FOOTNOTES:

Francesco.Yes! yes! I have the key of all their lives.If a man fears me, he is forced to love me.And if I can, and do not ruin him,265He is fast bound to serve and honour me!

[Albertenters from the castle, and is crossing the stage.

Spy.There—there—your Reverence! That is the sorcerer.

[Francescoruns up and rudely catches hold ofAlbert.Albertdashes him to the earth.Francescoand theSpymake an uproar, and the servants rush from out the castle.

Francesco.Seize, seize and gag him! or the Church curses you!

[The servants seize and gagAlbert.

EnterVelezandOsorio.

Osorio (aside).This is most lucky!Francesco (inarticulate with rage).See you this, Lord Velez?Good evidence have I of most foul sorcery,270And in the name of Holy Church command youTo give me up the keys—the keys, my lord!Of that same dungeon-hole beneath your castle.This imp of hell—but we delay enquiryTill to Granada we have convoy'd him.275Osorio (to the Servants).Why haste you not? Go, fly and dungeon him!Then bring the keys and give them to his Reverence.

Osorio (aside).This is most lucky!

Francesco (inarticulate with rage).See you this, Lord Velez?Good evidence have I of most foul sorcery,270And in the name of Holy Church command youTo give me up the keys—the keys, my lord!Of that same dungeon-hole beneath your castle.This imp of hell—but we delay enquiryTill to Granada we have convoy'd him.275

Osorio (to the Servants).Why haste you not? Go, fly and dungeon him!Then bring the keys and give them to his Reverence.

[TheServantshurry offAlbert.Osoriogoes up toFrancesco, and pointing atAlbert.

Osorio (with a laugh).'He that can bring the dead to life again.'Francesco.What? didyouhear it?Osorio.Yes, and plann'd this schemeTo bring conviction on him. Ho! a wizard,280Thought I—but where's the proof! I plann'd this scheme.The scheme has answer'd—we have proof enough.Francesco.My lord, your pious policy astounds me.I trust my honest zeal——Osorio.Nay, reverend father!It has but raised my veneration for you.285But 'twould be well to stop all intertalkBetween my servants and this child of darkness.Francesco.My lord! with speed I'll go, make swift return,And humbly redeliver you the keys.[ExitFrancesco.Osorio (alone).'The stranger, that lives nigh, still picking weeds.'290And this was his friend, his crony, his twin-brother!O! I am green, a very simple stripling—The wise men of this world make nothing of me.By Heaven, 'twas well contrived! And I, forsooth,I was to cut my throat in honour of conscience.295And this tall wizard—ho!—he was to passFor Albert's friend! Hehatha trick of his manner.He was to tune his voice to honey'd sadness,[562]And win her to a transfer of her loveBy lamentable tales of her dear Albert,300And his dear Albert! Yea, she would have lov'd him.He, that can sigh out in a woman's earSad recollections of her perish'd lover,And sob and smile with veering sympathy,And, now and then, as if by accident,305Pass his mouth close enough to touch her cheekWith timid lip, he takes the lover's place,He takes his place, for certain! Dusky rogue,Were it not sport to whimper with thy mistress,Then steal away and roll upon my grave,310Till thy sides shook with laughter? Blood! blood! blood!They want thy blood! thy blood, Osorio!

Osorio (with a laugh).'He that can bring the dead to life again.'

Francesco.What? didyouhear it?

Osorio.Yes, and plann'd this schemeTo bring conviction on him. Ho! a wizard,280Thought I—but where's the proof! I plann'd this scheme.The scheme has answer'd—we have proof enough.

Francesco.My lord, your pious policy astounds me.I trust my honest zeal——

Osorio.Nay, reverend father!It has but raised my veneration for you.285But 'twould be well to stop all intertalkBetween my servants and this child of darkness.

Francesco.My lord! with speed I'll go, make swift return,And humbly redeliver you the keys.[ExitFrancesco.

