ACT V.

SCENE I.-Enter BIRON. Nurse following him.

Bir. I know enough: the important question Of life or death, fearful to be resolved,

Is cleared to me: I see where it must end,

And need inquire no more-Pray, let me have
Pen, ink, and paper. I must write awhile,
And then I'll try to rest- -to rest for ever!

[Exit Nurse.

Poor Isabella! now I know the cause,
The cause of thy distress, and cannot wonder
That it has turned thy brain. If I look back
Upon thy loss, it will distract me too.

Oh, any curse but this might be removed!
But 'twas the rancorous malignity

Of all ill-stars combined, of heaven and fate-
Hold, hold, my impious tongue-Alas! I rave:
Why do I tax the stars, or heaven, or fate?
They are all innocent of driving us
Into despair; they have not urged my doom;
My father and my brother are my fates
That drive me to my ruin. They knew well
I was alive. Too well they knew how dear
My Isabella-Oh, my wife no more!
How dear her love was to me- -Yet they stood,
With a malicious silent joy, stood by,
And saw her give up all my happiness,
The treasure of her beauty, to another;

Stood by, and saw her married to another.
Oh, cruel father! and unnatural brother!
Shall I not tell you that you have undone me!
I have but to accuse you of my wrongs,
And then to fall forgotten-Sleep or death
Sits heavy on me, and benumbs my pains:
Either is welcome; but the hand of death
Works always sure, and best can close my eyes.
[Exit BIRON,

SCENE II.-Draws, shews BIRON asleep on a couch.

Enter ISABELLA.

Isa. Asleep so soon! Oh, happy, happy thou, Who thus can sleep! I never shall sleep moreIf then to sleep be to be happy, he,

Who sleeps the longest, is the happiest :
Death is the longest sleep-Oh, have a care!
Mischief will thrive apace.-Never wake more.
[To BIRON.

If thou didst ever love thy Isabella,
To-morrow must be doomsday to thy peace.
The sight of him disarms even death itself.
The starting transport of new quickening life
Gives just such hopes: and pleasure grows again
With looking on him-Let me look my last-
But is a look enough for parting love!
Sure I may take a kiss-Where am I going!

Help, help me, Villeroy! Mountains and seas
Divide your love, never to meet my shame!

[Throws herself upon the floor; after a short

pause she raises herself upon her elbow. What will this battle of the brain do with me! This little ball, this ravaged province, long

Cannot maintain-The globe of earth wants room
And food for such a war-
-I find I am going-

Famine, plagues, and flames,

Wide waste and desolation, do your work

Upon the world, and then devour yourselves!

The scene shifts fast-[She rises]-and now 'tis better with me;

Conflicting passions have at last unhinged

The great machine! the soul itself seems changed! Oh, 'tis a happy revolution here!

The reasoning faculties are all deposed,

Judgment, and understanding, common-sense,
Driven out as traitors to the public peace.
Now I am revenged upon my memory!
Her seat dug up, where all the images

Of a long mis-spent life were rising still,
To glare a sad reflection of my crimes,

And stab a conscience through them! You are

safe,

You monitors of mischief! What a change!
Better and better still! This is the infant state

Of innocence, before the birth of care.
My thoughts are smooth as the Elysian plains,
Without a rub: the drowsy falling streams

Invite me to their slumbers.

Would I were landed there

[Sinks into a chair.

What noise was that? A knocking at the gate!

It may be Villeroy-No matter who.

Bir. Come, Isabella, come.

Isa. Hark! I am called!

Bir. You stay too long from me.

Isa. A man's voice! in my bed! How came he

there?

Nothing but villany in this bad world!

[Rises.

Coveting neighbours' goods, or neighbours' wives:

Here's physic for your fever.

[Draws a dagger, and goes backward to the

couch.]

Breathing a vein is the old remedy.

If husbands go to heaven,

Where do they go that send them?—This to try[Just going to stab him, he rises; she knows

What do I see!

him, and shrieks.]

Bir. Isabella, armed!

Isa. Against my husband's life!

Who, but the wretch, most reprobate to grace,

Despair e'er harden'd for damnation,
Could think of such a deed-Murder

Bir. Thou didst not think it.

my

husband!

Isa. Madness has brought me to the gates of hell, And there has left me. Oh, the frightful change

Of my distractions! Or is this interval

Of reason but to aggravate my woes,

To drive the horror back with greater force
Upon my soul, and fix me mad for ever?
Bir. Why dost thou fly me so?

Isa. I cannot bear his sight; Distraction, come, Possess me all, and take me to thyself!

Shake off thy chains, and hasten to my aid;

Thou art my only cure

He will not come to my necessities;

-Like other friends,

[Running out.

Then I must go to find the tyrant out

Which is the nearest way?

Bir. Poor Isabella! she's not in a condition

To give me any comfort, if she could:

Lost to herself- -as quickly I shall be

To all the world- -Horrors come fast around me;
My mind is overcast—the gathering clouds
Darken the prospect-I approach the brink,
And soon must leap the precipice! Oh, heaven!
While yet my senses are my own, thus kneeling,
Let me implore thy mercies on my wife:
Release her from her pangs; and if my reason,
O'erwhelmed with miseries, sink before the tempest,
Pardon those crimes despair may bring upon me!
[Rises.

Enter Nurse.

Nurse. Sir, there is somebody at the door must needs speak with you; he will not tell his name.

[Exit Nurse.

[Exit.

Bir. I come to him.
'Tis Belford, I suppose; he little knows
Of what has happened here; I wanted him,
Must employ his friendship, and then-