Hear, sweet spirit, hear the spell,
Lest a blacker charm compel! 70
So shall the midnight breezes swell
With thy deep long-lingering knell.

And at evening evermore,
In a chapel on the shore,
Shall the chaunter, sad and saintly, [75]
Yellow tapers burning faintly,
Doleful masses chaunt for thee,
Miserere Domine!

Hark! the cadence dies away
On the quiet moonlight sea: [80]
The boatmen rest their oars and say,
Miserere Domine! [A long pause.

[[850]]Ordonio. The innocent obey nor charm nor spell!
My brother is in heaven. Thou sainted spirit,
Burst on our sight, a passing visitant! 85
Once more to hear thy voice, once more to see thee,
O 'twere a joy to me!

Alvar. A joy to thee!
What if thou heard'st him now? What if his spirit
Re-enter'd its cold corse, and came upon thee
With many a stab from many a murderer's poniard? 90
What if (his stedfast eye still beaming pity
And brother's love) he turn'd his head aside,
Lest he should look at thee, and with one look
Hurl thee beyond all power of penitence?

Valdez. These are unholy fancies!

Ordonio. Yes, my father, [95]
He is in Heaven!

Alvar (still to Ordonio). But what if he had a brother,
Who had lived even so, that at his dying hour,
The name of Heaven would have convulsed his face,
More than the death-pang?

Valdez. Idly prating man!
Thou hast guess'd ill: Don Alvar's only brother 100
Stands here before thee—a father's blessing on him!
He is most virtuous.

Alvar (still to Ordonio). What, if his very virtues
Had pampered his swoln heart and made him proud?
And what if pride had duped him into guilt?
Yet still he stalked a self-created god, 105
Not very bold, but exquisitely cunning;
And one that at his mother's looking-glass
Would force his features to a frowning sternness?
Young Lord! I tell thee, that there are such beings—
Yea, and it gives fierce merriment to the damn'd, 110
To see these most proud men, that loath mankind,
At every stir and buzz of coward conscience,
Trick, cant, and lie, most whining hypocrites!
Away, away! Now let me hear more music. [Music again.