Osorio (alone).'The stranger, that lives nigh, still picking weeds.'290And this was his friend, his crony, his twin-brother!O! I am green, a very simple stripling—The wise men of this world make nothing of me.By Heaven, 'twas well contrived! And I, forsooth,I was to cut my throat in honour of conscience.295And this tall wizard—ho!—he was to passFor Albert's friend! Hehatha trick of his manner.He was to tune his voice to honey'd sadness,[562]And win her to a transfer of her loveBy lamentable tales of her dear Albert,300And his dear Albert! Yea, she would have lov'd him.He, that can sigh out in a woman's earSad recollections of her perish'd lover,And sob and smile with veering sympathy,And, now and then, as if by accident,305Pass his mouth close enough to touch her cheekWith timid lip, he takes the lover's place,He takes his place, for certain! Dusky rogue,Were it not sport to whimper with thy mistress,Then steal away and roll upon my grave,310Till thy sides shook with laughter? Blood! blood! blood!They want thy blood! thy blood, Osorio!

[END OF ACT THE THIRD.]

[555:1]In MS. II this speech is crossed out, and on the blank page opposite the following is written in Coleridge's hand:—'Instead of Maria's portrait, Albert places on the altar a small picture of his attempted assassination. The scene is not wholly withoutpoeticalmerit, but it is miserably undramatic, or rather untragic. A scene of magic is introduced in which no single person on the stage has the least faith—all, though in different ways, think or know it to be atrick——consequently, &c.'P. W., 1893, p. 494,Editor's Note.In MS. III the following stage-direction is written (in S. T. C.'s handwriting) on the page opposite to lines 113-15:—'Albert has placed on the altar a small picture representing the attempt to assassinate him, instead of the portrait of Maria which Osorio had given him.'

[555:1]In MS. II this speech is crossed out, and on the blank page opposite the following is written in Coleridge's hand:—

'Instead of Maria's portrait, Albert places on the altar a small picture of his attempted assassination. The scene is not wholly withoutpoeticalmerit, but it is miserably undramatic, or rather untragic. A scene of magic is introduced in which no single person on the stage has the least faith—all, though in different ways, think or know it to be atrick——consequently, &c.'P. W., 1893, p. 494,Editor's Note.

In MS. III the following stage-direction is written (in S. T. C.'s handwriting) on the page opposite to lines 113-15:—

'Albert has placed on the altar a small picture representing the attempt to assassinate him, instead of the portrait of Maria which Osorio had given him.'

[556:1]In MS. II Coleridge has written opposite this:—'Velez supposes the picture is an innocent contrivance of Osorio's to remove Maria's scruples: Osorio, that it is the portrait of Maria which he had himself given the supposed Wizard.'P. W., 1893, p. 495,Editors Note.In MS. III Coleridge wrote on the opposite page:—'Velez supposes the picture which represents the attempt to assassinate Albert, to have been a mere invention contrived by Osorio with the most innocent intentions. Osorio supposes it of course, to be theportraitof Maria which he had restored to Albert!'

In MS. III Coleridge wrote on the opposite page:—'Velez supposes the picture which represents the attempt to assassinate Albert, to have been a mere invention contrived by Osorio with the most innocent intentions. Osorio supposes it of course, to be theportraitof Maria which he had restored to Albert!'

[556:2]The transcriber of MS. I had here written 'superstitious', which is marked through with ink, and 'serious' is substituted, in Coleridge's own hand. In MS. II 'superstitious' is left undisturbed.P. W., 1893, p. 495,Editor's Note. In MS. III 'serious' is erased and 'superstitious' is superscribed.

[558:1]In MS. II Coleridge has written opposite this:—'Osorio immediately supposes that this wizard whom Ferdinand had recommended to him, was in truth, an accomplice of Ferdinand, to whom the whole secret had been betrayed.'P. W., 1893, p. 496,Editor's Note.

[559:1]Opposite the passage in MS. II the following is written in the transcriber's hand:—Ce malheur, dites-vous, est le bien d'un autre être—De mon corps tout sanglant, mille insectes vont naître.Quand la mort met le comble aux maux que j'ai souffert,Le beau soulagement d'être mangé de vers!Je ne suis du grandtoutqu'une faible partie—Oui; mais les animaux condamnés à la vieSous les êtres sentants nés sous la mème loiVivent dans la douleur, et meurent comme moi.Désastre de Lisbonne.P. W., 1893, p. 491,Editor's Note.

[559:1]Opposite the passage in MS. II the following is written in the transcriber's hand:—

Ce malheur, dites-vous, est le bien d'un autre être—De mon corps tout sanglant, mille insectes vont naître.Quand la mort met le comble aux maux que j'ai souffert,Le beau soulagement d'être mangé de vers!Je ne suis du grandtoutqu'une faible partie—Oui; mais les animaux condamnés à la vieSous les êtres sentants nés sous la mème loiVivent dans la douleur, et meurent comme moi.

