most perilous secret,
And warned me to be strictly on my guard,
Never with word or look to give the king
Occasion for suspicion.

PRINCESS (after a pause, with astonishment).
All agrees!
It can be nothing else--he must have heard
The tale--'tis very strange! Who could have told him,
I wonder who? The eagle eye of love
Alone could pierce so far. But tell me further--
He read the letter.

PAGE.
Which, he said, conveyed
Such bliss as made him tremble, and till then
He had not dared to dream of. As he spoke
The duke, by evil chance, approached the room,
And this compelled us----

PRINCESS (angrily).
What in all the world
Could bring the duke to him at such a time?
What can detain him? Why appears he not?
See how you've been deceived; how truly blest
Might he have been already--in the time
You've taken to describe his wishes to me!

PAGE.
The duke, I fear----

PRINCESS.
Again, the duke! What can
The duke want here? What should a warrior want
With my soft dreams of happiness? He should
Have left him there, or sent him from his presence.
Where is the man may not be treated thus?
But Carlos seems as little versed in love
As in a woman's heart--he little knows
What minutes are. But hark! I hear a step;
Away, away!
[PAGE hastens out.
Where have I laid my lute?
I must not seem to wait for him. My song
Shall be a signal to him.

SCENE VIII.

The PRINCESS, DON CARLOS.

The PRINCESS has thrown herself upon an ottoman,
and plays.

CARLOS (rushes in; he recognizes the PRINCESS, and stands thunderstruck).
Gracious Heaven!
Where am I?

PRINCESS (lets her lute fall, and meeting him)
What? Prince Carlos! yes, in truth.

CARLOS.
Where am I? Senseless error; I have missed
The right apartment.

PRINCESS.
With what dexterous skill
Carlos contrives to hit the very room
Where ladies sit alone!

CARLOS.
Your pardon, princess!
I found--I found the antechamber open.

PRINCESS.
Can it be possible? I fastened it
Myself; at least I thought so----

CARLOS.
Ay! you thought,
You only thought so; rest assured you did not.
You meant to lock it, that I well believe:
But most assuredly it was not locked.
A lute's sweet sounds attracted me, some hand
Touched it with skill; say, was it not a lute?
[Looking round inquiringly.
Yes, there it lies, and Heaven can bear me witness
I