Chapter 11

middle, folding doors guarded with iron bars; on one side a rough hewn staircase leading to a small door above._]

Gomez, Marcos, _and conspirators, discovered in listening attitudes_.

_Gom._ 'Tis strange, the time is past, and yet not here?

_Mar._ Henriquez too is absent.

_Gom._ Steps approach. [_Kneeling at the folding door._] Who knocks?

_Hen._ (_without_) A friend.

_Mar._ The pass word.

_Hen._ Empire.

_Gom._ Open. [Marcos _unbars the door_.]

Henriquez, Melchior, _and_ Lucio, _enter through the folding doors, which_ Marcos _again closes_.

_Gom._ Friends welcome. Melchior, is thy work complete?

_Mel._ Complete, and fit for springing. Nought is wanting. The train is laid. One spark and all is done. Our chief alone----

_Gom._ The private door unlocks.

_Hen._ Caesario only has the key.

_Mel._ 'Tis he.

Caesario _descends the staircase swiftly. His looks are wild; his hair flows loose; and he grasps a bloody dagger_.

_All._ Welcome, Caesario, welcome!

_Caesa._ Ay, shout, shout, And, kneeling greet your blood anointed king, This steel his sceptre. Tremble, dwarfs in guilt, And own your master. Thou art proof, Henriquez, 'Gainst pity. I once saw thee stab in battle A page who clasped thy knees; and Melchior, there Made quick work with a brother whom he hated But what did I this night? Hear, hear, and reverence! There was a breast on which my head had rested A thousand times; a breast which loved me fondly, As Heaven loves martyred saints; and yet this breast I stabbed, knaves, stabbed it to the heart! Wine, wine, there! For my soul's joyous. [Gomez _brings a goblet_.]

_Hen._ Friend, what means this frenzy? What hast thou done? Where is Ottilia?

_Caesa._ (_dashing down the goblet_) Dead! Dead, Marquis! At that word how the vault rings, And the ground shakes. It shall not shake my purpose. Murder and I are grown familiar, friends. The assassin's trade is sweet. I've tasted blood, And thirst for more. Say, is the mine----

_Mel._ All's ready.

_Caesa._ Who fires the train?

_Hen. Mel. and all the conspirators._ I, I!

_Caesa._ Oh, cheerful cry! Oh! glorious strife for guilt: Let each man throw His dagger in my casque; be his the service, Whose steel I draw.

_Hen._ 'Tis me----

_Caesa._ [_To_ Lucio.] Thy torch, boy, [_giving it to_ Henriquez.] Take it! Here lies thy way--speed, speed, and let yon vaults, Shivering in fragments, tell my ravished ear Alfonso dies. Away, away!--[_On his throwing open the folding doors_, Amelrosa _is discovered_.]

_Amel._ Forbear!

_All._ The princess.

_Amel._ No, no, Princess; 'tis a daughter, Fierce through despair, frantic with fear, and anguish. Hear me ye dread unknown: Yon flinty man Ne'er knew a father's care, and knows not now What 'tis to _love_, what 'tis to _lose_ a father. But ye, (if e'er a parent's hand hath dried Your infant tears; if e'er your eyes have streamed To see him weep, knowing your hand but scarred Gave him more pain, than his own heart torn piece meal) Oh! spare my father! Bid those hours revive Which filial love once bless'd; recall youth's feelings, And by those feelings learn to pity mine. Spare, spare my father!

_Caesa._ [_Struggling to conceal his confusion._] Spare him? Sure thou rav'st: What fears my gentle love?

_Amel._ I'm not thy love; Not gentle: Strange despair has changed my nature; Steeled my soft bosom, braced my woman's nerves, And brought me here, prepared and proud to perish, If my heart's blood may save my sire's from streaming. The savage tigress guards her new-born young With tenderest, fiercest care; the timorous swallow, If robber-hands approach her brood; defends it With eagle-fury; and what brutes will do To guard their offspring, born perhaps that day, Shall I not do for one, to whom I owe Full twenty years of love? Caesario, mark me, For by heaven's host, no power shall move my purpose: Or thou must save my sire, or murder me.

_Hen._ What must be done?

_Mel._ Time presses.

_Caesa._ [_Recovering from his stupor._] Fire the train.

_Amel._ [_Interposing between the inner vault and_ Henriquez.] He shall not.

_Caesa._ Amelrosa.

_Amel._ No, he shall not! Back, ruffian, back! and throw that torch away, Which burns to light my father's funeral pile: Here I'll defy thy rage, thus check thy malice, Thus bar thy road, and, if thou needs wilt pass, Make thee a way by trampling on my corse, I stir not else.

_Caesa._ Nay, then I'll use my power, And, as thy husband now command thee----

_Amel._ Thou? Man, thou canst not command me.

_Caesa._ Art thou not My wife?

_Amel._ I am; but ere I was a wife, I was a daughter, was a subject; nay, Am still a princess, and as such command Thee, traitor, thee! and bid thee turn from evil. [_To_ Henriquez,]--Away! you pass not.

_Caesa._ Force her from the door!

_Amel._ [_Clinging to a column._] Oh! for the Hebrew's strength to shake yon vaults, And crush these traitors and myself.

_Mel._ In vain You struggle.

_Amel._ Cut my hands off! stab me! kill me!

[_They force her away._]

_Caesa._ Henriquez, to your work.

[Henriquez _enters the vault_.]

_Amel._ Oh! barbarous men, Where shall I turn--Caesario, dear Caesario! Once thou wert kind--Aid, aid my prayers, ye angels, And force this cruel man to save at once My husband's honour, and my father's life. Turn not away! look on me! see my tears, And pity me: Friend, husband, lover, all That makes life dear, I charge you! I implore you----

_Hen._ [_Returning from the vault._] The train is fired.

_Amel._ [_Dashing herself on the earth._] Barbarians! fiends, distraction! Fall, fall, ye vaults and crush me.

[_A bugle horn sounds_, Amelrosa _starts from the ground_.]

Hark the signal---- He lives, he lives! [_Kneeling and clasping her hands._] Oh, Heaven, my thanks!

_Caesa._ 'Tis done.

[_The mine blows up with a loud explosion, and the back part of the vault bursts into flames._]

_End of Act IV._