And thrilling hands, that made me weep and tremble-On such employment! With far other thoughts Ah, coward dupe! to yield it to the miscreant, My Alvar loved sad music from a child. His head upon the blind boy's dog. It pleased me ALVAR. My tears must not flow! I must not clasp his knees, and cry, My father! Enter TERESA, and Attendants. TERESA. Lord Valdez, you have asked my presence here, And I submit; but (Heaven bear witness for me) My heart approves it not! 't is mockery. ORDONIO. Believe you then no preternatural influence? Believe you not that spirits throng around us? TERESA. Say rather that I have imagined it A possible thing and it has soothed my soul (To ALVAR). Stranger, I mourn and blush to see you here, I left you. ORDONIO (aside). Ha! he has been tampering with her? ALVAR. O high-soul'd Maiden! and more dear to me Than suits the Stranger's name! I swear to thee I will uncover all concealed guilt. [Here a strain of music is heard from behind the scene. ALVAR. With no irreverent voice or uncouth charm I call up the Departed! Soul of Alvar! Hear our soft suit, and heed my milder spell : Who in broad circle, lovelier than the rainbow, [Music. Even now your living wheel turns o'er my head! Ye, as ye pass, toss high the desert Sands, A sweet appearance, but a dread illusion To the parch'd caravan that roams by night! [Here behind the scenes a voice sings the three SONG. Behind the Scenes, accompanied by the same Instrument as before. Hear, sweet spirit, hear the spell, So shall the midnight breezes swell And at evening evermore, In a Chapel on the shore, Shall the Chaunters sad and saintly, Yellow tapers burning faintly, Had pamper'd his swoln heart and made him proud? Not very bold, but exquisitely cunning; TERESA. [Music again. "T is strange, I tremble at my own conjectures! If he be dead, O come! and bring with thee [The whole Music clashes into a Chorus. CHORUS. Wandering Demons, hear the spell! [The incense on the altar takes fire suddenly, and ORDONIO (starting in great agitation). Duped! duped! duped!—the traitor Isidore! [At this instant the doors are forced open, MONVIEDRO and the Familiars of the Inquisition, Servants, etc. enter and fill the stage. MONVIEDRO. First seize the sorcerer! suffer him not to speak! Shall hear his first words.-Look you pale, Lord Valdez? There is a dungeon underneath this castle, And as you hope for mild interpretation, ORDONIO (recovering himself as from stupor, to Why haste you not? Off with him to the dungeon! SCENE II. Interior of a Chapel, with painted Windows. Enter TERESA. TERESA. When first I entered this pure spot, forebodings A trance so cloudless, that those sounds, hard by, Enter VALDEZ. VALDEZ. Ye pitying saints, forgive a father's blindness, And extricate us from this net of peril! TERESA. Who wakes anew my fears, and speaks of peril? VALDEZ. O best Teresa, wisely wert thou prompted! That voice which whispers, when the still heart listens, With a flash of light it came, in flames it vanish'd, Comfort and faithful Hope! Let us retire. ALVAR (to TERESA, anxiously). O full of faith and guileless love, thy Spirit Self-kindled, self-consumed: bright as thy Life, Sudden and unexpected as thy Fate, Alvar! My son! My son!--The Inquisitor breathed to the Unerring Must those remain unanswer'd, Yet impious sorcery, that holds no commune Save with the lying Spirit, claim belief? VALDEZ. O not to day, not now for the first time Was Alvar lost to thee Yes! yes! we recognize them. I was benumb'd, and stagger'd up and down Through darkness without light-dark-dark-dark! As had a snake coil'd round them!-Now 't is sun-shine, [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, TERESA (with a faint shriek). And he did grasp it in his death-pang! [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! Old Gratitude! a dagger would dissect O Heavens! my portrait! His in his hand. 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 sigh. ORDONIO (as he advances with VALDEZ). These are the dungeon keys. Monviedro knew not That I too had received the wizard message, « own full heart»>—'t were good to see its colour. VALDEZ. These magic sights! O that I ne'er had yielded, I held it for some innocent stratagem, ORDONIO (in a slow voice, as reasoning to himself). VALDEZ. 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 VALDEZ. O mere madness! [TERESA moves hastily forwards, and places herself directly before ORDONIO. Unknown, perhaps, Captured, yet, as the son of Valdez, murder'd. ORDONIO (checking the feeling of surprise, and | Leave all to me. Nay, whither, gentle Lady? forcing his tones into an expression of play VALDEZ. [A pause. The hunt is up! and in the midnight wood, [Looks through the side window. A rim of the sun lies yet upon the sea, And now 't is gone! All shall be done to-night. [Exit. |