(Voice without.) Die!

(Second voice without.) Ay, die,

Traitor, who thus insult'st us!

(Enter LORENZO, followed by the Servant, and ROBERTO at a distance.)

Lorenzo. Many lives

For mine shall pay !

Flerida. Forbear! Say, what is this?

Roberto. It is what Fortune has in store for us.
Flerida. Observe you not that I am present here?
Put up your swords! Say, Fabio, what this means!
Fabio. Madam, it is our duty, as your servants,
T'avenge the insult offered to your house,

Both on your own behalf, and on Prince Carlo's.
Flerida. Enough! Yon postern opens on the park;

That way avoid your fate. I will protect you.

Lorenzo. Bear witness, Heav'n, amidst all these disasters,
If I retire, 'tis to obey your will,

And not as fearing them.

Flerida. Follow him, friend.

Roberto. An order I most willingly obey.

Flerida. And you, observe 'tis somewhat premature,

Somewhat officious in you to adopt

Prince Carlo's quarrels.

(Exit.)

(Exit.)

Fabio. Come, friends, come away.

(Exeunt FABIO and Servants.)

He 'scapes not thus; Prince Carlo guards the postern.

Flerida. Now, Lisida, proceed.
Lisida. Madam, in Naples,

Our common country, did this gentleman

Woo me; and having plighted hands and faith

(Clashing of swords without.)

Prince, (without.) Now, shall thine arrogant temerity

Learn against two who fights!

Lorenzo, (without.) He does, who singly

Is against two sufficient!

Flerida. What is this?

(Enter PRINCE CARLO and LISARDO fighting with LORENZO,

and followed by ROBERTO.)

Roberto. Lady, what Fortune has for us in store.

Lisardo. Die then, although 'twere even in the palace!

Fails me.

Lorenzo. The earth, but not the valour in my breast,

Flerida. Take notice, at my feet he lies.

Prince. Lady, that sanctuary once again

Avails him, and a thousand times must do so.

Again he is your debtor for his life.

Lisardo. But therefore let him not presume to hope

He shall have always angels for his guard.

Flerida. Stay, listen to me!

Prince. Lady, pardon me.

Suffice it, that for your sake I forbear
To slay him; satisfied with my respect,
Bid me not so much disregard my fame,
As in your presence by his side to stand,
I unavenged, he living.

Flerida. Stay, Prince Carlo!

Remain and listen!-Follow, Lisida,

(He falls.)

(Exit.)

(Exit.)

Forbid their going hence till they have heard me.

Lisida obeys; and a short scene, of the usual love-making upon Lorenzo's

part, and contempt upon Flerida's, fills up the time of her absence. At last

the Princess orders Lorenzo to await her return where he is, withdraws, and conceals herself, as before, to witness, unseen, the interview between Lorenzo and Lisida. The former, however, has observed her manœuvre, and the latter arrives, saying,

They hasten'd hence so fast, they heard not even
Your Highness' summons. Is the Princess gone?
Lorenzo. She is.

Lisida. At length then, traitor, may my anguish
Find momentary vent.-

Lorenzo, (aside.) Unhappy me,

If Lisida should now speak of her love,
Unknowing that the Princess overhears!

Lisida. In lamentation o'er my wrongs. Ingrate,
Is't possible thou canst abhor an object
Once so beloved!

Lorenzo. Woman, what speak you of?

Of whom do you complain ? I know you not.

Lisida. Would'st thou repay, ingrate, my forced dissembling,
When Flerida o'erheard our whole discourse?

Lorenzo. If such be your idea, think so still;

Retire in silence.

Lisida. I will now declare,

For I may never find more fitting season,
The agonies I suffer.

Lorenzo. Lady, no,

I cannot listen.

Lisida. Wherefore not?

Lorenzo, (aside.) 'Tis strange

She cannot comprehend a single sign
Of all I make !

Lisida. Thou canst not possibly

Be so inhuman! Would'st thou ev'n deny

The sorrows I endure for thee?

Lorenzo. What say you?

Lisida. Because in days long past 'twas thy desire.
Lorenzo. Mine! I conceive not..

Lisida. Since you interrupt

My just complaints, insult me, and refuse

To listen, instantly avoid this garden.

Lorenzo. That I will not. The Princess bade me stay.
Lisida. Traitor, she gave no such command!

