University of Virginia Library

ACT IV.

SCENE, A Grove—The Castle belonging to the Duke of Alba in the back Ground, and the Sea at a distance—Moonlight—a Sepulchral Urn on one Side, upon which Seraphina is discovered leaning.
SERAPHINA.
Whither is flown thy spirit, lov'd Lorenzo!
What are its dear delights; thinks it of me,
As thus I mourn in the sequester'd grove?
Perchance 'tis wafted by the zephyr's wing,
That fans my burning bosom; or it floats
Amid these chrystal beamings of the moon,
To decorate the scene with silver glory.
Ah! 'twas thy soothing voice, which stole but now
From yon lone cypress in the plaintive song
Of Sorrow's fav'rite bird; for each sad swell
Had such a heav'nly and prevailing sweetness,
It charm'd my heart. Methinks, at times, I've seen thee
Melt into tears upon the flow'rs of morn,
And I have trac'd thy visionary step
O'er the grey lake at eve's unruffled hour.
Where'er thou art, cast one approving glance
On this cold Urn, which an unwearied love
Devotes to thy remembrance—If thou canst,
Assume thy human semblance, that I may
Die at the sight in ecstacy supreme.
(Lorenzo enters, and, seeing Seraphina, stands fix'd in admiration.
'Tis he! 'tis he! such was his manly mein,
Such was his radiant eye;—alas! I know
Thou'rt but the offspring of compulsive fancy,
The harbinger of madness, yet I'll bless thee,
As tho' a real existence! it is true,
I'm wedded to another—yet, forgive me!
For they compell'd me to his rude embrace;
My will gave no concurrence to the treason.
O! do not gaze thus tenderly upon me!
I may not look for comfort, haughty Guzman
Will deem it infamy that I adore thee,
And say that I am base, because I'm faithful.

(Seraphina faints, and falls with her arms clasped round the Urn, which supports her.
LORENZO.
(Springing towards her.
Stay but a moment, and we'll die together,
For by the holy horrors of the grave!
By meek religion's mandates, and the promise
Of undisturb'd felicity hereafter,
I love, I pity thee!

SERAPHINA.
(Recovering.
Can it be true?

LORENZO.
Tho' thou art torn from me, and doom'd to bear
My rival's presence with submissive duty;
Tho' all th' illusions of my youth are past,
Still to behold thee, still to hear thy voice,
Confers such potent pleasure, that awhile,
The dire assemblage of afflictive thoughts
Yields to the mightier prevalence of joy.

SERAPHINA.
This is no frail conceit of sad derangement,
For, as I live, thou art indeed Lorenzo,
The only rightful monarch of my heart.

(They embrace.
LORENZO.
Thou'st root within my soul, there grow for ever!
O! 'tis a rapt'rous and celestial moment!
Ha! let me rather fly thee with alarm,
(Starting from her.
As birds of sorrow shun the living light:
Let me renounce this Paradise, to dwell
'Mongst barren rocks of comfortless dismay,
Where Mis'ry keeps her court; where I may hold
Distracted converse with the hurricane,
And revel midst the tempest's forked flames.

SERAPHINA.
Give thy keen anguish scope, for, O! it shews
Such bold, gigantic dignity and honor,
That happiness, from the comparison,
Would meanly stigmatize its vain possessors.

Enter Fabio.
FABIO.
This is the spot that Gaspero describ'd!
He is already here. The lover's speed
(Seeing Lorenzo—Aside.
Has outstripp'd my endeavours,—and their sighs
Have had one mingling more—but to my purpose.
Lorenzo! Seraphina! joy attend you!
The rude and wint'ry season of affliction
Shall change to summer's mild serenity,
And brightest prospects now allure your sight.
I am the willing bearer of such tidings,
As from the anxious brow of discontent,
Shall chase away the low'ring clouds.

SERAPHINA.
My father!
What mean these words of desperate deception!

LORENZO.
What new invented cruelty has brought
Thee to this melancholy Grove, where I
Was off'ring to an angel, the full tribute
Of wretchedness, and with convulsive throbs,
Breathing a last farewel!

FABIO.
But hear me, hear me!

LORENZO.
Have I not heard thee utter fearful tales
Of dire, disast'rous import, tales untrue,
Which curdled my hot blood, and on my heart
Hung palpitating horror.—Did'st thou not
Lead me to think thy daughter was unworthy,
Light as the winds, and faithless as thyself!
That she, with wanton willingness, bestow'd
Her hand on Guzman, and without one sigh
Of pity, had renounc'd the scorn'd Lorenzo?

