Alhadra. Thou art young and innocent; [290]
'Twere merciful to kill thee! Yet I will not.
And for thy sake none of this house shall perish,
[[596]] Save only he.

Maria. That aged man, his father!

Alhadra (sternly). Why had he such a son?

[The Moors press on.

Maria (still kneeling, and wild with affright). Yet spare his life!
They must not murder him!

Alhadra. And is it then 295
An enviable lot to waste away
With inward wounds, and like the spirit of chaos
To wander on disquietly thro' the earth,
Cursing all lovely things? to let him live—
It were a deep revenge!

All the band cry out—No mercy! no mercy! [300]

[Naomi advances with the sword towards Osorio.

Alhadra. Nay, bear him forth! Why should this innocent maid
Behold the ugliness of death?

Osorio (with great majesty). O woman!
I have stood silent like a slave[596:1] before thee,
That I might taste the wormwood and the gall,
And satiate this self-accusing spirit [305]
With bitterer agonies than death can give.