Be wild and dark enough, but ye must heap Crime upon crime?-Be ye content :-your dreams, Be haunted by the voice which doth not sleep, E'en though this maid be spared !—Constance, look up! Thou shalt not die. RAIMOND. Oh! death e'en now hath veil'd The light of her soft beauty.-Wake, my love; Wake at my voice! PROCIDA. Anselmo, lead her hence, And let her live, but never meet my sight. -Begone !-My heart will burst. RAIMOND. One last embrace! -Again life's rose is opening on her cheek; Yet must we part.-So love is crush'd on earth! (He gives her to the care of ANSELMO.) CONSTANCE (slowly recovering). There was a voice which call'd me.-Am I not ANSELMO. Oh, haste away! CONSTANCE. Yes! Raimond calls me.-He too is released And all is well-Away! And I have but to die. Comes thy great task. (She is led out by ANSELMO.) RAIMOND. The pang is o'er, MONTALBA. Now, Procida, Wake! summon to thine aid All thy deep soul's commanding energies; PROCIDA. Ha! ha!-Men's hearts should be of softer mould Their children then with an unfaltering voice, And we must tremble thus !-Is it not said, MONTALBA. Rouse up thy mighty heart. PROCIDA. Aye, thou say'st right. There yet are souls which tower As landmarks to mankind.-Well, what's the task? -There is a man to be condemn'd, you say? Is he then guilty? ALL. Thus we deem of him With one accord. PROCIDA. And hath he nought to plead ? RAIMOND. Nought but a soul unstain'd. PROCIDA. Why, that is little. Stains on the soul are but as conscience deems them, And conscience may be sear'd.-But, for this sentence ! -Was 't not the penalty imposed on man, E'en from creation's dawn, that he must die? -It was: thus making guilt a sacrifice Unto eternal justice; and we but Obey Heaven's mandate, when we cast dark souls To th' elements from amongst us.-Be it so! Such be his doom!-I have said. Aye, now my heart (GUIDO leaving the Tribunal, throws himself on the neck of RAIMOND.) GUIDO. Oh! Raimond, Raimond! If it should be that I have wrong'd thee, say Thou dost forgive me. RAIMOND. Friend of my young days, So may all-pitying heaven! (RAIMOND is led out.) |