FABIO.
It was humanity which told thee so;
That thou might'st better combat with thy fate.
But 'twas my purpose then, and has been since,
To labour for thy 'vantage, and procure thee,
If possible, some means of extrication.
Yet then I little thought, to speak thee plainly,
Thou would'st so soon have married Zoriana.

SERAPHINA.
Have I been deceiv'd
By Zoriana; is she then thy wife?
She, who had all my confidence, who knew
My truth, my love, my hatred, and my woe.
This, this is perfidy, it rends my soul;
My fate is now complete; farewel, Lorenzo!
[Exit Seraphina.

LORENZO.
Stay, listen to me, and my vindication
Shall overcome thy rage—Base Zoriana!
I give thee now an unrestrain'd abhorrence.
Ye torturing fiends, whose occupation is
To enjoy the wretch's suff'rance, hither come;
Banquet upon my pangs, and glut your famine!
Yet, Seraphina, I will follow thee.

(Lorenzo going.
FABIO.
Govern this fierce commotion, and attend
(Restraining him.
To the calm dictates of consoling peace!
'Tis useless to have reason, if we throw,
With ev'ry sudden gust, our mind away,
And dissipate its force in wild complaint.

LORENZO.
Hast thou some new contrivance to destroy me?

FABIO.
My Lord! since last we parted, I have toil'd
Much for your service, and in truth, success
Seems not to frown upon the undertaking.
Our gracious King permitted me to speak
In your behalf, when zealously I urg'd
Your various sufferings, your reported death,
Ill-fated cause of the disastrous marriage,
'Twixt Guzman and my daughter; then I pleaded
Your earlier right, and my most sacred promise:
And next I dwelt on Zoriana's wiles,
To draw you to th' unwelcome snare of wedlock.

LORENZO.
Shall I give confidence to these assertions?

FABIO.
On all of which discussion, the good monarch
Bestow'd a kind approval, and declar'd,
His royal meaning was to make appeal
To the Holy See of Rome, for your disunion
From such reluctant nuptials, and to entreat
Its pow'r infallible, to grant permission,
That Zoriana's, and that Guzman's oaths,
Be strait dissolv'd, and Seraphina's charms
Restor'd to your priority of claim.

LORENZO.
Then she may yet be mine; e'en at the thought,
My bosom shakes with such oppressive joy,
As nature scarce can bear—What, tho' the treasure
Of her rich beauty has been basely pillag'd
By the vile rapine of a ruthless knave,
Yet has the bright unequall'd gem, her mind,
Escap'd the sacrilege, and I will prize it
Still more for the contrasted preservation.
But O! perhaps this hope is but delusion!

FABIO.
Doubt me not now, Lorenzo! By my soul!
I've taken nothing from the truth, nor aught
Exaggerated; but have alone display'd
The generous intention of the King.
Yet were it well, with profitable speed,
You hasten to the court, and there enforce
Your earnest suit by duteous loyalty.

LORENZO.
First let me gain my Seraphina's smile
To sanction the departure, let me win
Her pardon for my faults, her kind assent
To stimulate endeavour, and the steeds
Which bore me hither, with redoubled swiftness,
Shall reassume their labour;—yes, I'll seek her,
Expatiate on our hopes, and then return.
[Exit Lorenzo.

FABIO.
How readily he catches at the bait!
And yields to my arrangement; so his rage
No more shall interfere to hurt my peace;
What's he that now approaches?

Enter Gaspero.
GASPERO.
'Tis Gaspero!
Who has obey'd his Lord, Don Guzman's will,
As by your late instruction was made known.

FABIO.
The daring youth was here, in full employ
Of his design'd seduction; tears and sighs,
And miserable vows, and due complainings,
Had been exhausted with approv'd effect.
I rather seem'd to favour his deceit,
And now he hies him homeward to return
For the more sure completion of his purpose.
But, prithee say, are the men rightly marshall'd?
They are no squeamish villains, but true heroes;
The very glory of black enterprize!
In all Madrid I could not find their fellows.

Enter Seraphina (unobserved).
GASPERO.
A short league hence,
Where first the winding road enters the forest,
They're station'd with th' implements of death.
There shall the spoiler of Don Guzman's honor,
Receive his just reward.

FABIO.
'Tis well contriv'd.—

SERAPHINA.
Wilt thou protect him, Providence?

(Aside.
FABIO.
(To Gaspero.)
Retire!
Exit Gaspero.
Let the funereal raven croak his dirge!
And the lone owl chaunt requiems to his soul!
There let him welter in the wint'ry gale!
I shall be free from his obtrusive presence,
And Guzman ne'er be troubled by Lorenzo.

