University of Virginia Library


61

SCENE XI.

VERINO, LELIO.
VERINO.
Earth gape wide!
And instant hide me—

LELIO.
O! my wretched Lord!

VERINO.
To kill a child so loving, and so loved!—
Nor earth, nor air, nor the dark sea contain,
A monster so abhorred.—

LELIO.
O grant him patience!

VERINO.
(distracted)
Hark! hark! a voice! it is my Raymond speaks!
See! to a synod of enquiring angels
He tells the dreadful tale:—they stand aghast:
They call for vengeance equal to the crime:
But see! he pleads, my generous child! for me:
He pleads for mercy on the hand, that slew him,
The murdering father!

LELIO.
My good lord retire!

62

No! no! it must not be—Vengeance divine
Denies the suit—Hark! how she calls Verino!
See! see! she beckons—let her victim go!
I own her justice; and I haste to meet it.