Désastre de Lisbonne.P. W., 1893, p. 491,Editor's Note.

Before1ACT III.Scene 1.—A Hall of armory, with an altar at the back of the stage. Soft music from an instrument of glass or steel.Valdez, Ordonio, andAlvarin a Sorcerer's robe, are discovered.Ord.This was too melancholy, father.Val.Nay,My Alvar lov'd sad music from a child.Once he was lost; and after weary searchWe found him in an open place in [ofOsor.] the wood,To which spot he had followed a blind boy,Who breath'd into a pipe of sycamoreSome strangely-moving notes: and these, he said,Were taught him in a dream. Him we first sawStretch'd on the broad top of a sunny heath-bank;And lower down poor Alvar, fast asleep,His head upon the blind boy's dog. It pleas'd meTo mark how he had fasten'd round the pipeA silver toy hisgrandmother hadOsor.grandam had late given him.Methinks I see him now as he then look'd—His infant dress was grown too short for him,Osor.Even so!—He had outgrown his infant dress,Yet still he wore it.Alv. (aside).My tears must not flow!I must not clasp his knees, and cry, My father!EnterTeresaand attendants.Remorse.[These lines with the variants as noted above are included inOsorio, Act III, lines58-74.]

Before1

Scene 1.—A Hall of armory, with an altar at the back of the stage. Soft music from an instrument of glass or steel.Valdez, Ordonio, andAlvarin a Sorcerer's robe, are discovered.

EnterTeresaand attendants.

Remorse.

[These lines with the variants as noted above are included inOsorio, Act III, lines58-74.]

After3stage-directionom. Remorse.

Between3and4Ordonio.Believe you then no preternatural influence?Believe you not that spirits throng around us?I thought you held that spirits throng'd around us?Corr. in MS. III.Ter.Say rather that I have imagined itA possible thing; and it has sooth'd my soulAs other fancies have; but ne'er seduced meTo traffic with the black and frenzied hope,That the dead hear the voice of witch or wizard.Remorse.

Between3and4

Corr. in MS. III.

Ter.Say rather that I have imagined itA possible thing; and it has sooth'd my soulAs other fancies have; but ne'er seduced meTo traffic with the black and frenzied hope,That the dead hear the voice of witch or wizard.

Remorse.

[4]you] youRemorse.

you] youRemorse.

[5]employments] employmentRemorse.

employments] employmentRemorse.

[9]things] guiltRemorse.

things] guiltRemorse.

[10]Stand ye from the altarRemorse.

Stand ye from the altarRemorse.

After10[Here, &c. . . .sceneRemorse.

[13]spells] spellRemorse.

spells] spellRemorse.

[21]unstun'd] unstunn'dRemorse.

unstun'd] unstunn'dRemorse.

After23[MusicRemorse.

[29]build up] upbuildRemorse.

build up] upbuildRemorse.

[37][Here behind the scenes a voice sings the three words, 'Hear, sweet Spirit.'Remorse.

[Here behind the scenes a voice sings the three words, 'Hear, sweet Spirit.'Remorse.

After43Song.—Behind the scenes, &c.Remorse.

[50]chanters] chaunterRemorse.

chanters] chaunterRemorse.

[58-74]are printed as ll. 1-17,Act III,Sc.iRemorse.

are printed as ll. 1-17,Act III,Sc.iRemorse.

[61]of] inRemorse.

of] inRemorse.

[70-72]A silver toy his grandam had late given him,Methinks I see him now as he then look'd—Even so!—He had outgrown his infant dress,Remorse, Act III, ll. 13-15.

A silver toy his grandam had late given him,Methinks I see him now as he then look'd—Even so!—He had outgrown his infant dress,

Remorse, Act III, ll. 13-15.

[79]Stage-directionom. Remorse.

Stage-directionom. Remorse.

[87]Stage-directionom. Remorse.

Stage-directionom. Remorse.

[88-9]But what if he had a brother,Who had lived even soRemorse.

But what if he had a brother,Who had lived even so

Remorse.

