh at! It was not that which scared me, good my Lord. What scared you, then?" But first permit me! You see that crevice there? My torch extinguish'd by these water drops, Beside (you'll smile, my Lord), but true it is, Had a strange power of breathing terror round me! Of falling down that chasm, when Alhadra Waked me: she heard my heart beat. ORDONIO. And marking that the moonlight came from thence, Had you been here before? I stept in to it, meaning to sit there; But scarcely had I measured twenty paces Of a huge chasm I stept. The shadowy moonshine ISIDORE. Strange enough! Never, my Lord! But mine eyes do not see it now more clearly, Than in my dream I saw-that very chasm. ORDONIO (stands lost in thought, then after a pause) I know not why it should be! yet it is 97 ORDONIO. ISIDORE. I have a prattler three years old, my Lord! ORDONIO. With his human hand He gave a substance and reality Why, that's my case; and yet the soul recoils from it-To that wild fancy of a possible thing.- ISIDORE. Something troubles you. How shall I serve you? By the life you gave me, Is not a place where you could perpetrate, [ORDONIO darkly, and in the feeling of self-justifica- Who? when? my Lord? ORDONIO. What boots it, who or when? Hang up thy torch-I'll tell his tale to thee. Well it was done! [Then very wildly. ORDONIO. He proved a traitor, [They hang up their torches on some ridge in To hunt him down to infamy and death. That which his wisdom prompted All men seem'd mad to him! He made that Traitor meet him in this cavern, Now this is excellent, and warms the blood! Why didst thou look round? My heart was drawing back, drawing me back With weak and womanish scruples. Now my Ven geance Beckons me onwards with a warrior's mien, VALDEZ. Hush, thoughtless woman! TERESA. Nay, it wakes within me And claims that life, my pity robb'd her of-- ISIDORE. And all my little ones fatherless Die thou first. [They fight; ORDONIO disarms ISIDORE, and in disarming him throws his sword up that recess opposite to which they were standing. ISIDORE hurries into the recess with his torch, ORDONIO follows him; a loud cry of "Traitor! Monster! "" is heard from the cavern, and in a moment ORDONIO returns alone. ORDONIO. VALDEZ. No more of thisWhat if Monviedro or his creatures hear us! I dare not listen to you. -We have mourn'd for Alvar. I have hurl'd him down the chasm! Treason for trea- Of his sad fate there now remains no doubt. Have I no other son? Heart-chilling Superstition! thou canst glaze Enter VALDEZ. VALDEZ. Still sad?-and gazing at the massive door [With a sneer. Who then need wonder if a lady sighs Even at the thought of what these stern Dominicans TERESA (with solemn indignation). The horror of their ghastly punishments • Vide Appendix, Note 2. TERESA. Speak not of him! That low imposture! That mysterious picture! If this be madness, must I wed a madman? And if not madness, there is mystery, And guilt doth lurk behind it. VALDEZ. Is this well? TERESA. Yes, it is truth: saw you his countenance? O my father! Recall that morning when we knelt together, |