Has overpowered her- I was to blame
To take thy sex's softness unprepared :
But sinking thus, thus dying in my arms,
This ecstasy has made

my

welcome more Than words could say.

Isa. Where have I been? why do you keep him from me ? I know his voice : my life, upon the wing, Hears the soft lute that brings me back again, 'Tis he himself, my Biron ! If I must fall, death's welcome in these arms.

Bir. Live ever in these arms.

Isa. But pardon me,
Excuse the wild disorder of my soul;
The joy, the strange, surprising joy, of seeing you,
Of seeing you again, distracted me
What hand of Providence has brought you back
To

your own home again ?
O, tell me all,
For every thought confounds me.

Bir. My best life! at leisure, all.
Isa. We thought you dead; killed at the siege of Candy..

Bir. There I fell among the dead;
But hopes of life reviving, from my wounds,
I was preserved, but to be made a slave ;
I often writ to my hard father, but never had
An answer; I writ to thee too-

Isa. What a world of woe
Had been prevented but in hearing from you!

Bir. Alas! thou couldst not help me.

Isa. You do not know how much I could have done ; At least I'm sure I could have suffered all ; I would have sold myself to slavery, .

Without redemption; given up my child,
The dearest part of me.to basest wants-

Bir. My little boy !

Isa. My life! but to have heard
You were alive-

Bir. No more, my love; complaining of the past,
We lose the present joy. 'Tis over price
Of all my pains, that thus we meet again ;
I have a thousand things to say to thee
Isa. Would I were past the hearing !

[Aside. Bir. How does my child, my boy, my father, too? I hear he's living still.

Isa. Well, both; both well; And

may he prove a father to your hopes, Though we have found him none.

Bir. Come, no more tears.

Isa. Seven long years of sorrow for your loss
Have mourned with me

Bir. And all my days behind
Shall be employed in a kind recompense
For thy afflictions—Can't I see my boy?

Isa. He's gone to-bed; I'll have him brought to you.

Bir. To-morrow I shall see him; I want rest
Myself, after this weary pilgrimage.
Isa. Alas! what shall I

get

for you? Bir. Nothing but rest, my love! To-night I would not Be known, if possible, to your family: I see my nurse is with you; her welcome Would be tedious at this time; To-morrow will do better.

Isa. I'll dispose of her, and order every thing As you would have it.

[Exit.

Bir. Grant me but life, good Heaven! and give the means To make this wondrous goodness some amends, And let me then forget her, if I can ! O! she deserves of me much more than I Can lose for her, though I again could venture A father, and his fortune, for her love! You wretched fathers, blind as fortune all! Not to perceive, that such a woman's worth Weighs down the portions you provide your sons : What is your trash, what all your heaps of gold, Compared to this, my heart-felt happiness ? — What has she, in my absence, undergone ! I must not think of that; it drives me back Upon myself, the fatal cause of all.

All my

Enter IsabellA.
Isa. I have obeyed your pleasure ;
Every thing is ready for you.
Bir. I can want nothing here: possessing thee,

desires are carried to their aim
Of happiness : there's no room for a wish,
But to continue still this blessing to me :
I know the way, my love. I shall sleep sound.

Isa. Shall I attend you ?

Bir. By no means :
I've been so long a slave to others' pride,
To learn, at least, to wait upon myself;
You'll make haste after

Isa. I'll but say my prayers, and follow you-
My prayers ! no, I must never pray again. [Exit Biron.
Prayers have their blessings, to reward our hopes ;
But I have nothing left to hope for more.

O Biron, hadst thou come but one day sooner! [Weeping.

-What's to be done--for something must be done.
Two husbands ! yet not one! married to both,
And yet a wife to neither! Hold my brain
Ha! a lucky thought
Works the right way to rid me of them all ;
All the reproaches, infamies, and scorns,
That every tongue and finger will find for me.
Let the just horror of my apprehensions
But keep me warm—no matter what can come.
'Tis but a blow—yet will I see him first-
Have a last look, to heighten my despair,
And then to rest forever.-

BIRON meets her.
Bir. Despair and rest forever! Isabella,
These words are far from thy condition ;
And be they ever so. I heard thy voice,
And could not bear thy absence; come, my love!
You have stayed long, there's nothing, nothing sure,
Now to despair of in succeeding fate.

Isa. I am contented to be miserable,
But not this way: I've been too long abused,
And can believe no more.
Let me sleep on, to be deceived no more.

Bir. Look up, my love, I never did deceive thee,
Nor ever can; believe thyself, thy eyes,
That first inflamed and lit me to my love,
Those stars, that still must guide me to my joys.

Isa. And me to my undoing : I look round,
And find no path but leading to the grave.

Bir. I cannot understand thee.

Isa. If marriages
Are made in heaven, they should be happie,
Why was I made this wretch ?

Bir. Has marriage made thee wretched ?
Isa. Miserable, beyond the reach of comfort.
Bir. Do I live to hear thee say so?
Isa. Why what did I say?
Bir. That I have made thee miserable.

Isa. No: you are my only earthly happiness :
And
my
false
tongue
belied

my

honest heart, If it said otherwise.

Bir. And yet you said, Your marriage made you

miserable. Isa. I know not what I said : I've said too much, unless I could speak all.

Bir. Thy words are wild ; my eyes, my ears, my heart,
Were all so full of thee, so much employed
In wonder of thy charms, I could not find it;
Now I perceive it plain--

Isa. You'll tell nobody-
Bir. Thou art not well.

Isa. Indeed I am not; I knew that before ;
But where's the remedy ?

Bir. Rest will relieve thy cares: come, come, no more; I'll banish sorrow from thee.

Isa. Banish first the cause.
Bir. Heaven knows how willingly.
Isa. You are the only cause.
Bir. Am I the cause ? the cause of thy misfortunes ?
Isa. The fatal innocent cause of all my woes.

Bir. Is this my welcome home? This reward
Of all my miseries, long labours, pains,