University of Virginia Library

SCENE IV.

An outer Hall.
Procida and other conspirators.
PROCIDA.
He must be found,—through all the palace seek him;
He had an oath to Sicily, and does he
Fail us at such an hour! New foes upon us,
And this right arm grown powerless! Calumny
Is busy with his name in all our streets!
Ho! Loridan! Nor he nor his sworn foe,
Living or dead, console these anxious eyes.

Enter Salviati.
SALVIATI.
My lord, your patriot fears are at an end:
Ranging the vacant palace, we have found
The body of the Viceroy, pale and bleeding,
His gallant spirit fled!

PROCIDA.
Is't so? That's much.
My heart's disburdened of the worst. Haste now
Where yet the strife is raging. Let me hear
My son is in the midst.
(Borella enters.)
Hold! here are tidings.

BORELLA.
And of the best. The unexpected band
Spread terror and defeat, when suddenly
Your son, as if in envy of his Montfort,
Rush'd, madly shouting, to the fight. On, on!
Follow the traitor Loridan, he cried,
For Procida and Sicily! All hearts
Hail'd him, and follow'd. Every arm struck death
Around his path, and he careers in lightning.

PROCIDA.
Your words are life to me.

BORELLA.
Our native archers
Bring down the runaways,—they choke our streets.
Where'er a Frenchman shelters, sword and brand
Still hunt him with exterminating wrath.

PROCIDA.
Brave tidings! Yet methinks our vengeance lingers—
Fate tampers with us! Come, we'll forth and front her.

[Exeunt.