 | The Uninhabited Island |  |
412
SCENE XIV.
Constantia in a swoon.Enter Henriques.
Hen.
[entering.]
My friend, who knows not yet his happiness,
Conceals himself from me—Where shall I turn
To trace his steps?—But see! on yonder rock
Some nymph reposes—'Tis not Sylvia—Heavens!
'Tis then Constantia—What a mortal paleness
O'erspreads her languid face!
Cons.
[coming to herself.]
Ah me!
Hen.
Constantia?
Cons.
[without looking at him.]
O! leave me—leave me.
Hen.
Banish this despair,
And live to crown thy consort's faithful love.
Cons.
Hence, traitor! let me, let me die in peace.
Hen.
A traitor!—sure thou know'st me not.
Cons.
[sees him.]
Ye powers!
Where is Gernando? Art thou not the same?
Did I but dream before, or dream I now?
Hen.
Thou didst not dream before, nor dream'st thou now:
413
And now thou see'st his friend.
Cons.
And could he then
Return again to his forsaken wife,
To whom his cruelty—
Hen.
Alas! thy husband
Forsook not thee; but hence, by ruffian force,
Was hurried from his lov'd Constantia's arms.
Cons.
Say, when was this?
Hen.
When laid in yonder grot
Thy sense was lost in sleep.
Cons.
What foes unknown?
Hen.
A band of pirates, with barbarian rage,
Assail'd him here; awhile his valour stood
Against their fury, till his hand receiv'd
A luckless wound and dropp'd the sword; then soon,
Oppress'd by numbers, he remain'd their prisoner.
Cons.
But wherefore all this time—
Hen.
'Till now detain'd
In cruel bonds, his thoughts alone were free,
And these have never stray'd from his Constantia.
Cons.
O Heavens! how have I wrong'd thee, my Gernando!
Hen.
At length behold to liberty restor'd,
Gernando comes; behold him all thy own:
414
To give thee back thy peace, to calm thy sorrows,
To live and die with thee.
Cons.
Where art thou then?
Where art thou, my Gernando?
[going to the left.
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