[91-2]Valdez.Idly prating man!Thou hast guess'd ill: Don Alvar's only brotherStands here before thee—a father's blessing on him!He is most virtuous.Remorse.

Valdez.Idly prating man!Thou hast guess'd ill: Don Alvar's only brotherStands here before thee—a father's blessing on him!He is most virtuous.

Remorse.

[96]excellently] exquisitelyRemorse.

excellently] exquisitelyRemorse.

Between104and105[Music again.Teresa.'Tis strange, I tremble at my own conjectures!But whatso'er it mean, I dare no longerBe present at these lawless mysteries,This dark provoking of the hidden Powers!Already I affront—if not high Heaven—Yet Alvar's memory!—Hark! I make appealAgainst the unholy rite, and hasten henceTo bend before a lawful shrine, and seekThat voice which whispers, when the still heart listens,Comfort and faithful hope! Let us retire.Alv. (toTeresa).O full of faith and guileless love, thy spiritStill prompts thee wisely. Let the pangs of guiltSurprise the guilty: thou art innocent![ExeuntTeresaand Attendant. Music as before.Remorse.

Between104and105

[Music again.

Teresa.'Tis strange, I tremble at my own conjectures!But whatso'er it mean, I dare no longerBe present at these lawless mysteries,This dark provoking of the hidden Powers!Already I affront—if not high Heaven—Yet Alvar's memory!—Hark! I make appealAgainst the unholy rite, and hasten henceTo bend before a lawful shrine, and seekThat voice which whispers, when the still heart listens,Comfort and faithful hope! Let us retire.Alv. (toTeresa).O full of faith and guileless love, thy spiritStill prompts thee wisely. Let the pangs of guiltSurprise the guilty: thou art innocent!

Alv. (toTeresa).O full of faith and guileless love, thy spiritStill prompts thee wisely. Let the pangs of guiltSurprise the guilty: thou art innocent!

[ExeuntTeresaand Attendant. Music as before.

Remorse.

[106]an eye of flesh] a human eyeRemorse.

an eye of flesh] a human eyeRemorse.

[108]come quick] O comeRemorse.

come quick] O comeRemorse.

[109]and if he lives] but if he liveRemorse.

and if he lives] but if he liveRemorse.

After110The whole music clashes into a ChorusRemorse.

[111]demon] demonsRemorse.

demon] demonsRemorse.

113foll.For the rest of Act III, as published inRemorse, videpostpp.851-8. According to the Editor ofOsorioas first published in 1873, 'The rest of this Act is entirely different in the publishedRemorse.' This statement needs qualification. The remainder of Act III ofOsoriowas rewritten, much was omitted, much added, and the 'dramatic ordonnance' of this part of the play was remodelled on a different plan, but the following lines 174-82, 195-202, 210-31 and 246-7 were included, with certain alterations, inRemorse. SeeRemorse, Act III, Scene II, ll.64-71,79-87,94-114and185-6.

[140-3]And . . . comeMS. III erased.

And . . . comeMS. III erased.

After146Doth swim with love and pity—Well OrdonioO my foreboding Spirit, he suborn'd thee,And thou didst spare his lifeCorr. in MS. III.

After146

Doth swim with love and pity—Well OrdonioO my foreboding Spirit, he suborn'd thee,And thou didst spare his life

Corr. in MS. III.

[299]interpolated by S. T. C.MS. III.

interpolated by S. T. C.MS. III.

Scene the First.—A cavern, dark except where a gleam of moonlight is seen on one side of the further end of it, supposed to be cast on it from a cranny[creviceRemorse]in a part of the cavern out of sight.

[Ferdinandalone, an extinguished torch in his hand.

Ferdinand.Drip! drip! drip! drip!—in such a place as thisIt has nothing else to do but drip! drip! drip!I wish it had not dripp'd upon my torch.Faith 'twas a moving letter—very moving!His life in danger—no place safe but this.5'Twas his turn now to talk of gratitude!And yet—but no! there can't be such a villain.It cannot be!Thanks to that little cranny[563]Which lets the moonlight in! I'll go and sit by it.To peep at a tree, or see a he-goat's beard,10Or hear a cow or two breathe loud in their sleep,'Twere better than this dreary noise of water-drops!

[He goes out of sight, opposite to the patch of moonlight,[and returns. Remorse]returns after a minute's elapse in an ecstasy of fear.

