Page:Miscellaneous Plays 1.pdf/123

And bless'd thine ear with his first voice of words?
Away, away! despair has made thee mad,
That thus thou hang'st upon me.

ELIZABETH.

O he for whom I plead is to my soul

Its soul: is to my fancy its bound world,
In which it lives and moves; all else beyond
Darkness, annihilation. O have pity!
For well thou say'st, despair has made me mad.

COUNTESS ZATERLOO.

Let go, let go! thou with a tigress striv'st,

Defending her bay'd whelp: I have no pity.
Heav'n will have pity on thee! let me go;
Unlock thy desp'rate hold.

(Breaks from her and runs out, and Elizabeth, quite overcome, sinks upon the ground, the Attendant rushing forward from the bottom of the stage to support her.)

Enter FATHER MARDONIO.

MARDONIO (raising her).

My daughter, heav'n will send in its good time

The aid that is appointed for thy state.
Contend no more, but to its righteous will
Submit thyself. Let me conduct thee hence.

(Exeunt Mardonio and Attendant supporting her. Re-enter the Countess, looking fearfully round her as she enters.)

COUNTESS ZATERLOO.

She is gone now: thank God that she is gone!