Page:Miscellaneous Plays 1.pdf/410

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CONSTANTINE PALEOLOGUS;

Enter Guards.

CONSTANTINE (to Guards).

Take these two men, Petronius and his friend,

And thro' the city to our outmost post
Conduct them safely: there, in perfect liberty,
Permit them to depart wherever they list.

(To Petronius.) Now, I'm revenged upon thee: get thee hence,

And utter not a word.—Go thou, Rodrigo,

And with the gentle Ella in thy hand,
Conduct them to the palace gate. Hence quickly!

MARTHON.

Nay, let Petronius go: I will remain,

And with the meanest soldier on your walls
Spend my last blood, if a true penitent——

CONSTANTINE (waving him off impatiently).

Well, be it as thou wilt: but hence and leave me!

RODRIGO (to Ella, as he leads her out).

Did I not tell thee he was safe, my Ella?

(Exeunt all but Constantine, who, after walking up and down for some time in a perturbed manner, starts at the sound of Valeria's voice without.)

CONSTANTINE.

Ha! here she comes! alas! how shall I now