Lucia! (_she whispers Lucia._)

_Venoni._ She knows me! look up, look up, unfortunate! I will protect
you! I will preserve you, and-- Josepha! tis Josepha! speak to me,
Josepha! oh! speak to your Venoni!

_Ve._ But one moment is still ours-- (_to Lucia_) fly! hasten! (_Lucia
goes off by the door through which Venoni enters._)

_Venoni._ The monsters! the barbarians! oh! my beloved, how have the
wretches made you suffer.

_Jose._ Suffer! oh say but that you love me still, all, all will be
forgotten.

_Venoni._ Do I love thee? oh, heaven! thou, my soul! my life! best half
of my existence! but come, let us quit this hated place-- let us away,
and-- (_to Veronica_) nay, lady, shrink not at my approach: how you may
answer to the viceroy, be that your care; but dread no reproaches from
me! I shall respect that sacred habit, though you have felt for it so
little reverence; I shall still remember your sex, though you seem
yourself to have forgotten it. Give me the means to quit the
convent-- furnish me with the portal key--

_Ve._ (_confused_) My lord-- the keys-- they shall be produced-- I have
sent for them-- even now you saw a sister leave the chamber-- she
returns-- I hear her-- speak!

_Lucia_ returns.

_Ve._ Have you found them?

_Lu._ I have.

_Venoni._ And where are they?

The _prior_ rushes in followed by monks.

_Pri._ Here! art thou found again, my fugitive? --seize him.

_Jose._ Venoni! oh, Venoni!

_Pri._ Tear them asunder.

_Jose._ No, no! I will never leave him! while I have life, thus thus
will I cling to him; if I must die, it shall be at his feet. (_they are
forced asunder_) oh! cruel, cruel men! (_she sinks into the arms of the
nuns-- Veronica is in the greatest agitation_)

_Pri._ Away with him! (_he precedes; the monks, bearing Venoni, follow
him_) Venoni, your death-hour has struck!

Father _Michael_ rushes in followed by the _Viceroy_, &c. and
grasps the prior's arm.

_Mi._ Tyrant, no; twas for thyself it sounded.

The monks release Venoni, and the nuns Josepha; the lovers fall
into each other's arms-- at the same time the folding-doors are
burst open, and the marquis, _Hortensia_, &c. enter.

_Hor._ (_speaking without_) Where is she? where is the abbess?

_Jose._ My mother's voice? here, here! my mother, behold your Josepha at
your feet.

_Hor._ Powers of mercy! she lives, she lives! my Josepha! my joy my
treasure! oh, can you forget--

_Jose._