Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/305

IN the rage of my disappointment to plunge my sword into his body, when recognizing your voice, I stood motionless, abashed and confounded. Soon the cries and struggles behind me, roused me from stupefaction, and kindled my vengeance. Seeing our friend Bernardos engaged with the traitor who had thus tempted and betrayed me, I flew—attacked, and laid him low. HAD I known it was Alfonso, I would have spared his life; but what is done cannot be undone. He sought the life of Bernardos, and I flew him to save my friend. It is homicide, justified by the first principles of self-defence, and I thank God! that neither my conscience nor the laws can charge me with premeditated murder, I pity the fate of Alfonso, as much as I deplore the passion which has hitherto chained my reason, and benumbed every virtue which formerly ruled my mind. I abjure my errors, and in commiseration to the foibles of our nature, hope, you will not deny me your pity and forgiveness. To avoid the very shadow of future inducements to my criminal error