A hellish pit! O God—'tis like my night-mair!I was just in!—and those damn'd fingers of iceWhich clutch'd my hair up! Ha! what's that? it moved!15

[Ferdinandstands[motionlessMS. III erased]staring at another recess in the cavern. In the mean timeOsorioenters with a torch and hollas to him[halloes toIsidoreRemorse].

Ferdinand.I swear, I saw a something moving there!The moonshine came and went, like a flash of lightning.I swear, I saw it move!

[Osoriogoes into the recess, then returns, and with great scorn.

Osorio.A jutting clay-stoneDrips on the long lank weed that grows beneath;[564]And the weed nods and drips.Ferdinand (forcing a faint laugh).A joke to laugh at!20It was not that which frighten'd me, my lord!Osorio.What frighten'd you?Ferdinand.You see that little cranny?But first permit me,[Lights his torch atOsorio's, and while lighting it.(A lighted torch in the handIs no unpleasant object here—one's breathFloats round the flame, and makes as many colours25As the thin clouds that travel near the moon.)[564:1]You see that cranny there?Osorio.Well, what of that?Ferdinand.I walk'd up to it, meaning to sit there.[565]When I had reach'd it within twenty paces——[Ferdinandstarts as if he felt the terror over again.Merciful Heaven! Do go, my lord! and look.30

Osorio.A jutting clay-stoneDrips on the long lank weed that grows beneath;[564]And the weed nods and drips.

Ferdinand (forcing a faint laugh).A joke to laugh at!20It was not that which frighten'd me, my lord!

Osorio.What frighten'd you?

Ferdinand.You see that little cranny?But first permit me,[Lights his torch atOsorio's, and while lighting it.(A lighted torch in the handIs no unpleasant object here—one's breathFloats round the flame, and makes as many colours25As the thin clouds that travel near the moon.)[564:1]You see that cranny there?

Osorio.Well, what of that?

Ferdinand.I walk'd up to it, meaning to sit there.[565]When I had reach'd it within twenty paces——[Ferdinandstarts as if he felt the terror over again.Merciful Heaven! Do go, my lord! and look.30

[Osoriogoes and returns.

Osorio.It must have shot some pleasant feelings thro' you?Ferdinand.If every atom of a dead man's fleshShould move, each one with a particular life,Yet all as cold as ever—'twas just so!Or if it drizzled needle-points of frost35Upon a feverish head made suddenly bald—Osorio (interrupting him).Why, Ferdinand! I blush for thy cowardice.It would have startled any man, I grant thee.But such a panic.Ferdinand.When a boy, my lord!I could have sat whole hours beside that chasm,40Push'd in huge stones and heard them thump and rattleAgainst its horrid sides; and hung my headLow down, and listen'd till the heavy fragmentsSunk, with faint crash, in that still groaning well,Which never thirsty pilgrim blest, which never45A living thing came near; unless, perchance,Some blind-worm battens on the ropy mould,Close at its edge.Osorio.Art thou more coward now?Ferdinand.Call him that fears his fellow-men a coward.I fear not man. But this inhuman cavern50It were too bad a prison-house for goblins.Besides (you'll laugh, my lord!) but true it is,My last night's sleep was very sorely haunted[565:1][566]By what had pass'd between us in the morning.I saw you in a thousand hideous ways,55And doz'd and started, doz'd again and started.I do entreat your lordship to believe me,In my last dream——Osorio.Well?Ferdinand.I was in the actOf falling down that chasm, when AlhadraWaked me. She heard my heart beat!Osorio.Strange enough!60Had you been here before?Ferdinand.Never, my lord!But my eyes do not see it now more clearlyThan in my dream I saw that very chasm.

Osorio.It must have shot some pleasant feelings thro' you?

Ferdinand.If every atom of a dead man's fleshShould move, each one with a particular life,Yet all as cold as ever—'twas just so!Or if it drizzled needle-points of frost35Upon a feverish head made suddenly bald—

Osorio (interrupting him).Why, Ferdinand! I blush for thy cowardice.It would have startled any man, I grant thee.But such a panic.

Ferdinand.When a boy, my lord!I could have sat whole hours beside that chasm,40Push'd in huge stones and heard them thump and rattleAgainst its horrid sides; and hung my headLow down, and listen'd till the heavy fragmentsSunk, with faint crash, in that still groaning well,Which never thirsty pilgrim blest, which never45A living thing came near; unless, perchance,Some blind-worm battens on the ropy mould,Close at its edge.

