Jul. Egilona lives: And were she buried with her ancestors, Covilla should not be the gaze of men, Should not, despoil’d of honour, rule the free.

Rod. Stern man! her virtues well deserve the throne.

Jul. And Egilona—what hath she deserved, The good, the lovely?

Rod. But the realm in vain Hoped a succession.

Jul. Thou hast torn away The roots of royalty.

Rod. For her, for thee.

Jul. Blind insolence! base insincerity! Power and renown no mortal ever shared Who could retain, or grasp them, to himself: p. 13And, for Covilla? patience! peace! for her? She call upon her God, and outrage him At his own altar! she repeat the vows She violates in repeating! who abhors Thee and thy crimes, and wants no crown of thine. Force may compell the abhorrent soul, or want Lash and pursue it to the public ways; Virtue looks back and weeps, and may return To these, but never near the abandon’d one Who drags religion to adultery’s feet, And rears the altar higher for her sake.

p. 13

Rod. Have then the Saracens possest thee quite, And wilt thou never yield me thy consent?

Jul. Never.

Rod. So deep in guilt, in treachery! Forced to acknowledge it! forced to avow The traitor!

Jul. Not to thee, who reignest not, But to a country ever dear to me, And dearer now than ever: what we love Is loveliest in departure! One I thought, p. 14As every father thinks, the best of all, Graceful, and mild, and sensible, and chaste: Now all these qualities of form and soul Fade from before me, nor on any one Can I repose, or be consoled by any. And yet in this torne heart I love her more Than I could love her when I dwelt on each, Or clasped them all united, and thanked God, Without a wish beyond.—Away, thou fiend! O ignominy, last and worst of all! I weep before thee—like a child—like mine— And tell my woes, fount of them all! to thee!

p. 14

ACT I. SCENE 4.

Abdalazis enters.

Abdalazis

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