SCENE III.—_A Room in GIL PEREZ’S House.

_Enter ISABEL and CASILDA._

_Isab._ Casilda, now the flaming sun has set, See to the doors; and you and Ines there Sing to me—’twill beguile my melancholy. No merry song, however; something sad As my own fancies. (_They sing within._) Hark! what noise is that? One calling at the door at such an hour!— Again!—Bid Pedro see— Why, what is it that makes me tremble so? From head to foot—

_Enter PEDRO hurriedly._

_Ped._ O madam!

_Isab._ Well?

_Ped._ O madam— Opening the door—only to ask—a man All muffled up ran by me——(_Aside._) ’Tis all right.

_Enter GIL PEREZ, cloakt._

_Isab._ Who’s this?

_Gil_ (_discovering himself_). I, Isabel.

_Isab._ Oh heavens!

_Gil._ Well, sister. What troubles you?

_Ped._ Oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord!

(_Hides._)

_Isab._ O Gil, how have you dared to venture here, Your very life at stake!

_Gil._ Small risk to one Whom your ill doings have half kill’d already.

_Isab._ I do not understand you—

_Gil._ You need not: I come not to explain, but to avenge; And, mark my words, what I have come to do, I’ll do.

_Isab._ Alas! is it my fault then, brother, That traitors of their gold can make them wings To fly into my house?

_Gil._ Be not afraid; I shall not judge of you or any one Unheard, as others seem to judge of me. What is the matter?

_Isab._ Nay, I only know You are accused of aiding, how I know not, In Don Diego’s death—on evidence, As ’tis believed, the Judge (who now is here, Inflamed by Donna Leonor) declares Sufficient to convict you of your life And property—Alas, alas, my brother!

_Gil._ You shall away with me; for ’tis not well To leave you here alone and unprotected. But I must see first what this Judge has got To say against me.

_Isab._ But how get at it?

_Gil._ Why from the fountain-head. But, by the Lord, If I must fly or die for ’t, I’ll not do so for nothing, I’ll begin My vengeance on this rascal.

(_Pulling out PEDRO._)

_Ped._ Oh begin On some one else and sum up all on me!

_Gil._ How come you here?

_Ped._ Oh, I will tell the truth And nothing but the truth.

_Gil._ Well!

_Ped._ Being assured That you were coming hither—

_Gil._ Well?

_Ped._ I came Before.

_Gil._ And why, when—

_Ped._ That by doing so You should not see my face, (which you declared, Seeing again, you’d kill me,) but my back, Which as you never swore at—

_Gil_ (_striking him_). Villain, die!

_Ped._ (_falling as dead_). Oh! I am slain!

_Gil._ Come, Isabel ’tis I Must bear you on my shoulders through the flames That rise all round.

[_Exeunt GIL and ISABEL._

_Ped._ (_rising_). Oh, angel of sham death, How much I owe your out-spread wings to-day, Under whose shadow—Yo escaparè.

[_Exit._