_Pri._ Yet stay, Venoni! you must not-- you shall not leave me thus. What means this talk of guilt, of vengeance? declare at once what troubles you! I boldly challenge an immediate explanation. _Venoni._ (_furious_) What? you brave me? ha! read! read, then, monster! (_gives him the letter, which he received from father Michael: but immediately afterwards, becoming aware of his imprudence, he endeavours to regain it_) merciful heavens, what have I done! _Pri._ (_after examining the letter turns to the monks, and says in a calm decided tone_) Every thing is discovered-- we are betrayed. _Jer._ How? how? _Ana._ What must be done? we are lost! _Jer._ But one moment is still ours. _Ni._ There is but one chance of escape-- _Pri._ Silence! (_during these speeches he seems to have been collecting his thoughts; he advances to Venoni, and says in a firm decided tone_) those words, in which you threatened my destruction, assured your own-- (_in a voice of thunder_) die! die, and be our dangerous secret buried for ever in your grave! (_to Jeronymo_) unclose the chapel door and raise the secret stone. _Jeronymo_ enters the chapel. _Pri._ Seize him! _Venoni._ (_who during the above speeches has remained in silent consternation, on being seized by father Anastasio, &c. bursts out into the most passionate exclamations_) What, barbarians! do you dare?-- _Pri._ Bear him to the chapel! _Venoni._ (_struggling_) Inhuman monsters! the vengeance of heaven-- my friends-- my cries-- help-- save me! _Pri._ Stifle his shrieks! away with him! (_the monks surround him-- a handkerchief is thrown over his face, and he sinks into their arms exhausted-- the scene drops, as they are conveying him towards the chapel, the prior being the last who follows, pointing to him with a look of triumphant vengeance_) _End of Act. II._ ACT III. SCENE I-- _A dungeon with a concealed door on one side, a tomb on the other, and a gallery above-- a grated door in the back._ _Lod._ (_with an iron bar in one hand and lamp in the other, comes feebly from the concealed door_) My efforts are unavailing! wretched, wretched Lodovico, the hopes of escape, which thou hast so long indulged, must at length be abandoned forever! in vain has the labour of twenty years forced me a passage from my own cell into this adjoining dungeon: in vain has my persevering vigilance at length succeeded in discovering yonder private door, whose artful concealment during whole years eluded my inquiries-- the upper portal-- its massive bars-- its inflexible locks: increasing age-- increasing weakness. Farewell, hope! I will make the attempt no more, (_he throws down the iron bar_) Oh, faint-- faint! my efforts have quite exhausted me-- now, even were the means of flight mine, weakness would forbid-- I will regain my own cell, sink on my couch of straw, pardon my enemies, and expire! let me see! yes! twas about this spot that I made the opening, and these stones removed--