Epes Sargent

“ Izidora
We are betroth'd; but ere a bridegroom's hand is clasp'd in mine, th' atonement must be made. Were he among the mightiest of the land, who must account for this unholy deed, before thy arm of terror he would quail. Go then! pursue th' assassin to the death. Velasco
Assassin! if the death of him, my love, who slew thy father, would content thy soul;---the boon, it were not difficult to grant. Izidora
Know'st thou the man, Velasco? Velasco
Yes. Izidora
Oh! haste to find him then. Velasco
He is already found. Izidora
Where is the man? Who is he? Velasco
He is here! I am the man! ”

“ Conscience is not yet torpid! Izidora
Oh! I am tried beyond my human strength. Spare me, my brother. Julio
Wilt arrest these nuptials? Izidora
Never! Julio
I do implore thee. I command thee! Izidora
It is in vain. I tell thee, that the dead himself hath risen to fright me from my purpose! And dost thou hope, by mortal agency to shake my steadfast, unappalléd soul? Julio
Then may the Furies wait upon thy nuptials! Despair and discord be thy marriage lot! ”

“ Thy last farewell was utter'd in such tones, as breaking heart-strings might have given forth. 'Twas not the common grief of parting, Julio; for hitherto, when at the trumpet's call, thou hast gone forth to battle, in thine eyes, a sunny hope has danced; but now a tear breaks from its rayless gloom. What means it, brother? Julio
Alas! I never yet have parted from thee with the sad thought, that ere we met again thou wouldst be all another's---never more the gay, free-hearted, fond, and careless girl, whose laugh in bower and hall was sweetest music. Is not the thought well worth a casual tear? ”

“ Could I exist, my liege, while lived the man who had disgraced me? No! I had a son---he has but done his duty. Ferdinand
And no more! Hence be it said, Velasco yielded up love, life, ay, more than life, rather than honour. For thee, unhappy lady, who hast been deprived at once of bridegroom and of father, we cannot punish where we find no guilt---no treacherous action nor intent is proved. We can but say: bring forth thy champion; Velasco promptly will obey his summons. The feud admits not of our interference. We have decided. Follow me, Hernando. ”

“ Velasco
Ah, lady! poorly can the heart disguise, in flippant Fancy's garniture of words, its true emotion. Love's a sorry masker. Izidora
'Then Love bears no similitude to thee. 'Twas of the wars we spake. Velasco
Enough of them. Oh! ne'er did mariner long toss'd at sea, with no benignant star to point his course, hail with more rapture the first gleam of land, than I from War's seam'd visage and wild glance, turn to the blue eyes of maternal peace! Oh! not the joyous shout of victory was e'er to me so grateful as the sight, which the declining sun this day revealed. Izidora
What sight? ”

“ SCENE I Before the Castle of De Lerma---Time, sunset.
( Enter Velasco in the full costume of a knight of the eleventh century, followed by Alfonzo, his squire. )
Velasco
Home! home, at last, Alfonzo! There they shine, the old ancestral bulwarks, in the rays of the declining sun! A year has passed since last I gazed upon them---there they rise, the same, as when a careless child I play'd beneath their mighty shadows. How each nook prates of the olden time! The very air is fragrant as the breath of infancy! Old towers! ”

“ Impregnable in honour! brave and noble! But dost thou not condemn me in thy heart, for the blind weakness of that sense of duty, or, for the strength of that o'ermastering passion, which wrongs a father for a lover's sake? Velasco
Why, what a restless conjurer of ill thy fancy is! Thou know'st, that all my hopes are staked upon the promise of this day. Izidora
Thou'rt pale, methinks. Velasco
And thou art beautiful! Izidora
We should be happy at a time like this. Velasco
Am I not happy? Is it not a joy to look into thy face? to hear thee speak? Izidora
Why should we not be happy? ”

“ Trembling she returns the goblet to the cupbearer.
Velasco
What wouldst thou, Izidora? Izidora
Taste it not. Thou wouldst not quaff before the bride has sipp'd? Julio
I'll not be thwarted by thee. Ferdinand
Ah! Prevent him. Julio
My father aims the blow! It is Gonzalez! ( As Izidora springs to meet Velasco, he falls at her feet. )
Izidora (bending over him)
Oh, fatal treason! terrible revenge! Velasco
Thy love supports me---and thy arm enfolds me---my ebbing sight heaves its last glance on thee---thus dying, death is grateful. Oh, farewell! ”

“ Defend thyself, ere I commit a murder. Gonzalez
With thee I'll not contend: thy arm is nerveless. The odds are too unequal. De Lerma
Then I rush upon thee as thou art. ( As De Lerma rushes upon him, Gonzalez wrests away his sword, and throws it upon the ground. )
Gonzalez
I spare thy life. De Lerma
Oh! spare it not, if mercy thou wouldst show. Thou givest me back only what thou hast made a misery, a burthen, a disgrace! It is a gift, for which I cannot thank thee. Gonzalez
Keep it, my lord: and let this lesson teach, what thy gray hairs have fail'd to bring thee---prudence. ”

“ A human victim was the sole oblation which could appease thy Moloch! and revenge was dearer to thee than the hopes of love! More sacred than thy plighted faith to her, who to thy trust gave all her happiness! Oh! what a reckless steward hast thou been! Velasco
Could I behold a venerated father crush'd by a sense of unrequited wrong, wasted by stricken pride and wounded honour, and, with the power to save, deny redress? ”

