Does this become a foldier? This become
Whom armies follow'd, and a people lov'd?
My martial glory withers at the thought:
But great my end; and fince there are no other,
These means are juft; they fhine with borrow'd light,
Illuftrious from the purpose they pursue.

And greater fure my merit, who, to gain

A point fublime, can fuch a task sustain;

To wade through ways obfcene, my honour bend,
And shock my nature to attain my

end:

Late time shall wonder; that my joys will raise;
For wonder is involuntary praise.

ACT

SCENE I.

Enter ALONZO and ZANGA.

ALONZO.

WHAT a pain to think! when every thought,
Perplexing thought, in intricacies runs,

And reafon knits th' inextricable toil,

In which herself is taken! I am loft;
Poor infect that I am, I am involv'd,
And bury'd in the web myself have wrought!
One argument is balanc'd by another,
And reafon reafon meets in doubtful fight,
And proofs are countermin'd by equal proofs.
No more I'll bear this battle of the mind,
This inward anarchy; but find my wife,

And, to her trembling heart presenting death,
Force all the fecret from her.

And kill my hopes: What can I think or do?

ALONZO.

What doft thou murmur?

E 3

ZANGA,

ZANGA.

Force the fecret from her!

What's perjury to such a crime as this?
Will the confefs it then? O groundless hope!
But reft affur'd, fhe'll make this accufation,
Or falfe or true, your ruin with the king;
Such is her father's power.

ALONZO.

No more; I care not:

Rather than groan beneath this load, I'll die.

ZANGA.

But for what better will you change this load?
Grant you should know it, would not that be worse ?

ALONZO.

No; it would cure me of

my mortal pangs,

By hatred and contempt: I fhould despise her;
And all my love-bred agonies would vanish.

ZANGA.

Ah! were I fure of that, my lord

ALONZO.

ZANGA.

What then?

You should not hazard life to gain the secret.

ALONZO.

What doft thou mean? Thou know'ft I'm on the rack: I'll not be play'd with; fpeak, if thou haft aught,

Or I this inftant fly to Leonora.

ZANGA.

That is, to death. My lord, I am not yet

Quite fo far gone in guilt to fuffer it;

Tho' gone too far, heav'n knows.—'Tis I am guilty—

I have took pains, as you I know observ'd,

To hinder you from diving in the fecret,

And turn'd afide your thoughts from the detection.

Thou doft confound me.

ALONZO.

ZANGA.

I confound myself;

And frankly own, though to my shame I own it,
Nought but your life in danger could have torn
The fecret out, and made me own my crime.

ALONZO.

Speak quickly; Zanga, speak.

ZANGA.

Not yet,

dread Sir:

First I must be affur'd, that if you find

The fair one guilty, fcorn, as you affur'd me,
Shall conquer love and rage, and heal your foul.

ALONZO.

O! 'twill, by heav'n.

ZANGA.

Alas! I fear it much,

And scarce can hope fo far; but I of this
Exact your folemn oath, that you'll abstain
From all felf-violence, and fave my lord.

ALONZO.

I trebly swear.

ZANGA.

You'll bear it like a man?

ALONZO.

ZANGA.

Such have you been to me; these tears confess it;
And pour'd forth miracles of kindness on me :
And what amends is now within my pow'r,
But to confefs, expose myself to justice,
And, as a bleffing, claim my punishment?
Know then, Don Carlos-

E. 4

A god,

ALONZO.

ALONZO.

Oh!

ZANGA.

You cannot bear it.

ALONZO.

Go on; I'll have it, though it blast mankind :
I'll have it all, and inftantly.- -Go on.

ZANGA.

Don Carlos did return at dead of night——

Enter LEONORA.

LEONORA.

My lord Alonzo, you are absent from us,

And quite undo our joy.

ALONZO.

I'll come, my Love:

Be not our friends deferted by us both;

I'll follow you this moment.

Thou, love, and only thou; fo heav'n befriend me,
As other thought can find no entrance here.

LEONORA.

How good in you, my lord, whom nations' cares
Solicit, and a world in arms obeys,

To drop one thought on me!

ALONZO. [He fhews the utmost impatience.]

Doft thou then prize it?

LEONORA,