Page:The Siege of Valencia.pdf/178

XIMENA.

Why should this be?

Gonzalez enters, and detains Elmina.

GONZALEZ.

Elmina, dost thou shun me?—Have we not,

E'en from the hopeful and the sunny time
When youth was as a glory round our brows,
Held on through life together?—And is this,
When eve is gathering round us, with the gloom
Of stormy clouds, a time to part our steps
Upon the darkening wild?

ELMINA (coldly).

There needs not this.

Why shouldst thou think I shunn'd thee?

GONZALEZ.

Should the love

That shone o'er many years, th' unfading love,
Whose only change hath been from gladdening smiles
To mingling sorrows and sustaining strength,
Thus lightly be forgotten?

ELMINA.

Speak'st thou thus?

—I have knelt before thee with that very plea,
When it avail'd me not!—But there are things