Page:The Mysterious Mother - Walpole (1781).djvu/51
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A TRAGEDY.
43
ADELIZA.
Oh! never. What, to lose him,
As thou thy Narbonne!
Oh! never. What, to lose him,
As thou thy Narbonne!
COUNTESS.
Check not, Adeliza,
Thy undevelop'd passion. Should this stranger
Prove what my wish has form'd, and what his words
Report him, it would bless my woeful days
To see thee plac'd above the reach of want,
And distant from this residence of sorrow.
Check not, Adeliza,
Thy undevelop'd passion. Should this stranger
Prove what my wish has form'd, and what his words
Report him, it would bless my woeful days
To see thee plac'd above the reach of want,
And distant from this residence of sorrow.
ADELIZA.
What! wouldst thou send me from thee! oh! for pity!
I cannot, will not leave thee. If thy goodness
Withdraw its bounty, at thy castle-gate
I'll wait and beg those alms thy gracious hand
To none refuses. I shall see thee pass,
And, pass'd, will kiss thy footsteps—wil't thou spurn me?
Well then, I'll die, and bless thee—Oh! this stranger!
'Tis he has done this; he has drawn thy anger
On thy poor ward!—I'll never see him more.
What! wouldst thou send me from thee! oh! for pity!
I cannot, will not leave thee. If thy goodness
Withdraw its bounty, at thy castle-gate
I'll wait and beg those alms thy gracious hand
To none refuses. I shall see thee pass,
And, pass'd, will kiss thy footsteps—wil't thou spurn me?
Well then, I'll die, and bless thee—Oh! this stranger!
'Tis he has done this; he has drawn thy anger
On thy poor ward!—I'll never see him more.
COUNTESS.
Be calm, my lovely orphan; hush thy fears.
Heav'n knows how fondly, anxiously I love thee!
The stranger's not to blame. Myself will task him,
And know if he deserves thee. Now retire,
Nor slack thy duty to th' expiring saint.
A lover must not weigh against a friend. [Ex. Adeliza.
And lo! where comes the friar. 'Twere not fit
He knew my purpose. Benedict, I fear,
Has views on this side heav'n.
Be calm, my lovely orphan; hush thy fears.
Heav'n knows how fondly, anxiously I love thee!
The stranger's not to blame. Myself will task him,
And know if he deserves thee. Now retire,
Nor slack thy duty to th' expiring saint.
A lover must not weigh against a friend. [Ex. Adeliza.
And lo! where comes the friar. 'Twere not fit
He knew my purpose. Benedict, I fear,
Has views on this side heav'n.
SCENE