Scene I.—A Room in the House of Aquilina. Enter Belvidera, L. S. E.
Bel. I'm sacrificed! I'm sold—betrayed to shame!
inevitable ruin has enclosed me!
He, that should guard my virtue, has betrayed it;—
Left me—undone me! Oh, that I could hate him!—
Where shall I go? Oh, whither, whither wander?

Enter Jaffier, R.
Jaf. (R. C.) Can Belvidera want a resting-place,
When these poor arms are open to receive her?
There was a time—

Bel. (C.) Yes, yes, there was a time
When Belvidera's tears, her cries and sorrows,
Were not despised; when, if she chanced to sigh,
Or look but sad——There was, indeed, a time,
When Jaffier would have ta'en her in his arms,
Eased her declining head upon his breast,
And never left her, till he found the cause.
But well I know why you forsake me thus;
I am no longer fit to bear a share
In your concernments: my weak female virtue
Must not be trusted: 'tis too frail and tender. [Crosses, R.
Jaf. Oh, Portia, Portia, what a soul was thine!

Bel. [Returns to L. C.] That Portia was a woman; and
when Brutus,
Big with the fate of Rome (Heav'n guard thy safety!)
Concealed from her the labours of his mind,
She let him see her blood was great as his,
Flowed from a spring as noble, and a heart
Fit to partake his troubles, as his love.
Fetch, fetch that dagger back, the dreadful dower
Thou gav'st last night, in parting with me; strike it
Here to my heart; and as the blood flows from it,
Judge if it run not pure as Cato's daughter's.

Jaf. (R.) Oh, Belvidera!

Bel. (C.) Why was I last night delivered to a villain?

Jaf. Ha! a villain?

Bel. (R.) Yes, to a villain! Why, at such an hour,
Meets that assembly, all made up of wretches,
That look as hell had drawn them into league?
Why, I in this hand, and in that, a dagger,
Was I delivered with such dreadful ceremonies?
"To you, sirs, and your honours, I bequeath her,
And with her, this: Whene'er I prove unworthy—
You know the rest—then strike it to her heart."
Oh! [Turns from him.] why's that rest concealed from
me? Must I
Be made the hostage of a hellish trust?
For such, I know I am; that's all my value.
But, by the love and loyalty I owe thee,
I'll free thee from the bondage of these slaves!
Straight to the senate—tell them all I know, [Going, L. All that I think, all that my fears inform me.

Jaf. (C.) Is this the Roman virtue? this the blood,
That boasts its purity with Cato's daughter?
Would she have e'er betrayed her Brutus? [Going to her
Bel. (L.) No;
For Brutus trusted her. [Leans on him.] Wert thou so kind,
What would not Belvidera suffer for thee?

Jaf. I shall undo myself, and tell thee all—
Yet think a little, ere thou tempt me further;
Think I've a tale to tell will shake thy nature,
Melt all this boasted constancy thou talk'st of,
Into vile tears and despicable sorrows;
Then, if thou shouldst betray me—

Bel. Shall I swear?

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! [Part.]
Jaf. Nay, the throats of the whole senate
Shall bleed, my Belvidera. He, amongst us,
That spares his father, brother, or his friend,
Is damned.

Bel. Oh!

Jaf. Have a care, and shrink not even in thought
For, if thou dost—

Bel. (L. C.) 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, butchered in his age?
The sacred fountain of my life destroyed?
And canst thou shed the blood that gave me being?

[Leans on him
Nay, be a traitor, too, and sell thy country!
Can thy great heart descend so vilely low,
Mix with hired slaves, bravos, and common stabbers,
Join such a crew, and take a ruffian's wages,
To cut the throats of wretches as they sleep? [Part.
Jaf. (R. C.) 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. (L.) What's he, to whose cursed 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. (C.) Speak on, I charge thee!

Bel. Oh, my love! [Leaning on him,] if e'er
Thy Belvidera's peace deserved 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 power of that old son of mischief;
No sooner was I laid on my sad bed,
But that vile wretch approached me. Then my heart
Throbbed with its fears;—
Oh, how I wept and sighed,
And shrunk, and trembled! wished, in vain, for him
That should protect me! Thou, alas, wast gone!

Jaf. [Turning, R.] Patience, sweet Heaven, 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 his arms then pressed, and would have clasped me;
But, with my cries, I scared his coward heart,
Till he withdrew, and muttered vows to hell.

[Rush into each other's arms.
These are thy friends! [Part]with
these thy life: thy honour,
Thy love, all staked—and all will go to ruin!

Jaf. (C.) 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.

Bel. (L.) Oh! should I part with thee, I fear thou wilt
In anger leave me, and return no more.

Jaf. Return no more! I would not live without thee
Another night, to purchase the creation.

Bel. When shall we meet again?

Jaf. Anon, at twelve,
I'll steal myself to thy expecting arms:
Come, like a travelled dove, and bring thee peace.

Bel. Indeed!

Jaf. By all our loves!

Bel. 'Tis hard to part:
But sure no falsehood ever looked so fairly.
Farewell! remember twelve. [Exit, L. D.
Jaf. (C.) Let Heav'n forget me,
When I remember not thy truth, thy love!

Enter Pierre, R.
Pierre. Jaffier!

Jaf. (L.) Who calls?

Pierre. (R. C.) A friend, that could have wished
T' have found thee otherwise employed. "What, hunt
A wife, on the dull soil! Sure, a stanch husband,
Of all hounds is the dullest

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

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