Flerida. Yes, such

Enter FLERIDA.

Was my command, and is. You, Lisida,
Go in; and, stranger, you beyond these trees,
Wait patiently my further resolution.

Lorenzo. Was ever man like me unfortunate!
Lisida. Was ever woman half so miserable!
Roberto. Were ever man and woman half so silly!

(Exit.)

(Exit.)

(Exit.)

i

What more can Fortune have in store for us?
Flerida. Assist me, Heaven! What an infinity
Of accidents befall me! All so throng'd
That they confuse and interrupt each other.
So various, so strange their array,
No judgment their force can control;
And life must itself be their prey,
Or distraction must seize on the soul.
Then, Reason, let us now investigate
Their difficulties, that we may at once.
Expose all these perplexities to light.
First, we have here a man of such high spirit

That, in the face of my divinity,

He dares his senseless hopes so high advance,
That his madness would scarcely be more
Who on pinions of war should aspire
Like the eagle tow'rds Heaven to soar,
And melt in the regions of fire.

Next we have here a beauteous lady, who,
By intercession of a friend, has sought
A refuge in my palace from the ills
Consequent on a murder, (What disgrace!)
Of which, by what appears, she must have been
The sad occasion, and for that, I judge,

The youth abhors her sight, whilst she adores him.
What dishonour, contempt, and disdain,
To both lover and lady belong,

When a lady can stoop to complain,
When his lady a lover can wrong!

Whilst of this couple's secret I was yet
Imperfectly informed, my vanity
Was mortified, I almost blush to own it,
By vague suspicions that to her, not me,
This irrepressible and raving passion
Was all addressed, from which base jealousy
Love has preserved me, rendering his scorn
More gratifying than his admiration.

How strange if the peace of my breast

A passion like this could destroy !

Îf that, which annoyed me possessed,
Being lost could yet further annoy!

But let us quit this lover and this lady,
Since it is certain he deceives not me,
Who undeceives another, and proceed
To Prince Orsini, who, to look upon me,
Conceals his quality; be that concealment
An insult or a compliment refined
Offered my pride, my honour is uninjured.
I have not my dignity bow'd
With this mercantile mask to comply;
Nor for flatteries sold have allow'd

That an atom of hope he should buy.

But this is not the most important question,

Proceed we to the principal, that Carlo

Here finding his chief enemy, despite

Th' asylum which my presence should afford him,

With obstinate stupidity persists

In following a revenge- -to me offensive.

For of honour's nice laws if we treat,

It were one of a whimsical strain,

Should the suppliant laid at my feet

By the hands of another be slain.

That shall not be! My house's sanctuary
Shall not be unavailing; and although
His arrogant presumption may offend,
It yet offends in such becoming guise,
That the offence itself may be allowed
To intercede for the offender's pardon;
Since both excuse and crime appear so nobly,
In my bosom together they dwell,

And my anger with kindness so blend,
That my favour the one must compel,

However the other offend.

This gallant must not die! But how preserve him? Those who seek his life have ascertain'd

That he remains within my garden walls

The Prince and all my servants watch the gates,
And night falls timidly upon the world.
The passion his accents betray
May suspicion attach to my name,
And here if I suffer his stay,
I sanction mistrust of my fame.

But wherefore do I thus torment myself?
Sure my imagination will supply
Devices in abundance, that at once
He may escape, and not escape his dangers.
By giving him his life, to his wronged lady
Her injured honour, to Orsini vengeance,
And unto Fame new matter for her trumpet,
I will convince the world that there exists
Beauty of such an high-strained nobleness,
Presumption of such lofty gallantry,
Such gen'rous vanity, and last of all
Pity of excellence so exquisite,

As unconstrained alike by love or vengeance
Can chastise, forgive in a breath,
With clemency temper disdain,

And ev'n while condemning to death,
For the culprit a pardon obtain.