“ Exit Julio.
Sir knight, we've cut the Gordian knot of counsel to play the host to thee. Hast thou no boon to crave, within our royal power to grant? Unless thou proudly wouldst refuse to cancel a portion of the countless debt we owe thee. Give us the clew whereby our gratitude may lead unto the dear wish of thy heart. Velasco
Behold it here, my liege! (Pointing to Izidora) Could thy decree make this fair hand mine own, I should be blest beyond requital in a gift so rich. Ferdinand
A gallant boon! We'll be thine intercessor. Gonzalez, speak! thou wilt not thwart our wish? ”

“ Izidora
Stand back! sir knight! thy arm no more shall clasp me. Think of my oath! it yet must be fulfill'd. Before the king himself I will arraign thee, to answer for this deed.---I am devoted to the fulfilment of a sacred duty; but did not think to find in thee the man--- Velasco
Oh! may I not support thee to thy home? Thou'rt weak, distracted mourner! Izidora
No. Away! A power---not mine---sustains my weary---limbs. ( Enter Hernando, who receives her insensible in his arms. )
Hernando
Here, in her kinsman's arms, is her protection. ”

“ Velasco! De Lerma
My son!
Gonzalez (Aside)
The heir of my detested foe! It is unnatural! It must not be! Ferdinand
Velasco! thou art welcome---this surprise has pluck'd away the only sharp regret that rankled in our breast. Let music hail the lost one found, the banish'd one return'd; on! to the banquet-room! There will we pledge joy to this fair alliance! May the stars shed their auspicious influence upon it! ”

“ Dispute was running high upon the German Emperor's new pretensions; some did admit them; but De Lerma cried: "If Henry claim dominion o'er Castile, let him prove good his title by the sword! And cursed be the cravens and the traitors, who would submit to such a vassalage!" "There are good men and true," was my reply, "Who favour his pretensions."---"No, not one!"--- "What sayst thou to Gonzalez?" ”

“ Why should I, with a vain regret, deplore this deed, to which my just resentment forced me? Did not the provocation justify it? An injury, my nature can forgive; an insult wakes the instinct of revenge. Yes; I was right. He merited the blow. Yet for her sake---for Izidora's sake---would that I might avert the threatening issue! I'll go to old De Lerma; on my knees solicit his forgiveness. But the world---what would be their construction of th' abasement? That it was fear of his redoubted son, which drove me to it---fear of Don Velasco! 'Twere madness to retract. Velasco comes. ”

“ Dost hear? The bridal train expect our coming. 'Twas a fleeting dream--- Izidora
Is there no portent in the troubled air to blast my senses, if I look around? Velasco
Ah, no! come forth! The blessed sunshine streams o'er the green earth; and every human heart is dancing in its brightness. Look, and hear! Fair sights, glad sounds, for us are fair and glad. Izidora
I hear a step; whose is it? ( Enter Julio and Carlos. )
Mine own brother! Velasco
Julio! Carlos (to Velasco)
My lord, the king requires your presence. ”

“ De Lerma (taking up his sword)
Thou treacherous steel! art thou the same, alas! Of yore so crimson'd in the Moorish wars? Methinks there should have been a soul in thee, the soul of victories and great achievements, to form a living instrument of vengeance, and, in the weakness of thy master's arm, to leap spontaneous to his honour's rescue. Go! 'tis a mockery to wear thee now. ”

“ Carlos seats himself unperceived upon the chair of state.
Hernando
Art well assured of the fidelity of him thou hast employ'd in this affair? Mendoza
Don Julio stands no longer in thy way. Our agents bring such proofs as will convince thee. How wilt thou mould the sister to thy purpose? Hernando
She will be mine, Mendoza; and at once---if not by fair compliance, by compulsion! I have possess'd the castle with my creatures---ridding its precincts of the old adherents. She returns home---to my home---dost thou hear? She's in my power---is't not a masterpiece? ”

“ Thy father dying, with an oath bound Izidora to pursue to th' death the man to whom she gives her hand this day. Julio
It must not be! Religion shudders at it, and filial piety recoils with horror! It must not be. Hernando
But how wilt thou prevent it? Th' appointed hour is near: the king commands; and Izidora, urged to madness, yields. If thou dost push a quarrel on Velasco, thy solemn pledge is broken; and the king forbids the contest, stripping thee perchance even of thy knighthood, and thy right to challenge. And more, Velasco never will contend, whate'er the provocation, with thyself. ”

“ Thou hast amazed us, lady, by thy charge; the proofs, that could have urged on thee conviction, cannot be such as will admit our doubt. Hernando
My liege, he deigns not to dispute the charge. Ferdinand
What madness drove him to the ruthless deed? Hernando
My liege, we must conjecture that he hoped, by virtue of his marriage with this lady, to gain possession of the seignories Gonzalez held. Izidora
Never! thou dost malign him! Never could such a motive sway his heart! Oh! judge not thou of motives, if none better thou canst attribute, sir, to such as he---a knight, a man of honour, a Velasco! ”

“ Hernando
We must be speedy in the achievement of our purposes. To horse! We'll reach the castle of Gonzalez ere the alarm is raised. There we are safe; and Izidora's mine. The massive gates shall keep out all intruders, even the king; and should Velasco venture to approach us, our cross-bow men shall send an arrow through him. Come! fortune beckons us. ”

“ And now, death's sable livery is changed for bridal pomp---the wail of lamentation for shouts of mirth, and nuptial harmonies! And he, I wed, is---reason cannot breathe it!---yet in that little space---that sand of time---what weary lives of anguish have been crowded! ”