Which Love had prompted, to remove the doubts
Of wild Teresa-by fancies quelling fancies!

ORDONIO. (in a slow voice, as reasoning to himself.) Love! Love! and then we hate! and what? and wherefore?

Hatred and Love! Fancies opposed by fancies!
What? if one reptile sting another reptile?
Where is the crime? The goodly face of nature
Hath one disfeaturing stain the less upon it.
Are we not all predestined Transiency,

And cold Dishonour? Grant it, that this hand
Had given a morsel to the hungry worms
Somewhat too early-Where's the crime of this?
That this must needs bring on the idiotcy
Of moist-eyed Penitence-'tis like a dream!
VALDEZ.

Wild talk, my son! But thy excess of feeling-
[averting himself.

Almost I fear, it hath unhinged his brain.

ORDONIO. (now in soliloquy, and now addressing his

father: and just after the speech has

commenced, Teresa reappears and advances slowly.)

Say, I had laid a body in the sun!

Well! in a month there swarm forth from the corse

A thousand, nay, ten thousand sentient beings

In place of that one man.-Say, I had kill'd him! [Teresa starts, and stops listening.

Yet who shall tell me, that each one and all
Of these ten thousand lives is not as happy,
As that one life, which being push'd aside,
Made room for these unnumbered.

VALDEZ.

O mere madness!

[Teresa moves hastily forwards, and places herself directly before Ordonio.

ORDONIO. (Checking the feeling of surprize and forcing his tones into an expression

of playful courtesy.)

Teresa? or the Phantom of Teresa?

TERESA.

Alas! the Phantom only, if in truth

The substance of her Being, her Life's life,

Have ta'en its flight through Alvar's death-wound

(Even coward Murder grants the dead a grave)
O tell me, Valdez !-answer me, Ordonio!
Where lies the corse of my betrothed husband?
ORDONIO.

There, where Ordonio likewise would fain lie!

In the sleep-compelling earth, in unpierc'd darkness!

For while we LIVE

An inward day that never, never sets,

Glares round the soul, and mocks the closing eyelids!

Over his rocky grave the Fir-grove sighs

A lulling ceaseless dirge! "Tis well with HIM.

[Strides off in agitation towards the altar, but returns as Valdez is speaking.

TERESA. (recoiling with the expression appropriate to the passion.)

This we beheld. Nor He nor I know more,
Than what the magic imagery revealed.
The assassin, who pressed foremost of the three—

ORDONIO.

A tender-hearted, scrupulous, grateful villain,

Whom I will strangle!

VALDEZ. (looking with anxious disquiet at his Son, yet attempting to proceed with his description.) While his two companions

ORDONIO.

Dead! dead already! what care we for the dead?

VALDEZ. (to Teresa.)

Pity him! soothe him! disenchant his spirit! These supernatural shews, this strange disclosure, And this too fond affection, which still broods O'er Alvar's Fate, and still burns to avenge it— These, struggling with his hopeless love for you, Distemper him, and give reality

To the creatures of his fancy.

ORDONIO.

Is it so?

Yes! yes! even like a child, that too abruptly Roused by a glare of light from deepest sleep Starts up bewildered and talks idly.

(Then mysteriously.)

Father!

What if the Moors that made my brother's grave, Even now were digging ours'? What if the bolt, Though aim'd, I doubt not, at the son of Valdez, Yet miss'd its true aim when it fell on Alvar?

VALDEZ.

Alvar ne'er fought against the Moors,-say rather, He was their advocate; but you had march'd With fire and desolation through their villages.Yet he by chance was captured.

ORDONIO.

Unknown, perhaps,

Captured, yet as the son of Valdez, murdered.
Leave all to me. Nay, whither, gentle Lady?

To the only place

Where life yet dwells for me, and ease of heart.
These walls seem threatening to fall in upon me!
Detain me not! a dim power drives me hence,
And that will be my guide.

VALDEZ.

To find a lover!

Suits that a high born maiden's modesty?
O folly and shame! Tempt not my rage, Teresa!

TERESA.

Hopeless, I fear no human being's rage.

O Heaven!

And am I hastening to the arms
I haste but to the grave of my beloved!

[Exit, Valdez following after her.
ORDONIO.

This, then, is my reward! and I must love her?