Garrick had to leave her to go through his great scene with the Oriana of the play, and Mrs. Woffington watched, as if spell-bound, the marvellous variety of his emotional expression, as, in the character of the Prince Orsino, he confessed to Oriana that he no longer loved her, but that he had given his heart to Francesca. She saw the gleam in the eyes of the actress of the part of the jealous woman as she denounced the perfidy of her lover, and bade him leave her presence. Then came Oriana's long soliloquy, in which she swore that the Prince should never taste the happiness which he had sought at her expense. “I have a heart for murder, murder, murder! My blood now surges like an angry sea, Eager to grapple with its struggling prey, And strangle it, as I shall strangle her, With these hands hungering for her shapely throat, The throat on which his kisses have been flung. Give her to me, just God, give her to me, But for the time it takes to close my hand Thus, and if justice reign supreme above, The traitress shall come hither to her doom.” (_Enter Francesca._) (_Aside_) “My prayer is answered. It is Jove's decree.” So the passage ran, and it was delivered by the actress with a fervour that thrilled the house. After her aside, Oriana turned, according to the stage directions, to Francesca with a smile. In Miss Hoppner's eyes there was a light of triumph--of gratified revenge--and before it Margaret Woffington quailed. She gave a frightened glance around, as if looking for a way of escape; there was a little pause, and then upon the silence of the house there fell the half-hissed words of Oriana as she craned her head forward facing her rival: “Thou think'st to ride in triumph o'er my corse-- The corse which his indecent feet have spurned Into the dust. But there's a God above! I tell thee, traitress,'t is not I shall lie For vulture-beaks to rend--but thou--thou-- thou! Traitress abhorred, this knife shall find thy heart!” “My God! the dagger--it is real!” shrieked Peggy; but before she could turn to fly, the other had sprung upon her, throwing her partly over a couch, and holding her down by the throat while she stabbed her twice. A hoarse cry came from Peg Woffington, and then she rolled off the couch and fell limply to the stage, the backs of her hands rapping helplessly on the boards as she fell. The other actress stood over her for a moment with a smile; then she looked strangely at the dagger which glistened in her hand. Then, with a hysterical cry, she flung the weapon from her and fell back.