Act IV

SCENE I.

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MANUEL solus.

Man: Thus I provide for others' happiness,
And lose my own. 'Tis true, I cannot blame
Thy hatred, Angelina, but thy silence.
Thy brother's hatred made thine just; but yet
'Twas cruel in thee not to tell me so.
Conquest is noble, when an heart stands out;
But mine, which yielded, how could'st thou betray?
That heart, of which thou could'st not be deprived
By any force or power, beside thy own;
Like empires, to that fatal height arrived,
They must be ruined by themselves alone.
My guarded freedom cannot be a prize
To any scornful face a second time;
For thy idea, like a ghost, would rise,
And fright my thoughts from such another crime.

Enter a Servant, with a letter.

Man: From whom?

Serv: Sir, the contents will soon resolve you.

[He reads.

Man: Tell Roderick, he has prevented me
In my design of sending to him first.
I'll meet him, single, at the time and place;
But, for my friend, tell him, he must excuse me:
I'll hazard no man in my quarrel, but
Myself alone.--[Exit Servant.
Who's within there?

Enter a Servant.

Go, call my sister, and Gonsalvo, hither.
[Exit Servant.
'Twas pushed so far, that, like two armies, we
Were drawn so closely up, we could not part
Without engagement.--But they must not know it.

Enter JULIA, GONSALVO, and AMIDEO.

I have some business calls me hence, and know not
When I shall return: But, ere I go,
That power I have, by my dead father's will,
Over my sister, I bequeath to you: [To GONS.
She, and her fortunes, both be firmly yours;
And this when I revoke, let cowardice
Blast all my youth, and treason taint my age.

Gons: Sir--

Man: Nay, good, no thanks; I cannot stay--
[Exit MANUEL.

Gons: There's something more than ordinary in this;
Go, Amideo, quickly follow him,
And bring me word which way he takes.

Amid: I go, sir. [Exit AMID. JULIA kneels.

Gons: Madam, when you implore the powers divine,
You have no prayers in which I will not join,
Though made against myself. [Kneels with her.

Jul: In vain I sue,
Unless my vows may be conveyed by you.

Gons: Conveyed by me! My ill success in love
Shews me, too sure, I have few friends above.
How can you fear your just desires to want?
When the gods pray, they both request and grant.

Jul: Heaven has resigned my fortune to your hand,
If you, like heaven, the afflicted understand.

Gons: The language of the afflicted is not new;
Too well I learned it, when I first saw you.

Jul: In spite of me, you now command my fate;
And yet the vanquished seeks the victor's hate;
Even in this low submission,