my fate,
How I surviv'd----

_Elw._ Alas! I have not seen him.
Oh! I have suffer'd much.

_Per._ Of that no more;
For every minute of our future lives
Shall be so bless'd, that we will learn to wonder
How we could ever think we were unhappy.

_Elw._ Percy--I cannot speak.

_Per._ Those tears how eloquent!
I would not change this motionless, mute, joy
For the sweet strains of angels: I look down
With pity on the rest of human kind,
However great may be their fame of happiness,
And think their niggard fate has given them nothing,
Not giving thee; or, granting some small blessing,
Denies them my capacity to feel it.

_Elw._ Alas! what mean you?

_Per._ Can I speak my meaning?
'Tis of such magnitude that words would wrong it;
But surely my Elwina's faithful bosom
Should beat in kind responses of delight,
And feel, but never question, what I mean.

_Elw._ Hold, hold, my heart, thou hast much more to suffer!

_Per._ Let the slow form, and tedious ceremony,
Wait on the splendid victims of ambition.
Love stays for none of these. Thy father's soften'd,
He will forget the fatal Cheviot chace;
Raby is brave, and I have serv'd my country;
I would not boast, it was for thee I conquer'd;
Then come, my love.

_Elw._ O never, never, never!

_Per._ Am I awake? Is that Elwina's voice?

_Elw._ Percy, thou most ador'd, and most deceiv'd!
If ever fortitude sustain'd thy soul,
When vulgar minds have sank beneath the stroke,
Let thy imperial spirit now support thee.--
If thou canst be so wond'rous merciful,
Do not, O do not, curse me!--but thou wilt,
Thou must--for I have done a fearful deed,
A deed of wild despair, a deed of horror.
I am, I am--

_Per._ Speak, say, what art thou?

_Elw._ Married!

_Per._ Oh!

_Elw._ Percy, I think I begg'd thee not to curse me;
But now I do revoke the fond petition.
Speak! ease thy bursting soul; reproach, upbraid,
O'erwhelm me with thy wrongs----I'll bear it all.

_Per._ Open, thou earth, and hide me from her sight!
Did'st thou not bid me curse thee?

_Elw._ Mercy! mercy!

_Per._ And have I 'scap'd the Saracen's fell sword
Only to perish by Elwina's guilt?
I would have bared my bosom to the foe,
I would have died, had I but known you wish'd it.

_Elw._ Percy, I lov'd thee most when most I wrong'd thee;
Yes, by these tears I did.

_Per._ Married! just Heaven!
Married! to whom? Yet wherefore should I know?
It cannot add fresh horrors to thy crime,
Or my destruction.