thy arms.

ISABELLA.
Declare
Thy message! Speak! by all the saints!
What has befallen?

DON MANUEL.
Where is my sister? Tell us,
Thou harbinger of ill!

DIEGO.
The maid is stolen
By corsairs! lost! Oh! that I ne'er had seen
This day of woe!

DON MANUEL.
Compose thyself, my mother!

DON CAESAR.
Be calm; list all this tale.

DIEGO.
At thy command
I sought in haste the well-known path that leads
To the old sanctuary:--joy winged my footsteps;
The journey was my last!

DON CAESAR.
Be brief!

DON MANUEL.
Proceed!

DIEGO.
Soon as I trod the convent's court--impatient--
I ask--"Where is thy daughter?" Terror sate
In every eye; and straight, with horror mute,
I heard the worst.

[ISABELLA sinks, pale and trembling, upon a chair;
DON MANUEL is busied about her.

DON CAESAR.
Say'st thou by pirates stolen?
Who saw the band?--what tongue relates the spoil?

DIEGO.
Not far a Moorish galley was descried,
At anchor in the bay----

DON CAESAR.
The refuge oft
From tempests' rage; where is the bark?

DIEGO.
At down,
With favoring breeze she stood to sea.

DON CAESAR.
But never
One prey contents the Moor; say, have they told
Of other spoil?

DIEGO.
A herd that pastured near
Was dragged away.

DON CAESAR.
Yet from the convent's bound
How tear the maid unseen?

DIEGO.
'Tis thought with ladders
They scaled the wall.

DON CAESAR.
Thou knowest what jealous care
Enshrines the bride of Heaven; scarce could their steps
Invade the secret cells.

DIEGO.
Bound by no vows
The maiden roved at will; oft would she seek
Alone the garden's shade. Alas! this day,
Ne'er to return!

DON CAESAR.
Saidst thou--the prize of corsairs?
Perchance, at other bidding, she forsook
The sheltering dome----

ISABELLA (rising suddenly).
'Twas force! 'twas savage spoil!
Ne'er has my child, reckless of honor's ties
With vile seducer fled! My sons! Awake!
I thought to give a sister to your arms;
I ask a daughter from your swords! Arise!
Avenge this wrong! To arms! Launch every ship!
Scour all our coasts! From sea to sea pursue them!
Oh, bring my daughter! haste!

DON CAESAR.
Farewell--I fly
To vengeance!
[He goes away.

[DON MANUE