_Jaf._ No, do not swear: I would not violate Thy tender nature, with so rude a bond: But as thou hop'st to see me live my days, And love thee long, lock this within thy breast: I've bound myself, by all the strictest sacraments, Divine and human---- _Bel._ Speak! _Jaf._ To kill thy father---- _Bel._ My father! _Jaf._ Nay, the throats of the whole senate Shall bleed, my Belvidera. He amongst us, That spares his father, brother, or his friend, Is damn'd. _Bel._ Oh! _Jaf._ Have a care, and shrink not even in thought. For if thou dost---- _Bel._ I know it; thou wilt kill me. Do, strike thy sword into this bosom: lay me Dead on the earth, and then thou wilt be safe. Murder my father! though his cruel nature Has persecuted me to my undoing; Driven me to basest wants; can I behold him, With smiles of vengeance, butcher'd in his age? The sacred fountain of my life destroy'd? And canst thou shed the blood that gave me being? Nay, be a traitor too, and sell thy country? Can thy great heart descend so vilely low, Mix with hir'd slaves, bravoes, and common stabbers, Nose-slitters, alley-lurking villains! join With such a crew, and take a ruffian's wages, To cut the throats of wretches as they sleep? _Jaf._ Thou wrong'st me, Belvidera! I've engaged With men of souls; fit to reform the ills Of all mankind: there's not a heart among them But's stout as death, yet honest as the nature Of man first made, ere fraud and vice were fashion. _Bel._ What's he, to whose curs'd hands last night thou gav'st me? Was that well done? Oh! I could tell a story, Would rouse thy lion heart out of its den, And make it rage with terrifying fury. _Jaf._ Speak on, I charge thee. _Bel._ O my love! If e'er Thy Belvidera's peace deserv'd thy care, Remove me from this place. Last night, last night! _Jaf._ Distract me not, but give me all the truth. _Bel._ No sooner wert thou gone, and I alone, Left in the pow'r of that old son of mischief; No sooner was I lain on my sad bed, But that vile wretch approach'd me, loose, unbutton'd, Ready for violation. Then my heart Throbb'd with its fears: Oh, how I wept and sigh'd, And shrunk and trembled! wish'd in vain for him That should protect me! Thou, alas! wert gone. _Jaf._ Patience, sweet heav'n, 'till I make vengeance sure. _Bel._ He drew the hideous dagger forth, thou gav'st him, And with upbraiding smiles, he said, Behold it: This is the pledge of a false husband's love: And in my arms then press'd, and would have clasp'd me; But with my cries I scar'd his coward heart, 'Till he withdrew, and mutter'd vows to hell. These are thy friends! with these thy life, thy honour, Thy love, all stak'd, and all will go to ruin. _Jaf._ No more: I charge thee keep this secret close. Clear up thy sorrows; look as if thy wrongs Were all forgot, and treat him like a friend, As no complaint were made. No more; retire, Retire, my life, and doubt not of my honour; I'll heal its failings, and deserve thy love.