We have given this long scene with little curtailment, because we think it offers a favourable specimen of both the bustle, and the laughable distress resulting from a perplexed situation, which characterize Spanish Comedy; whilst the concluding monologue, which we have abridged, and whose number of lines our readers have by this time, we trust, learned to consider as very moderate, exhibits, together with that sort of subtle refinement upon whimsical points of honour indispensable in high-born and high-bred Damas and Caballeros, a new example of capricious intermixture of metres.We must now hurry to the denouement. In the next scene the Prince and Lisardo are joined by Fabio, whom the Prince thanks for his assistance, justifying his acceptance of it upon the plea that he has already fought with Lorenzo, and that, when a duel is interrupted, the aggrieved party has a right to take his revenge as he best can. A pistol-shot and a cry of distress from Lorenzo are now heard. Fabio says somebody must have killed Lorenzo, and they hurry off to inquire further. Flora then leads on Lorenzo and Roberto, rejoicing that the pistol-shot and the cry have enabled her to execute the Princess's orders, and conduct the objects of such bitter enmity from the garden to an apartment in the palace. In utter darkness, and without quitting the stage, they reach this apartment, VOL. XVII.

into which Flora locks them and departs.

Lorenzo exults in Flerida's evident favour, and the Gracioso spends the night in ecstasies, describing all the splendour with which his imagination furnishes the room. The moruing's dawn discovers their lodging to be a dark and desolate turret-chamber, and their despondency equals their previous triumph, when a letter falls at Lorenzo's feet, containing the words, "This treatment springs from COURTESY NOT LOVE." Whilst they are striving to unriddle its meaning, Flora, unseen, directs them to follow certain passages and staircases, to conceal themselves at the entrance of a gallery, and thence observe what passes. Upon reaching their post, they see the Prince and his party entering at one door, and Flerida with her ladies at another. Flerida bids Lisida hide herself, listen to, and not interrupt, the conversation about to be held. She then breaks in upon the Prince's compliments, tells him that she forgives his curiosity and disguise, satisfied with having outwitted him, and deceived the deceiver; but severely reproaches him for having turned her palace into a theatre of tragedies. She says that she has that morning found Lorenzo murdered,-when Lisida rushes in, and we will conclude this article by giving the last scene. After many lines of vague exclamations and demands of justice, Lisida proceeds,

4 R

"Tis on Lisardo I demand it, who

Alone, sir, caused your princely brother's death.
For he, seducing him to countenance

A treachery so villainous, an action
So much unworthy, as by violence
Ent'ring a lady's house, that lady known
Another's plighted bride, he who betray'd
A prince to sanction by his company

Such conduct, murder'd him, since he exposed
His courage in a quarrel, where all right
Against him fought; and lest it seem that I,
Being an accomplice in this wickedness,
Seek my own safety, earnestly I pray
Your vengeance may begin with me.
Lisardo, ere I die, say if my life
Offered encouragement to such an outrage.
If e'er-

But let

Lisardo. Proceed not, for though 'tis esteemed
In love a pardonable fault, when lovers,
To gain their purposes, feign treacheries,
And fond deceits, I will not now assert
Their privilege; I will not say you ever
Encouraged my attempt, for 'twere a falsehood-
And to confirm how pure and bright your honour
Shines in my sight, publicly let my love,
Lorenzo being dead, as satisfaction

The amplest in my power, my hand-
Lisida. No more

Proceed not! Rather would I slay myself,

Than give consent, or e'er accept a hand

This very hour dyed in Lorenzo's blood.

Prince. What other satisfaction would you, lady?

Since there exists no possibility

Of calling your Lorenzo back to life

Could that be done, by heav'n, rather than see

My Flerida offended, and yourself

Unhappy, I would share my life with him!

Flerida. Will you to this engage your promise?
Prince. Yes,

Pledging my hand for its exact observance.

Flerida. Promise and hand, I with my hand accept.

And now that you are pledged-Come forth, Lorenzo,
Humble yourself before the Prince, and take,

If I refused you love, your life instead.

Enter LORENZO.

Lorenzo. I have no off'ring save this ribbon, lady,

To speak my thankfulness, and now 'tis fitting

I at the Prince's feet should yield myself

Flerida. Stay; first 'tis fitting, lest the world believe

My house a shelter for unlawful love,

That you present your hand to Lisida.

Lorenzo. With my whole soul, acknowledging your goodness,

My jealousy being cured, I joyfully

Perform your highness' pleasure.

Lisida. Recompensed

Are all my sufferings !

Lorenzo. Sir, at your feet

Permit me,

Prince. I require no explanation.

In your deportment I have seen display'd
Such lofty gallantry and courtesy,

I am contented to forgive the past.