The Stolen Heiress Part 14

_Pirro._ I fear, my Lord, you are staggering.

_Gover._ Nephew, be silent, and be safe; they shall have their Will, but to no Purpose, only a Moment's short Delay; for I have sworn, and he shall die----Guard bring here the Prisoner.

_Euph._ I thank the Governor.

_Gov._ Oh spare thy Thanks, till thou hast real Cause: the Law, the Statute's plain, and he must die for't, there is no Remedy.

_Enter, brought in by the Guards_, Palante, Clerimont, Lucasia _and_ Eugenio.

_Euph._ Oh! Son!

_Alph. Palante!_

_Pal._ Pardon me, Sirs, I have too much Tenderness upon my Soul already, too many Clogs that drag it downwards; oh! forgive me, if I beg ye wou'd not add more Weight to Death.

_Gra._ Madam, 'twere more becoming your Quality and Modesty, to be at Home; thou dost but ill return thy Father's Care.

_Luc._ I have no Father, nor ever had that I remember, but born and destin'd for an out-cast Wretch, and curst to ruin a most n.o.ble Husband: Oh he was the Pride of the _Sicilian_ Youths, and Glory of the World; but he is dead, or doom'd to die, and that's alike distracting.

_Euph._ Heav'n bless thee, thou Mirrour of thy s.e.x, that in the Sea of thy transcendant Virtues, drown'st all thy Father's Malice, and in my Thought, redeem'st more than thy Race can lose.

_Gov._ Lord _Euphenes_, what End had you in this, in bringing here the Criminals?

_Euph._ To move your Mercy was my End; but Wolves and Tygers know not what Pity means.

_Gov._ Forbear Reproach, and hear me; I'll stand it to the King, and all the World; here is an Heiress stole, the worst of Robberies; he is condemn'd by the Law, he fell to the Judgment of the Law; I surrender him. Guards, carry on the Pris'ners.

_Luca._ Oh! cruel Sentence! hear me, Sir.

_Gov._ Away with 'em.

_Eug._ Stay yet a little, thou most imperious Governor; for I will be heard.

_Gov._ Thou! What art thou?

_Eug._ My Name is _Irus_; Lord _Pirro_ knows me.

_Pirro._ Ha!

_Eug._ Thou tremblest, Lord, hear; you that have condemn'd these n.o.ble Friends, and hunt their Lives for a mere Trifle; sentence to Death a Man for loving and being belov'd; hear, a black Deed will start your Soul with Horror, and make you own the Crime before ye nothing.

_Gov._ What means the Fellow!

_Eug._ Nay, 'tis not a Frown can stop me, nor will my Fate be long; know then, this Lord gave out his Son _Eugenio_ dy'd at _Rome_, but he was well, and in this City.

_Palan._ How say'st thou?

_Luc._ Proceed, dear _Irus_.

_Eug._ First stop Lord _Pirro_; for my Story will not please him: I say _Eugenio_ lived; which when I discover'd to that trembling Lord, he brib'd me with a thousand Crowns to poison him: Here's the Agreement under his own Hand; and here's a Letter from _Eugenio_ to his Father, which denotes that he was poison'd, and dying.

_Gra._ Let me see it: Oh! 'tis his Hand. Wretch that I am, is my dissembled Grief turn'd to true Sorrow? Were my acted Tears but Prophecies of my ensuing Woe? And is he dead? Oh! pardon me, dear Ghost of my _Eugenio_! 'twas my Crimes that call'd this hasty Vengeance from above, and shorten'd thus thy Life; for whilst with Fallacies I sought to fasten Wealth upon our House, I brought a Cannibal to be the Grave of me and mine; base, b.l.o.o.d.y, murdering Lord.

_Pirro._ Vile Cozener, Cheater and Dissembler, now indeed we both are caught.

_Euph._ Oh! cruel Man! now see the Justice of offended Heav'n; thou who pursu'st the poor _Palante_'s Life with so much Violence, thou now must feel the Weight of a Son's Loss.

_Gov._ This will prove a Tragedy indeed; away with the Prisoners. Your Trial's next, Lord _Pirro_.

_Pirro._ I do confess----

_Eug._ Hold, is there no means left to save them? Wou'd not you now, Lord _Gravello_, give your Daughter freely to _Palante_?

_Gra._ More willingly than I wou'd live another Hour.

_Euph._ Oh! You are kind too late; had you been thus when Need required, you had sav'd yourself and me, and both our hapless Sons.

_Gov._ Oh Nephew, my Prompter still in Cruelty, Now thou thyself must feel the Rigour of the Law.

_Eug._ Now ye behold the Good from Bad, which nought but this Extremity had shewn; yet all be safe, _Eugenio_ lives, and fair _Lucasia_ is no Heiress now.

_Omnes._ How! lives!

_Eug._ Yes, lives to call thee Brother, worthy _Palante_, and thou, my dear _Lucasia_, Sister. [_Throws off his Disguise._

_Luc._ Oh, _Irus, Eugenio, Palante_, where am I?

_Palan._ Oh! _Lucasia, Clerimont_; my Friend, my Love, my Wife.

_Eug._ Pardon me ye most afflicted Sufferers, That I thus long have kept myself conceal'd; My End was honest, to let my Father see The Frailty, I will not call it by a harder Name, Of Count _Pirro_; the Son he coveted so eagerly, To raise the Storms to their most dreadful Height, That Calms, and Peace might be more pleasing.

_Gra._ I see it was _Eugenio_, and thou _Palante_.

Now, my Son, give me thy Hand, here take thy Wife, And for the Wrong that I intended thee, thy Portion shall be double.

_Pal._ Oh! I am over-paid, _Lucasia_ and my Friend secure. This is the Work of Heav'n, and oh ye gracious Powers I thank ye for it.

_Cler._ Joy rises from my Heart, and with unutterable Transports stops my Speech; thus once again let me embrace thee.

_Euph._ And has a Father nothing from a Son?

_Alph._ And old _Alphonso_ too expects a Welcome.

_Pal._ Oh! take me, Father, Brother, Friend, _Lucasia_! There's the Sum of all.

_Luc._ Sure such Hours as these give us a Taste of Immortality.

_Gra._ My Lord _Euphenes_, I hope all Enmity is now forgot betwixt our Houses.

_Euph._ Let it be ever so; I do embrace your Love.