Enter Amelrosa.
Amel. All's hushed again; how fearful
After those shrieks appear the midnight calm.
—Orsino?—Speak, Orsino?—No one answers.
What can this mean?
Otti. Fainter and fainter still——
And no one comes.——
Amel. Hark! 'Twas a groan! whence came it? [Seeing Ottilia.]
Stranger look up!
Otti. A voice! Oh! blessed sound,
Who'er thou art, mark well my dying words;
A villain's hand—I'm wounded——
Amel. Gracious heaven!
Oh! let me fly for aid.
Otti. All aid were vain.
Stay, mark! Revenge!—[Taking a paper from her bosom.]
This paper—take it—bear it
Swift to the royal tower—lose not a moment—
Insist to see the king—take no denial,
For 'tis of most dear import.
Amel. Sure, it must be—?
Ottilia.
Otti. [Starting up wildly.] Heaven, who speaks? 'Tis she herself:
My victim, 'tis my victim!—Dost thou live then?
Hast thou escaped? Spare me, thou God of mercy!
Oh! spare me this one crime.
Amel. What means this passion?
How wild she eyes me; how she grasps my hand!
Otti. Answer and bless me: Say thou didst not drink it!
Say Inis did not—While I speak, the blood
Fades from thy cheek! Thine eyes close! Dying pangs
Distort thy features; pangs like those which shortened
His life, whose angry ghost, grim, fierce, and ghastly,
Comes gliding yonder. See his livid finger
Points to the poisoned cup! He frowns and threatens.
Pray for me, angel! Pray for me! I dare not.
Amel. Alas, poor wretch!
Otti. Help! help! The spectre grasps me,
And folds me to his breast, where the worm feeds!
He tears my heart-strings!—Now he sinks, he sinks!
And sinking grasps me still, and drags me down with him,
A thousand fathom deep!—Oh! lost, lost, lost!
[Dies.
Amel. She's gone.—Sure earth affords no sight more awful,
Than when a sinner dies—She named the king.—
Perhaps this writing—By yon favouring lamp
I'll find its meaning, [Ascending the chapel steps.
Enter Orsino.
Orsi. Aided by night
The villain has escaped me. [Seeing Amelrosa,
who, while reading by the lamp suspended in the
chapel-porch, expresses the most violent agitation.]
Princess,—Ha!
Why thus alarmed?—[Amelrosa gives him the paper
in silence, with a look of agony.] This paper?—Heaven, what's this?
[Reading.
----"My king, Cæsario plots your destruction:
—A mine is formed in the Claudian vaults, beneath
the royal Tower, and which the conspirators
mean to spring this night. This warning
will enable you to defeat their purpose: Accept
it as an atonement for the crimes of the dying
Guzman. The mine is appointed to be sprung
when the clock strikes one."— [The letter falls from his hand.
Amel. [Rushing from the chapel in despair] One, one!—'Tis that
already.—Oh! he's lost!
My father's lost!—Ere we can reach his chamber
'Twill sink in flames!
Orsi. That must be tried—Say, princess,
How may I gain admittance to the king,
Nor meet delay?
Amel. This signet—— [Giving a ring.]
Orsi. 'Tis enough.
Know you the Claudian vaults?
Amel. I do.
Orsi. Away then;
Reach them with speed: cling round Cæsario, kneel,
Weep, threaten, sooth, implore! to rouse his feelings
Use every art; at least delay his purpose,
Till thou shalt hear this bugle sound; that signal
Shall speak Alfonso safe.—Farewell.
Amel. Oh! heaven!
Oh! dreadful hour!
Orsi. Take heart: if time allows me,
I'll save thy father: if too late——
Amel. Then, then,
What wilt thou do?
Orsi. What? Plunge into the flames,
And perish with my king!—Away! away!
[Exeunt severally.
SCENE III.—A cavern.
Enter Melchior with a lamp, as from an inner cavern.
Mel. Hush!—No, he comes not; sure 'tis near the time.
A light:—Who's there?—Henriquez.