I will not linger long behind thee here.

A waving flood of bluish fire swells o'er me;
And now 'tis out, and I am drown'd in blood.
Ha! what art thou! thou horrid headless trunk ?
It is my Hastings! see he wafts me on!

Away! I go, I fly! I follow thee!

[She runs off, her SERVANTS following. J. Shore. Alas! she raves; her brain, I fear, is turn'd.

In mercy look upon her, gracious Heav'n,
Nor visit her for any wrong to me.

Sure I am near upon my journey's end;
My head runs round, my eyes begin to fail,
And dancing shadows swim before my sight.

I can no more-[Lies down.]— receive me, thou cold earth,

Thou common parent take me to thy bosom,
And let me rest with thee.

Enter BELMOUR.

Bel. Upon the ground!

Thy miseries can never lay thee lower.

Look up, thou poor afflicted one! thou mourner,
Whom none has comforted! Where are thy friends,
The dear companions of thy joyful days,
Whose hearts thy warm prosperity made glad,
Whose arms were taught to grow like ivy round thee,
And bind thee to their bosoms ?-Thus with thee,
Thus let us live, and let us die, they said.

Now where are they?

J. Shore. Ah, Belmour! where indeed? They stand aloof,

And view my desolation from afar;

And yet thy goodness turns aside to pity me.
Alas! there may be danger; get thee gone!

Let me not pull a ruin on thy head.
Leave me to die alone, for I am fall'n
Never to rise, and all relief is vain.

Bel. Yet raise thy drooping head; for I am come To chase away despair. Behold! where yonder That honest man, that faithful, brave Dumont, Is hasting to thy aid

J. Shore. Dumont! Ha! where!

His very name

[Raising herself, and looking about.

and cheers my soul.

Renews the springs of life,
Has he then 'scap'd the snare?

Bell. He has ; but see

He comes unlike to that Dumont you knew,
For now he wears your better angel's form,
And comes to visit

you with peace and pardon.

Enter SHORE.

J. Shore. Speak, tell me! Which is he? And, oh!

what would

That dreadful vision! See, it comes upon me—

It is

my husband- -Ah!

Shore. She faints! support her!

[She swoons.

Bel. Her weakness could not bear the strong sur

prise.

But see, she stirs! And the returning blood
Faintly begins to blush again, and kindle

Upon her ashy cheek

Shore. So-gently raise her

[Raising her up.

J. Shore. Ha! What art thou? Belmour!

Bel. How fare you, lady?

J. Shore. My heart is thrill'd with horror-
Bel. Be of courage

Your husband lives! 'tis he, my worthiest friend"Tis he himself-he lives! look up

J. Shore. I dare not!

Oh! that my eyes could shut him out for ever-
Shore. Am I so hateful, then, so deadly to thee,
To blast thy eyes with horror? Since I'm grown'
A burden to the world, myself, and thee,
Wou'd I had ne'er surviv'd to see thee more!

F

J. Shore. O! thou most injur'd-dost thou live

indeed!

Fall then, ye mountains, on my guilty head!
Hide me, ye rocks, within your secret caverns;
Cast thy black veil upon my shame, O night!
And shield me with thy sable wing for ever.

Shore. Why dost thou turn away?-Why tremble
thus?

My arms, my heart, are open to receive thee,
To bring thee back to thy forsaken home,
With tender joy, with fond forgiving love,
And all the longings of my first desires.
Let us haste,

Now while occasion seems to smile upon us,
Forsake this place of shame, and find a shelter.

J. Shore, What shall I say to you? But I obey-
Shore. Lean on my arm

J. Shore. Alas! I'm wond'rous faint:

But that's not strange, I have not eat these three days.

Shoré. Oh, merciless !

J. Shore. O! I am sick at heart!

Shore. Thou murd'rous sorrow!

Wilt thou still drink her blood, pursue her still?
Must she then die! Oh, my poor penitent!
Speak peace to my sad heart: She hears me not;
Grief masters ev'ry sense-help me to hold her-

Enter CATESBY, with a GUARD,

3.

Cat. Seize on them both, as traitors to the stateBel. What means this violence?

[GUARDS lay hold on SHORE and BELMOUR.

Cat. Have we not found you,

In scorn of the Protector's strict command,

Assisting this base woman, and abetting

Her infamy?

Shore. Infamy on thy head!

Thou tool of power, thou pander to authority!

I tell thee, knave, thou know'st of none so virtuous, And she that bore thee was an Ethiop to her.

Cat. You'll answer this at full-Away with them. Shore. Is charity grown treason to your court? What honest man would live beneath such rulers? I am content that we should die together

Cat. Convey the men to prison; but for her, Leave her to hunt her fortune as she may.

J. Shore. I will not part with him-for me!-for me!

Oh! must he die for me!

[Following him as he is carried off-She falls.

Shore. Inhuman villains!

[Breaks from the GUARDS.
Stand off! The agonies of death are on her-
She pulls, she gripes me hard with her cold hand.
J. Shore. Oh! let him go, ye ministers of terror.
He shall offend no more, for I will die,

And yield obedience to your cruel master.
Tarry a little, but a little longer,

And take my last breath with you.
Shore. Oh, my love!

Why dost thou fix thy dying eyes upon me,
With such an earnest, such a piteous look,
As if the heart were full of some sad meaning
Thou couldst not speak?-

J. Shore. Forgive me!--but forgive me!
Shore. Be witness for me, ye celestial host,
Such mercy and such pardon as my soul
Accords to thee, and begs of Heaven to show thee,
May such befal me at my latest hour,

And make my portion bless'd or curs'd for ever!

J. Shore. Then all is well, and I shall sleep in peace

Was there not something I would have bequeath'd you?

But I have nothing left me to bestow,

Nothing but one sad sigh. Oh! mercy, Heaven!

Bel. There fled the soul,

And left her load of misery behind.—

[Dies.

Let those, who view this sad example, know,
What fate attends the broken marriage vow;
And teach their children, in succeeding times,
No common vengeance waits upon these crimes,
When such severe repentance could not save
From want, from shame, and an untimely grave.
[Exeunt Omnes.

THE END.