ALVA.
Dreadful thought!
KING.
There! fling yourselves before him—down before
The young, the expectant king; I'm nothing now
But a forsaken, old, defenceless man!
ALVA.
Spaniards! is't come to this?
[All crowd round the KING, and fall on their knees before
him with drawn swords. CARLOS remains alone with the corpse,
deserted by all.
KING (tearing off his mantle and throwing it from him).
There! clothe him now
With this my royal mantle; and on high
Bear him in triumph o'er my trampled corpse!
[He falls senseless in ALVA's and LERMA's arms.
LERMA.
For heaven's sake, help!
FERIA.
Oh, sad, disastrous chance!
LERMA.
He faints!
ALVA (leaves the KING in LERMA's and FERIA's hands).
Attend his majesty! whilst I
Make it my aim to tranquillize Madrid.