"First in this breast shall plunge his guilty dart:" With anxious step he flew, with eager hands He broke the fetters, burst the cruel bands. 120 As the fall'n angel heard with awful fear The cherub's grave rebuke, in grace severe, And fled, while horror plum'd his impious crest[B], The form of virtue, as she stood confest; So fierce Valverda sullen mov'd along, 125 Abash'd, and follow'd by the guilty throng. At length the hoary victim, freed from chains, Las Casas gently leads to safer plains; Soft Zilia's yielding soul the joy opprest, She bath'd with floods of tears her father's breast. 130 Las Casas now explores a secret cave Whose shaggy sides the languid billows lave; "There rest secure, he cried, the Christian God "Will hover near, will guard the lone abode." Oft to the gloomy cell his steps repair, 135 While night's chill breezes wave his silver'd hair; Oft in the tones of love, the words of peace, He bids the bitter tears of anguish cease; Bids drooping hope uplift her languid eyes, And points a dearer bliss beyond the skies. 140 Yet ah, in vain his pious cares would save The hoary suff'rer from the op'ning grave; For deep the pangs of torture pierc'd his frame, And sunk his wasted life's expiring flame; To his cold lip Las Casa's hand he prest, 145 He faintly clasp'd his Zilia to his breast; Then cried, "the God, whom now my vows adore, "My heart thro' life obey'd, unknowing more; "His mild forgiveness then my soul shall prove, "His mercy share--Las Casa's God, is Love!" 150 He spoke no more--his Zilia's frantic moan Was heard responsive to his dying groan. "Victim of impious zeal, Las Casas cries, "Accept departed shade, a Christian's sighs; "And thou, soft mourner, tender, drooping form, 155 "What power shall guard thee from the fearful storm? "Weep not for me, she cried, for Zilia's breast "Soon in the shelt'ring earth shall find its rest. "Hope not the victim of despair to save, "I ask but death--I only seek a grave-- 160 "Witness thou mangled form that earth retains, "Witness a murder'd lover's cold remains. "I liv'd my father's pangs to sooth, to share; "I bore to live, tho' life was all despair-- "In vain my lover, urg'd by fond desire 165 "To shield from torture, and from death my sire, "Flew to the fane where stern Valverda rag'd, "And fearless, with unequal force engag'd; "I saw him bleeding, dying press the ground, "I drew the poison from each fatal wound; 170 "I bath'd those wounds with tears--he pour'd a sigh-- "A drop hung trembling in his closing eye-- "Ah, still his mournful sign I shiv'ring hear, "In every pulse I feel his parting tear-- "I faint--an icy coldness chills each vein, 175