Page. My Lord, he’s here. [Page goes out.
Enter Pisaro.
Pis. Not speak with me! nay then I fear the worst.
Alcip. Not for the world, Pisaro—
[Hides his face with his hand, Pis. sees Erminia.
Pis. Thy guilt is here too plain, I need not read it in thy blushing face, She’s dead and pale: Ah, sweet Erminia!
Alcip. If she be dead, the fitter she’s for me,
She’ll now be coy no more, nor cry I cannot love,
And frown and blush, when I but kiss her hand:
Now I shall read no terror in her Eyes,
And what is better yet, shall ne’er be jealous.
Pis. Why didst thou make such haste to be undone?
Had I detain’d thee but an hour longer,
Thou’dst been the only happy of thy Sex.
—I knew thou didst dissemble when we parted,
And therefore durst not trust thee with thy Passions:
I only staid to gather from my Sister
What news I might concerning your affairs,
Which I with joy came to impart to you,
But most unfortunately came too late:
Why didst thou yield obedience to that Devil,
Which urg’d thee to destroy this Innocent?
Alcip. Pisaro, do not err;
I found the Prince and she alone together,
He all disorder’d like a Ravisher,
Loose and unbutton’d for the amorous play;
O that she had another Life to lose!
Pis. You wrong her most inhumanly, you do;
Her Blood, yet sensible of the injury,
Flows to her face to upbraid thy Cruelty.
—Where dost thou mean, bad Man, to hide thy head?
Vengeance and Justice will pursue thee close,
And hardly leave thee time for Penitence.
—What will the Princess say to this return
You’ve made to all the offers she has sent
This Night by Prince Philander?