SERAPHINA.
(Coming forward.)
And will you kill him, Traitor? O, my father!
Forgive my intemp'rate speaking; but if ever
These infant lips press'd closely to your cheek;
If e'er my childish prattle won your favour;
If ever you have prov'd a parent's feelings,
Pity a daughter's pains! Load not your conscience
With such a weight of infamy, that heav'n
Itself must be incapable to recede
From it's stern justice, or be mov'd to mercy.

FABIO.
Peace, vile Adultress! nor presume to plead
For your devoted Paramour; but think,
He gladly hastes from your polluted arms,
To press his Zoriana to his bosom.
Then from thy thought dispel this wretched fondness,
Learn to despise him, and approve the deed
Which rightly shall avenge such shameless falsehood.

SERAPHINA.
Tho' he were baser than th' envenom'd tongue
Of sland'rous cruelty could represent him;
Tho' he had wrong'd me by ten thousand means,
And gloried in the misery he gave;
Still would I prostrate thus implore to save him,
(Kneeling.
Or die with transport to ensure his welfare.

FABIO.
Detested viper, hence! thy pray'rs are fruitless;
They add fresh vehemence to my resentment,
And tend to prove thee most degenerate.
See, see, Lorenzo comes, and thou shalt die,
If but a syllable, a look, or gesture,
Excite the least suspicion of his danger.
Be prudent, or this dagger drinks thy blood.

Enter Lorenzo.
LORENZO.
Art thou appriz'd, enchanting Seraphina!
Of the approaching bliss which yet may greet us,
Thro' the benign indulgence of the King!
And has Don Fabio told thee all?—

SERAPHINA.
I am indeed appriz'd of what may happen,
But o'er the prospect hangs such fearful gloom,
That my soul sickens.

FABIO.
Traitress! be circumspect!

(Aside, grasping his dagger.
LORENZO.
Forget my frantic perfidy, which arose
From misconception, momentary rage,
And the severe debasement of despair.
Transcendent Excellence! no longer contemplate
The thick surrounding darkness, but behold
Hope's rising rays flecker the wak'ning dawn
With fairest lustre—Yes, my Seraphina!
I've stood like some poor sailor on the beach,
Who watches 'midst the perils of the storm,
The struggling bark that carries all his store;
And now I welcome home, with double joy,
The vessel which contains my heart's best treasure,
More valued for the dangers it has pass'd.

SERAPHINA.
Alas! the pinnace at the very port
May yet be stranded; O, beware, Lorenzo!

FABIO.
Another such remark shall be thy last.
(Aside.
Haste to Madrid, my Lord! and I'll engage
Ere thou attain the object of thy journey,
She will be well inclin'd to lay aside
Her present seeming coldness, and repay
Thy warmest wishes with unfeign'd regard.

LORENZO.
I go—But hast thou not one gracious word,
One cheering smile to urge me to success?

(To Seraphina.
SERAPHINA.
O may these tears, which so abundant flow,
Be eloquent to warn you!

FABIO.
Speak no more!
(Aside.
Confide in me, and quick return to peace.

(To Lorenzo.
LORENZO.
My only comfort rests upon thy care:
And since thou hast so solemnly averr'd
Thy good intentions, I will not distrust thee.
Yet, Seraphina, look with tenderness
At least upon me, as I say farewel.

(Going.
SERAPHINA.
It is too much! Lorenzo, thou'rt deceiv'd,
Assassins wait in ambush to destroy thee.

FABIO.
Then take my promis'd vengeance!

(Fabio draws his dagger, and is going to kill Seraphina, Lorenzo rushes upon him and wrenches it away—Lorenzo then prepares to plunge it into Fabio's heart.)
LORENZO.
Inhuman monster! Be it thine to perish!

(Seraphina now runs between Fabio and Lorenzo, and prevents th' impending blow.)
SERAPHINA.
O, do not murder him! he is my father!
And if thou injure but a single hair
Of his most reverenc'd head, I will abjure thee!

LORENZO.
I will not kill thee, execrable villain!
This, thy protectress, subjugates my fury.
Live, and repent!

(Throws the dagger away.
SERAPHINA
(Falling on Lorenzo's neck).
Eternal blessings on thee!
(To Fabio.
Look on the noble youth thou would'st have slain!

LORENZO.
(To Fabio)
Gaze on this purpos'd victim of thy rage!
And if thou prove no keen compunction, fly
To deserts, where ferocious beasts reside,
And learn from them to humanize thy heart.
[Exeunt Lorenzo and Seraphina.

Fabio.
What! Gaspero! Attendants! Ho! there's treason
Against my Lord, the Duke; secure the traitor!
Let no one pass; be vigilant, be bold.
This failure in the mode of his destruction,
Shall yield him but a transitory respite.

[Exit.