Remorse; A TRAGEDY, IN FIVE ACTS. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. ZULIMEZ. Remorse is as the heart in which it grows : MARQUIS VALDEZ, Father to the two brothers, and Of true repentance; but if proud and gloomy, Donna Teresa's Guardian. DON ALVAR, the eldest son. It is a poison-tree that, pierced to the inmost, It weigh'd not with me-Hark! I will tell thee all: ZULIMEZ. That rocky seat you mean, Shaped by the billows?— ALVAR. There Teresa met me, The morning of the day of my departure. How in each motion her most innocent soul tell me, Guilt is a thing impossible in her! ZULIMEZ (with a sigh). Proceed, my Lord! ALVAR. A portrait which she had procured by stealth (For ever then it seems her heart foreboded Or knew Ordonio's moody rivalry), A portrait of herself with thrilling hand She tied around my neck, conjuring me A damning proof! ZULIMEZ. ALVAR. My own life wearied me! And but for the imperative Voice within, The Belgic states: there join'd the better cause; And still, the more I mused, my soul became Heaven knows with what delight I saw your loves, With that same look, with which he gave thee to me; I must not see thee wretched. TERESA. There are woes Ill-barter'd for the garishness of joy! If it be wretched with an untired eye To watch those skiey tints, and this green ocean; Or in the sultry hour beneath some rock, My hair dishevell'd by the pleasant sea-breeze, To shape sweet visions, and live o'er again All past hours of delight! If it be wretched To watch some bark, and fancy Alvar there, walk,To go through each minutest circumstance Will they not know you? ALVAR. With your aid, friend, I shall unfearingly ZULIMEZ. "Tis yours, Sir, to command; mine to obey. Of the blest meeting, and to frame adventures * Here Valdez bends back, and smiles at her wildness, which Teresa noticing, checks her enthusiasm, and in a soothing half-playful tone and manner, apologizes for her fancy, by the little tale in the parenthesis. Sits on my grave and gazes at the moon; That eats away the life, what were it, think you, He should return, and see a brother's infant [Clasping her forehead. VALDEZ. Captured in sight of land! From yon hill point, nay, from our castle watch-tower TERESA. My Lord, on strong suspicion of relapse VALDEZ. Alas! how aptly thou forgett'st a tale Wouldst thou best prove thy faith to generous Alvar, TERESA. For mercy's sake, VALDEZ. You wrong him, maiden! To character by such unkindly phrases Three years ago, three years this very week, You left him at Almeria. MONVIEDRO. Palpably false ! This very week, three years ago, my Lord [TERESA looks at MONVIEDRO with disgust and horror. ORDONIO's appearance to be collected from what follows. MONVIEDRO (to VALDEZ, and pointing at ORDONIO). What! is he ill, my Lord? how strange he looks! VALDEZ (angrily). You press'd upon him too abruptly, father, ORDONIO (starting as in sudden agitation). [ORDONIO walks to the end of the stage, TERESA (her eye following ORDONIO). MONVIEDRO. The drops did start and stand upon his forehead! To have been the occasion. Ho! attend me, woman! O gentle lady! make the father stay, That he will say he is my husband's friend. TERESA. Stay, father! stay! my Lord will soon recover. ORDONIO (as they return, to VALDEZ). Strange, that this Monviedro Should have the power so to distemper me! VALDEZ. Nay, 'twas an amiable weakness, son! MONVIEDRO. My Lord, I truly grieve———— ORDONIO. Tut! name it not. A sudden seizure, father! think not of it. As to this woman's husband, I do know him. I know him well, and that he is a Christian. MONVIEDRO. I hope, my Lord, your merely human pity Doth not prevail— ORDONIO. "Tis certain that he was a Catholic; What changes may have happen'd in three years, MONVIEDRO. Your zeal, my Lord, And your late merits in this holy warfare, Would authorize an ampler trust—you have it. ORDONIO. I will attend you home within an hour. VALDEZ. Meantime, return with us and take refreshment. I was a Moresco! They cast me, then a young and nursing mother, Into a dungeon of their prison-house, Where was no bed, no fire, no ray of light, No touch, no sound of comfort! The black air, It was a toil to breathe it! when the door, Slow opening at the appointed hour, disclosed One human countenance, the lamp's red flame Cower'd as it enter'd, and at once sunk down. Oh miserable! by that lamp to see My infant quarrelling with the coarse hard bread Brought daily for the little wretch was sicklyMy rage had dried away its natural food. : In darkness I remain'd-the dull bell counting, Which haply told me, that all the all-cheering Sun O Heaven! it is too horrible to hear. What was it then to suffer? "Tis most right You were at length released? I saw the blessed arch of the whole heaven! Know you that stately Moor? ALHADRA. I know him not: But doubt not he is some Moresco chieftain, Who hides himself among the Alpuxarras. TERESA. The Alpuxarras? Does he know his danger, ALHADRA. She deems me dead, yet wears no mourning garment! Why should my brother's-wife-wear mourning *garments? [To TERESA. Your pardon, noble dame! that I disturb'd you: I had just started from a frightful dream. TERESA. Dreams tell but of the Past, and yet, 'tis said, ALVAR. The Past lives o'er again In its effects, and to the guilty spirit Traitress! (Then aside). What sudden spell o'ermasters me? Why seeks he me, shunning the Moorish woman? [TERESA looks round uneasily, but gradually becomes attentive as ALVAR proceeds in the next speech. ALVAR. I dreamt I had a friend, on whom I leant He wears the Moorish robes too, I roused the virtues that are dead in no man, As in defiance of the royal edict. |