Osorio.Art thou more coward now?

Ferdinand.Call him that fears his fellow-men a coward.I fear not man. But this inhuman cavern50It were too bad a prison-house for goblins.Besides (you'll laugh, my lord!) but true it is,My last night's sleep was very sorely haunted[565:1][566]By what had pass'd between us in the morning.I saw you in a thousand hideous ways,55And doz'd and started, doz'd again and started.I do entreat your lordship to believe me,In my last dream——

Osorio.Well?

Ferdinand.I was in the actOf falling down that chasm, when AlhadraWaked me. She heard my heart beat!

Osorio.Strange enough!60Had you been here before?

Ferdinand.Never, my lord!But my eyes do not see it now more clearlyThan in my dream I saw that very chasm.

[Osoriostands in a deep study—then, after a pause.

Osorio.There is no reason why it should be so.And yet it is.Ferdinand.What is, my lord?Osorio.Unpleasant65To kill a man!Ferdinand.Except in self-defence.

Osorio.There is no reason why it should be so.And yet it is.

Ferdinand.What is, my lord?

Osorio.Unpleasant65To kill a man!

Ferdinand.Except in self-defence.

Osorio.Why that's my case: and yet 'tis still unpleasant.At least I find it so! But you, perhaps,Have stronger nerves?Ferdinand.Something doth trouble you.How can I serve you? By the life you gave me,70By all that makes that life of value to me,My wife, my babes, my honour, I swear to you,Name it, and I will toil to do the thing,If it be innocent! But this, my lord!Is not a place where you could perpetrate,75No, nor propose a wicked thing. The darkness(When ten yards off, we know, 'tis chearful moonlight)Collects the guilt and crowds it round the heart.It must be innocent.Osorio.Thyself be judge.[Osoriowalks round the cavern—then looking round it.One of our family knew this place well.80Ferdinand.Who? when? my lord.Osorio.What boots it who or when?Hang up the torch. I'll tell his tale to thee.

Osorio.Why that's my case: and yet 'tis still unpleasant.At least I find it so! But you, perhaps,Have stronger nerves?

Ferdinand.Something doth trouble you.How can I serve you? By the life you gave me,70By all that makes that life of value to me,My wife, my babes, my honour, I swear to you,Name it, and I will toil to do the thing,If it be innocent! But this, my lord!Is not a place where you could perpetrate,75No, nor propose a wicked thing. The darkness(When ten yards off, we know, 'tis chearful moonlight)Collects the guilt and crowds it round the heart.It must be innocent.

Osorio.Thyself be judge.[Osoriowalks round the cavern—then looking round it.One of our family knew this place well.80

Ferdinand.Who? when? my lord.

Osorio.What boots it who or when?Hang up the torch. I'll tell his tale to thee.

[They hang [up] their torches in some shelf of[on some ridge inRemorse]the cavern.

Osorio.He was a man different from other men,And he despised them, yet revered himself.[567:1]Ferdinand.What? he was mad?Osorio.All men seem'd mad to him,85[568]Their actions noisome folly, and their talk—A goose's gabble was more musical.Nature had made him for some other planet,And press'd his soul into a human shapeBy accident or malice. In this world90He found no fit companion!Ferdinand.Ah, poor wretch!Madmen are mostly proud.Osorio.He walk'd alone,And phantasies, unsought for, troubled him.Something within would still be shadowing outAll possibilities, and with these shadows95His mind held dalliance. Once, as so it happen'd,A fancy cross'd him wilder than the rest:To this in moody murmur, and low voice,He yielded utterance as some talk in sleep.The man who heard him——Why didst thou look round?100Ferdinand.I have a prattler three years old, my lord!In truth he is my darling. As I wentFrom forth my door, he made a moan in sleep—But I am talking idly—pray go on!And what did this man?Osorio.With his human hand105He gave a being and realityTo that wild fancy of a possible thing.Well it was done.[Then very wildly.Why babblest thou of guilt?The deed was done, and it pass'd fairly off.And he, whose tale I tell thee—dost thou listen?110Ferdinand.I would, my lord, you were bymyfireside!I'd listen to you with an eager eye,Tho' you began this cloudy tale at midnight.But I do listen—pray proceed, my lord!Osorio.Where was I?Ferdinand.He of whom you tell the tale—115Osorio.Surveying all things with a quiet scorn[569]Tamed himself down to living purposes,The occupations and the semblancesOf ordinary men—and such he seem'd.But that some over-ready agent—he——120Ferdinand.Ah! what of him, my lord?Osorio.He proved a villain;Betray'd the mystery to a brother villain;And they between them hatch'd a damnéd plotTo hunt him down to infamy and deathTo share the wealth of a most noble family,125And stain the honour of an orphan ladyWith barbarous mixture and unnatural union.What did the Velez? I am proud of the name,Since he dared do it.

