University of Virginia Library

SCENE V.

Eliza is discover'd sitting in a Chair, bloody and disorder'd, Women attending. Godrick and Albert standing by.
Eliza.
Alas, my Virgins, all your Care's in vain;
Have not the Artists each pronounc'd me lost?
And fainting Nature warns me of my End:
Ev'n Rage, the Tyrant Passion, now gives way;
And Pity, and Forgiveness steal upon me.
Godrick, come near, and take my Pardon thou,
Ev'n for thy last, and sure thy worst Offence.
Nay, hold my Tears!—But, lo, they will have way!—
And Female Softness urges my Complaint.
How, Godrick, could you wrong so kind a Heart?
And doubly wound me in a guilty Friend?—
With her; with Ariana to be base!
And even recent from my just Complaints!—
Thou saw'st with what Distress my Soul was wrung!—
But virtuous Woe is Sport to guilty Souls.

Godr.
Hah! I remember well your fond Complaint!
As causeless then, as you accuse me now:
Alas, my Life, your Ariana's just:
Her Virtue fair as is her Angel Form!
Nor has my Heart e'er wander'd ev'n in Thought,
But, chastely just, been faithful to thy Love.
Ah,—have thy Fears for me destroy'd thy Life?—

Eliza.
Oh, Godrick, hold; nor brave eternal Wrath;
A Time will come, to give severe Account
For all the Guilt and Folly of our Lives:
Upon the Verge of Life, as now I stand,
I fear for Crimes ev'n of the slightest Dye:
You, once will think as I do; when the Soul
Begins to shake away this cumb'rous Dust,
And makes Eternity her dreadful View!—
Then double not thy Guilt by vain Excuse;
You have my Pardon;—now, no more can wrong me;
And Heav'n be kind as I.—

Godr.
My dying Love,
Oh, leave me not perplext, and mad with Doubt;—
Oh, do not go, and think I could be false:
By that eternal Throne which soon you'll see!
By all the Saints our Advocates around it!
By all my Hopes of everlasting Bliss!
I never broke my Marriage Bond of Truth.

Eliza.
Oh! do not, do not torture thus my Soul;
Already on the wing from Earth and thee.
Repent, repent my Husband, and be safe.
And here, to stop thy course to farther Guilt,
And flash Conviction on thy Heart at once,
Know that my Eyes, my Ears have prov'd thee false.
I saw your Gloatings, heard your am'rous Parle,
Th'Appointment, and your punctual Meeting to't;
Witness this Slaughter, where I meant thy own.
Castor, the first Revealer of your Crimes,
Receiv'd a bad Return for Love to me.

[Weeps.
Godr.
Amazement racks me, Albert, witness here,
Thou Cause, tho' innocent of this Mishap,
If all my Court to wretched Ariana
Was not for thee, and at thy fond Request?
The Meeting thine?—Oh, miserable me!
Thy Brother's Suit to that afflicted Maid
Was all the Cause that kept this Bus'ness from thee:
And he, foul Fiend, had dasht us all on Fate.

Eliza.
Hah, have I causeless been that jealous Fury!

Albert.
Am I the Spring of all these poignant Woes?
Oh murder'd Innocence, can Life atone
For my destructive Passion, which betray'd
Thy gentle Heart to Misery, to Death.

Eliza.
Cease, Albert, to lament a Wretch, whose Crimes
Have justly drawn this Vengeance from above.
Oh, Godrick, trace the Hand of Mercy here!
How has my Dagger paid the Debt of Guilt!
How sav'd from Violence thy spotless Life!
And me from Nature's blackest, foulest Crime!
Wretch that I am!—Oh, fall upon your Knees,
And pray Forgiveness to your wicked Wife.
And see another injur'd Creature comes,
To claim Remorse and Horror from my Heart.