A. Oh, be kind, Farcillo, don't treat me so. What do you mean by all this? F. Be kind, you say; you, madam, have forgot that kindness you owe to me, and bestowed it upon another; you shall suffer for your conduct when you make your peace with your God. I would not slay thy unprotected spirit. I call to Heaven to be my guard and my watch--I would not kill thy soul, in which all once seemed just, right, and perfect; but I must be brief, woman. A. What, talk you of killing? Oh, Farcillo, Farcillo, what is the matter? F. Aye, I do, without doubt; mark what I say, Amelia. A. Then, O God, O Heaven, and Angels, be propitious, and have mercy upon me. F. Amen to that, madam, with all my heart, and with all my soul. A. Farcillo, listen to me one moment; I hope you will not kill me. F. Kill you, aye, that I will; attest it, ye fair host of light, record it, ye dark imps of hell! A. Oh, I fear you--you are fatal when darkness covers your brow; yet I know not why I should fear, since I never wronged you in all my life. I stand, sir, guiltless before you. F. You pretend to say you are guiltless! Think of thy sins, Amelia; think, oh, think, hidden woman. A. Wherein have I not been true to you? That death is unkind, cruel, and unnatural, that kills for living. F. Peace, and be still while I unfold to thee. A. I will, Farcillo, and while I am thus silent, tell me the cause of such cruel coldness in an hour like this. F. That _ring_, oh, that ring I so loved, and gave thee as the ring of my heart; the allegiance you took to be faithful, when it was presented; the kisses and smiles with which you honored it. You became tired of the donor, despised it as a plague, and finally gave it to Malos, the hidden, the vile traitor. A. No, upon my word and honor, I never did; I appeal to the Most High to bear me out in this matter. Send for Malos, and ask him. F. Send for Malos, aye! Malos you wish to see; I thought so. I knew you could not keep his name concealed. Amelia, sweet Amelia, take heed, take heed of perjury; you are on the stage of death, to suffer for _your sins_. A. What, not to die I hope, my Farcillo, my ever beloved. F. Yes, madam, to die a traitor's death. Shortly your spirit shall take its exit; therefore confess freely thy sins, for to deny tends only to make me groan under the bitter cup thou hast made for me. Thou art to die with the name of traitor on thy brow! A. Then, O Lord, have mercy upon me; give me courage, give me grace and fortitude to stand this hour of trial. F. Amen, I say, with all my heart. A. And, oh, Farcillo, will you have mercy, too? I never intentionally offended you in all my life, never _loved _Malos, never gave him cause to think so, as the high court of Justice will acquit me before its tribunal. F. Oh, false, perjured woman, thou didst chill my blood, and makest me a demon like thyself. I saw the ring.