_Per._ Those tears how eloquent! I would not change this motionless, mute, joy For the sweet strains of angels: I look down With pity on the rest of human kind, However great may be their fame of happiness, And think their niggard fate has given them nothing, Not giving thee; or, granting some small blessing, Denies them my capacity to feel it. _Elw._ Alas! what mean you? _Per._ Can I speak my meaning? 'Tis of such magnitude that words would wrong it; But surely my Elwina's faithful bosom Should beat in kind responses of delight, And feel, but never question, what I mean. _Elw._ Hold, hold, my heart, thou hast much more to suffer! _Per._ Let the slow form, and tedious ceremony, Wait on the splendid victims of ambition. Love stays for none of these. Thy father's soften'd, He will forget the fatal Cheviot chace; Raby is brave, and I have serv'd my country; I would not boast, it was for thee I conquer'd; Then come, my love. _Elw._ O never, never, never! _Per._ Am I awake? Is that Elwina's voice? _Elw._ Percy, thou most ador'd, and most deceiv'd! If ever fortitude sustain'd thy soul, When vulgar minds have sank beneath the stroke, Let thy imperial spirit now support thee.-- If thou canst be so wond'rous merciful, Do not, O do not, curse me!--but thou wilt, Thou must--for I have done a fearful deed, A deed of wild despair, a deed of horror. I am, I am-- _Per._ Speak, say, what art thou? _Elw._ Married! _Per._ Oh! _Elw._ Percy, I think I begg'd thee not to curse me; But now I do revoke the fond petition. Speak! ease thy bursting soul; reproach, upbraid, O'erwhelm me with thy wrongs----I'll bear it all. _Per._ Open, thou earth, and hide me from her sight! Did'st thou not bid me curse thee? _Elw._ Mercy! mercy! _Per._ And have I 'scap'd the Saracen's fell sword Only to perish by Elwina's guilt? I would have bared my bosom to the foe, I would have died, had I but known you wish'd it. _Elw._ Percy, I lov'd thee most when most I wrong'd thee; Yes, by these tears I did. _Per._ Married! just Heaven! Married! to whom? Yet wherefore should I know? It cannot add fresh horrors to thy crime, Or my destruction. _Elw._ Oh! 'twill add to both. How shall I tell? Prepare for something dreadful. Hast thou not heard of--Douglas? _Per._ Why 'tis well! Thou awful Power, why waste thy wrath on me? Why arm omnipotence to crush a worm? I could have fallen without this waste of ruin. Married to Douglas! By my wrongs, I like it; 'Tis perfidy complete, 'tis finish'd falsehood, 'Tis adding fresh perdition to the sin, And filling up the measure of offence! _Elw._ Oh! 'twas my father's deed! he made his child An instrument of vengeance on thy head. He wept and threaten'd, sooth'd me, and commanded. _Per._ And you complied, most duteously complied!