Pre. Betray thee?. I betray thee?

Bart.

Preciosa.!

I come for thee for thee I thus brave death!
Fly with me o'er the borders of this realm!

Fly with me!
Pre.

I am thine no longer.

O, recall the time

Bart.
When we were children! how we played together,
How we grew up together; how we plighted
Our hearts unto each other, even in childhood!
Fulfil thy promise, for the hour has come.
I am hunted from the kingdom, like a wolf!
Fulfil thy promise.

Pre.
"Twas my father's promise,
Not mine. I never gave my heart to thee,
Nor promised thee my hand!

Bart.

And heart more false !

Pre.

I will speak frankly.
I cannot love thee.

False tongue of woman!

Nay, listen unto me.
I have never loved thee;
This is not my fault,

It is my destiny. Thou art a man

Restless and violent. What wouldst thou with me,

A feeble girl, who have not long to live,

Whose heart is broken ? Seek another wife,

Better than I, and fairer; and let not

Thy rash and headlong moods estrange her from thee.

Thou art unhappy in this hopeless passion.

I never sought thy love; never did aught

To make thee love me. Yet I pity thee,
And most of all I pity thy wild heart,

That hurries thee to crimes and deeds of blood.
Beware, beware of that.

Bart.

For thy dear sake,

I will be gentle. Thou shalt teach me patience.
Pre. Then take this farewell, and depart in peace.
Thou must not linger here.

Bart.

Come, come with me.

Pre. Hark! I hear footsteps.
Bart.

Pre. Away! It is in vain.
Bart.

I entreat thee, come!

Wilt thou not come ?

Pre. Never!
Bart.
Then woe, eternal woe, upon thee.
Thou shalt not be another's. Thou shalt die.
Pre. All holy angels keep me in this hour!
Spirit of her who bore me, look upon me!
Mother of God, the glorified, protect me!
Christ and the saints, be merciful unto me!

[Exit.

Yet why should I fear death? What is it to die ?
To leave all disappointment, care, and sorrow,
To leave all falsehood, treachery, and unkindness,
All ignominy, suffering, and despair,

And be at rest for ever! O, dull heart,

Be of good cheer! When thou shalt cease to beat,
Then shalt thou cease to suffer and complain!

[Enter VICTORIAN and HYPOLITO behind.]

Vict. 'Tis she! Behold, how beautiful she stands Under the tent-like trees!

Нур.

A woodland nymph!
Leave me.

Vict. I pray thee, stand aside.

Hyp.

Do not betray thyself too soon.
Vict. [disguising his voice].

Hist! Gipsy!

Be wary.

Pre. [aside, with emotion]. That voice! that voice from heaven! O speak again!

Who is it calls ?

Vict.

Pre. [aside].

A friend.

"Tis he! "Tis he!

I thank thee, Heaven, that thou hast heard my prayer,
And sent me this protector! Now be strong,

Be strong, my heart! I must dissemble here.
False friend or true?

Vict.

Fear not; come hither.

Pre. Not in the dark.

A true friend to the true.

So; can you tell fortunes ?
Come nearer to the fire.

Give me your hand. It is not crossed, I see.

Vict. [putting a piece of gold into her hand]. There is the cross.

Pre.

Vict.

Is't silver?

No, 'tis gold.

Pre. There's a fair lady at the Court, who loves you,

And this same passionate humour in your blood
Has marred your fortune. Yes; I see it now;
The line of life is crossed by many marks.

Shame! shame! O you have wronged the maid who loved you!
How could you do it?

Your hand is cold, like a deceiver's hand!

There is no blessing in its charity!

Make her your wife, for you have been abused;

And you shall mend your fortunes, mending hers.

Vict. [aside]. How like an angel's speaks the tongue of woman When pleading in another's cause her own

That is a pretty ring upon your finger.

Pray give it me. [Tries to take the ring.]

Pre.

No; never from my hand

Shall that be taken!

I'll give it back to you; or, if I keep it,
Will give you gold to buy you twenty such.
Pre. Why would you have this ring?
Vict.

A whim, and nothing more.

A traveller's fancy,

I would fain keep it

As a memento of the Gipsy camp

In Guadarrama, and the fortune-teller

Who sent me back to wed a widowed maid.

Pray, let me have the ring.

Pre.
No, never! never!
I will not part with it, even when I die;
But bid my nurse fold my pale fingers thus,
That it may not fall from them.

"Tis a token

Of a beloved friend, who is no more.

Vict.

How? dead?

Pre. Yes; dead to me; and worse than dead.

He is estranged! And yet I keep this ring.

I will rise with it from my grave hereafter,

To

prove to him that I was never false.

Vict. [aside]. Be still, my swelling heart! one moment, still! Why, 'tis the folly of a love-sick girl.

Come, give it me, or I will say 'tis mine,

And that you stole it.

Pre.

O, you will not dare

Not dare?

To utter such a fiendish lie!

Vict.
Look in my face, and say if there is aught
I have not dared, I would not dare for thee!

[She rushes into his arms.]

Pre. 'Tis thou! 'tis thou! Yes; yes; my heart's elected!
My dearest-dear Victorian! my soul's heaven!

Where hast thou been so long? Why didst thou leave me?
Vict. Ask me not now, my dearest Preciosa.

Let me forget we ever have been parted!

Pre. Hadst thou not come

I

pray thee, do not chide me!

Vict.
Pre. I should have perished here among these Gipsies.
Vict. Forgive me, sweet! for what I made thee suffer.

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