To do a sovereign justice to myself, To tell me what I durst not tell myself: I durst not think that I was spurned, and live; Seb. Now by this honoured order which I wear, Be urged to shield me from thy bold appeal. Dor. Thou know'st I have : If thou disown'st that imputation, draw, Seb. No; to disprove that lie I must not draw: Dor. I'll cut that isthmus: Thou know'st I meant not to preserve thy life, I saved thee out of honourable malice. Now draw; I should be loth to think thou darest not: Seb. O patience, Heaven! Dor. Beware of patience, too; That's a suspicious word: it had been proper, Before thy foot had spurned me; now 'tis base: I have thy oath for my security: The only boon I begged was this fair combat: Fight, or be perjured now; that's all thy choice. Seb. Now can I thank thee as thou would'st be thanked: Never was vow of honour better paid [Drawing. Go; bear my message to Henriquez' ghost, And say his master and his friend revenged him. Seb. If it would please thee, thou shouldst never know; He died in fight: Dor. I never can forgive him such a death! Dor. Had he been tempted so, so had he fallen; Seb. What had been, is unknown; what is, appears : Confess he justly was preferred to thee. Dor. O whither wouldst thou drive me? I must grant, Yes, I must grant, but with a swelling soul, Henriquez had your love with more desert: For you he fought and died: I fought against you: Hunted your sacred life; which that I missed Was the propitious error of my fate, Not of my soul; my soul's a regicide. Seb. Thou might'st have given it a more gentle name: Thou meant'st to kill a tyrant, not a king. Speak, didst thou not, Alonzo? Dor. Can I speak? Alas! I cannot answer to Alonzo : Then, when I fought, and conquered with your arms, named Till rage and pride debased me into Dorax; : And lost like Lucifer, my name above. Seb. Yet twice this day I ow'd my life to Dorax. Dor. I saved you but to kill you: there's my grief. Seb. Nay, if thou canst be grieved, thou canst repent : Thou couldst not be a villain, though thou wouldst: Thou ownst too much in owning thou hast erred: And I too little, who provoked thy crime. Dor. O stop this headlong torrent of your goodness; It comes too fast upon a feeble soul, Half drowned in tears before; spare my confusion, [Kneels. For yet I have not dared, through guilt and shame, Of heaven to bless me thus. "Tis gold so pure, : DRYDEN. SIR EDWARD MORTIMER AND WILFORD. Sir E. Wilford, is no one in the picture-gallery? Ever so loud. Sir E. Wilford, approach me.—What am I to say For aiming at your life? Do you not scorn me, Despise me for it? Wil. I-Oh, sir Sir E. You must; For I am singled from the herd of men, A vile heart-broken wretch ! Wi. Indeed, indeed, sir, You deeply wrong yourself.-Your equal's love, I am most bound to bless you! Sir E. Mark me, Wilford. I know the value of the orphan's tear, The poor man's prayer, respect from the respected; Is to taste here below that thrilling cordial, I have resolved it: fearful struggles tear me; But I have pondered on't, and I must trust thee. Wil. Your confidence shall not be Sir E. You must swear. Wil. Swear, sir! Will nothing but an oath, thenSir E. No retreating. Wil. [After a pause.] I swear, by all the ties that bind a man, Divine or human, never to divulge ! Sir E. Remember, you have sought this secret,—yes, Extorted it. I have not thrust it on you. Tis big with danger to you; and to me, While I prepare to speak, torment unutterable. Wil. Dearest sir, Collect yourself; this shakes you horribly. You had this trembling, it is scarce a week, At Madam Helen's. Sir E. There it is. Her uncle Wil. Her uncle ! Sir E. Him-She knows it not,-none know it: You are the first ordained to hear me say, I am-his murderer! Wil. Oh, heaven! Sir E. His assassin! Wil. What! You that-mur-the murder-I am choked! Sir E. Honour-thou blood-stained god! at whose red altar Sit war and homicide, oh! to what madness Will insult drive thy votaries! By Heaven! In the world's range there does not breathe a man, Stained me!-Oh, death and shame! the world looked on Wil. Oh, mercy on me! How could this deed be covered? Sir E. Would you think it? E'en at the moment when I gave the blow, They summoned me, as friend would summon friend, We met; and 'twas resolved, to stifle rumour, To put me on my trial. No accuser, No evidence appeared, to urge it on; Twas meant to clear my fame. How clear it, then? Guilt's offspring and its guard! I taught this breast, Smooth as a Seraph's song from Satan's mouth; |