University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

—Jail, as before. Conrad and Eudora sleeping. (Drum beats.) Eudora wakes and looks round wildly.
Eud.
Where am I, Conrad?—am I not in heaven?
This can't be heaven! else Conrad would be here!
Oh! give me wings that I may fly to thee!
Thou art not here?—then I will not be there!—
[Drum beats.
I hear a sound!—there are no sounds in heaven!
There, angels sing!—there angels' songs are heard!
I am not there, else Conrad, too, would sing!
[Drum.
Where! where am I, then!—oh! Conrad! come! come!—
[Feels round.
Oh! Conrad! Conrad!—spirits! take me home!
Away to Conrad's home!

[Falls on his breast, and he wakes.
Con.
Eudora!—

[She raises her head.
Eud.
Where! where is that voice?

Con.
Eudora!—love!—

Eud.
Oh! sweet Conrad! thou art here!

[Embraces him.
Con.
Eudora!—'tis too dark for heaven—'tis hell!

Eud.
Wilt thou remain?

Con.
Eudora! wilt thou stay?
Do thou but stay, and I'll remain—'tis death!
'Tis that dark vale through which we pass to heaven!
We are not dead until we pass that shade!
Not dead to life, to earth—alive to heaven!

[Drum beats.
Eud.
Rise, Conrad! rise and see!—'tis dark!—how dark!

[Drum.
Con.
Hark!—the drum!—where are we?—not in heaven!—hark!
[Feels round and looks up.
The guard! the drum!—Eudora's love is gone!

Eud.
No!—I had lost my soul—I have it now!

[Strikes her forehead.
Jailor makes a noise at the door without.
Con.
Be still, Eudora.
[Draws her dagger.
Hold! thou canst not kill?

Eud.
Too weak?—a lion has not strength like this!
[Raises her dagger.
Too weak!—the strength of death, too weak?—now peace!

Con.
Hark! too weak! they come! they come!—strike! strike deep!—

[She stabs him, and he falls.
Eud.
His blood's upon the blade—now meet mine own.

[Stabs herself and falls. Jailor and guard enter.
Jailor.
Heavens! guard, what a sight!—look! look! behold!—
The groans we heard, were murder! they are dead!
Her soul's with his—and both their hearts are dead!

Guard.
What? dead!—Conrad dead? lets see—dead?—he breathes?

Jailor.
Here is the dagger—buried in her heart!
[Pulls it out.
See if he's dead! see if he's cold!—has pulse.

[Feels hers.
Eud.
O—O—O! Conrad!

[Dies.
Con.
Farewell, Eudora!

Guard.
Conrad speaks!—he still has pulse!

[Feels.
Jailor.
Here is the wound! the wound! she's dead! she's dead!

Con.
The wound! the wound! give me my wife! my wife!
[They place her on the bed, and he struggles to rise.
She was too tender! Oh! she could not kill!
[They bear him to her.
Where is her pulse?—her soul? 'tis gone! my wife!
Now, I have lost my wife! Eudora's gone!
Eudora! speak!—oh! speak, my love!—oh! death!
Where is that dagger? strike me! kill me dead!
Let me go with poor Eudora! strike! strike!—

Officer.
We must obey the law—you must be hung!

Con.
Give me my wife! help! oh! heaven! help! my wife!—

[They bear him out to the gallows, and the curtain falls.