Osorio.He was a man different from other men,And he despised them, yet revered himself.[567:1]

Ferdinand.What? he was mad?

Osorio.All men seem'd mad to him,85[568]Their actions noisome folly, and their talk—A goose's gabble was more musical.Nature had made him for some other planet,And press'd his soul into a human shapeBy accident or malice. In this world90He found no fit companion!

Ferdinand.Ah, poor wretch!Madmen are mostly proud.

Osorio.He walk'd alone,And phantasies, unsought for, troubled him.Something within would still be shadowing outAll possibilities, and with these shadows95His mind held dalliance. Once, as so it happen'd,A fancy cross'd him wilder than the rest:To this in moody murmur, and low voice,He yielded utterance as some talk in sleep.The man who heard him——Why didst thou look round?100

Ferdinand.I have a prattler three years old, my lord!In truth he is my darling. As I wentFrom forth my door, he made a moan in sleep—But I am talking idly—pray go on!And what did this man?

Osorio.With his human hand105He gave a being and realityTo that wild fancy of a possible thing.Well it was done.[Then very wildly.Why babblest thou of guilt?The deed was done, and it pass'd fairly off.And he, whose tale I tell thee—dost thou listen?110

Ferdinand.I would, my lord, you were bymyfireside!I'd listen to you with an eager eye,Tho' you began this cloudy tale at midnight.But I do listen—pray proceed, my lord!

Osorio.Where was I?

Ferdinand.He of whom you tell the tale—115

Osorio.Surveying all things with a quiet scorn[569]Tamed himself down to living purposes,The occupations and the semblancesOf ordinary men—and such he seem'd.But that some over-ready agent—he——120

Ferdinand.Ah! what of him, my lord?

Osorio.He proved a villain;Betray'd the mystery to a brother villain;And they between them hatch'd a damnéd plotTo hunt him down to infamy and deathTo share the wealth of a most noble family,125And stain the honour of an orphan ladyWith barbarous mixture and unnatural union.What did the Velez? I am proud of the name,Since he dared do it.

[Osoriograsps his sword and turns off fromFerdinand, then, after a pause, returns.

Osorio.Our links burn dimly.Ferdinand.A dark tale darkly finish'd! Nay, my lord!130Tell what he did.Osorio (fiercely).That which his wisdom prompted.He made the traitor meet him in this cavern,And here he kill'd the traitor.Ferdinand.No!—the fool.He had not wit enough to be a traitor.Poor thick-eyed beetle! not to have foreseen135That he, who gull'd thee with a whimper'd lieTo murderhis own brother, would not scrupleTo murderthee, if e'er his guilt grew jealousAnd he could steal upon thee in the dark!Osorio.Thou would'st not then have come, if——Ferdinand.O yes, my lord!140I would have met him arm'd, and scared the coward!

Osorio.Our links burn dimly.

Ferdinand.A dark tale darkly finish'd! Nay, my lord!130Tell what he did.

Osorio (fiercely).That which his wisdom prompted.He made the traitor meet him in this cavern,And here he kill'd the traitor.

Ferdinand.No!—the fool.He had not wit enough to be a traitor.Poor thick-eyed beetle! not to have foreseen135That he, who gull'd thee with a whimper'd lieTo murderhis own brother, would not scrupleTo murderthee, if e'er his guilt grew jealousAnd he could steal upon thee in the dark!

Osorio.Thou would'st not then have come, if——

Ferdinand.O yes, my lord!140I would have met him arm'd, and scared the coward!

[Ferdinandthrows off his robe, shows himself armed, and draws his sword.

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